Treaty of Elbing
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Elbing was signed between the Dutch Republic
and the Swedish Empire
on 1 September (OS
) / 11 September 1656, during the Second Northern War
, in Swedish-held Elbing (Elbląg
). It served to protect Dutch interests in the Baltic Sea
, ended the Dutch intervention in the Swedish siege of Danzig
, and renewed a fragile peace between the Dutch Republic and Sweden. Within the former there was opposition to the treaty demanding elucidations, which were agreed upon only on 29 November (OS
) / 9 December 1659 in the Convention of Helsingör. Earlier in 1659, in the Concert of The Hague
, England
, France
, and the Dutch Republic had agreed to include the treaty of Elbing in their common agenda regarding the Second Northern War.
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During the Second Northern War
, Charles X Gustav of Sweden
aimed at establishing a Swedish dominion
in Royal Prussia
, part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and subdued most of the province in a campaign of December 1655. The Dutch Republic
heavily relied on grain imports from the Baltic Sea
region, much of it was bought from Royal Prussia's chief city Danzig (Gdansk).Trade with the Baltic Sea area was the backbone ("mother trade") of Dutch economy. Imports included grain, tar, wood, pitch and ash, exports included herring, salt, wine, dairy products and textiles. The imported goods were stapled in Amsterdam
and in part re-exported, yet the Baltic grain was essential not only for commerce but also for feeding the Dutch population. The primary Dutch grain sources were Poland, Prussia and Livonia, Dutch-Baltic trade peaked around 1650. The port cities of the time were heavily influenced by Dutch culture and home to Dutch settlers. Frijhoff & Spies (2004), p. 134. When Swedish forces began raising a siege of Danzig
in early January 1656, the key figures of contemporary Dutch politics, Johan de Witt
and Coenraad van Beuningen
, saw the Dutch trade in the Baltic endangered and feared an alliance of a strengthened Sweden with their rival Maritime Power
, England
.
Van Beuningen, at that time residing in Copenhagen
at the court of Sweden's adversary and Dutch ally Frederick III of Denmark
, proposed declaring war on Sweden. De Witt favoured a more moderate approach, fearing follow-up declarations of war on the Dutch Republic by England and France
. De Witt instead proposed aiding Danzig directly by dispatching a relief force, and in July gained consent for sending in a fleet and a landing force by the States-General of the Netherlands
due to diplomatic efforts of Holland's diplomats in The Hague
.
In late July, forty-two Dutch and nine Danish vessels arrived in Danzig,Just a few years before, in the course of the First Anglo–Dutch War (1652–54), the Dutch Republic had raised a navy consisting of dedicated warships. Before, the Dutch fleet only consisted of armed merchant vessels. Frijhoff & Spies (2004), p. 133. carrying 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 guns. The army made landfall and a Dutch commander took over Danzig's defense. Christer Bonde, Sweden's ambassador in London
, alerted Lord Protector
Oliver Cromwell
who sent letters to Sweden and the Dutch Republic urging for a peaceful settlement.
The treaty was concluded on 11 September 1656, which was 1 September on the Julian calendar
then used in the Baltic area.
Two earlier Dutch-Swedish trade agreements of 1640 and 1645 were confirmed. Sweden assured Dutch merchants free passage to Danzig as well as free trade and navigation in the Baltic Sea
. The port dues in trade cities like Danzig and Pillau (now Baltiysk) were not to be raised.
Sweden further promised to respect Danzig's neutrality in the Second Northern War, and granted the Dutch Republic the status of a "most favoured nation." Sweden and the Dutch Republic assured mutual friendship.
In 1657, Frederick III of Denmark declared war on Sweden, but his invasion was repelled by Charles X Gustav who subseequently took all of Denmark except for the capital city Copenhagen
. With the consent of De Witt, who thought that a balance of the Danish and Swedish powers would serve Dutch interests best, and despite the protest of part of the Dutch elites, Dutch auxiliaries were deployed to relieve the Swedish siege of Copenhagen.
