Nine Years' War

Nine Years' War, (1688-1697), also known as War of the Grand Alliance and War of the League of Augsburg. It was a war in which the expansionist ambitions of Louis XIV of France were blocked by an alliance led by Britain and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and the Austrian Habsburgs. The main underlying issue was the balance of power between the rival Habsburg and Bourbon dynasties, exacerbated by uncertainty over the successor to Charles II of Spain. It was also to become a power struggle between Louis XIV and William III, Prince of Orange and king of Britain.

The war was fought on the European continent, Ireland, and in the Mediterranean. It spread overseas to colonies of the contenders; French and British supporters fought one another on the American continent (in what became known as King William's War) and in India.

The League of Augsburg had been formed in 1686 between the Holy Roman Emperor, electors of Bavaria, Saxony and Palatine, and kings of Sweden and Spain, in opposition to Louis XIV's attempts to increase his influence among the German princes. In 1688 France invaded the Rhineland and the League took up arms against him. Louis had counted on assistance from James II of England, but early in 1689 this ally was swiftly and successfully deposed by Louis's inveterate opponent, William of Orange. Louis then supported an attempt in Ireland to restore James to the throne which William resisted, emerging victoriously from the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

In 1689 the Emperor and the United Provinces signed the Treaty of Vienna with the avowed purpose to restore Louis XIV's annexations. Further agreements over the next 18 months with Britain, Brandenburg, Saxony, Bavaria, and Spain, formed the core of the Grand Alliance against France.

France withdrew from the Rhine but her campaigns in north Italy and Catalonia were successful. The war in the Low Countries became a stalemate as one lengthy siege succeeded another. William led allied forces in most campaigns in Flanders, but his sole success was the recapture of Namur. Major battles as at Fleurus (1690), Steenkerke (1692), and Neerwinden (1693) were relatively rare and never decisive enough to produce a peace settlement.

The French navy had some success in the Channel; the Battle of Beachy Head (1690) was possibly the greatest naval victory the French ever gained over the British, but they failed to take advantage of it; and in 1692 an invasion force was intercepted by the British at Barfleur and soundly defeated at La Hogue. Privateers continued to damage allied commerce. In the Mediterranean the British fleet attempted and failed to contain the French navy.

There was little sign of a decisive victory on either side. The Alliance was frequently undermined by traditional distrust between the mixed Catholic and Protestant allies, and against the powerful Habsburgs. France had resources to provide powerful forces both at sea and on land, and she had the advantages of a single power fighting a coalition, but was unprepared for such a lengthy and extensive strain on the treasury, and ultimately could not compete with the combined coffers of Britain and the United Provinces.

In 1695 Louis had begun to open secret, separate negotiations with smaller Alliance members; as domestic objections to expensive, unsuccessful campaigning increased and the death of Charles II and subsequent changes in the balance of power in Europe grew imminent, the Alliance leaders saw the need for peace. Negotiations began in May 1697 and were concluded with the Peace of Ryswick in September.