Treaty of Worms (1743) facts for kids

The Treaty of Worms was an important agreement signed on September 13, 1743. It created an alliance between Great Britain, Austria, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. This happened during a big conflict called the War of the Austrian Succession.

The British government had a major goal with this treaty. They wanted to convince Emperor Charles VII of Bavaria to stop supporting France. At the same time, they aimed to settle disagreements between the Emperor, Queen Maria Theresa of Austria, and King Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia.

What the Treaty Agreed To

Under the Treaty of Worms, several things were decided:

Austria's Agreements

• Queen Maria Theresa of Austria agreed to give some land to the King of Sardinia. This included the city of Piacenza and parts of its duchy.
• She also gave up the Vigevanesco, parts of the duchy of Pavia, and a section of the county of Anghiera near Lake Maggiore.
• Maria Theresa also gave up her claims to the marquisate of Finale.
• She promised to keep 30,000 soldiers in Italy. These soldiers would be led by Savoy-Sardinia.

Great Britain's Agreements

• Great Britain agreed to pay £300,000 for the land of Finale.
• They also promised to pay an annual amount of £200,000. This payment was on the condition that Savoy-Sardinia would use 45,000 soldiers.
• Besides this money, Britain also agreed to send a navy fleet into the Mediterranean Sea.

Secret Agreement

• There was also a secret agreement made at the same time. It was never officially approved or made public.
• In this secret deal, Britain agreed to pay Maria Theresa £300,000 every year. This payment would continue as long as she needed the money.

The part of the treaty that gave the marquisate of Finale to Savoy-Sardinia was very unfair to the people of Genoa. This land had been promised to Genoa in an earlier agreement from 1718. That agreement was called the Quadruple Alliance.

Criticisms of the Treaty

The Treaty of Worms was discussed in the British Parliament in early 1744. Not everyone thought it was a good idea.

William Pitt's View

William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, a well-known politician, strongly criticized the treaty. He spoke in the House of Commons in December 1743.

He said the treaty was "one of the most destructive, unjust, and absurd that was ever concluded." Pitt believed Britain was taking on a cost it could not afford. He also felt the treaty was very unfair to Genoa. He worried this unfairness would make other European countries join France against Britain. Pitt thought that while Sardinia's help was useful, it was too expensive. He feared that France might attack Sardinia because of this new alliance.

Thomas Carlyle's View

The historian Thomas Carlyle also commented on the treaty. He noted that the treaty was made after a lot of effort by British officials. He pointed out that King George of Britain got it signed on September 13.

Carlyle mentioned that Charles Emmanuel of Sardinia would get more money from England each year. He would receive £200,000 instead of £150,000. He would also get some land from the Lombardy region. In return, Sardinia would fight alongside Britain. The British navy and money would help, no matter the cost.

See also

In Spanish: Tratado de Worms (1743) para niños

• List of treaties