Treaty of Hamburg (1638) facts for kids
The Treaty of Hamburg was an important agreement signed on March 5, 1638. It officially confirmed the Treaty of Wismar, which had been agreed upon two years earlier. This treaty was a big deal because it gave Sweden much-needed money. This money helped Sweden go on the attack again during the Thirty Years' War, changing the course of the conflict.
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Why the Treaty Was Needed
In 1634, the Swedish and Protestant forces suffered a major loss at the Battle of Nördlingen. It became clear to France that they needed to get more involved. If they didn't, Emperor Ferdinand II might win the war.
A first attempt to help Sweden was the Treaty of Compiègne in April 1635. But things got worse for the Protestants. Their strong ally, Saxony, switched sides in the Peace of Prague in May. Also, the Heilbronn League, which had given Sweden a lot of money, broke apart. The Protestant side looked like it was in trouble.
Around this time, Axel Oxenstierna, a key Swedish leader, was even open to taking money from the Emperor. However, that offer never happened. In May 1635, France also started a war with the Spanish Habsburgs.
France's Support for Sweden
In October 1635, a respected Protestant general named Bernard of Saxe-Weimar and his army, who used to fight for Sweden, began working for France. This meant Sweden, which didn't have much money, had to hold onto northern Germany with only a few northern allies.
Even with these challenges, Sweden showed it was still a strong player. They won the Battle of Wittstock in Brandenburg in October 1636. This was two years after their defeat at Nördlingen. However, before the Treaty of Hamburg was signed, the Swedish general Johan Banér was chased from Saxony to Pommern in 1637.
What the Treaty Did
The Treaty of Hamburg had two main parts:
- Money for Sweden: France agreed to pay Sweden 1,000,000 livres. This was for Sweden's help in fighting against the Habsburgs, a powerful European family.
- Confirmed Alliance: The agreement also confirmed the alliance between France and Sweden. This alliance had been set up by the rules of the Treaty of Wismar, which was agreed upon in March 1636.
See also
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