Treaty of Rastatt in European politics, associated with the shift to the balance of power politics. Austria began to negotiate the treaty with France after it had been abandoned by its allies, particularly Great Britain, during negotiations for the Treaty of Utrecht. Great Britain feared a possible connection of Austria and Spain in the person of the Emperor Charles VI, who became emperor in 1711 and claimed the Spanish throne, as it would shift the balance of power politics in Europe to Habsburg Austria. In June 1713, France launched the Rhine campaign against the Holy Roman Empire, conquering Kaiserslautern, Landau and Breisgau. After
Treaty of Pont-à-Vendin and Aire-sur-la-Lys. Philip II let them know that he would release them once they signed a treaty in which they would cede the two captured towns to France. Eventually, on 25 February 1212, they both signed this treaty at Pont-à-Vendin, a Flemish-Artesian border town on the Deûle between Lens and Lille. Philip now thought that with Ferdinand he had appointed a count of Flanders who he could easily manipulate. Treaty of Pont-à-Vendin The Treaty of Pont-à-Vendin was a treaty signed on 25 February 1212 at Pont-à-Vendin between king Philip II of France and the count ("iure uxoris") and countess of