European balance of power Austria which continued to rule as Holy Roman Emperor. Hapsburg Austria did directly control some states outside of the Holy Roman Empire. It was France who took the status of dominant continental power from the Habsburgs thanks to the Treaty of Westphalia and the Treaty of the Pyrenees. In the 16th and 17th centuries, English foreign policy strove to prevent a creation of a single universal monarchy in Europe, which many believed France or Spain might attempt to create. To maintain the balance of power, the English made alliances with other states—including Portugal, the Ottoman Empire, and the Netherlands—to counter
Treaty of Jaworów Treaty of Jaworów The Treaty of Jaworów was a secret treaty signed on 11 June 1675 between the Polish king John III Sobieski and France in Jaworów (today, Yavoriv). In the treaty, Poland promised to aid France against Brandenburg-Prussia, in exchange for French monetary subsidies and support for Polish claims over Ducal Prussia. The French promised to mediate between Poland and the Ottoman Empire so that Polish forces could be diverted from the southern border. The treaty, however, did not have much effect on European politics, as the French diplomacy failed to improve the relations between the Ottomans and Poland.