Editing Peace of Ryswick

{{Short description|Series of peace treaties signed in late 1697}}
{{Infobox treaty
| name                = Peace of Ryswick
| long_name           = {{ubl|Treaty of Peace between France and Spain | Treaty of Peace between France and England | Suspension of Armed Conflict in Germany between France and the Holy Roman Empire | Treaty of Peace and Commerce between France and the Dutch Republic | Separate Article for the Dutch Republic | Treaty of Peace between France and the Holy Roman Empire}}
| image               = Rijswijk Netherlands - Huis ter Nieuwburg by P. Schenck.jpg
| image_alt           = <!-- alt-text here for accessibility; see [[MOS:ACCESS]] -->
| caption             = Huis ter Nieuwburg, location for the negotiations
| type                = 
| context             = End of the 1689–1697 [[Nine Years War]]; [[King William's War]] 
| date_signed         = {{Start date|1697|09|20|df=y}}
| location_signed     = [[Rijswijk]]
| negotiators         = {{flagdeco|Sweden}} Baron Lilliënrot
| signatories        = {{ubl|{{flagicon|Dutch Republic}} [[Anthonie Heinsius|Heinsius]]; [[Everhard van Weede Dijkvelt|van Weede]]; van Haren | {{Flagicon|Spain|1506}} [[Louis-Alexander Scockart|Tirimont]]; de Quiros | {{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} [[Louis de Verjus|Verjus]]; [[François de Callières|Callières]]; Bonneuil | {{flagicon|Holy Roman Empire}} Kaunitz; Seilern; Stratman | {{flagicon|Kingdom of England}} [[Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke|Pembroke]]; [[Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey|Villiers]]; [[Joseph Williamson (English politician)|Williamson]]}}
| parties             = 
* {{flagcountry|Kingdom of France}}
* {{flagcountry|Dutch Republic}}
* {{flagcountry|England}}
* {{flagcountry|Spanish Empire}}
* {{flagcountry|Holy Roman Empire}}
| depositor           = <!-- OR: -->
| depositories        = <!-- format this as a bullet list -->
| citations           = <!-- format as XX [[Article on Treaty Series|TS]] YYY -->
| language            = French
| languages           = <!-- format this as a bullet list -->

| wikisource          = <!-- OR: -->
| wikisource1         = <!-- Up to 5 wikisourceN variables may be specified -->
}}
The '''Peace of Ryswick''', or '''Rijswijk''', was a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city of [[Rijswijk]] between 20 September and 30 October 1697. They ended the 1688 to 1697 [[Nine Years' War]] between [[France]] and the [[Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)|Grand Alliance]], which included the [[Dutch Republic]] and the [[Holy Roman Empire]].

One of a series of wars fought by [[Louis XIV of France]] between 1666 and 1714, neither side was able to make significant territorial gains. By 1695, the huge financial costs, coupled with widespread famine and economic dislocation, meant both sides needed peace. Negotiations were delayed by the question of who would inherit the [[Spanish Empire]] from the childless and terminally ill [[Charles II of Spain]], the closest heirs being Louis and [[Emperor Leopold I]].

Since Louis could not impose his preferred solution, he refused to discuss the issue, while Leopold refused to sign without its inclusion. He finally did so with great reluctance on 30 October 1697, but the Peace was generally viewed as a truce; Charles' death in 1700 led to the [[War of the Spanish Succession]].

In Europe and [[North America]], the terms essentially restored the position prevailing before the war, though Spain recognized French control of the island of [[Tortuga (Haiti)|Tortuga]] and the western portion of [[Hispaniola]] ([[Saint-Domingue]]). In Europe, France evacuated several territories it had occupied since the 1679 [[Treaty of Nijmegen]], including [[Freiburg im Breisgau|Freiburg]], [[Breisach]] and the [[Duchy of Lorraine]]; conversely, it retained [[Strasbourg]].

==Background==
[[File:Charles II of Spain anonymous portrait.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|[[Charles II of Spain|Charles II]] (1665–1700); his inheritance overshadowed negotiations.]]
The [[Nine Years' War]] was financially crippling for its participants, partly because armies increased in size from an average of 25,000 in 1648 to over 100,000 by 1697. This was unsustainable for pre-industrial economies; the war absorbed 80% of English state revenue in the period, while the huge manpower commitments badly affected the economy.{{sfn|Childs|1991|p=1}}

The 1690s also marked the coldest point of the so-called [[Little Ice Age]], a period of cold and wet weather affecting Europe in the second half of the 17th century. Harvests failed throughout Europe in 1695, 1696, 1698 and 1699; in Scotland and parts of Northern Europe, an estimated 5–15% of the population starved to death.{{sfn|White|2011|pp=542–543}}

