Spain: December 1507

Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 1, 1485-1509. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1862.

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'Spain: December 1507', in Calendar of State Papers, Spain, Volume 1, 1485-1509, (London, 1862) pp. 442-446. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/spain/vol1/pp442-446 [accessed 18 March 2024]

December 1507

4 Dec.
A. G. de D. de N.
556. Maximilian, King Of The Romans, to the Archduchess Margaret.
Has received her letters, and the articles concluded by her ambassadors with the ambassadors of the King of England.
The King of France has complained to the Pope, the King of Arragon, and even in the Diet of Constance, that he has broken his word in marrying the Archduke Charles to the Princess Mary of England. In order to satisfy his honour, he requests that a clause should be inserted into the treaty of marriage between Charles and the Princess Mary, according to which the whole treaty is to be null and void, and not even the penalty to be paid if the King of France declare himself ready, within one year, to marry the Princess Claude to the Archduke Charles.—Kauffbeuren, 4th December 1507.
French. pp. 2, in print.
Printed in Correspondance de l'Empereur Maximilian I., &c. Publié par M. le Glay. Vol. I. p. 20.
21 Dec.
P. R. O.
Obligations taken upon themselves by Henry VII. and Charles Prince of Spain towards each other.
557. Henry VII.—Treaty With Maximilian, King Of The Romans, and Charles, Prince Of Spain, concerning An Alliance.
1. A true friendship and alliance is henceforth to continue for ever between the King of England, his heirs and successors, and Charles, Prince of Spain, his heirs and successors.
2. The King of England binds himself never to undertake any enterprise in prejudice of the Prince of Spain.
3. The Prince of Spain binds himself never to do any act in prejudice of the King of England.
4. The King of England binds himself to show no favour to the enemies of the Prince of Spain, whoever they may be, and without distinction, whether they be allies of England or not. He promises, moreover, to assist the Prince of Spain, and to send him succour as often as he wants it for the defence of his present dominions, or of those which he is entitled by right to possess in future. The King of England further promises to act towards the Prince of Castile like a good father towards a good son.
5. The Prince of Spain binds himself in a similar manner towards the King of England, whom he promises to regard with filial love as his good father.
6 and 7. Neither the Prince of Spain nor the King of England is to assist any rebel of the other contracting party.
8 and 9. Both contracting parties bind themselves to arrest any rebel of the other party who is to be found in their dominions, and keep him in prison.
10. If either of the contracting parties desires his rebel, arrested in the dominions of the other party, to be delivered to him, the rebel is to be conducted to the frontier, and there to be handed over to the commissioners of the requesting party.
11. In case that the King of England and the Prince of Spain should have begun a common war, neither of them is to conclude peace with the enemy without the consent of the other contracting party.
12. Neither the King of England nor the Prince of Spain is at liberty to recede from any clause of the treaties concluded between the King of England and Philip, King of Castile.
Time when the ratifications are exchanged.
13. After the Prince of Spain shall have completed the fourteenth year of his age, he is to ratify this treaty and the treaties which the King of England has concluded with his father, Philip, King of Castile. The ratification is to be delivered within two months after the King of England shall have made known his will that the ratification should be given.
14. This treaty is to be ratified by the Emperor Elect and the Prince of Spain, and to be exchanged for the ratification by the King of England. The exchange is to take place when the ambassador of the Emperor Elect shall come to London in order to solemnize the marriage between the Prince of Spain and the Princess Mary.—Calais, 21st December 1507.
Latin. 12 pages of print.
Printed in Rymer.
21 Dec.
S. E. T. c. I. L. 6. f. 26.
558. Henry VII.—Treaty With The King Of The Romans, Archduke Charles, and the Archduchess Margaret, concerning the Marriage Of The Archduke.
Jaques de Luxembourg, Jean de Bergen op Zoom, Laurentius de Gorrenodo, Jean le Sauvaige, and Jean Flaneton, ambassadors of the King of the Romans, of the Archduke Charles, and of the Archduchess Margaret on the one part, and Richard, Bishop of Winchester, Thomas, Earl of Surrey, Thomas Dokwra, prior of St. John in Jerusalem, in England, Gilbert Talbot and Nicholas West, ambassadors of the King of England, on the other part, conclude the following treaty of marriage between the Archduke Charles and the Princess Mary of England.
Conditions of the marriage between the Princess Mary and Charles, Prince of Spain.
1. The Archduke Charles is to conclude the marriage with the Princess Mary, either in person or by proxy, before the feast of Easter next coming.
2. The King of England consents to the marriage of his daughter.
3. Within forty days after the Archduke Charles shall have completed the fourteenth year of his age, he is to contract the marriage by ambassadors sent for that purpose to England.
4. The King of England promises to permit the marriage to be contracted per verba de prœsenti on that occasion.
5. The Archduke Charles is to contract the marriage per verba de prœsenti with the proxies of the Princess Mary as soon as he shall have completed the fourteenth year of his age.
