Alliance among the Holy Roman Emperor, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain, and the Netherlands
the treaty were largely negotiated by Portugal and England; the treaty’s
primary objectives related to the ongoing succession conflict in Spain.
Portugal obtained a guarantee of protection from the French by the
Dutch and the English in the conflict. Both sides also committed to
the goal of securing the Spanish Empire for the Austrian claimant,
Archduke Charles, who established Spain as a base of war.
The Methuen Treaty also had commercial objectives. The alliance
allowed for mutual commercial advantages of Portuguese wine in
England and for English textiles in Portugal. As such, the treaty played
an important role in developing the wine industry in Portugal at the
expense of industrialization.
The alliance held for more than ten years. The Treaty of Utrecht ended
fighting between France and the Dutch and the English, and a similar
treaty was signed between France and Portugal during the same
period. Portugal remained at war in Spain until the Treaty of Madrid
in 1715.
Alliance Text
WHEREAS the moft ferene and moft potent prince Leopold,
emperor of the Romans, and the moft ferene and moft potent
prince William III. late king of Great Britain, and alfo the High
and mighty lords the States General of the United Provinces of
the Netherlands, entered into an alliance which was concluded
at the Hague, the 7th of September, 1701, which, after the death
of the faid king, the moft ferene and moft potent princefs Anne,
queen of Great Britain, chearfully undertook to obferve; and
whereas they invited the moft ferene and moft potent Peter II.
king of Portugal, that he would be pleafed to accede to the faid
alliance; and his facred royal majefty of Portugal, being not only
prevailed on by fo friendly an invitation of the princes the con-
federates, but alfo confidering that the moft chriftian king Lewis
XIV. fince the late alliance concluded betwixt himfelf and his
grandfon, the moft ferene the Dauphin’s fecond fon, and his
Portuguefe majefty, made it evidently appear, both by tokens
and facts, that his fole defign was to opprefs the liberty of the
Spaniards by a French government, and to annex the kingdoms
and dominions of Spain, as fo many provinces to the kingdom
of France, which would not only be very prejudicial and perni-
cious to the interefts of Portugal, but alfo to all the other king-
doms and nations of Europe ; he has thought it moft juft and
advifable, to ufe his utmoft endeavour to avert the common
danger, to free not only the Spaniards from the yoke of tyranny,
but their neighbouring and kindred nation the Portuguefe, who
are derived from the fame original; efpecially fince it were to be
feared, that the prefent age and pofterity would have blamed a
king who is a Spaniard by birth and origin, (for the Portuguefe
are included in the denomination of Spaniards) if he mould
forfake Spain, his native country, in the time of her greateft
diftrefs, and refufe to ftretch out his friendly hand to Spain their
common mother, which implored the affiftance of her children:
therefore, fince nothing was decided concerning the right of
fucceffion to Spain, by the treaties entered into between his
facred royal majefty of Portugal, and the moft Chriftian King
and his grandfon, which, without prejudging that caufe, had
nothing in view but the promoting the peace and tranquility of
Spain, and the reft of Europe, the faid moft ferene and moft
potent king of Portugal, hath therefore thought fit to enter into
a treaty with the laid moft ferene and moft potent prince
Leopold, emperor of the Romans, to whom, by the death of
Charles II. without iffue, the fucceffion to the dominions of
Spain belongs, by right of birth and treaties; and with his con-
federates in the fame caufe, viz. with the moft ferene and moft
potent princefs Anne, queen of Great Britain, and the high and
mighty lords the States General of the United Provinces of the
Netherlands; to the end that, with their united counfels and
forces, they might make the ftrongeft provifion for the common
fafety, the liberty of the Spaniards, and the lawful right of fucc-
effion to the Spanifh monarchy. Therefore, in order to bring
fuch treaty to a conclufion, his Sacred Imperial Majefty on the
one part, hath given his full powers and commiffion to Charles
Erneft, count Waldftein, his ambaffador in Portugal, and the
moft ferene and moft potent princefs Anne, queen of Great
Britain, to Paul Methuen, Efq; her ambaflador in Portugal, and
the high and mighty lords the States General of the United
Provinces of the Netherlands, to Francis Schonenberg: and on
the other part, the king of Portugal to Don Nonio de Mello
Alvares Pereira, his deareft coufin, &c. to Don Emanuel Telles de
Silva, marquis d’Alegrette, &c. and to Don Francis de Tavora
Conde de Alvor, and to Don Roque Montegro Paim, and to Don
Jofeph de Faria. Which faid plenipotentiaries have agreed and
confented to the following articles.
I. The three confederate powers abovementioned, together
with his facred royal majefty of Portugal, fhall unanimoufly
endeavour, that the moft ferene archduke Charles, his Imperial
majefty’s fecond fon, may be put into the pofleffion of all
Spain, as it was poflefled by the catholic king Charles II. but
with this provifo, that his facred royal majefty of Portugal fhall
not be obliged to carry on an offenfive war any where, except
in Spain itfelf.
II. For the carrying on of the faid offenfive war in Spain, his
facred royal majefty of Portugal mall not be obliged to bring
into the field, and maintain there, more than 12000 foot, and
3000 horfe, on his own part.
III. Befides thefe, his facred royal majefty fhall levy 13000
Portuguefe foldiers, that the forces may amount in all to 28000
men; of whom 5000 fhall be horfe, and 23000 foot.
IV. Of thefe 13000 foldiers, viz. 11000 foot, and 2000 horfe,
the faid 11000 foot foldiers fhall be armed with proper
weapons, which the confederate powers fhall furnifh for the
purpofe, and 2000 arms over and above.
V. The confederate powers fhall be obliged to give a million
of patacoons to his facred royal majefty of Portugal every year,
as long as the war fhall continue, for the expence of the faid
13ooo foldiers, as well for their wages as other charges which
they fhall be liable to, as well in quarters as in the field.
VI. The pay of the faid million of patacoons fhall be fettled
by equal payments through every month of the year, viz. that
part which relates to the wages of the 13000 foldiers, mall com-
mence from the exchange of the ratifications, in proportion to