The year 1712 was a «terrible» year.
The Year 1712 was a leap year starting on Friday: double misfortune?
It's a "double" leap year in the Swedish calendar, with Friday, February 30.
A summary of the facts that interest us:
29 January 1712 - the Congress of Utrecht opened;
John Robinson (7 November 1650 – 11 April 1723), Bishop of Bristol, Lord Privy-Seal, and Thomas Wentworth (1672 – 15 November 1739), Lord Strafford, was the British representatives;
Bruno van der Dussen (9 August 1660-2 February 1741) pensionery and Mayor of Gouda, and Willem Buys (May 27, 1661 - February 18, 1749), pensionary of Amsterdam, Director of the Society of Suriname and the colony of Berbice, was the Dutch representatives;
Marshal Nicolas Chalon du Blé, marquis d'Uxelles (24 January 1652 – 10 April 1730), Cardinal Melchior de Polignac (11 October 1661 – 20 November 1742) and Nicolas Mesnager (17 May 1658 – 15 June 1714), chevalier de l'Ordre de Saint-Michel, was the French representatives;
The ministers of the Emperor and the of Duke of Savoy assisted, and the other allies sent also plenipotentiaries, though with the utmost reluctance.
As England and france were the only two powers that were seriously inclined to peace, it may be supposed that all the other deputies served rather to retard than advance its progress.
They met rather to start new difficulties, and widen the breach, than to quiet the dismissions of Europe.
The English ministers, therefore, finding multiplied obstructions from the deliberations of their allies, set on foot a private negotiation with France. They stipulated certain advantages for the subjects of Great Britain in a concerted plan of peace. They resolved to enter into such mutual confidence with the French as would anticipate all clandestine transactions to the prejudice of the coalition; The number of different interests concerned, and the great enmity and jealousy subsisting between all, made it impossible that all could be satisfied;
[Pinnock's Improved Edition of Dr. Goldsmith's History of England];
12 February 1712 - Death of the Dauphine of France Marie Adélaïde of Savoy for measles;
18 February 1712 - Death of the Dauphin of France Louis for measles;
8 March 1712 - Death of Louis, Duke of Brittany, became Dauphin of France for measles;
13 March 1712 [suppose] («Dominica I. Passionis» called "Judica" in Vetus Ordo, Fifth Sunday of Lent according to the Novus Ordo) - Death of Louis, Duke of Anjou, became Dauphin of France for measles;
The death of the fourth Dauphin within the year created an international crisis, because Philip of Anjou, whom Great Britain was poised to acknowledge as Philip V of Spain, now became Louis XIV's heir
The union between France and Spain under a single ruler, was an eventuality that would have catastrophic implications for the European balance of power.
Peace was out of the question unless a formula could be devised providing against a union of these two mighty nations.
=> The Queen of Spain Maria Luisa of Savoy was at the sixth month of pregnancy;
15 March 1712 - The Abbé Gaultier[1] wrote to the French Foreign Minister Torcy: «The Queen [Anne of Great Britain] has been visibly moved by the misfortunes that have recently taken place in France».
He explained that because she feared that others would use this as an excuse to prolong the war, she considered it imperative that some way was found of preventing a union of crowns. In her view the most satisfactory means would be for Philip of Anjou to make a «formal renunciation» of his right to the French throne;
22 March 1712 - Philip of Anjou, from Madrid, wrote to Louis XIV: «I can not express to your Majesty how much I significantly affected cruel misfortunes that follow one another so closely to each other. Your pain penetrates more deeply to me that you could not imagine, and I constantly think of the sentences of a grandfather I would like to see filled with all kinds of pleasures. [...] I also hope that these fatal events do not bring no difficulties to peace. It is, in truth, to fear they change the favorable provisions met there before. But I hope that God will deign to put a happy ending to such an important book that one and bless the righteous steps you take for it. I beg your Majesty to go all the justice I deserve the feelings I have for her, and still continue to please me his friendship which is so dear to me.»
23 March 1712 - Torcy informed Lord Henry St John, future 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (1678 – 1751), Secretary of Statethat the rules governing succession to the French throne were subject to modification only by God, and hence «the renunciation desired would be null and invalid» [Lois Fondamentales du Royaume de France: Loi Fondamentale d'Indisponibilité de la Couronne (Fundamental Law of Unavailability of the Crown)].
However, when a firm reply was sent, indicating that the expedient proposed was «the only in the Queen's opinion capable of affording the smallest hope», the French relented.
They agreed that, provided Philip divested himself of his rights by a "voluntary cession", the succession could be altered.
