enotes an alliance or confederacy between princes and states for their mutual aid, either in attacking some common enemy, or in defending themselves. The word comes from liga, which in the corrupt Latin was used for a confederacy: Qua quis cum aliis ligatur.

Leagues of the Grisons, are a part of Switzerland, consisting of three subdivisions, viz. the upper league, the league of the house of Gad, and the league of the ten jurisdictions. See the article Switzerland.

The League, by way of eminence, denotes that famous one on foot in France, from the year 1576 to 1593. Its intent was to prevent the succession of Henry IV. who was of the reformed religion, to the crown; and it ended with his abjuration of that faith.

The leaguers, or confederates, were of three kinds. The zealous leaguers aimed at the utter destruction, not only of the Huguenots, but also of the ministry. The Spanish leaguers had principally in view the transferring the crown of France to the king of Spain, or the infant his daughter. The moderate leaguers aimed only at the extirpation of Calvinism, without any alteration of the government.