BALANCE Of POWER

Throughout the 18th century, the major European powers of Britain, France, the Netherlands, Prussia, Austria and others would constantly vie for power and influence, often motivated by a desire to not see one nation gain too much control or hegemony over the continent. The concept of a European balance of power was a major influence on several wars in this period, with the War of the Spanish Succession, War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years’ War, the War of the Bavarian Succession and the Napoleonic Wars all following a similar trend. Sometimes these major nations would be direct combatants, as in the Seven Years’ War, and other times they would aim to aid one side against another with arms or funds. After the Seven Years’ War, many European nations backed the American War of Independence to try to dent the growing power and imperial dominance of the British crown around the world.