The French suggested that there was no need for Philip to make his decision unless the young Dauphin died, but this was rejected by the British. They insisted that two alternatives must be put to him immediately: (1) to remain King of Spain, and give up all claim to the French throne; or (2) retain his French inheritance rights, abdicate his current crow, and evacuate Spain promptly;
18 April 1712 - a messenger set out from France to present Philip with these two proposals.
25 April 1712 - «Lord Oxford's Plan»: from the British point of view it was infinitely preferable that Philip should indeed agree to vacance his current throne, he was now offered an incentive to do so. In a memorandum of the Earl of Oxford outlined a new set of proposals affording Philip some compensation for altering his status. Within days Oxford's plan had been trasmitted to france, where it was well received by Louis XIV.
26 April 1712 - Louis XIV wrote to Philip: «I hope that you put me in a position to make a glorious peace, keeping the crown that you have on your head, and which has already cost so much blood and so much trouble».
28 April 1712 - Not receiving by Philp the answer he waited, anxious impatience, Louis XIV emphasizes more strongly his exhortations in a long despatch addressed to the Marquis of Bonnac for producing a decisive resolution: «It is necessary that my little son takes his party, or come back now in France if he wants to maintain his rights, or to abandon them and to keep the Kingdom of Spain for himself and his posterity ... we have always believed, and I can say with reason that peace would be glorious if I kept the Catholic King of Spain and the Indies, and the times are still far from where the hope of obtaining such conditions seemed reckless. The fate of arms has not changed; however, losses have increased; but the chances to support the war are not only decreased, but run out completely; Spain does not give me any help. [...] I can not believe he wish, only for his own interests, that I obliged to sacrifice my kingdom for the continuation of a war that my subjects are no longer able to support. [...] I look forward to the news of the resolution that will be taken by him, and I send you as special courier for squeeze him, supposing that he has not yet determined. Mine [resolution] is to make peace in any manner whatsoever; if the king my son toddler concurs with me, this to will be advantageous and glorious for him, as I have always wanted».
And wrote to Philip:
13 May 1712 - Torcy informed St.John that his master had joust despatched another messanger to Spain to let Philip know of the deal now on offer, and asking him speedily to signify whether it would be acceptable. Torcy urged that while they awaited Philip's reply, the Queen should announce a suspension of arms. «I would be very unfortunate should any event of the campaign disturb our present good diposition towards the re-establishment of public tranquillity», he wrote silkily.
20 and 21 May 1712 - Torcy's letter arrived in England on the evening, and St.John and Oxford read it to the Queen the following morning. As Gaultier reported, «Her Majesty was so content ad satisfied with it that on the spot she commanded Mr. St.John to despatch a courier to the Duke of Ormonde, with express orders on her part to undertake nothing, neither directly nor indirectly, against the King's army until new orders came».
In effect, Anne's ministers had abandoned their allies in the field and made a separate deal with France, but they were convinced they had reached the best agreement possible, not just for themselves, but also for the other members of the Grand Alliance who were asked to join the Anglo-French suspension of arms.
7 June 1712 - birth of Infante Philip Peter Gabriel of Spain; «The queen [Maria Luisa] gave to your Majesty a grand-son, big and tall, and perhaps even more beautiful than the Prince of Asturias. The labor lasted so little, we can say that delivery has never been happier. [...] Is all the more I am convinced that we can hardly give you a more pleasant news».
8 July 1712 - With a solemn proclamation, read by the municipal authorities in all cities of Spain, and displayed on the main buildings, was officially known to the Spanish people the important resolution that the king had taken.
«The assurance that the crowns of Spain and France will never be put on the same head [...] was as preliminary in views we have had for peace, mainly in the proposals that have been made in England [...] It is on this and other preliminary agreed that the conference to be held in Utrecht, during which negotiations [...] unexpected death of the Dauphins, Britain came [...] to propose and support [...] I had to renonçasse, on my behalf and on behalf of all my descendants, now and forever, the Spanish monarchy or that of France, so that if I was living in Spain, none of my successors could never succeed to that of France, and that those who rule or reign in France, nor any other prince who comes from the family or who is born, will never have the crown of Spain».
29 August 1712 - A dangerous illness which kept Philip for several weeks, away from Madrid; Wrote Philip: «My illness is a double quartan that was violent, and even very dangerous in the early days ... But the danger is past; there are only a weak debility and disgust. I lost completely the taste for coffee and tobacco; there are now five weeks as it lasts, that is to say that I've been sick for the most cruel heat of this country».