De Witt realized that the intervention on the Danish side bore the risk of provoking England, who was then allied to France. Accordingly, the relief forces were advised to avoid any encounters with the English navy, and De Witt furthered negotiations with English and French diplomats to agree on a common stance regarding the Second Northern War. An agreement was reached in The Hague, drafted by English envoy Downing, which encompassed the treaty of Elbing along with its elucidations. The agreement was endangered when after the abdication of Richard Cromwell
, Downing was instructed to remove the passages regarding Elbing, yet in May 1659 the new English government approved the original draft. The agreement, ratified on 21 May, became known as Concert of The Hague
.
On 29 November (OS
) / 9 December 1659, all Dutch parties and Sweden had settled for the elucidations of the treaty of Elbing, which was then accepted by all parties in the Convention of Helsingör, concluded in Helsingør (Helsingör, Elsinore).
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
and the Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
on 1 September (OS
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) / 11 September 1656, during the Second Northern War
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
, in Swedish-held Elbing (Elbląg
Elblag
Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship...
). It served to protect Dutch interests in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, ended the Dutch intervention in the Swedish siege of Danzig
Siege of Danzig (1655–1660)
The Siege of Danzig took place between 1655 and 1660 when a Swedish force tried to capture this important Baltic Sea port city from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Second Northern War...
, and renewed a fragile peace between the Dutch Republic and Sweden. Within the former there was opposition to the treaty demanding elucidations, which were agreed upon only on 29 November (OS
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) / 9 December 1659 in the Convention of Helsingör. Earlier in 1659, in the Concert of The Hague
Concert of The Hague (1659)
The Concert of The Hague, signed on 21 May 1659, was an outline of the common stance of England, France and the Dutch Republic regarding the Second Northern War. The powers agreed that the Swedish Empire and Denmark–Norway should settle for a peace treaty based on the Treaty of Roskilde, including...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the Dutch Republic had agreed to include the treaty of Elbing in their common agenda regarding the Second Northern War.
Background
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
, Charles X Gustav of Sweden
Charles X Gustav of Sweden
Charles X Gustav also Carl Gustav, was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. After his father's death he also succeeded him as Pfalzgraf. He was married to Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who...
aimed at establishing a Swedish dominion
Dominions of Sweden
The Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ruled by Governors-General under the Swedish monarch, but within certain limits retained...
in Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia was a Region of the Kingdom of Poland and of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth . Polish Prussia included Pomerelia, Chełmno Land , Malbork Voivodeship , Gdańsk , Toruń , and Elbląg . It is distinguished from Ducal Prussia...
, part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and subdued most of the province in a campaign of December 1655. The Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
heavily relied on grain imports from the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
region, much of it was bought from Royal Prussia's chief city Danzig (Gdansk).Trade with the Baltic Sea area was the backbone ("mother trade") of Dutch economy. Imports included grain, tar, wood, pitch and ash, exports included herring, salt, wine, dairy products and textiles. The imported goods were stapled in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and in part re-exported, yet the Baltic grain was essential not only for commerce but also for feeding the Dutch population. The primary Dutch grain sources were Poland, Prussia and Livonia, Dutch-Baltic trade peaked around 1650. The port cities of the time were heavily influenced by Dutch culture and home to Dutch settlers. Frijhoff & Spies (2004), p. 134. When Swedish forces began raising a siege of Danzig
Siege of Danzig (1655–1660)
The Siege of Danzig took place between 1655 and 1660 when a Swedish force tried to capture this important Baltic Sea port city from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Second Northern War...
in early January 1656, the key figures of contemporary Dutch politics, Johan de Witt
Johan de Witt
Johan de Witt, heer van Zuid- en Noord-Linschoten, Snelrewaard, Hekendorp and IJsselveere was a key figure in Dutch politics in the mid 17th century, when its flourishing sea trade in a period of globalization made the United Provinces a leading European power during the Dutch Golden Age...
and Coenraad van Beuningen
Coenraad van Beuningen
Coenraad van Beuningen was the Dutch Republic's most experienced diplomat, burgemeester of Amsterdam in 1669, 1672, 1680, 1681, 1683 and 1684, and from 1681 a VOC director...
