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The Ascendancy of France in Europe 1660–1714

Why the Grand Alliance won and France failed

  • 3 things to know
  • AS Unit 2

Overview

Allied finance and the Bank of England, Marlborough and Eugene as commanders, and the exhaustion of France by war, famine and debt.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

How did the loss of allies weaken France?

Numbers

How did allied naval power contribute to victory?

Key term

How did finance decide the outcome of the war?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    How did allied naval power contribute to victory?

    Model answer

    The allied fleets took Gibraltar in 1704 and Minorca in 1708, protected trade and moved armies and money at will, while French squadrons stayed in port.

  2. 2

    How did finance decide the outcome of the war?

    Model answer

    Britain and the Dutch could borrow enormous sums cheaply against secure taxes, whereas France sold offices, debased the coinage and even melted royal plate to pay its troops.

  3. 3

    Why did the Portuguese and Savoyard alliances matter?

    Model answer

    Portugal gave the allies a base for the war in Spain and Savoy's change of sides in 1703 exposed the French position in Italy.

  4. 4

    Give three reasons for France's poor performance in the war.

    Model answer

    France fought on four fronts at once, its treasury was exhausted before the war began, and command was too often given to princes and courtiers rather than to the best soldiers.

  5. 5

    How did divided command damage the French?

    Model answer

    At Oudenarde Vendôme and the Duke of Burgundy disagreed over every decision, and similar quarrels elsewhere paralysed French armies at critical moments.

  6. 6

    What natural catastrophe struck France in 1709?

    Model answer

    The great winter of 1709 froze rivers and killed the seed corn, producing famine and bread riots in the middle of a war France could not afford.

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