Louis XIV in 1670,
engraved portrait by Robert
Nanteuil
The future Philip V being introduced
as King of Spain by his grandfather,
Louis XIV
The Battle of Tolhuis, Louis XIV crosses
the Lower Rhine at Lobith on 12 June
1672; Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
Louis XIV, 1670, by Claude
Lefèbvre
and Lionne, however, made the renunciation conditional on
the full payment of a Spanish dowry of 500,000 écus.[40]
The dowry was never paid and would later play a part
persuading his maternal first cousin Charles II of Spain to
leave his empire to Philip, Duke of Anjou (later Philip V of
Spain), the grandson of Louis XIV and Maria Theresa.
The War of Devolution did not focus on the payment of the
dowry; rather, the lack of payment was what Louis XIV
used as a pretext for nullifying Maria Theresa's
renunciation of her claims, allowing the land to "devolve"
to him. In Brabant (the location of the land in dispute),
children of first marriages traditionally were not
disadvantaged by their parents' remarriages and still
inherited property. Louis's wife was Philip IV's daughter by
his first marriage, while the new king of Spain, Charles II, was his son by a subsequent
marriage. Thus, Brabant allegedly "devolved" to Maria Theresa, justifying France to attack
the Spanish Netherlands.
During the Eighty Years' War with Spain, France supported the Dutch Republic as part
of a general policy of opposing Habsburg power. Johan de Witt, Dutch Grand
Pensionary from 1653 to 1672, viewed this as crucial for Dutch security and a
counterweight against his domestic Orangist opponents. Louis provided support in the
1665-1667 Second Anglo-Dutch War but used the opportunity to launch the War of
Devolution in 1667. This captured Franche-Comté and much of the Spanish
Netherlands; French expansion in this area was a direct threat to Dutch economic
interests.[41]
The Dutch opened talks with Charles II of England on a common diplomatic front
against France, leading to the Triple Alliance, between England, the Dutch and
Sweden. The threat of an escalation and a secret treaty to divide Spanish possessions
with Emperor Leopold, the other major claimant to the throne of Spain, led Louis to relinquish many of his gains in the 1668
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.[42]
Louis placed little reliance on his agreement with Leopold and as it was now clear French and Dutch aims were in direct conflict,
he decided to first defeat the Republic, then seize the Spanish Netherlands. This required breaking up the Triple Alliance; he paid
Sweden to remain neutral and signed the 1670 Secret Treaty of Dover with Charles, an Anglo-French alliance against the Dutch
Republic. In May 1672, France invaded the Republic, supported by Münster and the Electorate of Cologne.[43]
Rapid French advance led to a coup that toppled De Witt and brought William III to power.
Leopold viewed French expansion into the Rhineland as an increasing threat, especially after
they seized the strategic Duchy of Lorraine in 1670. The prospect of Dutch defeat led Leopold
to an alliance with Brandenburg-Prussia on 23 June, followed by another with the Republic on
25th.[44] Although Brandenburg was forced out of the war by the June 1673 Treaty of Vossem,
in August an anti-French alliance was formed by the Dutch, Spain, Emperor Leopold and the
Duke of Lorraine.[45]
The French alliance was deeply unpopular in England, and only more so after the
disappointing battles against Michiel de Ruyter's fleet. Charles II of England made peace with
the Dutch in the February 1674 Treaty of Westminster. However, French armies held
significant advantages over their opponents; an undivided command, talented generals like
Turenne, Condé and Luxembourg and vastly superior logistics. Reforms introduced by
Louvois, the Secretary of War, helped maintain large field armies that could be mobilised
much more quickly, allowing them to mount offensives in early spring before their opponents
were ready.[46]
Relations with the Dutch