The attention of William III of Orange…
May 1689 CE
The attention of William III of Orange is turned towards England, to which he had come to use her power in the struggle against French expansion.
As Stadtholder of the Dutch republic and now as King of England, William is able to form the coalition to oppose France that he has long since been striving for.
William and Leopold on May 12, 1689, form the Grand Alliance with the aim of forcing France back to her borders as designated in the Treaty of Westphalia that had concluded the Thirty Years’ War in 1648.
This means for the Emperor and the German princes the reconquest of Lorraine, Strasbourg, parts of Alsace and some fortresses on the Rhine.
The Emperor also insists that the other allies should promise to support his claims to the Spanish succession if the present incumbent, the childless Charles II, dies during the war.
William, as King William III of England, signs in December.