San Ildefonso, Treaty of, any of several treaties signed at the royal residence of San Ildefonso, Spain. 1 The Treaty of San Ildefonso of 1796 was an alliance of France with Spain against Great Britain in the French Revolutionary Wars. 2 The secret Treaty of San Ildefonso of 1800 was actually a draft confirmed by two later treaties (Mar., 1801; Oct., 1802). Spain retroceded Louisiana to France and was compensated by the creation in Tuscany of the kingdom of Etruria, which was given to the duke of Parma, son-in-law of Charles IV of Spain. Although Napoleon Bonaparte agreed never to alienate Louisiana, he disregarded the treaty and sold Louisiana to the United States three years later.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Treaties and Alliances
