Convention of SchönbrunnVI. The Contracting Parties bind themselves to provide the
one offended with the means of defence of which each may
consider it can dispose, though the arrangements pointed out in
the preceding Article may not have taken place, provided that
they consider the case urgent.
VII. The casus foederisonce declared, the offended party will
not be able to make arrangements for peace, truce, or armistice
without the concurrence of the ally who may have taken part in
the war.
VIII. The Contracting Parties bind themselves in addition—
1st. To employ with preference, whenever it is possible, every
conciliatory measure in order to avoid a rupture or to
put an end to, the war, holding as the most effective, the
arbitration of a third Power.
2nd. Not to admit or accept from any nation or Govern-
ment, protectorate or superiority that may injure and
lessen their independence or sovereignty, and not to
yield up or transfer in favour of any nation or Govern-
ment any part whatsoever of their territories excepting
in the cases of better demarcation of limits.
3rd. Not to celebrate treaties of limits or of other territorial
arrangements, without the other Contracting Party first
knowing of same.
IX. The stipulations of the present Treaty do not extend to
acts performed by political parties or the result of internal distur-
bances independent of foreign Governments ; inasmuch as the
principal object of the present Treaty of Alliance being the
mutual guarantee of the sovereign rights of both nations, none of
its clauses must be interpreted in opposition to its primary ends.
X. The Contracting Parties will, separately or collectively,
when by a subsequent agreement they may consider it conven-
ient, solicit the adhesion of another or other American States to
the present Treaty of Defensive Alliance.
XI. The present Treaty will be exchanged in Lima or in La Paz
as soon as it is legally perfected, and will remain in full force on
the twentieth day after said exchange takes place. Its duration
shall be for an indefinite period, each party reserving to itself
the right of considering it as no longer existing when such shall
be thought convenient.
In such a case, the party desiring to annul the Treaty must
notify the other party of same, and the Treaty will no longer
have effect on the lapse of 40 months from such notification.
In testimony whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries signed
it in duplicate and sealed it with their private seals.
Done in Lima, on the 6th day of February, 1873.
(L.S.) JUAN DE LA CRUZ BENAVENTE.
(L.S.) J. DE LA RIVA AGUERO
ADDITIONAL ARTICLE.
The present Treaty of Defensive Alliance between Bolivia and
Peru shall be kept secret so long as the High Contracting
Parties, by common accord, shall not deem its publication nec-
essary.
(L.S.) JUAN DE LA CRUZ BENAVENTE.
(L.S.) J. DE LA RIVA AGUERO.3.1189 Convention of Schönbrunn
Alliance Members:Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Germany
Signed On:May 25, 1873, at Schönbrunn Palace (Austria). In force
until July 13, 1878, following disputes between Austria-Hungary and
Russia over the Balkans and the signing of the Congress of Berlin.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 146, p. 220.
Additional Citations:Key Treaties for the Great Powers, 1814–1914,
vol. 2, p. 508–509.SUMMARY
Otto von Bismarck’s persistent fears of a Franco-Russian alliance led
him in 1873 to sign with Russia and Austria-Hungary the Convention
of Schönbrunn, simultaneously mollifying Russia and tying her into
obligations to protect the status quo, which served to further isolate
France and prevent the formation of an effective balancing coalition.
Russia was allowed to reoccupy its pre-1856 borders, while Bosnia and
Herzegovina were granted to the Austrians.
The convention and the status quo it protected would meet its end in
the summer of 1878, however, when Russia failed to unilaterally
rearrange the political map of the Balkans with another war against
the Ottoman Empire (the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878). The Con-
gress of Berlin, hosted by Bismarck, attempted to settle the various
policy disputes over the Balkans and preserve the precarious peace in
the region. This meeting of the great powers (Britain, France, Italy,
Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Germany) led to a revision of the lim-
ited Russian territorial gains in the war against the Ottomans and
intensified Russo-Austrian hostilities even though Russia gained con-
trol over Bulgaria.Alliance Text
Agreement between the Emperor-King of Austria-Hun-
gary and the Emperor of Russia.
His Majesty the Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary and
His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias: desiring to give a
practical form to the thought which presides over their intimate
understanding, with the object of consolidating the state of
peace which exists at present in Europe, and having at heart to
reduce the chances of war which might disturb it — convinced
that this object could not better be attained than by a direct and
personal understanding between the Sovereigns, an under-
standing independent of the changes which might be made in
their administrations, have come into agreement upon the fol-
lowing points:
I. Their Majesties mutually promise, even though the inter-
ests of their States should present some divergences respecting
special questions, to take counsel together in order that these
divergences may not be able to prevail over the considerations