Reichenbacher Conventions (1813)

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The Reichenbach Conventions of June 1813 were concluded in Reichenbach ( Dzierżoniów ) in Silesia during the Wars of Liberation . Bilateral assistance and subsidy agreements were agreed between Great Britain on the one hand and Russia and Prussia on the other. Of particular importance was the Austro-Russian-Prussian alliance of June 27, in which Austria clearly sided with the coalition for the first time.

history

During the Pläswitz armistice , which was preceded by the spring campaign of 1813, which was difficult for the allies, Prussia and Russia made considerable diplomatic efforts to further develop the alliance, which Sweden had already drawn closer to on April 22 through a bilateral agreement with Prussia to enlarge. At the headquarters of the Allies Alexander I and Friedrich Wilhelm III. In Reichenbach, after preliminary negotiations at the Opočno castle in East Bohemia, a total of three different contracts were signed:

  • On June 14th a British-Prussian subsidy and assistance agreement was concluded. The restoration of the states conquered by France was agreed upon as the aim of the war. Prussia undertook to lead an army of at least 80,000 men into battle. In return, Great Britain promised to pay 666,666 pounds sterling a month initially until the end of 1813. The British Navy was supposed to protect Prussian territory and trade. There were also provisions on the issue of banknotes as a kind of common British-Prussian-Russian currency in the amount of 5 million pounds, which were only to be used for war purposes. In a secret supplementary agreement, Great Britain pledged to help restore Prussia within the borders of 1806. In this context, it also belonged that Prussia approved the reinstatement of the two lines Braunschweig-Lüneburg and the expansion of Hanover by 250,000 to 300,000 inhabitants, including the Hildesheim Monastery.
  • On June 15, a Russian-British agreement was reached, with England undertaking to pay Russia 1,333,334 British pounds, which were to be used for the warfare against Napoleon . In return, Russia undertook to raise an army of 150,000 men.
  • Finally, on June 27, a secret agreement was concluded between Russia, Prussia and Austria. In this, Austria clearly committed itself to the coalition for the first time. Emperor Franz I undertook to declare war on France should it not meet certain conditions by July 20th. This included the end of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw and the division of this area between Russia, Prussia and Austria. In addition, Danzig had to come to Prussia and all French-occupied fortresses in Prussia had to be evacuated. The Illyrian provinces should fall back to Austria. In addition, the independence of the Hanseatic cities should be restored. The Austrian war army should be set up with 150,000 and the Prussian 80,000 men. After Napoleon failed to respond to the demands at the Prague Peace Congress , as expected, Austria declared war on France on August 11, 1813.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Rudolf Žáček: Dějiny Slezska v datech . Praha 2004, ISBN 80-7277-172-8 , p. 240 f.