Peace of Basel (France and Prussia)
- When
- 1795
- Where
- Basel, site of the peace treaty signing; Basel, including the Holsteinerhof
- Episodes
- 2
The Peace of Basel of 1795 comprised three treaties through which Revolutionary France, represented by François de Barthélemy, divided its First Coalition enemies. The first, with Prussia represented by Karl August von Hardenberg, was concluded on 5 April 1795 after discussions dating from 1794, with the document signed by both representatives on the night of 6 April.
Episodes
- Franco-Prussian Treaty of Basel
France and Prussia concluded the first Peace of Basel treaty on 5 April 1795, after negotiations under discussion since 1794.
- Subsequent Treaties of Basel
Further Basel treaties followed with Spain, signed at the Holsteinerhof, and with Hesse-Kassel, completed on 28 August 1795.
Background and detail
Background. The Peace of Basel of 1795 consists of three peace treaties involving France during the French Revolution, with France represented by François de Barthélemy. The first treaty, concluded between France and Prussia, had been under discussion since 1794, forming part of French efforts to placate and divide the enemies of the First Coalition one by one.
Signing of the Franco-Prussian Treaty. The first treaty, dated 5 April 1795 between France and Prussia, was signed on the night of 6 April by the representatives of the two powers: François de Barthélemy for France and Karl August von Hardenberg for Prussia. The treaties demonstrated considerable diplomatic cunning, enabling France to placate and divide its First Coalition opponents sequentially.
Consequences and Further Treaties. The treaties with Prussia and Spain broke the alliance between the French Republic's two main opponents in the First Coalition. Prussia adhered to the Treaty of Basel until 1806, when it joined the Fourth Coalition. Further Basel treaties followed with Spain, signed at the Holsteinerhof, and with the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel on 28 August 1795.
People involved
- François de Barthélemy · Representative of France at the Peace of Basel
- Karl August von Hardenberg · Representative of Prussia at the Peace of Basel
Sources
- Peace of Basel Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-12
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.