Although fighting largely ended in Europe after 1695, the subsidiary conflict known as [[King William's War]] continued in the Americas. A French fleet arrived in the [[Caribbean]] in early 1697, threatening the [[Spanish treasure fleet]], and English possessions in the [[West Indies]].{{sfn|Morgan|1931|p=243}} England occupied the French colony of [[Acadia]], while the French repulsed attacks on [[Quebec]], captured [[York Factory]], and caused substantial damage to the [[Thirteen Colonies|New England]] economy.{{sfn|Grenier|2015}}

==Negotiations==
[[File:Europe c.&nbsp;1700.png|thumb|right|upright=1.5|Europe after the Treaty of Ryswick, c. 1700]]

Talks were dominated by the primary issue of European politics for the last 30 years: the Spanish inheritance. By 1696, it was clear [[Charles II of Spain]] would die childless, and his potential heirs included King [[Louis XIV of France]] and [[Emperor Leopold I]]. The [[Spanish Empire]] remained a vast global confederation; in addition to Spain, its territories included large parts of [[Italy]], the [[Spanish Netherlands]], the [[History of the Philippines (1521–1898)|Philippines]], and much of the [[Americas]]. Acquisition of these territories by either France or [[Habsburg monarchy|Austria]] would change the European balance of power.{{sfn|Storrs|2006|pp=6–7}}

Recognising he was not strong enough to impose his preferred solution to the Spanish question, Louis wanted to prevent its discussion, by dividing the [[Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)|Grand Alliance]] and isolating Leopold. In the 1696 [[Treaty of Turin (1696)|Treaty of Turin]] he made a separate peace with the [[Duchy of Savoy]].{{sfn|Frey|Frey|1995|pp=389–390}} Other concessions were the return of the [[Duchy of Luxemburg]] to Spain; considerably larger than the modern state, it was essential to Dutch security. Louis also agreed to recognise [[William III of England|William III]] as monarch of England and Scotland, rather than the exiled [[James II of England|James II]].{{sfn|Szechi|1994|p=51}}

Formal discussions between the delegations were held in the [[Huis ter Nieuwburg]] at Ryswick, mediated by Swedish diplomat and soldier {{ill|Baron Lilliënrot|sv|Nils Lillieroot}}. Many members of the Empire, such as [[Margraviate of Baden|Baden]] and [[Electorate of Bavaria|Bavaria]], sent representatives, although they were not party to the treaties.{{sfn|SW|1732|pp=380–381}}
Talks proceeded slowly; Leopold habitually avoided making decisions until absolutely necessary, and since the terms failed to address the inheritance question, he would only agree to a ceasefire. One of the Spanish negotiators, Bernardo de Quiros, ignored instructions from [[Madrid]] to make peace at any price, and agreed to support this demand.{{sfn|Childs|1991|p=340}} Although the British initially preferred to continue fighting,{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} William became anxious to finalise peace. William and Louis appointed the [[William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland|Earl of Portland]] and Marshal [[Louis-François de Boufflers]] as their personal representatives; they met privately outside Brussels in June 1697, and quickly finalised terms, with de Quiros being overruled.{{sfn|Frey|Frey|1995|p=389}}

The peace consisted of a number of separate agreements: on 20 September 1697, France signed ''Treaties of Peace'' with Spain and England, a ''Ceasefire'' with the Holy Roman Empire, and on 21 September, a ''Treaty of Peace and Commerce'' with the Dutch Republic.{{sfn|Israel|1967|pp=145–176}} When Charles fell seriously ill, Leopold used it as an excuse to delay signing; one frustrated negotiator claimed "it would be a shorter way to knock (Charles) on the head, rather than all Europe be kept in suspense."{{sfn|Morgan|1931|p=241}} The Spanish king recovered, while William threatened to dissolve the Alliance if Leopold did not sign before 1 November; he finally did so on 30 October.{{sfn|Morgan|1931|p=242}}

