Treaty of Valençay facts for kids
The Treaty of Valençay was an important agreement signed on December 8, 1813. It took its name from the Château de Valençay, a large castle in France. This castle belonged to Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, who used to be France's foreign minister. The treaty was written by Antoine René Mathurin for France and José Miguel de Carvajal y Manrique for Spain.
Why the Treaty Was Needed
Napoleon Bonaparte, the leader of France, realized that his country was losing the Peninsular War. This war was fought in Spain and Portugal. Napoleon wanted to make peace with Spain and become allies again. He hoped this treaty would be the first step towards a full peace agreement between France and Spain.
What the Treaty Said
The main points of the Treaty of Valençay were:
- French soldiers would leave Spain.
- Ferdinand VII of Spain would return to the Spanish throne. Ferdinand had been held prisoner at Valençay since 1808. Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte, had taken over the throne.
Secret Plans and Broken Promises
The treaty also included a ceasefire, which is a temporary stop to fighting. However, neither side fully trusted the other. They didn't really plan to follow the ceasefire completely.
It seems Napoleon also made Ferdinand promise something in secret. This promise said that Ferdinand would turn the Spanish Army against the British and Portuguese. This would happen if Wellington, a British general, kept using Spain to attack France.
But things didn't go as Napoleon planned. Once Ferdinand was safely back in Madrid, the Spanish government (called the Cortes of Cádiz) refused to accept the treaty. The Peninsular War continued until Napoleon was finally defeated in France. This happened when many countries joined forces against him in the Sixth Coalition.
See also
In Spanish: Tratado de Valençay para niños
- List of treaties
