Alliance between Prussia and Hesse-DarmstadtAlliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 133, p. 63.
SUMMARY
Bavaria had been a consistent opponent of Prussian influence among
the German states. The Bavarian king, Ludwig II, had opposed Prus-
sia’s designs on Schleswig-Holstein and, following the lead of his min-
ister, Ludwig Pfordten, tried to position Bavaria and its immediate
German neighbors as a counterpoise to Austrian and Prussian
attempts at dominance of Germany. That policy changed when France
demanded additional territories in the palatinate following the Aus-
tro-Prussian War, as Bavaria joined Prussia in this offensive and defen-
sive alliance. By 1870, Bavarian troops were marching with Prussian
troops into France.
Alliance Text
HIS Majesty the King of Prussia and His Majesty the King of
Bavaria, animated by the desire of making the future relations
of the Sovereigns and their States as cordial as possible, have
decided upon further negotiations to give additional force to
the Treaty of Peace concluded between them on the 22nd
August, 1866, and have entrusted those negotiations :
His Majesty the King of Prussia, to his Minister President
and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Otto von Bismarck-
Schönhausen, Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, &c.; and
his actual Privy Councillor, Chamberlain and Envoy, Charles
Frederick von Savigny, Knight of the Order of the Red Eagle,
first class, &c. ;
His Majesty the King of Bavaria, to his Minister of State of
the Royal Household and of the Exterior, Lewis Baron von der
Pfordten, Knight of the Family Order of St. Hubert, and Grand
Cross of the Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown, &c.; and his
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Impe-
rial Austrian Court, Otto Count Bray-Steinburg, Minister of
State out of service, and hereditary Councillor of the Empire,
Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown, and
of the Order of St. Michael, &c. ;
Who, after exchanging their full powers, which were found
in good order, have agreed upon the following Treaty stipula-
tions :
ART. I. A defensive and offensive alliance is hereby con-
cluded between His Majesty the King of Prussia and His
Majesty the King of Bavaria.
The High Contracting Parties mutually guarantee to each
other the integrity of the territories of their respective coun-
tries, and bind themselves, in case of war, to put their whole
military force at the disposal of each other for that purpose.
II. His Majesty the King of Bavaria transfers for such a case
the command-in-chief of his troops to His Majesty the King of
Prussia.
III. The High Contracting Parties bind themselves to keep
this Treaty secret for the present.
IV. The ratification of the foregoing Treaty ill to take place
simultaneously with the ratification of the Treaty of Peace con-
cluded this day, therefore, at latest, on the 3rd of next month.
In witness whereof the Plenipotentiaries named at the begin-
ning have put the signature of their names, and have affixed
their seals to this Treaty in duplicate copies this day.
Done at Berlin, August 22, 1866.
(L.S.) VON BISMARCK.
(L.S.) VON SAVIGNY.
(L.S.) BARON VON DER PFORDTEN.
(L.S.) COUNT VON BRAY-STEINBURG.3.1185 Alliance between Prussia and Hesse-Darmstadt
Alliance Members:Prussia and Hesse-Darmstadt
Signed On:April 11, 1867, in the city of Berlin. In force until Hesse-
Darmstadt’s entrance into the North German Confederation on
November 25, 1870.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:British Foreign and State Papers,vol. 57, p. 728.SUMMARY
The northern part of the Grand Duchy of Hesse entered the North
German Confederation in 1867. The southern part—the area south of
the river Main—remained outside the confederation but allied with
Prussia through this offensive and defensive treaty. Both areas of the
partitioned grand duchy became a constituent state of the new Ger-
man Empire in 1871, after the defeat of France.Alliance Text
HIS Majesty the King of Prussia and His Royal Highness the
Grand Duke of Hesse, &c., animated by the desire of making
the future relations between the Sovereigns and their States as
cordial as possible, have resolved to enter into further negotia-
tions for the corroboration of the Treaty of Peace concluded
between them on the 3rd of September, 1866, and have
entrusted them,
His Majesty the King of Prussia, to his actual Privy Council-
lor and Chamberlain, Charles Frederick von Savigny ;
His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Hesse, to His Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Privy Councillor of
Legation, Charles Hofmann ;
Who, after having exchanged their full powers, which were
found in good order, have agreed upon the following stipula-
tions :
ART. I. Without prejudice to the federal relations already
existing between His Majesty the King of Prussia and His Royal
Highness the Grand Duke of Hesse, in reference to the parts of
the Grand Duchy of Hesse belonging to the North German
Confederation, an offensive and defensive alliance is hereby
concluded between His Majesty the King of Prussia and His
Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Hesse.