The Spanish Succession Crisis: Charles II's Dilemma The Spanish Succession Crisis (1700) was triggered by the death of Charles II of Spain, the last Habsburg king, who left no heirs. His death sparked a power struggle over who should inherit the throne, with France's Louis XIV backing his grandson, Philip of Anjou, and other European powers fearing the consolidation of French and Spanish power. This led to the War of the Spanish Succession, as rival factions fought for control of Spain and its e