Balance of power
What Balance of power means in History A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of Balance of power
Exam boards and our study guides word this term in slightly different ways. Learn the version your board uses.
Check what you remember
Read the wording for your board, then hide it and explain Balance of power in your own words. Rough notes are fine. This is a self-check, with no mark or grade.
Reference: AQA
The European balance of power was fundamentally altered by the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688, which aligned England and the Dutch Republic under William of Orange.
Britain prioritised trade and this over punitive measures, viewing a prosperous Germany as a vital trading partner and seeking economic recovery.
The international response to the perceived threat of a unified Franco-Spanish superpower, addressed by the Grand Alliance in 1701.
The principle established by the treaty, ensuring no single nation could dominate the continent.
Topics that use Balance of power
- 2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643– 1715 (A-level only) – Challenges in Europe, 1685–1697 (AQA A-Level)
- 2F The Sun King: Louis XIV, France and Europe, 1643– 1715 (A-level only) – France defeated, 1697–1715 (AQA A-Level)
- 2K International Relations and Global Conflict, c1890–1941 (A-level only) – Second World War, 1917–1941 The end of the First World War and the peace settlement, 1917–1923 (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Absolutism and its limitations
- Causes of conflict
- Collective security
- Containment
- Containment of French hegemony
- Diplomacy and alliances
- Diplomacy and treaties
- Dynastic fragility and succession
Using Balance of power in the exam
Check the command word and mark scheme for your exact question. After comparing your explanation with the reference, use the term in an answer on the linked topic. This practice does not predict an exam mark.
Practise History questions
Create a free account to answer exam-style questions on this topic and get feedback on your answers.
A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge