text: France established contact with Francis II Rákóczi and promised support if he took up the 
  cause of Hungarian independence. 
  
  The Franco-Spanish army led by the 
  Duke of Berwick defeated decisively 
  the Alliance forces of Portugal, 
  England, and the Dutch Republic at 
  the Battle of Almansa. 
  
  Defeats, famine, and mounting debt greatly weakened France. Between 1693 and 1710, 
  over two million people died in two famines, made worse as foraging armies seized food 
  supplies from the villages.[98] In desperation, Louis ordered a disastrous invasion of the 
  English island of Guernsey in the autumn of 1704 with the aim of raiding their successful 
  harvest. By the winter of 1708–09, he was willing to accept peace at nearly any cost. He 
  agreed that the entire Spanish empire should be surrendered to Archduke Charles, and also 
  consented to return to the frontiers of the Peace of Westphalia, giving up all the territories 
  he had acquired over 60 years. But he could not promise that Philip V would accept these 
  terms, so the Allies demanded that Louis single-handedly attack his grandson to force 
  these terms on him. If he could not achieve this within the year, the war would resume. 
  Louis would not accept these terms.[99] 