Treaty of Alliance between France and Württemberg
3.1123 Treaty of Alliance between France and
Württemberg
Alliance Members:France and Württemberg
Signed On:October 5, 1805, in the city of Louisbourg (Germany)
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 58, p. 231.
SUMMARY
Frederick I of Württemberg, like Charles Frederick of Baden, was a
former enemy of the French Republic who ultimately became a French
ally. After concluding hostilities with France in 1801, Frederick I
signed a treaty with France in 1802 that involved transferring territory
between the two sides. By 1803, Napoleon rewarded Württemberg
with electorate status.
In October 1805, Frederick I of Württemberg signed another alliance
with France agreeing to the use of troops from Württemberg to assist
the French in the Napoleonic Wars. In exchange, Napoleon acknowl-
edged the Kingdom of Württemberg. By 1806, Württemberg joined
the Confederation of the Rhine, the group of German states seceding
from the Holy Roman Empire.
Frederick I deserted Napoleon in 1813 after the Battle of Leipzig and
defected to the allied side in exchange for confirmation of his regal
status.
Description of Terms
France guaranteed the territory of Württemberg. For this,
Württemberg pledged to give 1,000 men of cavalry and 8,000
to 9,000 infantrymen to the French army. If the people of
Württemberg resisted this draft, France would provide aid.
Württemberg’s troops would be under French authority except
for internal discipline. Württemberg preferred that its troops
would be used in Souabe (Schwaben). France promised not to
have any troops in Stuttgart and Louisbourg unless those areas
were attacked. France pledged to include Württemberg in all
its peace treaties.
3.1124 Treaty of Alliance between Hesse and
Prussia
Alliance Members:Hesse and Prussia
Signed On:August of 1806, in the city of Berlin
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 58, p. 499.
SUMMARY
The year 1806 proved to be a pivotal one during the Napoleonic Wars.
The Third Coalition was beaten at the Battle of Austerlitz in December
1805, forcing the Holy Roman Empire and the Russians out of the
conflict in the Treaty at Pressburg on December 26, 1805. The Rus-
sians soon entered into an alliance with France.
The events were particularly catastrophic for the Holy Roman Empire
in 1806. The terms of the treaty ceded Austria’s German territories to
France, creating the Confederation of the Rhine and effectively ending
the Holy Roman Empire. One state of the Holy Roman Empire, the
electorate of Hesse, suffered particular punishment. For his support
and alliance with the Prussians, William I, elector of Hesse, was
expelled from Hesse and his electorate was incorporated into the
Kingdom of Westphalia, to be managed by one of Napoleon’s broth-
ers. After the war, the electorate of Hesse was restored and became
part of the German Confederation. William I returned to serve as
head of state until his death in 1821.Description of Terms
This alliance, formed after the dissolution of the Holy Roman
Empire on August 6, 1806, pledged mutual defense and support
if either party was attacked by France. The attacked country
would subsidize the assisting country, and neither state would
form a separate peace with France.3.1125 Treaties of Peace and of Offensive and
Defensive Alliance (Treaty of Tilsit 1807)
Alliance Members:France and Russia
Signed On:June 25, 1807, in the city of Tilsit (Russia)
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 59, p. 231.SUMMARY
Following defeat to Napoleon at the Battle of Friedland in June 1807,
France and Russia signed the Treaty of Tilsit. The treaty ended the war
between the two sides and formed an offensive and defensive alliance.
Russia soon joined the continental system embargo against Great
Britain and coerced Prussia into willing away nearly half of its terri-
tory to the French. New wars were declared by Russia against the
British and the Swedes. The Treaty of Tilsit effectively created a domi-
nant alliance in central and western Europe.
Problems quickly grew between the Russians and the French, pertain-
ing in large part to the treatment of Russian soldiers under Napoleon
and the use of Russian harbors for ships belonging to states not sup-
ported by Napoleon. Napoleon decided to invade Russia and abrogate
the alliance. However, the famed French campaign in Russia of 1812
proved to be the turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. The calami-
tous invasion greatly weakened the French military and played an
important role in the eventual defeat to the allies in 1814.Description of Terms
By the terms of the treaty, the tsar recognized the Confederation
of the Rhine and established the Kingdom of Westphalia, cre-
ated with the Prussian territories west of the Elbe River. Pruss-
ian Poland became the grand duchy of Warsaw, with the Elector
of Saxony (henceforth, king) as its sovereign ruler. Russia
pledged to observe the Berlin Decree.
In two secret clauses the two emperors agreed that if Britain
continued its naval activity against the allies, the allies would
summon Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal to close their ports to
British shipping. Further, both allies would make war on any of
the three states that refused.