Three French Ministers Write From The Congress Of Cologne In 1673, An Attempt To End The Franco-Dutch War: “We Made No Official Entrance Here, In Order To Accommodate Several Ambassadors Who Would Not Have Been Able To Do Likewise…The English Ambassadors Have Been Delayed” And Mentions The Siege Of The Dutch City Of Maastrich

Book Description

LS. 1pg. 8” x 12 ½”. June 11, 1673. Cologne. A letter signed “de Chaulnes”, “Courtin” and “Barrillon” as French ministers to Cologne. The letter, written in French, translates as: “We were hoping, Sir, to receive news from you here, since you were informed of the honor which His Majesty did us, and of our progress towards Cologne, where we entered on the 6th, after that city had been made completely neutral by the swearing of a new oath by the Regiment which the Marquis of Grane commanded. We made no official entrance here, in order to accommodate several ambassadors who would not have been able to do likewise; and we were all the more delighted to do this since in this way we can proceed with our retinues on foot on the daily visits we make. The Arbiters arrived two days ago; but because the English Ambassadors have been delayed some of them by the bad weather at sea, and the Earl of Sonderlan by sickness we don't yet have much news to send you. However, you will learn two rather important things from this dispatch. The first is the siege of Maastrich [a Dutch city near the Belgian and German borders; the siege by French forces began the same day as this letter was written], and the second is Madame’s giving birth to a Prince. We have sent the Abbe Feuquiers to the Elector of Cologne for some negotiations and hope to make an Ambassador of him soon. And since our negotiations and yours have much in common, we hope to have a good and regular communication with each other, as much in the interest of the King’s service as because of our personal inclination; we are sincerely yours…”. The Congress of Cologne was an attempt to end the war between France’s King Louis XIV and the Netherlands, also known as the Franco-Dutch War, that lasted from 1672 to 1678. The conflict pitted France, Sweden, England and Cologne on one side, and Spain, Holland and the Holy Roman Empire on the other side. The Congress failed and peace was finally restored with a treaty made at Nijmegen in 1678. The letter is in good condition with dampstaining and blue marks left from another document. The signatures are dark and most of the writing is legible. It is accompanied by a translation.

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