Philip and Maria Luisa of Savoy had, at this time:
the Infante Louis Philip, born on 25 August 1707, heir apparent and recognized as Prince of Asturias by the Cortes on 7 April 1709;
the Infante Philip Louis, born on 2 July 1709 and died 18 July 1709;
the Infante Philip Peter Gabriel of Spain, born on 7 June 1712.
First scenario.
Philip became Dauphin of France and his son Louis Philip received the title of Duke of Burgundy (or Duke of Brittany) and was the second-in-line heir to the French Crown.
Philip renounced to the Crown of Spain in favor of his younger brother Charles Duke of Berry [in agreement with the testament of Charles II, king of Spain], who was became Charles III, King of Spain. At this time the Duke of Berry had no living children. In July 1711, his young wife, Marie Louise Élisabeth d'Orléans, gave birth to her first child, a girl, at the Palace of Fontainebleau. The girl lived only two days and her death was blamed on the king who had made her mother travel with the Court to Fontainebleau despite the doctors advising her to stay at Versailles or at the Palais Royal because of her advanced pregnancy. With the transfer to the Court of Spain, the Duke de Berry probably would not have died on 5 May 1714, from internal injuries sustained in a hunting accident, and his children survived the childhood.
End the war, Treaties of peace, partition of the Spanish empire and European Balance of Power are the same that in reality.
Second scenario.
With the birth of Infante Philip Peter Gabriel on 7 June 1712, Philip has had this opportunity and he takes time before making a decision[2]: he became Dauphin of France and his son Louis Philip received the title of Duke of Burgundy (or Duke of Brittany) and was the second-in-line heir to the French Crown. Philip renounced to the Crown of Spain in favor of his younger son Philip Peter Gabriel and proclaimed himself "Regent" or he has entrusted the regency to the Queen Maria Luisa.
Charles Duke of Berry remained in his rights to the French Crown.
End the war, Treaties of peace, partition of the Spanish empire and European Balance of Power are the same that in reality?
Philip would be king of France and regent of Spain?
It actually, he can govern both the kingdoms?
Or he would be just the nominal ruler of one of the two nations?
The feeble hand of Philip, became King of France, can keep also the crown of Spain on the head of his child?
Third scenario.
With the birth of Infante Philip Peter Gabriel on 7 June 1712, Philip has had this opportunity and he takes time before making a decision[2]: he renounced (or bypassed) to his rights to the French Crown [but in in formal contradiction with the «Lois Fondamentales du Royaume de France»; however, these same laws, in reality, were neglected/broken with the recognition, in the peace treaties, of the renunciation extorted to Philip!] in favor of his eldest son Louis Philip, recognized Dauphin of France.
Philip remained King of Spain and his younger son Philip Peter Gabriel became heir apparent.
Charles Duke of Berry remained in his rights to the French Crown and he could become the future regent in France.
End the war, Treaties of peace, partition of the Spanish empire and European Balance of Power are the same that in reality?
Fourth scenario.
Realization of the Lord Oxford's Plan.
Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford (1661–1724) envisaged that the Duke of Savoy [Victor Amadeus II (14 May 1666 – 31 October 1732)] should became King of Spain in Philip's place, and in exchange Philip would be given Savoy and the kingdom of Sicily.
Philip subsequently (suggestion: when he inherited the French Crown?) would be required to surrender Sicily to the Emperor.
The Queen Anna's approval could be counted on, as she had fond feelings for her first cousin, the Duchess of Savoy, Anne Marie d'Orléans (27 August 1669 – 26 August 1728), dating from the time they had shared a nursery during Anne's childhood visit to France.
Although after the failure of the First Partition Treaty of 1698 and in subsequent negotiations, Victor Amadeus II has rejected the Louis XIV's proposal to cede his lands to France in exchange for the kingdoms of Sicily and Naples, both possessions of the Spanish (because Victor Amadeus was unwilling to make up the Principality of Piedmont[3]; Victor Amadeus's real interest was in acquiring the Duchy of Milan[4], and he was willing to exchange, before for his [hypothetical] rights over the countryside of Auvergne, Clermont and the Duchy of Brittany, then for the Duchy of Savoy and County of Nice), now at the peace negotiations the Savoyard ambassador, Ignazio Solaro di Moretta (1662 – 1743) Marchese del Borgo, suggested exchanging the Savoyard state for Naples, Sicily and the Spanish-held State of the Presidi in central Italy (the British argued, partly in their own interests as well as those of Savoy, this exchange; the Imperial envoy Karl von Zinzendorf mooted proposals for the Savoyard acquisition of Milan or Sicily).
