The Congress of Toulouse



� In 1700, Charles II of Spain was the last Habsburg King of Spain, and controlled the vast possessions in Italy, Spain, Flanders, the New World and in the Philippines. In his will, he gave control of Spain to a Bourbon, who was Philip, duc d'Anjou. His will called for the crowns of Spain and France to not be united. But the reigned Louis XIV of France took this as a union of the Crowns anyway. Thus, the War of the Spanish Succession began. What would happen, if France won this war?

Differences between OTL and Alternate History
The point of divergence was at the Battle of Blenheim on August 11, 1704. In OTL, Louis XIV loses miserably and loses his chance� to conquer one of his most powerful foes, Austria. But, in this Alternate History, they do win the Battle of Blenheim. French forces defeat Austria, then the Holy Roman Empire, and then even Britain itself.

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The Battle of Blenheim
� � In the midst of the Battle of Blenheim in Bavaria, French, Spanish and Bavarian forces� are fighting against a combination of Austrian, Holy Roman and Flemish forces. Marshal Eugene of the French forces finds a weak point in the Allied lines and attack, throwing everything they have into that attack. They succeed in scattering the Allied forces into two; one to the south and one to the north. Incoming Bavarian reinforcements attacked the northern Allied forces and destroyed that cluster, while the remaining French and Spanish force attacked the one to the south, leaving the path to Vienna wide open.

� � The triumphant French and Spanish forces marched to Vienna, and besieged the city on September 2, 1704. The city fell on November 1, 1704. The Grand Alliance that had come together to fight France and Spain had lost its most powerful member, and each of the Allies made peace treaties with France and Spain. ==

The Congress of Toulouse== � � After the defeat of the� Grand Alliance, a� Congress was held in� Toulouse, France to discuss what would happen with Europe.� Louis XIV himself showed up at the Congress, and there was great debate.� In the end, a few things happened.� The� Crowns of Spain and France were united,� and was� given� the� Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium) and the Dutch Republic.� The colonial possessions were stripped from� the new Kingdom of� Western Europe, and ceded to Britain. Only the� island of Hispanola and Cuba remained� in the Western European hands. Austria, though defeated, was restored and given control over Italy, while Bavaria was given control over Germany. Russia, who now� felt isolated and alone, turned� toward their traditional enemies, the Ottomans and made a formal alliance with them.� The balance of power had� shifted greatly, but it was still balanced.