1.5 Foreign policy under the Regency Council

Question 1

What was initial French success?

There should be 5 key dates

Answer 1

1636: The year of Corbie
1643: The Battle of Rocroi
1644: Turenne occupies key fortifications in the Rhineland and Gaston besieges Gravelines
1645: Mazarin’s diplomacy (brokers peace between Sweden and Denmark, creates a Polish alliance and with Rakoczy of Translyvania)
1648: The Peace of Westphalia

Question 2

What were the French gains from the Peace of Westphalia?

Answer 2

• France gained control over Metz, Toule and Verdun
• Eastern border security in the Rhineland with the right to garrison in Philipsburg
• Possession of Pinerolo provided a buffer against Habsburg attack from northern Italy
• sovereignty confirmed over 10 imperial cities

Question 3

What were French allies gains from the Peace of Westphalia?

Answer 3

• German elector princes in the HRE were granted independence
• Sweden gained control of almost all the German coastline
• The Hohenzollerns gained towns to undermine Habsburg power

Question 4

What were downsides to the Peace of Westphalia?

Answer 4

• it came too late, the 30 years war had a disastrous effect and it took 4 years to negotiate
• Mazarin did not prioritise peace such as in 1646 he took on a campaign against Spain in Italy instead

Question 5

What happened in the period of French failure in foreign policy?

Answer 5

• this was during the Fronde years
• lasted from 1648-1652
• frontline troops were withdrawn to deal with internal conflicts
• Mazarin’s diplomacy was lost in trying to broker peace at home

Question 6

What 5 things happened in the period of French success after the Frondes?

Answer 6

• 1653: the siege of Rocroi led by Conde on behalf of Spain but is defeated by Turenne
• 1655: Turenne defeats Conde at Landrecies and the Treaty of Westminster
• 1658: battle of the Dunes that stopped the Spanish offensive in Flanders with the support of the English and Turenne recaptures a series of towns in Flanders
• 1659: the Peace of the Pyrenees

Question 7

What were French gains in the Peace of the Pyrenees?

Answer 7

• signed November 7th 1659
• lots of towns in the north and south
• control over Luxembourg
• gains exposed Habsburgs to further attack

Mazarin also convinced Europe that France wanted a balance of power by handing back Dunkirk and Mendyke to the English, pardoned Conde and confirmed Spanish possession over Catalonia.

Question 8

How was the marriage alliance secured in the Peace of the Pyrenees?

Answer 8

• Mazarin pretended he was planning to marry Louis to the Duke of Savoy’s daughter, even sending an entourage to his court, which would mean Louis could stop the Spanish road as Savoy is next to Milan
• this means that Philip IV consented to the marriage with his daughter Maria Theresa
• this gave Louis the chance to gain Spanish inheritance of land in Italy, Flanders, the Spanish Indies and South America
• Philip obviously doesn’t like the sound of this so Mazarin agrees to renounce all claims if Spain a dowry of 500,000 ecru which he knew they could not afford therefore had to allow Maria Theresa to pass on her inheritance