1702 - Week 3

The Spanish Succession War

 by August Friedrich Wilhelm Edle

Pub. 1906

 

Available on Google Books

A concise overview  of the causes, claims, alliances and battles of the War of Spanish Succession.

 

The book includes descriptions of both the First Partition Treaty, The Second Partition Treaty, and a description of the participants and their aspirations from these treaties.  Neither of the treaties was successful, and war did ensue.

 

A good discussion of the parties involved in the Grand Alliance and the cause for agreement between France and Bavaria.  The Grand Alliance, for the most part, was formed to keep France and Spain from unification under one monarch.

 

The book gives a brief description of the results of the battles of Hoechstadt, Blenheim, Gibraltar, Turin, Oudenard, and Malplaquet.  I believe that the author was more impressed with Eugene of Savoy than Marlborough, where others have given Marlborough more credit.  I will read further to form a better opinion of this discrepancy.

 

The results of the war and the changes in territories and the Peace of Utrecht are detailed in the last part of the book.

 

I enjoyed this quick read and thought I gained a better overall understanding.