Treaty between France and the Netherlandsperiod of three weeks. If after those three weeks peace had not
been established, the three allies would cease all aid to the coun-
try that refused to make peace. If peace could not be negotiated,
the peace and friendship among the alliance partners would not
be broken.
No taxes of any kind could be established in the Sond
between Denmark and Sweden. France and England would pro-
vide aid to facilitate the ratification of the Treaty of Elbing of
September 1656 between Sweden and the Netherlands. The
alliance members would also work to better the situation of the
war in Poland as well as the situation between the Elector of
Brandenburg and Sweden.
1.1006 Treaty of Alliance between England and
Brandenburg
Alliance Members:England and Brandenburg
Signed On:July 20, 1661, in the city of Westminster (England)
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Aitzema,vol. 10, p. 71.
Additional Citations:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 6, p. 359;
Dumont,vol. 6, part 2, p. 364.
SUMMARY
England hoped this treaty would form the basis of several treaties with
the German states. Following the restoration of the monarchy in
England, Charles II conservatively sought to guarantee English inter-
ests on the Continent. The conservatism of the king modified English
policy too much for Brandenburg, however, and the alliance was
hardly invoked. Even when war broke out between the English and
Swedes and the Dutch and the French in 1664, England could not seek
Brandenburg’s assistance because Charles had largely ignored, and was
definitely unwilling to press, Protestant responsibilities in the Jülich-
Cleve territories.
Description of Terms
In Article 6 Brandenburg pledged to assist England in the North
Sea and the Baltic. In return, England agreed to aid the defense
of Pomerania and Brandenburg by sea (Article 3) and by all its
resources the territories of Jülich and Cleve (Article 4). England
further agreed to the protection of Protestantism in the whole
Jülich-Cleve territories to the west of Brandenburg (Article 5),
most likely against the influences of Frederick William (Austria)
and Rhineland Palatinate.
In commercial matters, the alliance pledged “free inter-
course” between the two countries (Article 8), including
friendly visits by man-of-war types of vessels (Articles 10–11).
The remainder of the treaty contained language intended to
settle international trade disputes (Articles 13–14) and pro-
vided Brandenburg the same advantaged trade status with
England that Holland and Denmark enjoyed. With Branden-
burg, the English would share the advantaged status of Holland
(Articles 15–17 and 19).
Brandenburg was to promote the terms of the treaty to other
German states (Article 20), and the alliance was to be for a
period of ten years (Article 21).1.1007 Treaty between France and the Nether-
lands
Alliance Members:France and the Netherlands
Signed On:April 27, 1662, in the city of Paris
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 7, p. 139.
Additional Citations:Dumont,vol. 4 (part 2), p. 412.SUMMARY
The French and the Dutch had complementary interests. France
wanted Dutch neutrality as it sought control over the Spanish Nether-
lands. The Dutch were concerned over growing commercial tensions
and wanted to diplomatically isolate the English from the Continent
should another war erupt. This alliance achieved both goals.
Following various incidents of privateering and low-level hostilities
between the two naval powers, the Second Anglo-Dutch War broke
into open fighting by March of 1665. The outbreak of the war and the
death of Philip IV of Spain allowed France’s Louis XIV to move on the
Hapsburg possessions in the Netherlands without Dutch interference.
The French guarantee against Swedish involvement allowed the Danes
to back the Dutch, and the declaration of Swedish neutrality assured
English isolation in the war.Description of Terms
If one country was attacked, the other alliance member had
four months before joining the conflict, during which time the
aiding country committed to do everything possible to end the
conflict diplomatically. Once both alliance members entered a
conflict, neither country could abandon the war without the
consent of the other. The attacked country would be allowed to
recruit troops from the other member state. The alliance was
not meant to trigger any conflict nor break any previous entente
with other countries.
If there were a rupture between the two countries, the sub-
jects of both kings living or trading in the other state would
have six months to sell their commodities and move. Free trade
between the countries was established under the treaty. War-
ships were allowed free travel within the rivers and ports of
both countries, but their passage was to be as short as possible.
If ships of the two countries were to meet at sea, they were not
to approach closer than within a cannon’s reach and would send
only a small embarkation. This treaty stipulated that the
alliance would last for twenty-five years.