Luxembourg Crisis
The Luxembourg Crisis (German: Luxemburgkrise, French: Crise luxembourgeoise) was a diplomatic dispute and confrontation in 1867 between France and Prussia over the political status of Luxembourg.
The confrontation almost led to war between the two parties, but was peacefully resolved by the Treaty of London.
Background
Austro-Prussian War
The
As a result, at Biarritz on 4 October 1865, Napoleon III promised Prussian Prime Minister, Otto von Bismarck, France's neutrality, hoping that such an open statement of intent would strengthen France's negotiating position regarding the western bank of the Rhine. Bismarck refused to offer any land from the Rhineland, which was Napoleon's preferred region. However, he did make suggestions of French hegemony in Belgium and Luxembourg, although not committing anything to writing.[3]
When Austria and Prussia did go to war in 1866 (the so-called
French offer
Assuming that Bismarck would honour his part of the agreement, the French government offered King William III of the Netherlands 5,000,000 guilders for Luxembourg. Being in deep financial trouble, William accepted the offer on 23 March 1867.
But the French were shocked to learn that Bismarck now objected. There was a public outcry against the deal in Germany; Bismarck's hand was forced by nationalistic newspapers in north Germany.[4] He reneged on the pledge that he had made to Napoleon at Biarritz, and threatened war. Not only had Bismarck united much of northern Germany under the Prussian crown, but he had secretly concluded agreements with the southern states on 10 October.
To avert a war that might drag their own countries into conflict, other countries rushed to offer compromise proposals. Austria's
With the German public angered and an impasse developing, Napoleon III sought to backtrack; he certainly did not want to appear to be unduly expansionist to the other
London Conference
All of the Great Powers were invited to London to hammer out a deal that would prevent war. As it was clear that no other power would accept the incorporation of Luxembourg into either France or the North German Confederation, negotiations centred upon the terms of Luxembourg's neutrality. The result was a victory for Bismarck; although Prussia would have to remove its soldiers from Luxembourg City, Luxembourg would remain in the Zollverein.
The Luxembourg Crisis showed the influence public opinion could have on the actions of governments. It also demonstrated the growing opposition between France and Prussia and foreshadowed the Franco-Prussian War which would break out in 1870.
For Luxembourg, this was an important step towards full independence, despite the fact that it remained united in a personal union with the Netherlands until 1890. Luxembourg was provided an opportunity to develop itself independently, leading to the emergence of the steel industry in the south of the country.
In the Netherlands, there was criticism from parliament against the king and government, especially against Foreign Affairs minister
See also
- Belgium in the long nineteenth century
- France in the long nineteenth century
- Belgium and the Franco-Prussian War
- League of Peace and Freedom
Footnotes
- ^ Trausch 1983, p. 53.
- ^ Calmes 1989, pp. 325–7.
- ^ Fyffe 1895, ch. XXIII.
- ^ a b c Fyffe 1895, ch. XXIV.
- ^ Moose 1958, pp. 264–5.
References
- Moose, Werner Eugen (1958). The European Powers and the German Question, 1848-71. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Calmes, Christian (1989). The Making of a Nation From 1815 to the Present Day. Luxembourg City: Saint-Paul.
- Fyffe, Charles Alan (1895). A History of Modern Europe, 1792-1878. Retrieved 2006-06-27.
- Trausch, Gilbert (1983). "Blick in die Geschichte". Das ist Luxemburg (in German). Stuttgart: Seewald-Verlag.