Treaty of Tilsit, 9 July 1807
His Majesty, the Emperor of the French, King of Italy, and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, and his Majesty the King of Prussia, animated with the same desire of putting an end to the calamities of war, for that purpose, appointed plenipotentiaries, namely; on the part of his Majesty the Emperor of France and King of Italy, Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine, M. Ch. Maurice Tallyrand, Prince of Benevento, his Great Chamberlain, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, &c. &c.; and on that of his Majesty the King of Prussia, M. Marshal Count de Kalkreuth, Knight of the Prussian Orders of the Black and Red Eagle, and Count Von Golz, his Privy Counsellor, Envoy Extraordinary, and Minister Plenipotentiary to his Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, and Knight of the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle: who after the exchange of their several full powers, have agreed on the following articles:[1]
Article I. From the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty, there shall be perfect peace and amity between the king of Prussia and the emperor of France.[2]
II. The part of the Duchy of Magdeburg which lies on the right bank of the Elbe; the Mark of Preignitz, the Uker-mark, and the new Mark of Brandenburg, with the exception of the Circle of Rothus, in Lower Lusalia; the Duchy of Pomerania; Upper, Lower, and New Silesia, with the County of Glatz; the part of the district of Neiss which lies to the north of the road from Driesen to Schneidermuhl, and to the north of a line passing from Schneidermuhl, by Woldau, to the Vistula, and to the frontiers of the Circle of Bromberg Pomerelia; the island of Nogat, and the country on the right bank of the Vistula and the Nogat, to the west of Old Prussia; and to the Circles of Culmer and Ermeland: finally, the kingdom of Prussia, as it was on the 1st of January, 1772, shall be restored to his majesty the king of Prussia with the fortresses of Spandau, Stettin, Custrin, Glogau, Breslaw, Schweidnilz, Niesse, Brieg-Cosel, and Glatz; and, in general, all the places citadels, castles, and forts of the above-mentioned, shall be restored in the state in which they at present are: the town and citadel of Graudenz, with the villages of Neudorf, Parschken, and Schwierkorzy, shall likewise be restored to his majesty the king of Prussia.
III. His majesty the king of Prussia acknowledge his majesty the king of Naples, Joseph Napoleon, and his majesty the king of Holland, Louis Napoleon.
IV. His majesty the king of Prussia in like manner acknowledges the confederation of the Rhine, and the present state of the possessions of the sovereigns of which it is composed, and the titles which have been bestowed on them, either by the act of confederation, or by subsequent treaties. His said majesty likewise engages to acknowledge those sovereigns who, in future, shall become members of the said confederate, and the title they may receive their treaties of accession.
V. The present treaty of peace and amity shall be in common for his majesty the king of Naples, Joseph Napoleon, for his majesty the king of Holland, and for the sovereigns of the confederation of the Rhine, the allies of his majesty the emperor Napoleon.
VI. His majesty the king of Prussia, in like manner, acknowledges his imperial highness prince Jerome Napoleon as king of Westphalia.
VII. His majesty the king of Prussia cedes, in full right of property and sovereignty to the kings, grand dukes, dukes, and princes, who shall be pointed out by his majesty the emperor of the French and king of Italy, all the duchies, margraviates, principalities, comities, and lordships, and, in general, all the territories and domains, and all territorial property of whatever kind, or by whatever title possessed, by his majesty the king of Prussia, between the Rhine and the Elbe, at the commencement of the present war.
VIII. The kingdom of Westphalia shall consist of the provinces ceded by his majesty the king of Prussia, and of other states which are at present in possession of his majesty the emperor Napoleon.
IX. The arrangements which his majesty the emperor Napoleon shall make in the countries alluded to in the two preceding articles, and the occupation of the same by those sovereigns in whose favour he shall make such arrangements, shall be acknowledged by his majesty the king of Prussia, in the same manner as if they were contained and stipulated in the present treaty.
X. His majesty the king of Prussia renounces for himself, his heirs, and successors, all actual or future right which he has or may acquire,[3]
1. To all territory, without exception situate between the Elbe and the Rhine, and in general to all not described in article VII.
