France formally pledged military support for the Jacobite claim to the British throne, shaping the course of the 1745 rising.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 24 October 1745
- Signed by (France)
- Marquis d'Argenson
- Signed by (Jacobite side)
- Colonel Daniel O'Brien
- James recognized as
- Rightful King of Scotland
- Trigger event
- Jacobite victory at Battle of Prestonpans
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the Jacobite victory at the Battle of Prestonpans in September 1745, Charles Edward Stuart sent George Kelly to France to seek formal French backing. The military success gave Prince Charles leverage to negotiate state-level support from Louis XV for the Stuart restoration cause.
On 24 October 1745, Louis XV of France and James Francis Edward Stuart concluded the Treaty of Fontainebleau at Fontainebleau, France. France recognized James as rightful King of Scotland and pledged all practical assistance, including military support, for a Stuart claim on England if English popular support materialized.
Despite the treaty's commitments, preparations at Dunkirk for a French invasion force never resulted in a sailing. The Jacobite rising subsequently collapsed, rendering French promises moot and leaving the Stuart cause without the military intervention the treaty had envisioned.
Political Outcome
France pledged military support for the Jacobite cause; the rising collapsed before French forces intervened
Britain under Hanoverian George II with no formal French commitment to the Jacobites
France formally recognized Stuart legitimacy and committed to support a restoration, though never acted militarily