(1)
In the correspondence of the French resident Rossy in Brussels, a letter dated 20 July 1725 (kept in the French Archives Diplomatiques, Correspondance Politique, Pays-Bas, vol. 96) sheds light on a remarkable episode. As the reader of this blog knows, Philip V of Spain and Charles VI of the Holy Roman Empire concluded a treaty of peace and alliance late in April and early in May 1725. This agreement settled their pending bilateral quarrels concerning the succession of the last Habsburg monarch of Spain, Charles II (1661-1700), more than ten years after the Peace treaties of Utrecht, Rastatt and Baden. The 1725 agreements were concluded by Johan Willem Ripperda, an adventurer from Groningen who became Philip V's ambassador in Vienna, and blew up the Congress of Cambrai. Ripperda's letters have been published recently by Ana Mur Raurell.
(Treaty of Peace between Charles VI and Philip V, drawn from the Corps Universel Diplomatique du Droit des Gens, vol. VIII/2)
(Treaty of Alliance, ibid.
Ripperda did not only conclude a treaty of peace and alliance, but also a treaty of trade and navigation. The latter one undermined the commercial balance established at the Peace of Utrecht. The Emperor's subjects (read: also the subjects living in the Duchy of Brabant or the County of Flanders) were granted commercial privileges that thwarted the order of priority installed in favour of Dutch and British trade. At the Congress of Cambrai (1722-1725), Spain had opposed the Emperor's creation of the Ostend Company in 1722/1723. Philip V had promised the Dutch Republic at the occasion of his bilateral peace treaty in 1714, that the commercial settlement for the Spanish empire would remain unchanged. Remarkably, the Treaty of Navigation and Commerce showed a 180 degrees turnaround.
(Treaty of Navigation and Commerce between Charles VI and Philip V, 1 May 1725, CUD VIII/2)
Increasing the Ostend Company's capacities was a provocation to the Dutch Republic, which had repeatedly called the Company illegal, pursuant to the Peace of Munster (1648), which had excluded the "Castillian" subjects of Philip IV of Spain from navigation to those places in the East Indies where the Dutch VOC had established its trading posts. Of course, jurists from the Austrian Low Countries refuted this claim, and stated that the peremptory natural right of free navigation on the high seas could not have been impaired or forfeited by this treaty.
The "Ripperda Treaty" added to the geopolitical concerns of France and Britain, where it was feared that a marriage between Philip V's son don Carlos and one of Charles VI's daughters could lead to the establishment of a dominating universal monarchy in Europe. As a consequence, the League of Hanover (3 September 1725) created an alliance against this bloc.
How did the Austrian Low Countries react to this unexpected turnaround ? Bussy wrote home to Count Morville, secretary of state for foreign affairs. He reported the celebration of the "peace" between Philip V and Charles VI on the Brussels Town Hall's Balcony [which is still an iconic place for national celebrations, e.g. princely marriages, honouring exceptional sport performances], "avec les formalitez anciennement usitées". Both the treaty of peace and the treaty of commerce were read out "à haute voix d'un bout à l'autre" (which - in the case of the treaty of commerce- must have taken quite some time). Charles VI's portrait -the monarch being absent, in Vienna- was put under a dais, with an "inscription chronografique" and two "distiques" (verses) pleading for the benefits the treaties would bring to "la Religion" and the Emperor's subjects.
At 11 AM, count Daun (who was on a temporary mission to Brussels) proceeded at the head of a long trail cosisting of the members of the Council of State, the various tribunals and "autres personnes de distinction", to the "Eglise Collégiale" (the current Cathedral of St Michael and Gudule). Insisde the church, a stage had been prepared for the Marquis of Beretti Landi (1654-1725), who had represented Philip V at the Congress of Cambrai, and Baron Penterriedter, diplomat of Charles VI (one of the key negotiators of the 1718 Treaty of London, also minister plenitotentiary in Cambrai). The Spanish agent arrived with his Austrian counterpart "dans le plus beau des carosses", followed by no less than three others, containing their following and secretaries.
(image: Wiricus Philippus Lorentius de Daun door Christoph Weigel - Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, Germany - CC BY-NC-SA; source: Europeana)
At the end of mass, the Brussels city garrison fired three volleys in the park of the Coudenberg Palace, echoed with the artillerie on the city's ramparts. Both ambassadors visited the Palace, where a diner was held for "plusieurs personnes du premier rang de l'un et de l'autre sexe". Having enjoyed the meal, Daun, Beretti Landi and Penterriedter made a walk together, and returned to the town hall, where fireworks were being prepared on the Grand-Place, including shooting an "oiseau artificiel" with "des fusées".
(the head of Charles II of Spain on the Brussels Grand-Place, 9 October 2023)
Celebrations don't come with a simple lunch: the whole gathering reconvened for a "repas somptueux et ambigu" (to be understood as serving both meat and dessert) and a ball. The stately houses of Brussels were enlightened with torches... when their residents were "attachées par leurs employs a ce Gouvernement" [read: attached to the House of Habsburg, rather than to that of Bourbon or to local particularism]. The authorities had actually enjoyned all citizens to provide torches at their doors. Rossy thought most had only complied to avoid a fine. The French envoy concluded that:
La Paix dont il est question n'estant en general du tout du goût de ces peuples, nonobstant les avantages qu'on leur en fait esperer.