6. The King of England is to send the Princess Mary to the Archduke Charles within three months after the marriage shall have been contracted per verba de prœsenti.
The dowry.
7. The dowry is to consist of 250,000 crowns, which are to be entrusted to the keeping of merchants in Bruges.
8. Conditions on which the payment of the dowry is to take place, and on which it is to be restored.
9. The King of England gives the usual securities for the payment of the dowry. Moreover, the Mayor of Calais, for himself and the Merchants of the Staple, is to give security for the payment.
Securities for the payment.
10. The King of the Romans, the Archduchess Margaret, Charles de Croy, Henry, Count of Nassau, &c., and the towns and counties of Flanders, bind themselves to pay 250,000 crowns to King Henry if the Archduke Charles refuses to contract the marriage. The King of England, his noblemen, counties and towns of England, bind themselves to pay an equal sum of money to the King of the Romans if the Princess Mary refuses to contract the marriage.
11. All the documents repecting this marriage are to be exchanged in London before the feast of Easter next coming, and before the ambassadors of the King of the Romans go to London, in order to contract the marriage.
12. The King of the Romans and the Archduke Charles are to assign to the Princess Mary all the towns, castles, lands, &c., as her jointure, which the Duchess Margaret has held.
13. The noblemen and vassals of the Archduke are to be security for the jointure.
Jointure of the Princess Mary.
14. The Princess Mary is to have a jointure, not only in the dominions which the Archduke at present possesses, but also in those which he shall hereafter inherit according to the custom of the country.
15. The right of inheritance in England is reserved to the Princess, as though she were living in that country.
16. The dowry is, after the death of the Princess, to remain with the Archduke Charles, whether they should have children or not.
17. All the jewels, ornaments, &c. of the Princess are in such a case to become property of the Archduke.
18. The King of the Romans and the Archduchess Margaret are to procure within [blank] days the consent of King Ferdinand to this marriage.
19. Both parties renounce all exceptions against this treaty, of whatever nature they may be.
20. The contracting parties are to ratify this treaty before the feast of Easter next coming.
No date. No signature.
Latin. Copy. pp. 44.
21 Dec.
P. R. O.
559. Henry VII.—Treaty With Maximilian, King Of The Romans, and Margaret, Archduchess Of Austria, concerning the Marriage Of Princess Mary With Charles, Archduke Of Austria.
The same treaty as the preceding one. It is dated Calais, 21st December 1507.
Latin. Draft. pp. 45.
Printed in Rymer under the year 1508.
1507 (?)
B. M. MSS. Addit. 21,383. f. 17.
560. Brief Summary of what was said to the Ambassador whom the King of England sent to the Emperor.
The Emperor had long conferences with the Archduchess Margaret respecting her marriage with the King of England, which had been settled by the King of Castile.
Proposed marriage between the Archduchess Margaret and Henry VII.
The Emperor is very much in favour of the union, for two reasons ; viz., because he had ratified the treaty of Henry with the King of Castile by his letters patent, and because all his counsellors approve of it.
Inducements held out by the Emperor.
In order to persuade the Archduchess, the Emperor told her that the marriage with the King of England was not only honourable to her, but also necessary for the House of Austria. The marriage with the King of England is honourable, because he is such a pattern of all the virtues. It is useful on account of commerce and the peaceful state of the Austrian dominions. It is necessary, because the Spanish succession cannot be secured, and the Dukeof Gueldres cannot be kept at bay, without it.
Should the marriage between the King of England and the Archduchess not take place, the King of England might marry into another family, and the marriage between Prince Charles and the Princess Mary would be endangered.
Disinclination for the alliance felt by the Archduchess.
The Emperor told the English ambassador, in presence of many of his counsellors, that the Archduchess was fully aware of the great virtues of the King of England, and that should she marry again, she would marry no one else but him. But as she has already been three times unfortunate in her marriages, she is much disinclined to make another trial. Besides, she said she believed she should have no children, and that she would thereby displease the King of England. Another reason given by the Archduchess was, that the marriage portion is exorbitant. With regard to the representations of the Emperor, respecting the necessity for her marriage, she said she was of a different opinion. The Emperor could always easily make peace with the King of France and with the Duke of Gueldres. As far as the King of Arragon is concerned she does not think he intends to exclude the Archduke from the succession in Spain. The King of England having already concluded a marriage between Prince Charles and the Princess Mary, he is obliged thereby to be a friend of England.
Seeing that he could not prevail on the Archduchess, the Emperor called the Archduke Charles and the whole Privy Council together. The marriage was once more discussed, but the Archduchess remained firm in her decision.
From all this it is clear the Emperor has done all in his power to persuade the Archduchess to consent to the marriage, and that he can do nothing more.—No date. No signature.
Indorsed : "Anglia."
Latin. pp. 3.
Printed in Gairdner's Letters, vol. I. p. 323.