Treaty of London (1700)
- When
- 1700
- Where
- London
- Episodes
- 2
The Treaty of London (1700), also known as the Second Partition Treaty, was a diplomatic agreement between France, England, and the Dutch Republic. Signed in March 1700, it attempted to resolve the Spanish succession crisis by designating Archduke Charles as heir, replacing the deceased Joseph Ferdinand. The treaty ultimately failed to prevent the War of the Spanish Succession.
Episodes
- Parliamentary Fury
The English Parliament reacted with fury upon learning of the treaty terms in March 1700, citing lack of consent and commercial damage.
- Signing in London
The Treaty of London was formally signed in London on 12 March 1700, establishing the Second Partition Treaty terms.
Background and detail
Background. Following the death of Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria in 1699, the First Partition Treaty became void. Louis XIV and William III sought a new diplomatic solution to the Spanish succession issue. The Marquess of Torcy drafted revised terms, which William approved in principle in June 1699, leading to the negotiation of the Second Partition Treaty.
Signing and Reaction. The treaty was formally signed in London on 12 March 1700 and in The Hague on 24 March. William negotiated the agreement without notifying Parliament or his ministers. When Parliament learned of the terms in March 1700, they reacted with fury, citing damage to English commercial interests and the lack of consent.
Outcome. The treaty failed to prevent war. When Charles II of Spain died in November 1700, Louis XIV supported Philip of Anjou's claim. The War of the Spanish Succession began in July 1701. Historians view the treaty as largely unenforceable because it divided the Spanish Empire without prior consultation with Spain.
People involved
- Louis XIV · King of France
- William III · King of England
- Marquess of Torcy · Senior foreign policy advisor to Louis XIV
Sources
- Treaty of London (1700) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-19
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.