War of the Reunions

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The War of the Reunions (1683–84) was a conflict between France, Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, with limited involvement by Genoa. It can be seen as a continuation of the War of Devolution (1667–1668) and the Franco-Dutch War (1672–1678), which were driven by Louis XIV's determination to establish defensible boundaries along France's northern and eastern borders. Despite the peace established by the 1678 Treaty of Nijmegen, Louis retained a large army, an action extremely unusual in the period. In 1681, his troops seized Strasbourg and in 1682 occupied the Principality of Orange, then a possession of William of Orange. When hostilities began in 1683, French support for the Ottomans in their war with Austria allowed Louis to capture Luxembourg and consolidate his position in Alsace. The Truce of Ratisbon that ended the conflict marked the high water mark of French territorial gains under Louis XIV. Afterwards, his opponents would recognize the need for unity in order to resist further...

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