Convention of Reichenbach (1790)

The Convention of Reichenbach, signed on July 27, 1790, established a diplomatic agreement between Prussia and Austria. This treaty allowed the Austrian Emperor to reconquer the Austrian Netherlands, provided local traditions were respected. The agreement marked a shift in Prussian policy, ending considerations of war with Austria and altering the nature of its alliance with Poland.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. By mid-1790, Habsburg Austria had ended its war with the Ottoman Empire and prepared to suppress the Brabant revolutionaries in the Austrian Netherlands. Prussia had given tacit support to the independent United Belgian States, established in January 1790, which received no foreign recognition and soon became divided along ideological lines.

Terms of the Convention. The Convention of Reichenbach permitted the Austrian Emperor to begin the reconquest of the Austrian Netherlands, contingent on respecting local traditions. This agreement signaled that Prussia was no longer considering a war with Austria. Consequently, the Polish–Prussian alliance, previously aimed at restraining both Austria and Russia, became exclusively anti-Russian.

Aftermath. Following the convention, Prussian diplomacy began negotiations with Russia in the fall and winter of 1790, hinting at abandoning Poland. The United Belgian States were defeated, and in the aftermath a convention was held at The Hague on 10 December 1790 to decide what form the Austrian reestablishment would take.

People involved

Sources

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