The War of the Spanish Succession is exactly what it sounds like. It was a war fought between two major political families, the French Bourbons and the Austrian Hapsburgs. Between these two families alone there have been many wars and likely millions who have died fighting for them. The issue was a balance of power, if one family were to control too much it would decimate the delicate balance in Europe.
On this day April 11th, in 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht is signed and ends the War of the Spanish Succession. This treaty comprises a number of agreements, including one where King Louis XIV agreed to no longer go after the Spanish throne.
This treaty subdued the French aspirations to have more control in the “balance of power.” Charles II was King of Spain, but he was both mentally and physically ill, it was apparent he would never produce an heir. Louis XIV (The Sun King) had a claim to the throne, although his grandmother Anne of Austria had renounced her claim when she married into the French royal family. If Louis XIV were to have succeeded, he would have controlled two of the most powerful countries.