Third Barrier Treaty

The Barrier Treaties were a series of three agreements negotiated between 1709 and 1715. These treaties granted the United Provinces of the Netherlands (the Dutch Republic) the right to garrison and govern certain towns along the southern boundary of the Spanish Netherlands. This was intended as a defense against potential French aggression.

The First Barrier Treaty was signed in 1709, with Great Britain supporting the restoration of fortresses to the United Provinces. A Second Barrier Treaty, less favorable commercially to the Dutch, was signed in 1713 and confirmed by the treaties ending the War of the Spanish Succession. The Third Barrier Treaty, signed in 1715 by Great Britain, the United Provinces, and the Holy Roman emperor, further modified the details of this defensive arrangement. The seven fortresses included in this settlement were Namur, Tournai, Menen, Furnes, Warneton, Ypres, and Termonde.1