THE 18TH CENTURY: THE SPANISH WAR OF SUCCESSION

In 1700, Charles II, the last Spanish monarch of the House of Habsburg, died childless. Before his death, he appointed Philip, grandson of his half-sister and King Louis XIV of France as the king of Spain. So, he bacame became Philip V of Spain and he was also in the line of succession of the French throne. However, the idea of the multi-continental empire of Spain passing under the control of Louis XIV provoked a massive coalition of powers to oppose Philip's succession.
Leopold I, The Holy Roman Emperor (Austrian Hasburg) also claimed the Spanish inheritance. As Louis XIV began to expand his territories, other European nations (mainly England, Portugal and the Dutch republic)) entered on the Holy Roman Empire side to stop the French expansion. Other states joined the coalition opposing France and Spain in an attempt to acquire new territories or to protect existing dominions. Spain was itself divided over the succession and fell into a civil war. (taken from wikipedia)

The war ended with the Treaty of Utrech, which brought important consequences.