LS in French, signed "De Vergennes," one page, 8 x 11.25, November 23, 1783. Letter calling for the official printing of the Treaty of Versailles, which concluded hostilities between France and Great Britain at the end of the American Revolution as part of the Peace of Paris. In full (translated): "I send you gentlemen the letter of the King regarding the publication of the peace that his majesty has just concluded and that you should proceed as usual. I also send the order that his majesty has issued on that occasion. I have the honor to be with perfect attachment gentlemen, your very humble and very obedient servant." In fine condition.
Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes, was the French foreign minister under King Louis XVI and a key architect of France’s diplomatic efforts during the American Revolutionary War. A seasoned diplomat, Vergennes sought to weaken British power and restore France's influence after its losses in the Seven Years’ War. He was instrumental in forming the Franco-American alliance in 1778, providing critical military and financial support to the American colonies. His strategic acumen not only aided the American victory but also positioned France to negotiate favorably at the war’s conclusion.
The Treaty of Versailles, concluded as part of the broader Peace of Paris, was signed on September 3, 1783, by George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester and Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes. While the Treaty of Paris (1783) officially recognized American independence, the Treaty of Versailles settled separate terms for France and Spain. France regained territories such as Tobago and Senegal but failed to recover key colonial holdings like Canada. Despite modest territorial gains, Vergennes considered the treaty a diplomatic success, having curbed British dominance and restored a measure of French prestige without plunging the nation into further warfare.
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