Treaty of Reichenbach (1790)
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Reichenbach was signed on July 27, 1790 in Reichenbach (present-day Dzierżoniów
) between Frederick William II
of Prussia
and Austria
under Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II
. The two countries tried to settle their differences, specifically Leopold attempted to be conciliatory toward Prussia, as Austria and Russia had recently made gains against the Ottoman Empire
.
both amnesty and their old constitution. The Prussian statesman, Count Ewald Friedrich of Hertzberg
, managed to insert a clause whereby Austria would be able to make small acquisitions of Ottoman territory. However, Austria must first receive permission from the Sublime Porte and must also allow Prussia to acquire an equivalent amount of Ottoman territory. Even though Austria had to relinquish its conquered territories to the Ottoman Empire, it was allowed to retain its garrison in Chotin
. Moreover, the accord guaranteed protection of the Bosnian
frontier. In return for these concessions, Prussia made herself responsible for several stipulated compensations. In another aspect of the treaty, Austria was not allowed to overtly or covertly support Russia in its campaigns against the Sublime Porte.
Dzierzoniów
Dzierżoniów is a town in southwestern Poland. It is situated in Lower Silesian Voivodeship...
) between Frederick William II
Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II was the King of Prussia, reigning from 1786 until his death. He was in personal union the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel.-Early life:...
of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
under Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa...
. The two countries tried to settle their differences, specifically Leopold attempted to be conciliatory toward Prussia, as Austria and Russia had recently made gains against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
Terms
Based on the terms of the treaty, Austria agreed to restore all conquered territories to the Ottoman Empire. Moreover, Austria agreed to grant the BelgiansBelgians
Belgians are people originating from the Kingdom of Belgium, a federal state in Western Europe.-Etymology:Belgians are a relatively "new" people...
both amnesty and their old constitution. The Prussian statesman, Count Ewald Friedrich of Hertzberg
Ewald Friedrich, Count von Hertzberg
Ewald Friedrich Graf von Hertzberg was a Prussian statesman.Hertzberg, who came of a noble family which had been settled in Pomerania since the 13th century, was born at Lottin near Neustettin.After 1739 he studied, chiefly classics and history at the gymnasium at Stettin, and in 1742 entered the...
, managed to insert a clause whereby Austria would be able to make small acquisitions of Ottoman territory. However, Austria must first receive permission from the Sublime Porte and must also allow Prussia to acquire an equivalent amount of Ottoman territory. Even though Austria had to relinquish its conquered territories to the Ottoman Empire, it was allowed to retain its garrison in Chotin
Chotín
Chotín is a village and municipality in the Komárno District in the Nitra Region of south-western Slovakia.-Geography:The village lies at an altitude of 109 metres and covers an area of 20.425 km².It has a population of about 1,410 people....
. Moreover, the accord guaranteed protection of the Bosnian
Bosnia (region)
Bosnia is a eponomous region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies mainly in the Dinaric Alps, ranging to the southern borders of the Pannonian plain, with the rivers Sava and Drina marking its northern and eastern borders. The other eponomous region, the southern, other half of the country is...
frontier. In return for these concessions, Prussia made herself responsible for several stipulated compensations. In another aspect of the treaty, Austria was not allowed to overtly or covertly support Russia in its campaigns against the Sublime Porte.
Results
Due to Leopold's diplomatic skill and sense of moderation, Austria attained a diplomatic victory through the treaty. In other words, the Treaty of Reichenbach helped to strengthen the level of respect Leopold received from foreign powers. Moreover, the accord helped Austria to focus on establishing peace within its own territories. Prussia, on the other hand, was forced to abandon its plans for expansion, as well as any attempts to acquire strategic benefits from Austria's losses. The Treaty of Reichenbach is seen by historians as a significant marker representing a Prussian retreat from the policies of Frederick the Great, as well as the beginning of Prussia's decline that found its nadir at the Battle of Jena.Sources
- Lodge, Richard. The Student's Modern Europe: A History of Modern Europe. From the Capture of Constantinople, 1453, To The Treaty of Berlin, 1878. American Book Company, 1885 (Originally from Harvard University).
- Williams, Henry Smith. The Historians' History of the World: A Comprehensive Narrative of the Rise and Development of Nations as Recorded by over Two Thousand of the Great Writers of all Ages. The Times, 1907.