Through
1709-11
"While the allies continued to score important
victories, the momentum of allied success slowed enough that the
Bourbon cause
did not collapse. By 1711, Louis had outlasted the will of the
British
Parliament to continue a costly Continental war, and the circumstances
of that
war had changed enough to make a Bourbon king of Spain a reasonable
alternative
for the Maritime Powers." (Lynn 328). The war became a completely
different war in 1712 " The British effectively dropped out of the
conflict; gone were their troops and ships, gone was their money, adn
gone was the military genius of Marlborough. It was to Louis's
benefit
that the war continued for two years after the British had essentially
withdrawn, for it gave the Franch time to turn what looked like defeat
into what could be seen as victory" (Lynn 350). Towards the close
of this year, 1713, peace with the Emperor seemed so
certain, that the King disbanded sixty Battalions and eighteen men per
company of the regiment of the guards, and one hundred and six
squadrons; of which squadrons twenty-seven were dragoon. At peace now
with the rest of Europe he had no need of so many troops,
even although the war Against the Empire had continued; fortunately,
however it did not. Negotiations were set on foot, and on the 6th of
March of the following year, 1714, after much debate, they ended
successfully. On that day, in fact, peace was signed at
Rastadt. It
was shortly afterwards published at Paris, a Te Deum sung, and bonfires
lighted at night; a grand collation was given at the Hotel de Ville by
the Duc de Tresmes, who at midnight also gave, in his own house, a
splendid banquet, at which were present many ladies, foreigners, and
courtiers."(Duc de Saint-Simon)