== Treaties ==
[[File:Anno 1697. De vrede van Rijswijk.jpg|thumb|The Peace of Ryswick 1697, by [[Barend Wijnveld]]]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="6" align="center" | Treaties of Ryswick and related treaties
|-
! Date ([[Old Style and New Style dates|New Style / (Old Style)]])
! Treaty name
! style="background-color:MistyRose;" | [[Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg)|Anti-French side]]
! style="background-color:AliceBlue;" | French side
! Texts
|- 
| 29 August 1696
| [[Treaty of Turin (1696)|Peace Treaty of Turin]]
| style="background-color:MistyRose;" | [[Savoyard state|Savoy]]
| style="background-color:AliceBlue;" | [[Kingdom of France|France]]
| [[:File:Treaty of Ryswick.pdf|English (p. 196–208)]]
|-
| 20 September 1697 (10 September 1697)
| Peace Treaty of Ryswick
| style="background-color:MistyRose;" | [[Habsburg Spain]]
| style="background-color:AliceBlue;" | [[Kingdom of France|France]]
| [[:File:Treaty of Ryswick.pdf|English (p. 151–172)]]
|-
| 20 September 1697 (10 September 1697)
| Peace Treaty of Ryswick
| style="background-color:MistyRose;" | [[Kingdom of England|England]] & [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scotland]]
| style="background-color:AliceBlue;" | [[Kingdom of France|France]]
| [[:File:Treaty of Ryswick.pdf|English (p. 127–138)]], [https://bonoc.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/tratado-de-ryswick-y-sus-complementarios.pdf Spanish (p. 8–15)]
|-
| 20 September 1697 (10 September 1697)
| Peace Treaty of Ryswick
| style="background-color:MistyRose;" | [[Dutch Republic]]
| style="background-color:AliceBlue;" | [[Kingdom of France|France]]
| [[:File:Treaty of Ryswick.pdf|English (p. 214–226)]], [[:s:fr:Traité de Ryswick|French]]
|-
| 30 October 1697 (20 October 1697)
| Peace Treaty of Ryswick
| style="background-color:MistyRose;" | [[Holy Roman Empire]]
| style="background-color:AliceBlue;" | [[Kingdom of France|France]]
| [[:File:Treaty of Ryswick.pdf|English (p. 247–284)]], [[:s:de:Friede von Rijswijk|German]], [https://bonoc.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/tratado-de-ryswick-y-sus-complementarios.pdf Spanish (p. 21–41)]
|}

==Provisions==
The treaty essentially restored the map of Western Europe to that agreed by the 1679 [[Treaty of Nijmegen]]; France kept [[Strasbourg]], the strategic key to [[Alsace]], but returned other territories occupied or captured since then, including [[Freiburg im Breisgau|Freiburg]], [[Breisach]], [[Philippsburg]] and the [[Duchy of Lorraine]] to the Holy Roman Empire. French forces also evacuated [[Catalonia]], [[Duchy of Luxembourg|Luxembourg]], [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]] and [[Kortrijk]] in the [[Spanish Netherlands]]. Louis recognised William as king, withdrew support from the [[Jacobitism|Jacobites]], and abandoned claims to the [[Electorate of Cologne]], and the [[Electoral Palatinate]].{{sfn|Onnekink |2018|pp=1–4}}

In North America, positions returned to those prevailing before the war, with France regaining [[Acadia]],{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} although in reality low-level conflict persisted around the boundaries.  Conversely, in the [[Caribbean]] Spain recognized French control of the western portion of [[Hispaniola]] and the island of [[Tortuga (Haiti)|Tortuga]]; France had in fact established its colony of [[Saint-Domingue]] years earlier. Meanwhile, the Dutch returned the colony of [[Puducherry (city)|Pondichéry]] in India to France.{{sfn|Onnekink |2018|pp=1–4}}

==Aftermath==
[[File:Naald van Rijswijk.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.7|The [[Needle of Rijswijk]] erected during 1792–1794]]
All sides interpreted Ryswick to be a truce, and expected conflict to resume when Charles died. The war demonstrated that France could no longer impose its objectives without allies. Louis therefore adopted a dual approach of a diplomatic offensive to seek support, while keeping the [[French Royal Army|French Army]] on a war footing. The increase in Habsburg power following victory in the [[Great Turkish War]] with the signing of the [[Treaty of Karlowitz]] in 1699 was offset by the growing independence of states like [[Electorate of Bavaria|Bavaria]], which looked to Louis, rather than Leopold, for support.{{sfn|Thomson|1968|pp=25–34}}

The war diverted resources from both the [[Royal Netherlands Navy|Dutch]] and [[French Navy|French navies]], and although the Dutch still dominated the [[Far East]] trade, Ryswick marked a turning point in England's rise as a global maritime power. Previously focused on the [[Levant]], its mercantile interests began challenging Spanish and Portuguese control of the Americas, where the French struggled to compete. The huge debts accumulated by the Dutch weakened their economy, while [[London]] replaced [[Amsterdam]] as the commercial centre of Europe. The Nine Years' War, together with the subsequent [[War of the Spanish Succession]] (1701-14), marked the end of the [[Dutch Golden Age]].{{sfn|Meerts|2014|pp=168–169}}

At the same time, the determination of the [[Tories (British political party)|Tory]] majority in [[Parliament of England|Parliament]] to reduce costs meant that by 1699, the English army had been reduced to less than 7,000 men.{{sfn|Gregg|1980|p=126}} This seriously undermined William's ability to negotiate on equal terms with France, and despite his intense mistrust, he co-operated with Louis in an attempt to agree a diplomatic solution to the Spanish succession. The so-called Partition Treaties of [[Treaty of The Hague (1698)|The Hague]] in 1698 and [[Treaty of London (1700)|London]] in 1700 ultimately failed to prevent the outbreak of war between the two kingdoms.{{sfn|Falkner|2015|p=37}}

After the death of James II died in 1701, Louis XIV proclaimed Prince James, the former heir of James II, rightful king of England, despite the treaty.