2. To all possessions of his majesty the king of Saxony and the house of Anhalt, situate on the right bank of the Elbe.
On the other hand, all rights or claims, of the states situate between the Rhine and the Elbe to the possessions of his majesty the king of Prussia, as they are defined by the present treaty, shall be for ever extinguished and annulled.
XI. All negociations, conventions, or treaties of alliance, that may have been publicly or privately concluded between Prussia and any state on the left bank of the Elbe, and which has not been broken by the present war, shall remain without effect, and be considered as null and not concluded.
XII. His majesty the king of Prussia cedes the circle of Kotbus, in Lower Lusatia, to his majesty the king of Saxony, with full right of proprietorship and sovereignty.
XIII. His majesty the king of Prussia renounces for ever possession of all the provinces which formerly constituted parts of the kingdom of Poland, and at different periods came under the dominion of Prussia; excepting Ermeland, and the country to the west of ancient Prussia, to the east of Pomerauia and the Newmark, to the north of the Circle of Kahn, and a line which passes from the Vistula by Waldau to Schneidermuhl, and passes along the boundaries of Bromberg and the road from the Schneidermuhl to Driesen; which provinces, with the town and citadel of Graudentz, and the villages of Neudorf, Parschken, and Schwierkorsey, shall in future be possessed, with all rights of proprietorship and sovereignty, by his majesty the king of Prussia.
XIV. His majesty the king of Prussia renounces in like manner, for ever, possession of the city of Dantzic.
XV. The provinces which his majesty the King of Prussia renounces in the 13th article, with exception of territories mentioned in the 18th article shall be possessed with right of property and sovereignty by his majesty the king of Saxony, under the title of a dukedom of Warsaw, and governed according to a constitution which shall secure the liberties and privileges of the people of that duchy, and be conformable to the tranquillity of the neighbouring states.
XVI. To secure a connection and communication between the kingdom of Saxony and the duchy of Warsaw, the free use of a military road shall be granted to the king of Saxony through the states of his majesty the king of Prussia. This road, the number of troops which shall pass through it at one time, and the places at which they shall halt, shall be settled by a particular agreement between the two sovereigns, under the mediation of France.
XVII. The navigation of the river Ness and the canal of Bromberg, from Driesen to the Vistula and back, shall remain free from any toll.
XVIII. In order to establish, as much as possible, natural boundaries between Russia and the duchy of Warsaw, the territory between the present boundaries of Russia from the Berg to the mouth of the Lassona, and a line which passes from the said mouth, and along the channel of that river, the channel of the Bohro to its mouth, the channel of the Narew from its mouth to Suradz, the channel of the Lisa to its source near the village Mien, and of the two neighbouring arms of the Nurzuck, rising near that village, and the channel of the Nurzuck itself, to its mouth, and lastly along the channel of the Bug, up the stream to the present boundaries of Russia, shall for ever be incorporated with the Russian empire.
XIX. The city of Dantzic, with a territory of two miles circumference, shall be restored to its former independence, under the protection of his majesty the king of Prussia and the king of Saxony, and be governed by the rules by which it was governed when it ceased to be its own mistress.
XX. Neither his majesty the king of Prussia, uor his majesty the king of Saxony, shall obstruct the navigation of the Vistula by any prohibition, nor by any customs, duty, or imposts whatever.
XXI. The city, port, and territory of Dantzic, shall be shut up during the present maritime war against the trade and navigation of Great Britain.
XXII. No individual of any rank or description whatsoever, whose property and abode are situated in such provinces as formerly belonged to the kingdom of Poland, or which the king of Prussia is henceforth to possess; and no individual of the duchv of Warsaw, or residing within the territory incorporated with Russia, or possessing any landed property, rents, annuities, or any income whatsoever, shall, either with regard to his person, his estates, rents, annuities, and income, nor with respect to his rank and dignities, be prosecuted, on account of any part which he may have taken, either in a political or military point of view, in the events of the present war.
