# Treaty of Senlis

The Treaty of Senlis concerning the Burgundian succession was signed at Senlis, Oise on 23 May 1493, between King Charles VIII of France and Maximilian I, at the time King of the Romans and future Holy Roman Emperor, who acted on behalf of his young son Philip the Handsome, the Habsburg claimant to the Burgundian inheritance.

## Background

After the last Valois-Burgundy Duke Charles the Bold had died without male heir at the 1477 Battle of Nancy, his cousin Louis XI of France was determined to come into his inheritance, especially the Duchy of Burgundy and the thriving County of Flanders.
However, Mary of Burgundy, daughter of Charles the Bold, and her husband Maximilian also claimed their rights, which led to clashes of arms culminating at the 1479 Battle of Guinegate, concluded in favor of Mary and Maximilian. Nevertheless, Mary died in 1482 and her claims were inherited by her son Philip, who was still a child and thus under the guardianship of his father Maximilian.
According to the Treaty of Arras (1482), Maximilian had to cede the County of Burgundy, the County of Artois, the County of Charolais and several other lordships to France as dowry for the proposed marriage of their young daughter Margaret, with Louis' son Charles, who became the new king of France in 1483.
In 1491, the French king Charles VIII renounced the engagement with Margaret, and married Anne of Brittany – who was at that time married in proxy to Maximilian. Thus the question of possession over territories regarded as the Margaret's dowry was reopened, and Maximilian urged the return of his daughter and the retrieval of all those lands. In 1493, Charles VIII, stuck in the conflict with King Alfonso II of Naples, finally had to acknowledge the claims.

## Contents

By the Treaty of Senlis, all hostilities between France and the Habsburgs were officially over. Most of the disputed territories of the Margaret's dowry (counties of Burgundy, Artois, Charolais and some other minor territories) were returned to Habsburgs and relinquished to her brother Philip the Handsome.
The Duchy of Burgundy (with capital Dijon, not to be confused with the Free County of Burgundy with capital Dole), which was seized by France since 1477, remained in French hands. In time, Artois and Flanders were formally annexed by the Holy Roman Empire. However, France was still able to retain powerful legal claims and outposts in both provinces, until the final settlement in 1529.
The Treaty of Senlis had 48 articles, called "items":
* 1. Peace has been made between the King of France and the Holy Roman Emperor.
* 2–3, 13. The position of Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy.
* 4. Promise of friendship between Charles VIII of France and Philip of Austria.
* 5–9. The counties of Burgundy ("Bourgogne"), Artois, Charolais ("Charolois") and lordship of Noyers ("seigneurie de Noiers"), will be given back to the Holy Roman Emperor, but the cities and castles of Hesdin, Aire-sur-la-Lys ("Aire") and Béthune ("Betune"), remain in the possession of the King of France and his marshals.
* 10. The Houses of Flanders, Artois and Conflans are given back to and delivered to the Holy Roman Emperor.
* 11. The King of France will enjoy the counties of Mâcon ("Mâconnois"), Auxerre ("Auxerrois") and the lordship of Bar-sur-Seine.
* 18. This peace treaty has been concluded with the consent and agreement of the Bishop of Cambrai, the Count of Cambrésis, its clergy, towns and castles.