The Dutch assemblies and the renewal of the French alliance

Abstract

SUMMARY This article intends to examine why the Dutch assemblies decided to renew the alliance with France during the late 1650s. There were both political and economic reasons. The political reason was a growing concern that the Dutch Republic lacked major allies in Europe. The economic reason was Nicolas Foucquet's policy of imposing restrictions upon Dutch trade with France. The northern assemblies were also worried about forming a close alliance with a Catholic state. These different objectives and concerns delayed the approval of the instruction for the special embassy to negotiate a new treaty with France. In Holland and Zeeland, the councils of Amsterdam and Middelburg were reluctant to form a close political alliance with France, but accepted it as a bargaining tool in order to restore freedom of trade. Mter the negotiations had lasted nearly two years, the Dutch assemblies ratified the new treaty within three months, but Louis XN was slow to offer his ratification, and even more hesitant to honor his treaty obligations.