Treaty between France and the Empire
1.1023 Treaty between France and the Empire
Alliance Members:France and the Holy Roman Empire
Signed On:November 1, 1671, in the city of Vienna
Alliance Type:Neutrality Pact (Type II)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 12, p. 51.
SUMMARY
France decided in 1668 to wage war against the Dutch and undertook
a series of initiatives from that time to prepare for war. France decided
to attack the Dutch from Germany rather than through the Spanish
Netherlands, and secured arrangements with Köln and Münster, as
well as occupied Lorraine, in order to assist in the initiative.
The Holy Roman Emperor abhorred the moves by the French, suspi-
cious that the moves would mean further aggression in Germany.
However, Leopold I was reluctant to engage in direct war with France
in order to resist French influence in Germany. With civil unrest ongo-
ing in Hungary and Transylvania, Leopold I opted for a neutrality
agreement with France in November 1671. The agreement provided
nonintervention from the empire so long as the war did not spill over
into the domain of the empire.
Nevertheless, the aggression of the French during the Franco-Dutch
War still unnerved the Holy Roman Empire. Vienna was unable to
overlook neither the French occupation of Lorraine nor France’s use
of Köln and Münster as a base of operations. The empire engaged in
miscellaneous, subtle campaigns to undermine the French in1672, and
by early 1673, once the Dutch secured support from Spain, the empire
decided to ally with the Dutch as well.
Description of Terms
France and the empire agreed that the Peace of Münster would
be maintained. Both parties pledged not to aid each other’s ene-
mies or any rebels. As in the Peace of Münster, then in effect,
both parties agreed not to pursue their rights with arms. Both
parties would also respect the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. This
alliance would not interfere with prior alliances made with
other parties and would remain secret.
1.1024 Defensive Alliance among the Holy
Roman Empire, Denmark-Norway, Branden-
burg, and Hesse-Cassel
Alliance Members:Holy Roman Empire, Denmark-Norway,
Brandenburg, and Hesse-Cassel
Signed On:September 12, 1672, in the city of Brunswick (Germany)
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 12, p. 381.
SUMMARY
In the events preceding the outbreak of war between the French and
the Dutch, France signed an alliance with Sweden hoping that an
alliance with the northern power would coerce some of the German
states into at least neutrality during the war. The alliance appeared to
have the opposite effect, however, as most of the states that France was
trying to court, specifically Brandenburg, loathed the Swedes. Den-
mark, another enemy of Sweden, held similar views. Following
France’s numerous victories against the Dutch, the Holy Roman
Empire, the Danes, and Brandenburg were alarmed and agreed to a
mutual defense pact.
The pact reached by Brandenburg, the Holy Roman Empire, and Den-
mark principally dealt with defense of the empire. Accordingly, by late
1672, Brandenburg and the empire had already moved troops to Köln
and Münster to try to coerce them out of the war. Before too long,
however, all three sides were drawn into war, making the conflict
between the French and the Dutch a wider European war. Although a
defeat to the French soon after the alliance was formed forced Bran-
denburg out of the war, it reentered in 1674. The empire signed the
Quadruple Alliance in The Hague, marking the empire’s formal entry
into the war. Denmark invaded Scania in 1675, which forced Sweden
out of Germany in order to deal with the Danes.Description of Terms
This mutual defense pact reaffirmed the Quadruple Alliance of
1666 and provided specific terms for assistance if one of the
parties were attacked. The terms of assistance were consistent
with the 1666 treaty.1.1025 Treaty of Alliance among the Holy
Roman Empire, Spain, and the Netherlands
Alliance Members:Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and the Netherlands
Signed On:July 1, 1673, in the city of The Hague (Netherlands)
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 12, p. 485.SUMMARY
The ease of French military victories alarmed many European states
by the end of 1672. Spain was justifiably worried that French victory
in Holland would mean certain annexation of the southern Nether-
lands, which Spain was ill-equipped to defend on its own. Further, the
Holy Roman Empire never forgave the French for their aggression
toward its eastern borders and into the German provinces. With the
Spanish left no option but to ally with the Dutch, the Holy Roman
Empire decided to join the war against France as well.
The Quadruple Alliance of 1673 was concluded in the summer of that
year at The Hague; it allied the Dutch Republic, Spain, the Holy
Roman Empire, and the exiled Duke of Lorraine (later emperor), who
evacuated after the French occupation in 1670, against France. The
alliance signed here in many ways marks the turning point of the
Franco-Dutch War. Soon after, the Dutch were able to force England
out of the war in early 1674. A month after the English exited the war,
the Dutch forced Köln and Münster out of the war and reintroduced
Brandenburg against France as well. Further, the Scanian War erased
any possibility that Sweden could come to France’s defense.
The allies, however, were unable to capitalize on the turning tide of the
war as it became apparent that neither side could finance a protracted
battle. France was able to use its diplomatic skill to negotiate several
peace treaties at Nijmegen in 1678 and 1679, ending the Franco-Dutch
War and its corollary conflicts.