The historic British interest in the island of Menorca

Why did England notice this piece of land in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea? What was it about Menorca that caused so much interest in Great Britain? Well, it was nothing other than the great port of Mahón. A place from where you could do business and, in addition, it allowed to deploy a powerful squad in the middle of the western part of the Mediterranean.

At the end of the 17th century, England was the main maritime and commercial power in the world, thanks to the arc established in the Atlantic Ocean controlling Portugal, Ireland and the Netherlands. To maintain this situation, she is committed to a policy of balances between the powers and thus prevent any of them from becoming too powerful.

The Spanish King Carlos II dies without children and thus begins the War of Succession of the Spanish Crown. Philippe of Anjou, grandson of the King of France, and Archduke Charles of Austria, son of the emperor, claim the Crown. In the end the French won the war and in 1701 Philip V was proclaimed King of Spain, so that immediately a great alliance was created that Austria and England led against Spain and Bourbon France.