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Sources==
{{commons category|Treaty of Ryswick}}
*[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATreaty_of_Ryswick.pdf Treaty of Ryswick, English translation]
* {{cite book|last1=Childs|first1=John|title=The Nine Years' War and the British Army, 1688–1697: The Operations in the Low Countries|date=1991|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0719089961|edition=2013}}
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Ryswick, Treaty of|volume=23|page=952}}
* {{cite book|last1=Falkner|first1=James|title=The War of the Spanish Succession 1701–1714|date=2015|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=978-1473872905}}
* {{cite book|last1=Frey|first1=Linda|last2=Frey|first2=Marsha|title=The Treaties of the War of the Spanish Succession: An Historical and Critical Dictionary|date=1995|publisher=Greenwood|isbn=978-0313278846}}
* {{cite book|last1=Gregg|first1=Edward|title=Queen Anne (Revised) (The English Monarchs Series)|date=1980|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0300090246|edition=2001}}
* {{cite web|last1=Grenier|first1=John|title=King William's War; New England's Mournful Decade|url=http://www.historynet.com/king-williams-war-new-englands-mournful-decade.htm|website=Historynet|date=19 November 2015 |access-date=10 March 2018}}
* {{cite book|last1=Israel |first1=Fred|title=Major Peace Treaties of Modern History, 1648–1967 Volume I |date=1967 |publisher=Chelsea House Publications |isbn=978-0791066607 |edition=2001}}
* {{cite thesis|last=Meerts |first=Paul Wilson |title=Diplomatic negotiation: Essence and Evolution|type=PhD |publisher=Leiden University|date=2014 |hdl=1887/29596 |url=http://hdl.handle.net/1887/29596}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Morgan |first1=WT |title=Economic Aspects of the Negotiations at Ryswick |journal=Transactions of the Royal Historical Society |date=1931 |volume=14 |pages=225–249 |doi=10.2307/3678514 |jstor=3678514|s2cid=153412732 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Onnekink |first1=David |editor-last=Martell|editor-first=Gordon|title=The Treaty of Ryswick in The Encyclopedia of Diplomacy Volume III |date=2018 |publisher=Wiley Blackwell |isbn=978-1118887912}}
* {{cite book|last1=Storrs|first1=Christopher|title=The Resilience of the Spanish Monarchy 1665–1700|date=2006|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0199246373}}
* {{cite book |last1=SW |title=A General Collection of Treatys, Volume I |date=1732 |publisher=Knapton}}
* {{cite book|last1=Szechi|first1=Daniel|title=The Jacobites: Britain and Europe, 1688–1788|date=1994|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=978-0719037740}}
* {{cite book |last1=Thomson |first1=Mark |title=William III and Louis XIV; Essays 1680–1720 |date=1968 |publisher=Liverpool University Press}}
* {{cite book |last1=White|first1=ID|editor-last=Lynch |editor-first1=M |title=Rural Settlement 1500–1770 in The Oxford Companion to Scottish History |date=2011 |publisher=OUP |isbn=978-0199693054}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1697 treaties]]
[[Category:Nine Years' War]]
[[Category:Peace treaties of the Ancien Régime]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Dutch Republic]]
[[Category:Peace treaties of England]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Holy Roman Empire|Ryswick]]
[[Category:Peace treaties of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Peace treaties of Spain]]
[[Category:Treaties of the Spanish Empire]]
[[Category:1697 in the Dutch Republic]]
[[Category:1697 in England]]
[[Category:1697 in France]]
[[Category:1697 in the Holy Roman Empire]]
[[Category:1697 in Spain]]
[[Category:1697 in North America]]
[[Category:17th century in the Colony of Santo Domingo]]
[[Category:17th century in Haiti]]
[[Category:Saint-Domingue]]
[[Category:Rijswijk]]
[[Category:1697 in the Caribbean]]
[[Category:History of Alsace]]
[[Category:Charles II of Spain]]
[[Category:Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor]]
[[Category:Louis XIV]]