The Nine Years' War or the War of the Grand Alliance (1688A 1697) was a major conflict fought primarily on Continental Europe.

Since the signing of the Treaty of Nijmegen, ending the Franco-Dutch War (1672A 1678), FranceA s expansionist policies under Louis XIV had threatened to secure hegemony over Europe. However, by the 1680s the Holy Roman Empire under Leopold I was gaining ascendancy in its struggle with the Ottoman Turks in the Balkans A strengthening the EmperorA s position in central Europe. These advancements encouraged Leopold and his allies A the Protestant German princes, Spain, and Sweden A to form the defensive League of Augsburg in opposition to France on 9 July 1686.

In November 1688 William of Orange successfully invaded England at the request of the English parliament leading to the A Glorious RevolutionA and the deposition of James II. With William as Stadtholder of the Dutch republic and now as King of England, he was able to form the coalition to oppose France that he had long since been striving for. On 12 May 1689, William and Leopold formed the Grand Alliance with the aim of forcing France back to her borders as designated in the Treaty of Westphalia.

The war ended indecisively with the signing of the Treaty of Ryswick (Rijswijk, now a suburb of The Hague) on 20 September 1697 by the main powers, France, the Dutch Republic, England and Spain, with Leopold signing later on 30 October. But although the French influence had increased militarily on land A and the Dutch and English at sea A the conflict between the Habsburgs and Bourbon dynasties had yet to be resolved.