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Law-ref.org | TREATY OF WESTPHALIA |
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... According to this foundation of reciprocal Amity,
and a general Amnesty, all and every one of the Electors of the sacred
Roman Empire, the Princes and States (therein comprehending the Nobility,
which depend immediately on the Empire) their Vassals, Subjects, Citizens,
Inhabitants (to whom on the account of the Bohemian or German Troubles
or Alliances, contracted here and there, might have been done by the one
Party or the other, any Prejudice or Damage in any manner, or under what
pretence soever, as well in their Lordships, their fiefs, Underfiefs, Allodations,
as in their Dignitys, Immunitys, Rights and Privileges) shall be fully
re-establish’d on the one side and the other, in the Ecclesiastick or Laick
State, which they enjoy’d, or could lawfully enjoy, notwithstanding any
Alterations, which have been made in the mean time to the contrary. ...
... That he shall inviolably leave the Free Nobility
of the Empire, which are in Franconia, Swabia, and all along the Rhine,
and the Districts thereof, in the state they are at present. ...
... That the most Christian King shall be bound to
leave not only the Bishops of Strasburg and Basle, with the City of Strasburg,
but also the other States or Orders, Abbots of Murbach and Luederen, who
are in the one and the other Alsatia, immediately depending upon the Roman
Empire; the Abess of Andlavien, the Monastery of St. Bennet in the Valley
of St. George, the Palatines of Luzelstain, the Counts and Barons of Hanaw,
Fleckenstein, Oberstein, and all the nobility of Lower Alsatia; Item, the
said ten Imperial Citys, which depend on the Mayory of Haganoc, in the
Liberty and Possession they have enjoy’d hitherto, to arise as immediately
dependent upon the Roman Empire; so that he cannot pretend any Royal Superiority
over them, but shall rest contented with the Rights which appertain’d to
the House of Austria, and which by this present Treaty of Pacification,
are yielded to the Crown of France. In such a manner, nevertheless, that
by the present Declaration, nothing is intended that shall derogate from
the Sovereign Dominion already hereabove agreed to. ...
... That the very Places, Citys, Towns, Boroughs,
Villages, Castles, Fortresses and Forts which have been possess’d and retain’d,
as well in the Kingdom of Bohemia, and other Countrys of the Empire and
Hereditary Dominions of the House of Austria, as in the other Circles of
the Empire, by one or the other Army, or have been surrender’d by Composition;
shall be restor’d without delay to their former and lawful Possessors and
Lords, whether they be mediately or immediately States of the Empire, Ecclesiastical
or Secular, comprehending therein also the free Nobility of the Empire:
and they shall be left at their own free disposal, either according to
Right and Custom, or according to the Force this present Treaty ought to
have, notwithstanding all Donations, Infeoffments, Concessions (except
they have been made by the free-will of some State) Bonds for redeeming
of Prisoners, or to prevent Burnings and Pillages, or such other like Titles
acquir’d to the prejudice of the former and lawful Masters and Possessors.
Let also all Contracts and Bargains, and all Exceptions contrary to the
said Restitution cease, all which are to be esteem’d void; saving nevertheless
such things as have been otherwise agreed on in the precedent Articles
touching the Satisfaction to made to his most Christian Majesty, as also
some Concessions and equivalent Compensations granted to the Electors and
Princes of the Empire. That neither the Mention of the Catholick King,
nor Quality of the Duke of Lorain given to Duke Charles in the Treaty between
the Emperor and Swedeland, and much less the Title of Landgrave of Alsace,
given to the Emperor, shall be any prejudice to the most Christian King.
That also which has been agreed touching the Satisfaction to be made to
the Swedish Troops, shall have no effect in respect to his Majesty. ...