Treaty of Alliance among Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Denmark
2.1046 Treaty of Alliance among Great Britain,
the Netherlands, and Denmark
Alliance Members:Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Denmark
Signed On:January 20, 1701, in the city of Odense (Denmark)
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:Consolidated Treaty Series,vol. 23, p. 191.
Additional Citations:A Collection of All the Treaties of Peace, Alliance,
and Commerce, Between Great Britain and Other Powers,p. 45–51.
SUMMARY
Europe was on the brink of the War of the Spanish Succession follow-
ing the death of Spain’s ailing king, Charles II, in November 1700.
Charles II named Phillip of Anjou, grandson of King Louis XIV of
France, as his successor, which threatened to unite France and Spain
into one consolidated kingdom. Louis XIV took the opportunity to
expand his territorial holdings, which angered England and the Dutch
Republic. Denmark, which loathed France for its support of Sweden,
became involved in the conflict as well.
A tripartite anti-French alliance was signed in January 1701 among
the Dutch, English, and Danish, with the Danes pledging soldiers for
the support of England and the Dutch Republic. Denmark’s participa-
tion in the War of the Spanish Succession ended after 1709, by which
time Denmark reentered the Great Northern War after the Swedish
defeat at Poltava.
The Treaty of Utrecht eventually ended the War of the Spanish Succes-
sion. The treaty named Phillip V as king of Spain but forbade Louis
XIV from joining the French and Spanish kingdoms.
Alliance Text
BE it known to all whom it concerns. After the change of affairs
in Europe, by the death of the late Catholick King, his majefty
the king of Great Britain, and their High Mightineffes the States
General of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, on the one
part, and his majefty the king of Denmark on the other, have
maturely confidered, that for the fecurity of their kingdoms and
provinces, it would be of great ufe to reftore their ancient amity
and confidence, in fuch manner that there might be a perfect
union of interefts and concord, and an entire confidence
eftablifhed between them, with regard to all affairs that might
happen in Europe, and that they fhould enter into ftrict engage-
ments to one another, and that for this purpofe they fhould
agree on a defenfive alliance : and his majefty the king of Den-
mark, being informed that his majefly the king of Great Britain,
and their High Mightineffes, had fent orders to their minifters
at his court, to enter into a conference with the minifters, whom
his majefty mould be pleafed to nominate to treat of fuch
defenfive alliance, has likewife given order to his minifters, to
enter into a negotiation upon this head, with Mr. Hugh Gregg,
refident of his majefty the king of Great Britain, at the court of
the king of Denmark ; and with the Sieur Robert Goes, lord of
Bouchhorftburg, their High Mightineffes refident at the court
of Denmark ; who, after divers conferences, and the communi-
cation and exchange of their full powers, have agreed on the fol-
lowing articles.
I. The defenfive alliances concluded between his majefty the
king of Great Britain, and the lords the States General of the
United Provinces on one part, and his majefty the king of Den-
mark on the other part, on the 3d of November, 1690, and the
3d of December, 1696, fhall remain in force, and are confirmed
and renewed in all their articles and claufes, except what are
altered by the prefent treaty.
II. His majefty the king of Great Britain, and their High
Mightineffes, promife to pay, without any abatement, default or
delay, the fums ftipulated by the faid alliance of 1696, in good
money of Holland, at Amfterdam, one half as foon as the troops
mentioned in the 10th article of this treaty, fhall begin their
march towards their High Mightineffes frontiers, and the other
half fix months after.
III. And as it is of very great importance to traders, that the
navigation be free and fafe, his majefty the king of Denmark
promifes his majefty the king of Great Britain, and the States
General, that for the fecurity of commerce, in cafe a war fhould
happen, he will fuffer no privateers, or men of war, to come into
any ports or harbours in his dominions, unlefs fuch men of war
ferve as convoys to a fleet of merchant fhips : in which cafe they
fhall have free entrance into his majefty ‘s ports and rivers ; but
not when they convoy particular fhips or ftragglers. Now, it fhall
not be deemed a fleet of merchant fhips, unlefs it confift of forty
fhips or more; and that number fhall be fufficient to denomi-
nate it a fleet as it paffes by Jutland, but it is not abfolutely nec-
effary that it be fo numerous, when the men of war enter into
his majefty ‘s ports, becaufe when the merchant fhips come to
that latitude, they either fail to the Sound, or difperfe themfelves
to the feveral ports of Norway.
IV. His majefty the king of Denmark, will not oppofe the
ninth electorate, but promifes to conform himfelf to the con-
tents of the third article of the treaty of t696, and to the feventh
fecret article of the faid treaty.
V. His majefty the king of Denmark will make no engage-
ment, nor enter into any treaty, whereby the peace of the North
may be difturbed, or whereby a third party may be formed,
either in the North, or in Germany ; nor wilt he foment fuch
disturbances, on pretence of being thereto forced by former
treaties ; but, on the contrary, his majefty, according to the 4th
article of the abovementioned alliance, fhall do his endeavour to
hinder any fuch treaties, from being made.
VI. His majefty the king of Denmark, exprefsly ftipulates lib-
erty of commerce for his fubjects, in cafe a war fhould happen ;
but being unwilling, however, to permit, foreigners to commit
frauds, by making ufe of Danifh paffports, it is agreed that
immediately after the figning of this treaty, the convention made
in 1690, between his majefly the king of Great Britain, and their
High Mightineffes, on the one part, and his majefty the king of
Denmark on the other part, relating to commerce in France, fhall
be examined, in order to change it, as far as it is neceffary, for bet-
ter preventing of frauds ; and, till this alteration is agreed on by
common confent, the faid convention fhall be put in force as for-
merly, and fhall ferve as a law and rule for the faid commerce.