mss027 War in the Palatinate : letters and documents Alan Lathrop University of Minnesota Libraries 1970s

University of Minnesota Libraries Minneapolis, MN 55455

EAD encoding by Leslie Czechowski February 2005 German and French Balthasard, Alexandre Hippolyte, Duke of Bournonville, 1616-1690 War in the Palatinate: letters and documents 1656, 1674 University of Minnesota Libraries. Literary Manuscripts Collections, Manuscripts Division [mss] .25 cubic feet The collection (from the Balthasard archives) contains letters from Charles Louis, Elector Palatine, and Charles Caspar von der Leyen, Elector of Trier, to Alexandre Hippolyte Balthasard, Duke of Bournonville. Enclosures with the French and German correspondence include copies of military reports from the field and a diplomatic protocol. Mss 27 German and French Mezzanine Administrative Information Restrictions on Access

Available for use in Manuscripts Division reading room.

Restrictions on Use

Preferred Citation

War in the Palatinate: letters and documents (Mss 27), Literary Manuscripts Collection, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.

Acquisition

The collection was purchased.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged by correspondent and thereafter in chronological order.

Historical & Biographical Notes

The correspondence was written to Alexandre Hippolyte Balthasard, Duke of Bournonville (1616-1690), Field Marshal General and Commander of the Imperial Forces on the Rhine in 1674.

The wars in the Palatinate have been regarded as the most brilliant phase of French military superiority under the leadership of the great Turenne, who was the victorious commander in 1674 and whose death in a skirmish of the following year marks the end of the first campaign. They belong to the long series of attempts made by France to gain absolute control of the Rhine, the only means to secure her eastern border. The Germans remembered this wars as one of the darkest periods of disgrace when national disunity made it possible for the "hereditary enemy" to play out one of their princes against the other and to hit deep into German territory. Their most shocking episode, the ruthless destruction of Heidelberg and its beautiful castle during the second campaign in 1689, has become a propaganda topic for nationalistic indoctrination. The debacle of this second campaign, when Maras with his marauders pillaged the unfortunate Palatinate, are fairly well known. However, relatively few details of that campaign of 1674 are found in historical works besides the dates of the few real battles that were fought at great intervals.

A prominent role among the conflicting powers of the first war fell to the Elector Palatine of the Rhine, whose small but prosperous country (between Rhine, Neckar, and Saar) had to suffer most from it. Charles Louis (1617-1680) was the son of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, who had lost his hereditary electorate and the newly won Bohemian kingdom in 1620, and through his mother, Elizabeth, Princess Royal of England, a grandson of James I. After an excellent education in Holland, where his exiled family lived for many years, he had been reinstated to the greater part of his territory and had even received a new electorate by the Peace of Munster in 1648. He was the typical territorial ruler of his time who chose his friends and allies according to the momentary interest of his state, and his patriotic sentiments were subordinated to political convenience. In 1657 he had been inclined to elect Louis XIV to the German crown instead of Leopold I of Habsburg-Austria. In 1671 he had married his eldest daughter to the Duke of Orleans, the brother of his powerful royal neighbor in the West, in order to consolidate his friendship with France. When the long concealed tension between Leopold I and Louis XIV lead to open war in 1673, he took the part of the emperor although he tried to keep out of actual fighting. The Palatinate had soon to feel the consequences. Turenne occupied a part of it in February 1674 and threatened to overrun the entire country. Charles Louis was at last forced to defend himself as best he could with a badly improvised army of his own an somewhat unreliable allies.

It was in this very critical phase, which covers the year 1674, that he wrote the series of letters to the imperial commander Bournonville, a rather inefficient military leader. The letters offer an interesting insights into his efforts to rouse Bournonville from his inactivity and to alleviate the sufferings of his subjects. These efforts were doomed from the start, and he was finally forced to make peace in 1675 when the elector of Brandenburg, who had come to his aid, had to hurry back to his country to fight off a Swedish invasion. Dying five years later, Charles Louis was spared witnessing the devastation of the Palatinate in 1689.

Another series of letters is addressed to Bournonville by the ecclesiastical prince of the Empire whose territorial possessions were likewise occupied almost entirely during the campaign of 1674: Charles Caspar von der Leyen (1618-1676) Archbishop Elector of Trier. He was of a Rhenish family of ancient nobility and had been elected to the position of coadjutor to the Archbishop Philipp von Soeteren to counterbalance the Francophile tendencies of this stubborn prince and succeed him in 1652. His little state had no means to resist when the French invaded it in 1674, and he had to flee to his impregnable fortress of Ehrenbreitstein on the Rhine opposite Coblence while the rest of the country, including his residence city of Trier, was exposed to the severest hardships of an occupation until the following year.

The letters to Bournonville prove how earnestly he endeavored to live up to his duties of a conscientious ruler in a helpless situation. He refrains from showing any emotion when he has to state the most frightful incidents of devastation and tries to make them speak for themselves.

