Treaty of Compiègne
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Compiègne of 10 June 1624 was a peace treaty between France
and the Netherlands
. It allowed France to subsidize the Dutch war effort against Spain
in the Dutch War of Independence (1568–1648) after the end of the Twelve Years' Truce
. France offered an immediate loan of 480,000 thalers, to be followed by more instalments over a period of three years in which the Dutch would continue the fight against Spain. This move was part of the general effort of France
to undermine the Habsburg Empire. It led to the revival of a Franco-Dutch alliance which had been enfeebled since the execution of Oldenbarnevelt
in 1619.
This treaty permitted to France to pursue this opposition through indirect means, much as the Treaty of Bärwalde
in 1631 between France and Sweden would finance Sweden's war effort in Germany
. The treaty was masterminded by Richelieu in order to prevent a Habsburg revival.
Through the treaty, the Dutch requested financial help in their fight against Spain, in exchange for naval support to France. In particular the foundation of a French West India Company
was suggested, that could receive the support of the Dutch West India Company
in opposition to Spain. A definite agreement on cooperation on the high seas was not found however, but it was agreed that France would provide a loan to be repaid once the Netherlands had a truce or peace with Spain, and that if the French king was to go to war the Dutch should return half of the money to him or help him with men and ships. The Dutch also agreed to intervene in the Western Mediterranean against the piracy to the Barbary States, and to generally support French shipping there.
Under the terms of this treaty, the Dutch had to supply a fleet of 20 warships for the French king's fight against the Protestants in the Capture of Ré island
, thereby infamously providing military support against their coreligionaries. The fleet was under the command of Admiral Willem Haultain de Zoete
. It was withdrawn from French service in February 1626 after a resolution of the States-General
in December 1625.
With the Treaty of Compiègne, Richelieu also obtained that the Dutch would stop fighting the French in East Asia, thereby facilitating French commercial ventures.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It allowed France to subsidize the Dutch war effort against Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the Dutch War of Independence (1568–1648) after the end of the Twelve Years' Truce
Twelve Years' Truce
The Twelve Years' Truce was the name given to the cessation of hostilities between the Habsburg rulers of Spain and the Southern Netherlands and the Dutch Republic as agreed in Antwerp on 9 April 1609. It was a watershed in the Eighty Years' War, marking the point from which the independence of the...
. France offered an immediate loan of 480,000 thalers, to be followed by more instalments over a period of three years in which the Dutch would continue the fight against Spain. This move was part of the general effort of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to undermine the Habsburg Empire. It led to the revival of a Franco-Dutch alliance which had been enfeebled since the execution of Oldenbarnevelt
Oldenbarnevelt
* Johan van Oldenbarnevelt* Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, a ship* Reinier van Oldenbarnevelt...
in 1619.
This treaty permitted to France to pursue this opposition through indirect means, much as the Treaty of Bärwalde
Treaty of Bärwalde
The Treaty of Bärwalde of 23 January 1631 was a treaty concluding an alliance between Sweden and France during the Thirty Years' War, shortly after Sweden had invaded Northern Germany then occupied by Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor's forces...
in 1631 between France and Sweden would finance Sweden's war effort in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The treaty was masterminded by Richelieu in order to prevent a Habsburg revival.
French West India Company
In the history of French trade, the French West India Company was a chartered company established in 1664. Their charter gave them the property and seignory of Canada, Acadia, the Antilles, Cayenne, and the terra firma of South America, from the Amazon to the Orinoco...
was suggested, that could receive the support of the Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants. Among its founding fathers was Willem Usselincx...
in opposition to Spain. A definite agreement on cooperation on the high seas was not found however, but it was agreed that France would provide a loan to be repaid once the Netherlands had a truce or peace with Spain, and that if the French king was to go to war the Dutch should return half of the money to him or help him with men and ships. The Dutch also agreed to intervene in the Western Mediterranean against the piracy to the Barbary States, and to generally support French shipping there.
Under the terms of this treaty, the Dutch had to supply a fleet of 20 warships for the French king's fight against the Protestants in the Capture of Ré island
Capture of Ré island
The Recovery of Ré Island was accomplished by the army of Louis XIII in September 1625, against the troops of the Protestant admiral Soubise and the Huguenot forces of La Rochelle, who had been occupying the Island of Ré since February 1625 as part of the Huguenot rebellions.-Background:The...
, thereby infamously providing military support against their coreligionaries. The fleet was under the command of Admiral Willem Haultain de Zoete
Willem Haultain de Zoete
Willem de Zoete, Heer Haultain was a Dutch Admiral of the 17th century. He served as a Lieutenant-Admiral from 1601 to 1627. He led a Dutch fleet of 20 warships, supplied under the terms of the 1624 Franco-Dutch treaty, into the Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré against a Huguenot uprising...
. It was withdrawn from French service in February 1626 after a resolution of the States-General
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
in December 1625.
With the Treaty of Compiègne, Richelieu also obtained that the Dutch would stop fighting the French in East Asia, thereby facilitating French commercial ventures.