How important was Western military technology and organization to the Asian-European interaction? In comparison with the European wars and crises of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, for instance the thirteen-year War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), the military actions of the European merchant-warriors in Asia seem almost trivial. But owing to their far better military equipment, knowledge and drill, small numbers of European soldiers could make a difference in a battle. Besides, in the divided world of small Asian states, it was always possible to find an ally among local kings.