Grand Alliance was the name of two unions of European countries formed to curb French military aggression under King Louis XIV. Each helped to limit French expansion and maintain a balance of power in Europe. The first alliance lasted from 1689 to 1697. It included England, Spain, the United Provinces of the Netherlands, the lands controlled by the ruler of Austria, and most German states in the Holy Roman Empire. The alliance opposed France in the War of the League of Augsburg (1689-1697). Louis XIV was forced to give up much of the territory he had won since 1679. The second alliance included the Austrian lands, England, the United Provinces, and several German states. It fought France and Spain in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). The war nearly destroyed French power. But internal divisions weakened the alliance, and France received fairly favorable peace terms.
See also Succession wars.
