Alliance Treaty of Berlin (1715)
The alliance treaty of Berlin (1715) was signed by the monarchs of the Electorate of Hanover Georg I and the Kingdom of Denmark on May 2, 1715 .
Its core provisions were directed against Sweden , against whom Denmark was at war . The state treaty essentially contains provisions on the transfer of ownership from Bremen-Verden from Denmark to Kurhannover for the Hanoverians to join the war on the side of the anti-Swedish coalition.
Alliance treaties
Preobrazhenskoe (1699) • Dresden (1699) • Narva (1704) • Dresden (1709) • Thorn (1709) • Copenhagen (1709) • Hanover (1710) • Lutsk (1711) • Adrianople (1713) • Schwedt (1713) • Stettin (1715) • Berlin (1715) • Greifswald (1715)
Peace treaties
Traventhal (1700) • Warsaw (1705) • Altranstädt (1706) • Pruth (1711) • Frederiksborg (1720) • Stockholm (1719) • Stockholm (1720) • Nystad (1721) • Stockholm (1729)
Surrenders
Diplomatic context
The Great Northern War offered Kur-Hannover the opportunity to expand its territory alongside the anti-Swedish alliance as far as the Elbe and Weser estuaries. This area, the Swedish secular duchies of Bremen and Verden since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, was also in the area of interest of Denmark, which occupied Bremen in 1712. Hanover responded with the occupation of Verdens , as it did not want to accept the increase in Danish power or the separation from the sea and also had to manifest its claim for later peace negotiations.
In lengthy negotiations Hanover tried to persuade Denmark to renounce Bremen-Verden. Talks at the Braunschweig Peace Congress in January and March to June 1714 also yielded no results. In addition, Hanover's refusal to intervene militarily in Pomerania and to meet Denmark on the question of Holstein-Gottorf's satisfaction stood in the way of an agreement. Only when Georg Ludwig became King of England and had a great power with a strong fleet behind him did the negotiations begin to move. When Prussia finally assured Hanover of possession of Bremen-Verdens on April 17, 1715, Denmark could no longer refuse diplomatic pressure within the anti-Swedish coalition.
Disagreements in financial matters were the reason why the evacuation by Denmark was a long time coming. Frederick IV did not ratify the treaty until June 26, 1715. Hanover, for its part, postponed its involvement in the war and its financial obligations with regard to Pomerania. On July 16, 1715, at the urging of Denmark, George I signed a lapel to regulate the satisfaction for the Holstein-Gottorf house through increased payments from Hanover. On July 17, 1715, the contract concluded on May 2 was exchanged. After further concessions from Hanover in the remaining demands, Denmark vacated the occupied territories on October 15th. On the same day Hanover declared war on Sweden.
content
Threat from Sweden. Sweden's lack of peace. Offensive and defensive alliance with Denmark-Norway.
- Art. 1 Maintaining peace in the Upper and Lower Saxony district .
- Art. 2 Bremen-Verden goes to Hanover with all rights.
- Art. 3 Denmark hands over Bremen (with Stade and all property) to Hanover within 14 days. Hanover's declaration of war on Sweden.
- Art. 4 Denmark defends Bremen-Verden with 8000 men in an emergency.
- Art. 5 Financial aid from Denmark if Hanover is attacked by Sweden or one of its allies, namely France.
- Art. 6 Hanover declares war against Sweden after the surrender.
- Art. 7 Financial compensation for Denmark.
- Art. 8 If no peace agreement has been reached by May 1, 1716, Hanover will make further payments.
- Art. 9 Hanover tries in Great Britain to obtain English subsidies for Denmark.
- Art. 10 Auxiliary troops, seeking Prussian support.
- Art. 11 Schleswig and Holstein. Danish ownership guarantee.
- Art. 12 Holstein-Gottorps satisfaction by the Braunschweig Congress.
- Art. 13 Hanover guarantees Denmark the possession of Pomerania north of the Peene.
- Art. 14 Wismar becomes a free imperial city.
- Art. 15 Hanover guarantees Prussia the possession of Pomerania south of the Peene.
- Art. 16 Separation of Holstein from the Swedish Crown. Brunswick Congress.
- Art. 17 Hanover is not militarily involved in Pomerania. Help from Prussia.
- Art. 18 Aid for future allies.
- Art. 19 War Council.
- Art. 20 Case of a Swedish attack on Saxony.
- Art. 21 Contacting the Kaiser wg. Bremen-Verden.
- Art. 22 Information about Russia.
- Art. 23 Prohibition of a separate peace.
Exchange of ratifications within five weeks. The contract is only valid if Denmark and Prussia as well as Hanover and Prussia have reached an agreement (this happened on May 24th and April 1715, respectively).
Further development
Sweden lost all possessions in northern Germany by the beginning of 1716. After the peace agreement with Sweden in the Peace of Frederiksborg , Swedish Pomerania and Stralsund south of the Peene passed into Prussian possession, while Bremen-Verden fell into Hanoverian possession. Denmark had to return its possessions north of the Peene to Sweden.
literature
- Richard Drögereit : Sources for the history of Kurhannovers 1, Hildesheim 1949, pp. 16–24.
- Johann Hinrich Pratje : Old and new from the Duchies of Bremen and Verden. 1774, 7, pp. 4, 16-17.
- Friedrich Wilhelm Ghillany : Diplomatic manual. Collection of the most important European peace treaties, congress acts and other state documents from the Peace of Westphalia to the most recent times. 1855, 2, pp. 114-116.