The papal internuntius Giuseppe Spinelli (1694-1763) had been invited to dinner by Count Daun. However, he just paid the host a short visit around 5PM, to reiterate the reasons why the Pope objected to several clauses of the treaties. In the evening, a brief visit to the town hall was aborted just before the fireworks. Spinelli argued that the dinner would engender "l'inconvenient des santez [sic]". Rossi remarqued a bit sourly that neither he nor Ernst Pesters, the Dutch resident, had been able to refuse an invitation, since they had not even been invited by Daun !
What could have irritated the Holy See ? The agreement between Philip V and Charles VI did not only foresee the marriage of don Carlos, but, foremost, the Emperor's confirmation that the duchies of Parma and Piacenza would befall on the children from Philip V's marriage with Elisabeth Farnese. Since the sixteenth century, the overlordship over these territories had been in dispute between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope. The Treaty of London of 2 August 1718 had declared Parma and Piacenza "male fiefs of the Empire", which implicitly confirmed the Emperor's thesis. Protest lodged at the Congress of Cambrai did not weaken French or British support for this solution.
(2)
A supplementary description can be found in the Leydse Courant of 25 July 1725, digitized thanks to Delpher (Dutch Royal Library). The newspaper reports on the presentation "last Thursday" in a town hall where the halls were clad with red cloth, and where the city magistrate had been assembled since 9AM. Two heralds in their coats of arms published the Peace Treaty [sic], while the Registrar (greffier) read out the treaty in both languages: Burgundian (= French) and Flemish, among the sound of kettle drums and trumpets. Only an hour later (at 11AM, as Rossy wrote), Count Daun could move to the present-day Cathedral, accompanied by a company of halberdiers, welcomed by a company of archers. The "Bishop of Tricale" [sic, this could be a reference to Spinelli, who was titular Archbishop of Corinthus] celebrated mass, as well as a Te Deum (not mentioned by Rossy).
(image: Beretti Landi, Markgraf von Castelletto, Graf von Cereto, Lorenzo Verzuso - Austrian National Library, Austria - Public Domain; source: Europeana)
The Leydse Courant clarifies that Daun had not invited any foreign ministers for lunch (which is bizarre, since Rossy states that both Beretti Landi and Pentenriedter had conversed with Daun shortly after lunch). Spinelli's short appearance in the afternoon is not mentioned in the paper. His refusal to celebrate Illuminatien (= to enliven his residence with torches facing the street) is added to the discontent at the confirmation of the eventual succession of don Carlos in Parma and Piacenza.
The fireworks get a bit more detailed attention: no less than three "big fires" on the Grand-Place, as well as the "bird full of firework rockets", to be hit by amateur archers (conformably to a long tradition in the Low Countries). The most able archer stood to gain a "silver prize" (een prys van Zilverwerk). The newspaper relates that Daun and his wife could assist to the spectacle from the balcony in armchairs. The foreign agents, however present by their side, did only get ordinary ones.
The "repas ambigu" described by Rossy would not have been a perfect one either, according to the paper. Only Daun himself and "the ladies" (de Dames) could sit at the table. The other gentlemen (de andere Heeren) had to serve food to the ladies, because... staff was lacking in the rooms of the townhall (geen Knegts in de Kamers) !
The "inscription chonografique" identified by Rossy is published in the Leydse Courant:
CaroLo seXto IMperatorI PrInCIpI sUo&PhILIppo qUInto paCIFICIs HIspanIae RegibUs, senatUs poULUsqUeBrUXeLLenSIsConjunxit Par una duos in foedera Reges;aternùm incolumen servit utrumque Deus !sic latè populis fulgebit amabilis atas,& par finitimis crescet oliva plagis
[To Charles the Sixth, Emperor, their Prince,
and to Philip the Fifth, peaceful Kings of Spain, the Senate and People of Brussels
A common cause has united two kings in alliances;
May God preserve both of them forever in safety!
Thus shall a lovable age shine widely upon peoples, and the olive of peace shall grow in neighboring regions.]
May God preserve both of them forever in safety!
Thus shall a lovable age shine widely upon peoples, and the olive of peace shall grow in neighboring regions.]
Note that Reges, plural is used. Charles VI and Philip had both coveted the succession of Charles II and pretended to be either the sole heir or his general heir. This thorny psychological and dynastic quarrel also turned into a debate on who was the true heir of the Dukes of Burgundy (and could thus claim to be the head of the Order of the Golden Fleece).
A similar account can be found in the Mercure Historique.
