Negotiations between France and Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession

Abstract

Historians have rightly pointed out the close ties that have united both Spanish and French monarchies during the War of the Spanish Succession, to the point that Louis XIV of France was able to emerge as the true King of Spain, in an imperial vision whereby the oldest dynastic branch guides the younger. This study aims to show the ongoing negotiations between the two courts: the discussion is made on the basis of a daily relationship at various levels. The entire apparatus of the state has resisted to the blatant interference of the French, particularly in order to limit the market penetration, especially in the Spanish New World. French diplomacy has also taken account of the negotiations with the Dutch and later the British. When the Congress opened in 1712, the King of France still spoke on behalf of his grandson, who was not recognized by the allies. However, the international discussion became a difficult issue between Madrid and Versailles on Philip V’s concessions and on the cession of Sicily. These complex relationships accompany the historical evolution of the Spanish monarchy, which maintained its empire in the world even abandoning their European dominions outside the Iberian peninsula.