2.  It  was,  doubtless,  of  very  little  importance  to  England,  whether
an  Austrian  or  a  French  prince  became  monarch  of  Spain;    but
when,  on  the  death  of  the  exiled  James  II.,  his  son  was  acknowl-
edged king  of  England  by  the  French  court,  the  act  was  regarded
as  an  insult  and  a  defiance  to  Great  Britain ;  the  national  animosity
was  aroused,  and  king  William  engaged  strenuously  in  the  work  of
forming  a  league  against  the  ambition  of  France.     England,  Holland,
and  Austria,  were  the  leading  powers  of  the  coalition,  while  France
was  aided  by  Bavaria  alone.     Already  William  was  preparing  to

26


402  MODERN  HISTORY.  [PART  IL

take  the  field  in  person  at  the  head  of  the  allies,  when  a  fall  from
his  horse  occasioned  a  fever,  which  terminated  his  life  in  May  1 702.
Queen  Anne,  who  next  ascended  the  throne  of  Great  Britain,  de-
clared her  resolution  to  adhere  to  the  policy  of  her  predecessor.
3.  The  emperor  of  Austria  began  the  war  by  pouring  into  Italy  a
large  army  under  the  command  of  Prince  Eugene,  a  Frenchman  by
birth,  who  had  early  entered  the  Austrian  service,  where  he  had
gained  distinction  in  the  wars  of  the  Turks.     At  the  same  time  the
English  duke  of  Marlborough,  intrusted  with  the  chief  command  of
the  Dutch  and  English  forces,  entered  on  the  campaign  in  Flanders.