A few documents are connected with the political activity of Frederick William the "Great Elector" of Brandenburg in the conflict before he participated in the war itself. This prince, the founder of the Brandenburg-Prussian power who paved the way for the dominating position of Prusssia achieved by his great-grandson Frederick the Great a century later, played the most important part in the war of 1674. He might have turned the tide when he led his excellently trained army to the threatened zones in August 1674, were it not for the Swedes who eliminated him for the benefit of the French by invading his own dominions and forcing him to return home as quickly as possible a few months later.

These documents belong to the diplomatic correspondence between the courts of Berlin (they are dated from the castle of Cologne on the Spree which is in the heart of modern Berlin) and Heidelberg and were forwarded in copies to Bournonville by the Elector Palatine, to keep the imperial commander informed. They deal with Swedish proposals of mediation between Louis XIV and Charles Louis and make it clear that the latter might have to follow another line of politics if he could not get efficient help.

Scope and Content Note

The collection (from the Balthasard archives) contains letters from Charles Louis, Elector Palatine, and Charles Caspar von der Leyen, Elector of Trier, to Alexandre Hippolyte Balthasard, Duke of Bournonville. Enclosures with the French and German correspondence include copies of military reports from the field and a diplomatic protocol.

The letters were preserved in the archives of his descendents until 1837 and seem to have be unpublished and not mentioned by historians of the period. They describe a period of European conflict from which much of the political troubles on the continent during the second half of the 17th century until the War of the Spanish Succession had their issue.

Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Balthasard, Alexandre Hippolyte, Duke of Bournonville, 1616-1690 -- Archives Karl Ludwig, Elector Palatine, 1617-1680 -- Correspondence Leyen, Charles Caspar von der, Archbishop Elector of Trier 1618-1676 -- Correspondence Palatinate (Germany) -- History -- 17th century. Palatinate (Germany) -- History -- Karl Ludwig, 1617-1680 -- Sources Detailed Contents of Correspondence Correspondence from Charles Louis, Elector Palatine [11 letters] From Friedrichsburg (citadel of Mannheim on the Rhine), February 19, (March 1), 1674. [2 pages, autograph P.S., and address]

Announcing the occupation of Germersheim in the Palatinate by the French under Lieut. Gens. de Rochefort and Vaubrun.

From Weinheim (near Heidelberg), March 5/15, 1674.

Thanking for sending imperial troops to the threatened zones.

From Friedrichsburg, March 14/24, 1674. [3 pages, autograph P.S., and address]

Proposals for a combined plan of all forces available against the French.

From Friedrichsburg, March 14/24, 1674. [1 page and address]

Regarding the passport of a merchant of Frankfort engaged in provisioning the army.

From Friedrichsburg, April 12/22, 1674. [2 pages and address]

Drawing Bournonville's attention to the preparations made by Turenne for invading the Breisgau (southern Baden), a province belonging to the Emperor.

Postscript in reply to a letter from Bournonville which has just arrived. [2 ½ pages]

Developing the general strategic plan of the campaign.

From Friedrichsburg, July 29 (August 8), 1674. [2 pages, L.S. and autographic P.S., and address]

Complaint about an article in the Gazettier Italien of Vienne in which the Elector Palatine had been insulted. Enclosed a report (in German) of an Irish deserter from the French army, indicating the strength of three English contingents: Regiment Monmouth (1500 men), Regiment Hamilton (1600 men), Regiment Churchill (800 men).

From Friedrichsburg, July 29 (August 8), 1674. [1 page, L.S., and address--in German]

Short note relating to enclosures:

a. Report of Colonel Sparr, Commander of the garrison at Frankenthal, July 29 (August 8), 1674, on a mutiny of a cavalry contingent.

b. Report of non-commissioned officers on the same incident.

c. Report of a peasant on a crossing of the river Queich, made by Turenne's army.

d. Report of a certain Christoph Ch. of Neuenburg to a Mr. Fuchs in Friedrichsburg. 250 French dragoons were seen to ride toward Waldorf and the French army had passed the Rhine at Philippsburg.

From Friedrichsburg, August 16/26, 1674. [2 pages, L.S.]

Protest against a decision likely to be made by his partners to retreat beyond the Rhine, including a copy of a letter of emperor Leopold (Vienne 9/19 August 1674) which seems to support his point of view.

From Friedrichsburg, August 17/27, 1674. [2 pages, L.S.]

Complaint that the decision has been made without consulting him.

From Heidelberg, December 5 (15), 1674. [2 pages, L.S., and autograph P.S., and address]

Asking Bournonville to relieve the commander of Neustadt and his regiment from his place.

a. Copy of a demand of the commander of Neustadt to be relieved.

b. Copy of the elector's approval of this demand.

Correspondence from Charles Caspar von der Leyen, archbishop-elector of Trier [21 letters] From Coblence, June 15, 1656. [1 page]

Asking Bournonville (at that time Count of Hennin) to take a nephew to his staff (probably a Baron von der Leyen Saftig), whose name appears several times in the following letters.

From Coblence, August 25, 1656. [1 page and address]

Thanking him for complying with his demand.

From Ehrenbreitstein, January 26, 1674. [1 page]

Thanking for a big gun to be sent from Bonn (Bournonville's headquarters) to strengthen the defenses of Ehrenbreitstein and referring to a letter from the Prince de Chimay which regards the plan to attack the French garrison at Welschbillig near Trier.