In the reality, in late May, however, although the Queen Anna believed that there were compelling reasons to avoid further fighting, she dared not yet declare an official suspension of arms. Instead, she deemed it preferable to wait until Philip's answer arrived, telling Oxford she trusted «the prospect King Philip had of succeeding to the crown of france would be an inducement... to be easy with that allotment» of Savoy an Sicily. Once that had been settled, the new European order could be made public. If the Duke of Savoy became King of Spain, it would satisfy the parliamentary requirement that Spanish throne should be kept out of Bourbon hands, and once, presented with a "fait accompli", the Emperor and the Dutch were unlikely to withstand the new arrangements. In the meantime, all that was necessary was to keep the armies of both side idle [Anne Somerset, «Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion»].
Reign over the kingdom of France after his grandfather and govern as regent, at the same time, Spain, where reign his a minor child (male or female): such was the glorious and naïve chimera that the advice of the young Queen Maria Luisa had raised in the timid spirit of Philippe and that he caressed, at the moment, and charmed his imagination.
«The King», wrote Bonnac[5], «even though loves Spain, perhaps he consents to opt for France if the need absolutely requires him there, but the queen [Maria Luisa], who, as you know, who thinks with a lot of elevation, always, will want to retain everything» [Bonnac to Torcy, 4 April 1712]. And again: «So far, it has formed another idea [...] that keep for him one of the two kingdoms, and leaving the other to one of the princes his children. Her Majesty told me that She would work, however, without delay, the cleverest people in his kingdom to review all precautions to prevent the meeting of the two crowns in the same person» [Bonnac to Louis XIV, 11 April 1712].
Philp wrote to Louis XIV: «These are my thoughts. Turning now to the answer that you ask me, I begin to admit that I was surprised to see that before making proposals, such as the past, we did not think to reassure at same time the enemies by their fear of the meeting of the two monarchies [...] that one of my sons could reign over one of the two kingdoms, while I reign over the other, without meddle in any way into govern or into any of mine to him».
Question/Problem of Sicily in this scenario.
Queen Anne informed the Savoyard ambassador Conte Annibale Carlo Maffei (1667 – 1735) on 23 June 1712, that the British intended to give him Sicily, which, because of the superiority of their Mediterranean Fleet, was in their power to demand. The French were informed the same day, and on 4 September Philip V of Spain consented to relinquish his claim on Sicily. The division of the Spanish empire was designed in part to recognise Savoy's claim to the Spanish inheritance, but more to strike a balance of power in favour of her ally, Britain.[6] As historian Geoffrey Symcox noted, Victor Amadeus «would be bound by the Anglo-French agreement not to dispose of the island or exchange it for other territory, which showed that he had been installed there not in full sovereignty but as guardian of British interests, at Britain's pleasure». These limitations were written into the subsequent Treaty of Utrecht (11 April 1713) between France and Savoy.
[1] The Abbé Francois Gaultier (1670-1721) was an agent or spy for the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Torcy. Through much of the War of the Spanish Succession he lived in England and communicated with Torcy in coded letters. He assumed several roles in the settlement of Utrecht. His most prominent role was to provide a channel of communication which allowed the Earl of Oxford and the Duke of Shrewsbury, leaders in the new Tory ministry of 1710, to negotiate secretly with Torcy and to avoid the scrutiny of the Dutch, the Austrians, and members of their own cabinet. During the negotiations at Utrecht he served the French Plenipotentiaries and acted as a courier for Torcy. He corresponded on behalf of Oxford and Viscount Bolingbroke with the Stuart Pretender in France.
[2] Philip V had wait for a few months, his signature to his renunciations. Its treaties with Queen Anne, the Duke of Savoy and Holland, bear the dates of 10 July, 13 August 1713 and 20 June 1714.
[3] After the Treaty of Lyon (January 17, 1601) Charles Emmanuel I wrote: «it is much better to have a state united (compact), how is this here from the mountains, that two, all two insicure, especially since, possessing the Marquis of Saluzzo, it makes it's very difficult, for the French, invasion of Italy».
[4] The Duchy of Milan was in possession of Austria since 1706, since, on 26 September, Prince Eugene of Savoy had made his entrance into the city.
[5] Jean Louis d'Usson, Marquis de Bonnac (1672-1738), nephew of François d'Usson de Bonrepaus, former clerk of the Navy, which enjoyed some credit to the court, through the protection of Seignelay and Croissy represented in recent months, from May 1711 was French envoy extraordinary to the Spanish court. He was a clever diplomat, careful and shrewd observer.
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