Treaty of Hanover (1725)

1725 alliance between Britain, Hanover, France, and Prussia
The Treaty of Hanover was a treaty of defensive alliance signed on 3 September 1725 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Electorate of Hanover, the Kingdom of France and the Kingdom of Prussia. The alliance was formed to combat the power of the Austro Spanish alliance, which was founded at the Peace of Vienna months earlier in May 1725. The United Provinces and the Kingdom of Sweden later acceded to the Hanoverian Alliance through the Treaties of The Hague (1726) and Stockholm (1727). In 1728, Prussia would ally itself with Emperor Charles VI and the Viennese Alliance by signing the secret Treaty of Berlin.

The Spanish, who were allies and close friends of the Habsburg monarchy following the succession of Charles I (V) to the Spanish throne in 1516, broke their partnership with the Austrians in 1700. This was due to the death of Charles II, the last Habsburg king of Spain, who died without issue. King Charles II appointed Philip de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou as his successor. The following succession crisis sparked the War of the Spanish Succession (1701 1714), and consequently ended the two century alliance between Austria and Spain. After the defeat of the Spanish in the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1717 1720), the Austrians decided to ally the Spanish once again in order to reset the balance of power in Europe; which had leaned towards France in recent years. King George I had also become wary of a renewed hegemony of Europe by Spain and the Empire. The Treaty of Hanover marks the beginning of the Hanoverian Alliance as a formal opposition to the renewed Austro Spanish alliance (which would later be joined by the Russian Empire, and the Electorates of Bavaria and Cologne in 1726). Separate reassurances of full military support were also given in the event of the Holy Roman Empire attacking the French unexpectedly. On 16 and 17 March 1726, the Jesuits were celebrating the feast day of Corpus Christi when Jesuit student of a monastery complained that Lutherans who were watching the procession did not take off their hats or kneel before the statue of Mary. Fights on both sides ensued, and a Jesuit monastery was damaged. Jesuits were badly beaten, portraits of Catholic saints were destroyed, and part of the altar was damaged. The Lutherans also gathered a pile of Catholic books and paintings, which were set on fire outside the monastery. Great Britain and Prussia, who both guaranteed the Treaty of Oliva, were greatly concerned with this massacre. Prussia and Great Britain agreed to concert efforts towards Poland to enforce tolerance in the area.