From Ehrenbreitstein, January 30, 1674. [1 page]

Forwarding a letter from the County of Monterey regarding the attack of Welschbillig and expressing the desire that reprisals be made in enemy territory for devastations in the electorate of Trier (the only enemy territory in the hands of the allies being that of the elector of Cologne).

From Ehrenbreitstein, February 14, 1674. [2 pages]

Regarding powder and lead furnished to the imperial army by the elector.

From Ehrenbreitstein, March 16, 1674. [2 pages]

On the transportation of the powder to Bournonville; rumors that the French garrison of Trier was to be reinforced.

From Ehrenbreitstein, April 5, 1674. [1 page]

Recommendation of an officer.

From Ehrenbreitstein, April 8, 1674. [1 page]

Asking for precautions against pillaging excursions of the French garrison in Trier which is said to consists of 5000 men.

From Ehrenbreitstein, May 1, 1674. [1 page]

News that the French prepare to strike for Homburg and demand of an escort for a person of rank who intends to go to Bruxelles.

From Ehrenbreitstein, May 5, 1674. [1 page]

Asking for energetic ally, exploiting a promising military situation.

From Ehrenbreitstein, May 6, 1674. [2 pages]

Conditions on which the elector would allow the passage of imperial troops toward Bonn.

From Ehrenbreitstein, May 10, 1674. [1 page]

On military preparation for Bournonville's attack against the French troops under Bellefont.

From Ehrenbreitstein, May 15, 1674. [2 pages]

Expressing his astonishment that Bournonville has ordered troops quartered in Andernach with the elector's consent to refuse paying for their provisions.

From Ehrenbreitstein, May 18, 1674. [2 pages]

On Bournonville's intentions to liberate Trier and on the devastation of the city: The French governor has blown up the famous ancient churches of St. Maximin et St. Paulin and intends to destroy others.

From Ehrenbreitstein, May 20, 1674. [2 pages]

On military operations planned by Bournonville and the elector's readiness to support them.

From Ehrenbreitstein, July 27, 1674. [3 pages]

On other operations in progress. Information of the Duke of Lorraine that Turenne is marching toward Kreuznach. The elector wants to be advised on orders to be given by him that might be thought necessary by Bournonville, "not having any notion of military matters" himself, etc.

From Ehrenbreitstein, August 23, 1674. [1 page]

The elector expresses hope that the assembled auxiliary troops are able to hold firm against Turenne. He has heard of pillaging of his palace and other houses in Trier, which seems to imply that the French intend to evacuate the city. He begs to do whatever can be done to save the city from further destruction.

From Ehrenbreitstein, August 27, 1674. [1 page]

Thanking for the information on future operations and recommending "that poor and desolated people of Trier" to the care of Bournonville.

From Ehrenbreitstein, August 31, 1674. [2 pages]

On Bournonville's plan to proceed toward the Sarre hoping for a good success.

From Ehrenbreitstein, September 8, 1674. [1 page]

Introducing a Colonel von Hatsein as his plenipotentiary in Bournonville's Council of War.

From Ehrenbreitstein, September 17, 1674. [2 pages]

Regretting to hear of Bournonville's illness which forces him to take a leave of absence. He recommends again "his poor city of Trier" and wishes a speedy recovery.

Correspondence from the Elector of Brandenburg to the Elector Palatine (copies of portions of letters) [3 letters]

Includes a protocol of a political conversation in Berlin (in German).

From Cologne on the Spree, July 21/31, 1674. [1 page]

The Swedish envoy has informed the elector of Brandenburg that Louis XIV would be disposed to come to terms with the elector Palatine and the Swedish government would be glad if the elector of Brandenburg used his influence in the matter. Brandenburg has taken the opportunity to inform Sweden of the necessity of a general peace in Europe.

From Cologne on the Spree, July 21/31/, 1674. [1 page]

Information of the departure of the Brandenburg troops toward the Palatinate. Enclosure:

Protocol of a conference between the Prime Minister (Oberpraesident) of Brandenburg, Baron Schwerin, the chancellor (of Pomerania) Somnitz and the Swedish Envoy to the Brandenburg court, Colonel Wangelin, July 20 (30), 1674. [5 pages]

The Swedish envoy had expressed his concern about the resolution of the elector (to come to the aid of the elector Palatine). He had demanded that the elector used his influence with the elector Palatine to come to terms with France and that he communicated his alliance treaty with the Netherlands. The Elector notifies the envoy through his councillors that he was forced to conclude such an alliance in his concern for the preservation of the empire and particularly the Palatinate and could not believe that his step might be misinterpreted by anybody, especially not by the King of Sweden who was so much interested in the preservation of the empire and the Palatinate. The alliance had not yet been finally concluded. As soon as that would be the case, he would notify the Swedish King, although the latter had not notified him about his negotiations with France and his treaty with Hanover. In the interest of a durable peace, he would gladly use his influence with the elector Palatine. Hereupon the envoy promised to bring the treaty with Hanover to the conference, scheduled for the following day, protesting to have shown it to the elector four to five weeks before.