The Spanish Netherlands, governed by the young Elector of Bavaria,
as Lieutenant General of Spain, at once gave in their adhesion to
the new monarch. The distant colonies all accepted his rule, as did
the great Spanish possessions in Italy; while the principal
European nations acknowledged him as successor of Charles the
Second.
The new empire seemed indeed of preponderating strength. Bavaria
united herself in a firm alliance with France and Spain; and these
three countries, with Italy and Flanders, appeared capable of
giving the law to the world. England, less affected than the
continental powers by the dominance of this powerful coalition,
might have remained quiet, had not the French King thrown down the
gauntlet of defiance. On the 16th September, 1701, James the
Second, the exiled King of England, died, and Louis at once
acknowledged his son as King of Great Britain and Ireland. This act
was nothing short of a public declaration of war, not only against
the reigning monarch of England, but against the established
religion of our country. The exiled prince was Roman Catholic.
Louis was the author of the most terrible persecution of the
Protestants that ever occurred in Europe. Thus the action of the
French king rallied round William the Second all the Protestant
feeling of the nation. Both Houses of Parliament voted loyal
addresses, and the nation prepared for the great struggle before
it.
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