, saw the Dutch trade in the Baltic endangered and feared an alliance of a strengthened Sweden with their rival Maritime Power
Maritime Powers
Maritime Powers may refer to both*Early Modern Great Britain*the Dutch Republic...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Van Beuningen, at that time residing in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
at the court of Sweden's adversary and Dutch ally Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
, proposed declaring war on Sweden. De Witt favoured a more moderate approach, fearing follow-up declarations of war on the Dutch Republic by England and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. De Witt instead proposed aiding Danzig directly by dispatching a relief force, and in July gained consent for sending in a fleet and a landing force by the States-General of the Netherlands
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
due to diplomatic efforts of Holland's diplomats in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
.
In late July, forty-two Dutch and nine Danish vessels arrived in Danzig,Just a few years before, in the course of the First Anglo–Dutch War (1652–54), the Dutch Republic had raised a navy consisting of dedicated warships. Before, the Dutch fleet only consisted of armed merchant vessels. Frijhoff & Spies (2004), p. 133. carrying 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 guns. The army made landfall and a Dutch commander took over Danzig's defense. Christer Bonde, Sweden's ambassador in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, alerted Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
who sent letters to Sweden and the Dutch Republic urging for a peaceful settlement.
Terms
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
then used in the Baltic area.
Two earlier Dutch-Swedish trade agreements of 1640 and 1645 were confirmed. Sweden assured Dutch merchants free passage to Danzig as well as free trade and navigation in the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. The port dues in trade cities like Danzig and Pillau (now Baltiysk) were not to be raised.
Sweden further promised to respect Danzig's neutrality in the Second Northern War, and granted the Dutch Republic the status of a "most favoured nation." Sweden and the Dutch Republic assured mutual friendship.
Implementation
The treaty met with opposition by several Dutch towns and Denmark. The Dutch opposition against the treaty was led by Van Beuningen, who refused to ratify it and looked forward to confront Sweden on the Danish side, while De Witt stood by the treaty and his strategy to aid Denmark and be concilatory with Sweden at the same time. De Witt proposed 'elucidation' of the treaty rather than abandoning it, and the States-General accepted.In 1657, Frederick III of Denmark declared war on Sweden, but his invasion was repelled by Charles X Gustav who subseequently took all of Denmark except for the capital city Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. With the consent of De Witt, who thought that a balance of the Danish and Swedish powers would serve Dutch interests best, and despite the protest of part of the Dutch elites, Dutch auxiliaries were deployed to relieve the Swedish siege of Copenhagen.
De Witt realized that the intervention on the Danish side bore the risk of provoking England, who was then allied to France. Accordingly, the relief forces were advised to avoid any encounters with the English navy, and De Witt furthered negotiations with English and French diplomats to agree on a common stance regarding the Second Northern War. An agreement was reached in The Hague, drafted by English envoy Downing, which encompassed the treaty of Elbing along with its elucidations. The agreement was endangered when after the abdication of Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
, Downing was instructed to remove the passages regarding Elbing, yet in May 1659 the new English government approved the original draft. The agreement, ratified on 21 May, became known as Concert of The Hague
Concert of The Hague (1659)
The Concert of The Hague, signed on 21 May 1659, was an outline of the common stance of England, France and the Dutch Republic regarding the Second Northern War. The powers agreed that the Swedish Empire and Denmark–Norway should settle for a peace treaty based on the Treaty of Roskilde, including...
.
On 29 November (OS
Old Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) / 9 December 1659, all Dutch parties and Sweden had settled for the elucidations of the treaty of Elbing, which was then accepted by all parties in the Convention of Helsingör, concluded in Helsingør (Helsingör, Elsinore).
External links
- Scan of the Danish-Dutch guarantee treaty regarding Danzig of 16 August 1656 at IEG Mainz
- Scan of the treaty of Elbing at IEG Mainz
- Scan of the Convention of Helsingör (1659) at IEG Mainz, from the Dutch State Archives
- Scan of the Convention of Helsingör (1659) at IEG Mainz, from the Swedish State Archives