Resolved the Burgundian succession dispute between France and the Habsburgs, redistributing territories and shaping European dynastic politics.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 23 May 1493
- Number of clauses
- 48
- Signatories
- Charles VIII of France; Maximilian I (King of the Romans)
- Subject
- Burgundian succession and territorial settlement
- Preceded by
- Treaty of Arras (1482)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The death of Charles the Bold in 1477 left the Burgundian inheritance contested between the French crown and the Habsburgs. The Treaty of Arras (1482) had attempted to resolve the dispute, but competing dynastic claims, particularly those of Philip the Handsome as the Habsburg heir to Burgundy, left political and territorial questions unresolved, demanding further negotiation.
On 23 May 1493, King Charles VIII of France and Maximilian I, King of the Romans, signed the Treaty of Senlis on behalf of Maximilian's son Philip the Handsome. The agreement comprised 48 clauses addressing political, dynastic, and territorial matters arising from the Burgundian succession and superseding earlier arrangements made at Arras in 1482.
The treaty redistributed Burgundian territories between France and the Habsburgs, helping to define the boundaries of Habsburg influence in the Low Countries. It contributed to stabilizing Franco-Habsburg relations in the short term and clarified Philip the Handsome's standing as the recognized Habsburg claimant, shaping the dynastic landscape of early modern Europe.
Political Outcome
Territorial and dynastic settlement of the Burgundian succession, with 48 clauses resolving disputes between France and the Habsburgs.
Unresolved Burgundian succession dispute between France and the Habsburgs following the Treaty of Arras (1482)
Formal recognition of Habsburg claims via Philip the Handsome; territories redistributed between France and the Habsburgs