Treaty of Lunéville facts for kids
| Treaty of Peace between France and the Emperor of Germany | |
|---|---|
Europe after Lunéville
|
|
| Type | Peace treaty |
| Context | War of the Second Coalition |
| Signed | 9 February 1801 |
| Location | Lunéville, France |
| Signatories | |
The Treaty of Lunéville was a very important peace agreement signed on February 9, 1801. It happened in a town called Lunéville in France. This treaty was signed between the French Republic and Emperor Francis II. Emperor Francis II signed for himself as the ruler of Austria, and also for the Holy Roman Empire.
The main people who signed the treaty were Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother) for France, and Count Ludwig von Cobenzl for Austria. This treaty officially ended Austria's and the Holy Roman Empire's involvement in the War of the Second Coalition. This war was part of the bigger French Revolutionary Wars.
The Austrian army had lost two big battles to the French. First, Napoleon Bonaparte defeated them at the Battle of Marengo in June 1800. Then, Jean Victor Moreau won against them at the Battle of Hohenlinden in December 1800. Because of these defeats, Austria had to ask for peace. The Treaty of Lunéville largely confirmed what was decided in an earlier treaty called the Treaty of Campo Formio (1797). After Lunéville, only the United Kingdom was still fighting France for another year.
Austria later went to war with France again in 1805.
Contents
How Peace Talks Started
After winning battles, Napoleon Bonaparte wanted peace. On December 25, 1799, he wrote to Emperor Francis II to suggest peace talks. Austria and Britain had an alliance against France, so Austria first said no to Napoleon's offer.
But after Napoleon's big victory at Marengo, Austria changed its mind. They agreed to talk about peace. Before the main talks, two temporary ceasefires (armistices) were signed. One was in Italy (the Convention of Alessandria) and the other in Germany (the Armistice of Parsdorf).
Early Peace Attempts
In July 1800, an Austrian representative named Count Joseph von Saint-Julien came to Paris. He met with the French Foreign Minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord. They quickly signed a first peace agreement. This agreement was very similar to the earlier Treaty of Campo Formio.
Saint-Julien went back to Vienna with a French representative, Géraud Duroc. However, the Austrian Emperor rejected this early agreement. He said Saint-Julien had signed it without proper permission. Saint-Julien was even put in prison for a short time!
Working Towards a Final Treaty
After this, Austria wanted to negotiate peace together with Britain. But Napoleon refused. He wanted to make separate peace deals. Britain also refused to make a separate peace with France.
The talks continued, but slowly. Austria had to give up some important fortresses to France, like Ulm and Philippsburg, to extend the ceasefire. The main Austrian foreign minister, Johann Amadeus von Thugut, who supported the alliance with Britain, resigned.
Final Negotiations Begin
The final round of peace talks began in Lunéville. Austria sent Ludwig von Cobenzl as their main negotiator. At first, he was not allowed to negotiate without Britain. This made the talks difficult.
The French negotiator was Joseph Bonaparte. He suggested a secret treaty between France and Austria. The British would only be invited to a public signing later, just for show. Meanwhile, Britain stopped paying money they had promised to Austria.
During these talks, France also tried to become friends with Russia. After France won another big battle at Hohenlinden in December, Austria was under more pressure. Emperor Francis II told King George III of the United Kingdom that he could no longer keep his alliance promises. Finally, on December 31, Cobenzl agreed to negotiate with France without Britain.
The last parts of the negotiations were mostly about new borders and what lands different princes would get. The fighting continued in Italy during the talks, which forced Austria to keep giving up more land. The treaty was finally signed on February 9, 1801.
What the Treaty Decided
The Treaty of Lunéville stated that there would be "peace, amity, and good understanding" between the countries. Austria had to agree to the conditions of the earlier Treaty of Campo Formio.
Here are some of the main things that happened:
- New Republics: The treaty recognized several new republics that France had helped create. These included the Cisalpine Republic, Ligurian Republic, Batavian Republic, and Helvetic Republic. These were like independent countries, but often influenced by France.
- Land for France: France gained control of the entire left bank of the Rhine River. This included the Austrian Netherlands, which is now Belgium and Luxembourg. Parts of Imperial Italy also became part of France or the new Italian Republic.
- Tuscany Changed: The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was given to France.
- Fortresses Demolished: Some important fortresses on the right bank of the Rhine River had to be torn down.
Princes who lost land because of the treaty, like the Grand Duke of Tuscany, were promised new lands in Germany, east of the Rhine River. This was often done by taking land from church-controlled areas. France would help manage this process. Austria also got to keep the Venetian Terraferma, Venetian Dalmatia, and all of Istria.
Changes to the Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire's main assembly, called the Imperial Diet, accepted the treaty on March 7, 1801.
The job of giving new lands to the princes who lost territory was given to a special group called the Imperial Deputation. France and Russia had a lot of influence over this group. France wanted larger new territories to be formed, hoping they would become allies. Russia wanted a more traditional balance of power.
The final document from this group was called the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss. It was signed on February 25, 1803. This document did much more than just give new lands to princes. It completely changed the Holy Roman Empire. Almost all church-controlled states lost their power, and most free imperial cities lost their independence. The Reichsdeputationshauptschluss was the last major law in the history of the Holy Roman Empire before it was officially ended in 1806.
See Also
- Oranienstein Letters
