By 1700, more than 200 years after the story of the vast Spanish overseas empire began with Columbus making landfall in what is now the Bahamas archipelago, a string of lost wars in Europe had brought Spain to its knees, both economically and diplomatically. This situation was then aggravated by a dynastie crisis, as two contenders claimed the throne: Prince Charles of Austria, and Philippe, Duke of Anjou and grandson of France's King Louis XIV. The War of the Spanish Succession that ensued in 1702 did not end until 1713-14, by which time the rivals were exhausted. France had lost some of its prestige as a world power to Britain, but it had secured the confirmation of Philippe as Felipe V, King of Spain and "the Indies." However, Spain was not to become a French puppet state, as was quickly demonstrated by the rather ludicrous and half-hearted war that it waged in 1718-20 against France, Britain and several other countries. Thereafter, Spain's government had to confront the most pressing issue: the need to halt the nation's decline, and to restore its prestige as a viable power.
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