The Bravest of the Brave | Page 6

powerful
with the king. The cardinal argued that the grandson of Maria Theresa
could not be bound by her renunciation, and also that it had only been
made with a view to keep separate the French and Spanish monarchies,
and that if a descendant of hers, other than the heir to the throne of
France, were chosen, this condition would be carried out.
Finally, he persuaded Charles, a month before his death, to sign a will
declaring Philip, Duke of Anjou, grandson of his brother in law Louis
XIV, sole heir of the Spanish empire. The will was kept secret till the
death of the king, and was then publicly proclaimed. Louis accepted the
bequest in favor of his grandson, and Philip was declared king in Spain
and her dependencies.
The greatest indignation was caused in England, Holland, and the
empire at this breach by the King of France of the treaty of partition, of
which he himself had been the author. England and Holland were
unprepared for war, and therefore bided their time, but Austria at once
commenced hostilities by directing large bodies of troops, under Prince
Eugene, into the duchy of Milan, and by inciting the Neapolitans to
revolt. The young king was at first popular in Spain, but Cardinal
Portocarrero, who exercised the real power of the state, by his
overbearing temper, his avarice, and his shameless corruption, speedily
alienated the people from their monarch. Above all, the cardinal was
supposed to be the tool of the French king, and to represent the policy
which had for its object the dismemberment of the Spanish monarchy
and the aggrandizement of France.
That Louis had such designs was undoubted, and, if properly managed
and bribed, Portocarrero would have been a pliant instrument in his
hands; but the cardinal was soon estranged by the constant interference
by the French agents in his own measures of government, and therefore
turned against France that power of intrigue which he had recently used
in her favor. He pretended to be devoted to France, and referred even
the most minute details of government to Paris for approbation, with
the double view of disgusting Louis with the government of Spain and
of enraging the Spanish people at the constant interference of Louis.

Philip, however, found a new and powerful ally in the hearts of the
people by his marriage with Maria Louisa, daughter of the Duke of
Savoy--a beautiful girl of fourteen years old, who rapidly developed
into a graceful and gifted woman, and became the darling of the
Spanish people, and whose intellect, firmness, and courage guided and
strengthened her weak but amiable husband. For a time the power of
Spain and France united overshadowed Europe, the trading interests of
England and Holland were assailed, and a French army assembled close
to the Flemish frontier.
The indignation of the Dutch overcame their fears, and they yielded to
the quiet efforts which King William was making, and combined with
England and Austria in a grand alliance against France, the object of
the combination being to exclude Louis from the Netherlands and West
Indies, and to prevent the union of the crowns of France and Spain
upon the same head. King William might not have obtained from the
English parliament a ratification of the alliance had not Louis just at
this moment acknowledged the son of the ex-king James as king of
England. This insult roused the spirit of the English people, the House
of Commons approved the triple alliance, and voted large supplies.
King William died just after seeing his favorite project successful, and
was succeeded by Queen Anne, who continued his policy. The Austrian
Archduke Charles was recognized by the allies as King of Spain, and
preparation made for war.
An English army was landed near Cadiz; but the Spaniards showed no
signs of rising in favor of Charles, and, after bringing great discredit on
themselves and exciting the animosity of the Spaniards by gross
misconduct, the English army embarked again. Some treasure ships
were captured, and others sunk in the harbor of Vigo, but the fleet was
no more effective than the army. Admiral Sir John Munden was
cashiered for treachery or cowardice on the coast of Spain, and four
captains of vessels in the gallant Benbow's West India fleet were either
dismissed or shot for refusing to meet the enemy and for abandoning
their chief.
In 1703 little was done in the way of fighting, but the allies received an
important addition of strength by the accession of Portugal to their
ranks. In 1704 the allies made an attempt upon the important city of
Barcelona. It was believed that the Catalans would have declared for

Charles; but the plot by which the town was to be given up to him was
discovered on the