War of the Reunions
Encyclopedia
The War of the Reunions (1683–84) was a short conflict between France
and Spain
and its allies. It was fueled by the long-running desire of Louis XIV
to conquer new lands, many of them comprising part of the Spanish Netherlands, along France's northern and eastern borders. The war was, in some sense, a continuation of the territorial and dynastic aims of Louis XIV as manifested in the War of Devolution
and the Franco–Dutch War.
The treaties ending the War of Devolution
and the Franco–Dutch War, as well as the Treaty of Westphalia of 1648, ceded a number of towns to France. By tradition, when a town changed hands so did the surrounding rural areas, which provided it with food and other such supplies. Often, the borders of these dependent regions were ill-defined. Thus Louis and his court, beginning in 1670, introduced several Chambers of Reunion
that would investigate whether France had been granted all the territory it had been owed.
The Chambers of Reunion, loyal to the king, ruled after a review of conflicting medieval documents that a number of outlying areas should be awarded to France. These territories generally consisted of small towns and villages, and for the most part Louis's annexations went unopposed after the arrival of French troops.
The war officially commenced when a beleaguered Spain found itself forced into declaring war to acknowledge and protest the presence of French troops on its territories. The territory seized mainly came from the Spanish Netherlands and the western parts of the Holy Roman Empire
, especially Alsace
. However, this left large rural lands under Louis's control that were unprotected by major garrison towns. The two most important of these were Strasbourg
and the city of Luxembourg
. Strasbourg dominated Louis's newly annexed territories in Alsace, just as the great fortress of Luxembourg dominated the regions Louis had annexed from the Spanish Netherlands. In 1681 Strasbourg was annexed after Louis surrounded the city with overwhelming force.
Luxembourg refused to fall, however, and war broke out between the Spanish forces in the Netherlands, backed by the Holy Roman Empire, and France in the winter of 1683. As a punishment for allowing Spanish troops to use its port, the French bombarded the city
of Genoa
for 12 days in May 1684. As in previous wars, the French easily defeated the Spanish forces, seizing a number of towns, including Courtrai
and Diksmuide
.
Despite its relative brevity, the War of the Reunions developed a reputation for being an especially bloody conflict. Louis XIV and his military advisors designed a campaign of violent reprisals in an effort to influence public opinion, with the aim of pressuring enemy officials to surrender. During one battle Louvois
ordered the comte
de Montal to burn twenty villages near Charleroi
because the Spanish previously destroyed two barns on the outskirts of two French villages, and he insisted that not a single house should remain standing in the twenty villages.
However, that same year the Ottoman Empire
launched its greatest offensive ever against the eastern flank of the Empire, beginning the War of the Holy League
.
, guaranteeing twenty years of peace between France and the Empire and asking his first cousin, Charles II
of England
, to arbitrate the disputed border claims.
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 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...
and its allies. It was fueled by the long-running desire of Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
to conquer new lands, many of them comprising part of the Spanish Netherlands, along France's northern and eastern borders. The war was, in some sense, a continuation of the territorial and dynastic aims of Louis XIV as manifested in the War of Devolution
War of Devolution
The War of Devolution saw Louis XIV's French armies overrun the Habsburg-controlled Spanish Netherlands and the Franche-Comté, but forced to give most of it back by a Triple Alliance of England, Sweden, and the Dutch Republic in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.-Background:Louis's claims to the...
and the Franco–Dutch War.
Background
War of Devolution
The War of Devolution saw Louis XIV's French armies overrun the Habsburg-controlled Spanish Netherlands and the Franche-Comté, but forced to give most of it back by a Triple Alliance of England, Sweden, and the Dutch Republic in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.-Background:Louis's claims to the...
and the Franco–Dutch War, as well as the Treaty of Westphalia of 1648, ceded a number of towns to France. By tradition, when a town changed hands so did the surrounding rural areas, which provided it with food and other such supplies. Often, the borders of these dependent regions were ill-defined. Thus Louis and his court, beginning in 1670, introduced several Chambers of Reunion
Chambers of Reunion
The Chambers of Reunion were French courts established by King Louis XIV in the early 1680s. The purpose of these courts was to increase French territory. Louis had been expanding the borders of France in a series of wars. Territory was gained in the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1679 and the Treaty of...
that would investigate whether France had been granted all the territory it had been owed.
The Chambers of Reunion, loyal to the king, ruled after a review of conflicting medieval documents that a number of outlying areas should be awarded to France. These territories generally consisted of small towns and villages, and for the most part Louis's annexations went unopposed after the arrival of French troops.
Annexation and war
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
, especially Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. However, this left large rural lands under Louis's control that were unprotected by major garrison towns. The two most important of these were Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and the city of Luxembourg
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
. Strasbourg dominated Louis's newly annexed territories in Alsace, just as the great fortress of Luxembourg dominated the regions Louis had annexed from the Spanish Netherlands. In 1681 Strasbourg was annexed after Louis surrounded the city with overwhelming force.
Luxembourg refused to fall, however, and war broke out between the Spanish forces in the Netherlands, backed by the Holy Roman Empire, and France in the winter of 1683. As a punishment for allowing Spanish troops to use its port, the French bombarded the city
Bombardment of Genoa
The Bombardment of Genoa was a military event during the War of the Reunions when France bombarded the city of Genoa from the sea between May 18 and May 28 1684.- Background :...
of Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
for 12 days in May 1684. As in previous wars, the French easily defeated the Spanish forces, seizing a number of towns, including Courtrai
Kortrijk
Kortrijk ; , ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders...
and Diksmuide
Diksmuide
Diksmuide is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Diksmuide proper and the former communes of Beerst, Esen, Kaaskerke, Keiem, Lampernisse, Leke, Nieuwkapelle, Oostkerke, Oudekapelle, Pervijze, Sint-Jacobs-Kapelle,...
.
Despite its relative brevity, the War of the Reunions developed a reputation for being an especially bloody conflict. Louis XIV and his military advisors designed a campaign of violent reprisals in an effort to influence public opinion, with the aim of pressuring enemy officials to surrender. During one battle Louvois
François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois was the French Secretary of State for War for a significant part of the reign of Louis XIV. Louvois and his father, Michel le Tellier, would increase the French Army to 400,000 soldiers, an army that would fight four wars between 1667 and 1713...
ordered the comte
Comte
Comte is a title of Catalan, Occitan and French nobility. In the English language, the title is equivalent to count, a rank in several European nobilities. The corresponding rank in England is earl...
de Montal to burn twenty villages near Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
because the Spanish previously destroyed two barns on the outskirts of two French villages, and he insisted that not a single house should remain standing in the twenty villages.
However, that same year 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...
launched its greatest offensive ever against the eastern flank of the Empire, beginning the War of the Holy League
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
.
Peace and treaty
While Louis refused to send aid to the Empire and even dispatched envoys to secretly encourage the Ottomans, contemporary accounts indicate that it would be unseemly for him to continue fighting the Empire on its western border. Thus Louis agreed to the Truce of RatisbonTruce of Ratisbon
The Truce of Ratisbon, or Truce of Regensburg, concluded the War of the Reunions between Spain and France. The Truce was signed on 15 August 1684 at the Dominican convent at Ratisbon in Bavaria between Louis XIV of France on the one side, and the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I, and the Spanish King,...
, guaranteeing twenty years of peace between France and the Empire and asking his first cousin, Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to arbitrate the disputed border claims.