France and the Protectorate sign a commercial treaty

Historical Context Note

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.5.2.03: French Writing and Culture of the Seventeenth Century: Classical and Baroque, 1600-1700.
Vol. editors: Heather Kirk (University of Western Ontario), Kathrina LaPorta (New York University), Polly Mangerson (DePaul University), Julia Prest (University of St Andrews), Allison Stedman (University of North Carolina, Charlotte), Tim Unwin (University of Bristol), David Williams (University of Sheffield)

Domains

Treaties and alliances

Dates

Date of occurrence 1655-10-24

Places

France (Location)
United Kingdom (Location)

Resources

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After the end of the Anglo-Dutch War the previous year, the British government decided to form an alliance with France. This was initially a commercial treaty, but extended in March 1657 into a formal military alliance. Cromwell took this opportunity partly in order to advance England's colonial ambitions, allowing him to attack Spanish possessions in the West Indies.

In the Anglo-Spanish War, Cromwell's Protectorate was intervening in a more long-term conflict between France and Spain, Europe's greatest powers. In the course of the ensuing conflict, England took control of the island of Jamaica, and in through a joint operation with the French was awarded the port of Dunkirk. Spain and France ended their conflict in the Peace of the Pyrenees, in October 1659, but the state of war betwen

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