Treaty of Hamburg (1638)

Quick Facts: Who was Treaty of Hamburg (1638)?

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Treaty of Hamburg (1638)

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Treaty of Hamburg (1638): A pivotal agreement ratifying Wismar, boosting Sweden in the Thirty Years' War.

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Origins & Early Life

The Treaty of Hamburg, signed on 5 March 1638 (to "l'echange des ratifications du Traite conclu a Wismar le 20 Mars 1636), was the ratification of the important Treaty of Wismar a full two years after it had been negotiated by Cardinal Richelieu of France and representatives of Queen Christina of Sweden. As it provided the Swedes with crucial funds to go on the offensive again, it was a major turning point of the Thirty Years' War.

Career & Major Achievements

In 1634 the Swedes/Protestants had suffered a crushing defeat at Nördlingen and it was clear to the French that they had to be much more active or Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor would win the war. The half-hearted Treaty of Compiègne in April 1635 was a first attempt to support the Swedes but after their most powerful former ally Saxony had changed sides in the Peace of Prague in May and the dissolution of the Protestant Heilbronn League which had provided the greatest share of Swedish finance the Protestant cause looked desperate.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Swedish chancellor Axel Oxenstierna at the time was open to a financial offer by the Emperor but that never materialized. Also in May 1635 the French war with Spanish Habsburg broke out.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1634: 1634 Milestone — In 1634 the Swedes/Protestants had suffered a crushing defeat at Nördlingen and it was clear to the French that they had to be much more active or Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor would win the war.
2. 1635: 1635 Milestone — The half-hearted Treaty of Compiègne in April 1635 was a first attempt to support the Swedes but after their most powerful former ally Saxony had changed sides in the Peace of Prague in May and the dissolution of the Protestant Heilbronn League which had provided the greatest share of Swedish finance the Protestant cause looked desperate.
3. 1638: 1638 Milestone — The Treaty of Hamburg, signed on 5 March 1638 (to "l'echange des ratifications du Traite conclu a Wismar le 20 Mars 1636), was the ratification of the important Treaty of Wismar a full two years after it had been negotiated by Cardinal Richelieu of France and representatives of Queen Christina of Sweden.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Treaty of Hamburg (1638)

True or False: “True or false: The Treaty of Hamburg was signed primarily to prevent the dissolution of the Protestant Heilbronn League.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The treaty was signed to ratify the Treaty of Wismar and provide crucial funds to the Swedes, not primarily to prevent the dissolution of the League.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Amakusa Shirō — Historical peer (Died in 1638) (1638): Leader of the Shimabara Rebellion, a pivotal figure in early Edo period Japanese Christianity.
• Cornelius Jansen — Historical peer (Died in 1638) (1638): Influential Dutch Bishop and founder of the theological movement known as Jansenism.
• Date Masamune — Historical peer (Died in 1636) (1636): Powerful samurai daimyō who founded Sendai and earned the title "One-Eyed Dragon"
• Dong Qichang — Historical peer (Died in 1636) (1636): Influential Ming Dynasty art theorist, calligrapher, and painter.
• Albrecht von Wallenstein — Historical peer (Died in 1634) (1634): Bohemian military leader and statesman, key figure in the Thirty Years' War.
• Edward Coke — Historical peer (Died in 1634) (1634): A towering English jurist whose work championed the supremacy of common law over the Crown.
• Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon — Historical peer (Born in 1635) (1635): Influential noblewoman and second wife of Louis XIV, Marquise de Maintenon.
• Lope de Vega — Historical peer (Died in 1635) (1635): Master of the Spanish Golden Age, Lope de Vega revolutionized theatre and poetry.

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