ABSTRACT
THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION made war with France inevitable, for William had not led an army to England merely to win the title of King; he had led an army there principally to bring England into the balance of power against France. This fact became clear in May 1689 when William, as King of England, with the support of Parliament, declared war on France. The war upon which England then embarked continued (with one short interruption between 1697 and 1701) until 1713. The nation was at war for 21 of the 25 years William and Anne reigned in England. It was a far-flung war. English armies fought in Ireland and Flanders, on the banks of the Danube and on the plains of Spain, at Port Royal in Acadia and at Port Mahon in Minorca. The fleet fought in the Channel, in the Mediterranean, and on the high seas. England maintained 40,000 men on the Continent, built and manned 323 ships of war, sent 9000 men to Spain, and spent over £5 million a year to support its forces and subsidize its allies.