(3)
The publication of the treaties concluded at Vienna is of course an object of interest for Beretti Landi, who sent back a copy of the declaration read out by the two heralds on the Grand-Place to his court. The Archivo General de Simancas, fund Estado/Legajos Bruselas, nr. 7481 (which contains a hefty volume of correspondence by Beretti Landi) preserves a handwritten copy. The document states that the peace was published in all provinces of the Austrian Low Countries, first in Brussels on 19 July 1725, pursuant to which a Te Deum was sung, "en action de Graces de cet heureux Evenement".
(the Brussels Grand-Place under Austrian Rule; source: Broodhuis, Museum van de stad Brussel)
The "rejouissances publiques" (cf. fines for citizens who refrained from showing their joy by lightning up their house) were in fact an order of the sovereign. The bishop of Tricale is described as having "officié Pontificalement". Only Daun, but also knights of the Golden Fleece, and Grans [sic] d'Espagne were present, besides the members of the Council of State, the "cours Superieures" (which is legally more accurant than "les Tribunaux") and other "corps de Magistrature" (which ought to be read as administrative sensu lato), according to custom (suivant la Coutume, more significant in the eighteenth century than today).
Daun had ordered to place specifically des flambeaux de cire blanche (white wax torches) for the Court and the residences of foreign ministers. The city magistrates were assembled in the middle of the grande place, in front of the twon hall. Three poles formed a pyramid, wich each nine ranks of vons full of flammable material. On the outside, the tons were marked with the "couleurs de la Tres Auguste Maison". Several banners with the arms of Austria and Brabant were positioned around them.
The famous "bird" described by Rossy and the Leydse Courant, was placed on top of a lengthy pole (une perche). Not only the corridors and rooms, but also the facade of the town hall were covered in red. The white wax torches were not only used at the town hall, but also by the guild houses around the famous square. The golden statue of Saint Michael (symbol of the city, on top of the town hall) held a wax torch.
The ceremony at 10AM was kicked off by Joseph Vandenleene, described as "Conseiller et Lieutenant de l'Etat, de premier Roy d'Armes", dressed in a "Riche Cote" with the full arms of Charles VI. He was assisted by the Heraut d'Armes for Brabant Richard de Grez, dressed in the province's coat. Both had a caducée (= a stick covered in cloth). The registrar identified by the Leydse Courant was not alone: two greffiers, surrounded by the heralds shouted ("crierent") to the audience to request silence (three times):
Ecoutez la publication des Traitez de Paix et de Commerce faits entre S[a] M[ajesté] I[mpériale] et C[atholique] et ce le Roi d'Espagne
When the treaties had been read out, the Roÿs d'Armes (heralds) shouted again three times:
Vive la Paix, vive S[a] M[ajesté] I[mpériale] et C[atholique] Charles VI. duc de Brabant
The audience responded with long roudns of applause and acclamations, sign -according to the source- "d'une allegresse universelle".
Daun's trip to church was carried out in a carriage, drawn by six horses, surrounded by uncovered footmen and pages, surrounded by the "Royal" gard of halberdiers. The dean and members of the chapter welcomed the Austrian minister. An impressive red carpet with golden stripes (galon) was laid out inside. The altar was embellished as for the feast of the Holy Sacrament's Miracle. The knights of the Golden Fleece had a separate carpet. A smaller separate bench was used for the Spanish Grandes. Councillors of State de longue robe had their bench at the same distance from the altar, preceding the "audienciers" and "Secretaires d'Etat". At the same level, but on the other side (coté de l'Evangile), the Council of Brabant and the Councillors of State de courte robe. The Accounts Chambers (Chambres des Comptes) of Flanders, Brabant and of the Emperor had two separate benchees. The City Magistrate closed off the "nef" of the Church.
The Spanish source also details how magnificent Beretti Landi's following appeared: habits de feste for his gentilhommes et officiers, but even the domestiques could count on a riche livrée d'Ecarlate couverte de galons d'argent (very lively scarlet red, with silver stripes). The foreign ministers were gathered on a stage in the Chapel of the Holy Cross, decorated with a tapestry.
(the illuminated Brussels Town Hall on 9 October 2023)
Daun and his wife reappear at the Grand-Place around 6PM. Not only the city magistrate, but also the Estates of Brabant are present. Again, as earlier on the day, the artillery on the city's ramparts fired three times. Light was on at night, not only along the stately houses, but also the "Tour de St Michel", "ce qui donnoit un aspect tres agreable." The burgomaster (mayor, Charles van den Berghe Count of Limminge) started the archers' competition. A considerable number of arrows was fired, until the bird exploded. The three "pyramids" followed. The sound of explosions and gunshots ("décharges de Mousquetterie") went on for quite som time.
No disorder reported in the Leydse Courant for the "ambigu": several ladies were brought to the burgomaster's office, where they were served "avec tout l'ordre imaginable", "avec la derniere delicatesse". All many kinds of wine, liquor and refreshments were available "en grande profusion".
The event caused such a joy, according to the Spanish source, that Daun ordered a list of all "pauvres" prisoners in the various provinces of the Low Countries, in order to select those who would have merited pardon !
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