<Dl> <Dd> For lukewarm, useless, or impotent friends, France has the Pope, who is indifferent; the King of England (James II) expelled from his country (And living in exile in Paris); the grand Duke of Tuscany; the Dukes of Mantua, Mokena, and Parma (all in Italy); and the other faction of the Swiss . Some of these are sunk in the softness that comes of years of peace, the others are cool in their affections...The English and Dutch are the main pillars of the Alliance; they support it by making war against us in concert with the other powers, and they keep it going by means of the money that they pay every year to...Allies...We must therefore fall back on privateering as the method of conducting war which is most feasible, simple, cheap, and safe, and which will cost least to the state, the more so since any losses will not be felt by the King, who risks virtually nothing...It will enrich the country, train many good officers for the King, and in a short time force his enemies to sue for peace . </Dd> </Dl> <Dd> For lukewarm, useless, or impotent friends, France has the Pope, who is indifferent; the King of England (James II) expelled from his country (And living in exile in Paris); the grand Duke of Tuscany; the Dukes of Mantua, Mokena, and Parma (all in Italy); and the other faction of the Swiss . Some of these are sunk in the softness that comes of years of peace, the others are cool in their affections...The English and Dutch are the main pillars of the Alliance; they support it by making war against us in concert with the other powers, and they keep it going by means of the money that they pay every year to...Allies...We must therefore fall back on privateering as the method of conducting war which is most feasible, simple, cheap, and safe, and which will cost least to the state, the more so since any losses will not be felt by the King, who risks virtually nothing...It will enrich the country, train many good officers for the King, and in a short time force his enemies to sue for peace . </Dd> <P> Louis XIV died in 1715 and was succeeded by his five - year - old great grandson who reigned as Louis XV until his death in 1774 . In 1718, France was once again at war, as Philip II of Orléans's regency joined the War of the Quadruple Alliance against Spain . King Philip V of Spain had to withdraw from the conflict, confronted with the reality that Spain was no longer a great power of Europe . Under Cardinal Fleury's administration, peace was maintained as long as possible . </P> <P> However, in 1733 another war broke in central Europe, this time about the Polish succession, and France joined the war against the Austrian Empire . This time there was no invasion of the Netherlands, and Britain remained neutral . As a consequence, Austria was left alone against a Franco - Spanish alliance and faced a military disaster . Peace was settled in the Treaty of Vienna (1738), according to which France would annex, through inheritance, the Duchy of Lorraine . </P>

Who did the french gain their independence from