The New International Encyclopædia/San Ildefonso, Treaty of

SAN ILDEFONSO, Treaty of. A secret treaty between France and Spain, negotiated in October, 1800. France agreed to procure in Italy for the Duke of Parma, the son-in-law of Carlos IV. of Spain, a kingdom which should have a population of from 1,000,000 to 1,200,000, while Spain agreed to retrocede to France, six months after France had carried out her part of the agreement, “the colony or province of Louisiana with the same extent that it had in the hands of Spain and when France owned it, and as it should be according to subsequent treaties between Spain and other powers.” In addition the treaty contained several less important provisions. The preliminary treaty was signed on October 1st, and the exchange of ratifications took place on the 30th of the same month. The treaty was modified in some respects by a new treaty negotiated at Aranjuez, March 21, 1801 (ratification being exchanged April 11), the immediate transfer of Louisiana being provided for. The texts of the two treaties may be found in De Clercq, Recueil des traités de la France, vol. i. (Paris, 1864).