XXIII. In the same manner, no individual residing or possessing landed property in the countries which belonged to the king of Prussia prior to the 1st of January, 1772, and which are restored to him by virtue of the preceding second article; and in particular, no individual of the Berlin civic guard, or of the gens d'armes, who have taken up arms in order to maintain tranquillity, shall be prosecuted in his person, his estates, rents, annuities, or any income whatsoever, or in his rank or dignity, nor in any manner whatsoever, on account of any part which lie may have taken in the events of the present war, or be subjected to any inquiry.
XXIV. The engagements, debts, or obligations of any nature whatsoever, which his majesty the king of Prussia may have contracted, or concluded, prior to the present war, as possessor of the countries, dominions, and revenues, which his majesty cedes and renounces in the present treaty, shall be performed and satisfied by the new possessors, without any exception or reservation whatsoever.
XXV. The funds and capitals which belong to private or public persons, to religious, civil, or military associations, in the countries belonging to the king of Prussia, which his majesty renounces by the present treaty, whether the said capitals be vested in the bank of Berlin, in the chest of the Marine Company, or in any other manner, in the dominions of the king of Prussia, shall neither be confiscated nor attached; the proprietors of the funds or capitals shall be at liberty to dispose of the same, and they are to continue to enjoy the interest thereof, whether such interest be already due, or may yet become due at the periods stipulated in the conventions or bonds; the same shall, on the other side, be observed with regard to all funds and capitals which are vested by private individuals, or public institutions whatsoever, in such countries which are ceded or renounced by his Prussian majesty by virtue of the present treaty.
XXVI. The archives which contain the titles of property, documents, and in general all the papers which relate to the countries, territories, and dominions, as well as the maps and plans of the strong places, citadels, castles, and forts seated in the above-mentioned countries, are to be delivered up by commissioners of his said majesty, within the time of three months next ensuing the exchange of the ratification of this treaty, to commissioners of his majesty the emperor Napoleon, with regard to the countries seated on the left bank of the Rhine; and to commissioners of his majesty the emperor of Rassia, of the king of Saxony, and of the city of Dantzic, with regard to all the countries which their said majesties and the city of Dantzic are in future to possess, by virtue of the present compact.
XXVII. Until the day of ratification of the future definitive treaty of peace between France and England, all the countries under the dominion of his majesty the king of Prussia, without any exception whatsoever, shall be shut against the trade and navigation of the English. No shipment to be made from any Prussian port for the British isles or British colonies; nor shall any ship which sailed front England, or her colonies, be admitted in any Prussian port.
XXVIII. The necessary arrangements shall immediately be made to settle every point which relates to the manner and period of the surrender of the places which are to be restored to his majesty the king of Prussia, and to the civil and military administration of the said countries.
XXIX. The prisoners of war taken on both sides are to be returned without any exchange and in mass, as soon as circumstances shall admit.
XXX. The present treaty is to be ratified by his majesty the emperor of the French, and by his majesty the king of Prussia, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Konigsberg by the undersigned, within the term of six days next ensuing the signing of the treaty.
Done at Tilsit, the 9th of July, 1807.
| (L. S.) Signed |
| C. M. Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento. |
| (L. S.) Signed |
| Count Kalkreuth, Field-marshal. |
| (L. S.) Signed |
| Аugustus Count Goltz. |
The ratifications of this treaty were exchanged on the 19th of July, 1807.[2]
References
[edit]- ↑ Details of the plenipotentiaries (William Cobbett, Cobbett's Political Register, Greenwood Reprint, 1807, Item notes: v.12 (1807). pp. 215-220)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Spelling and capitalisation from article 1. to the end of the treaty including the ratification details. (The Annual Register, Or, A View of the History, Politics, and Literature for the Year 1807 ..., James Dodsley, 1809. 714–718 (Second version 714–718))
- ↑ Article X paragraph formatting from (Flower's Political review and monthly register. (monthly miscellany) [afterw.] The Political review and monthly mirror of the times edited by Benjamin Flower Published by , 1807 Original from Oxford University Digitized 23 Oct 2006 109-112)
Further reading
[edit]- The New Annual Register, Or General Repository of History, Politics, and Literature, for the Year for 1807 ... By Andrew Kippis, William Godwin, George Robinson, G. G. and J. Robinson (Paternoster Row, London, England) Published by Printed for G. Robinson, Pater-noster-Row, 1808 pp. 272-276