Back Метюенски договор Bulgarian Methuenvertrag German Interkonsento pri teksaĵoj kaj vinoj Esperanto Tratado de Methuen Spanish Traité de Methuen French Trattato di Methuen Italian メシュエン条約 Japanese मेथुएनचा तह Marathi Methuenverdrag Dutch Methuen-traktaten NN
 Signature of the Methuen Treaty, drawing by Alfredo Roque Gameiro in the book História de Portugal, Popular e Ilustrada | |
| Type | Bilateral treaty |
|---|---|
| Signed | 27 December 1703 |
| Original signatories | |
The Methuen Treaty was a military and commercial treaty between England and Portugal that was signed in 1703 as part of the War of the Spanish Succession.
The treaty stipulated that no tax higher than the tax charged for an equal amount of French wines could be charged for Portuguese wines (but see below) exported to England, and that English textiles would be admitted to Portugal at all times, regardless of the geopolitical situation in each of the two nations (to ensure England would still accept Portuguese wine in periods when not at war with France).[1][2]
The Methuen Treaty has been the subject of diverse interpretations.[3] Detractors, including Luís da Cunha, argued that the influx of English woollens led to the decline of the Portuguese wool industry.[4][5] Additionally, emphasis on wine production, while bringing prosperity to certain regions, left Portugal heavily reliant on England as its primary wine buyer.[6] Critics contended that the focus on wine came at the expense of other agricultural sectors[7] and redirected the nation away from its path towards industrialization.[8][9][10]
In defense of the treaty, it's been asserted that Portugal lacked the necessary resources for substantial manufacturing endeavors,[11][3] and its industries were already grappling with stagnation.[7] Furthermore, some believed that the treaty did not confine Portugal's trade;[3] instead, it played a pivotal role in augmenting the overall prosperity of the nation through increased commerce[1] and stronger ties with England.[11][12][13]
- ^ a b Marques, Antonio Henrique R. de Oliveira (1976). History of Portugal. Columbia University Press. p. 386. ISBN 978-0-231-08353-9.
- ^ Francis 1966, pp. 196–198.
- ^ a b c Lains, Pedro; Freire Costa, Leonor; Münch Miranda, Susana (2016). An Economic History of Portugal, 1143–2010 (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 200. ISBN 9781107035546. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Francis 1966, p. 200.
- ^ Robinson, Joan (1979). Aspects of Development and Underdevelopment. Cambridge University Press. p. 103. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Marques, Antonio Henrique R. de Oliveira (1976). History of Portugal. Columbia University Press. p. 385. ISBN 978-0-231-08353-9.
- ^ a b Francis, A. D. (1966). The Methuens and Portugal, 1691-1708. Cambridge, Cambridge U.P. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-521-05028-9. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ McMurdo, Edward (1889). The history of Portugal, from the Commencement of the Monarchy to the Reign of Alfonso III. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington. p. 470. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Livermore, H.V. (1969). A New History of Portugal. Cambridge University Press. p. 217. ISBN 9780521095716.
- ^ Lains, Pedro; Freire Costa, Leonor; Münch Miranda, Susana (2016). An Economic History of Portugal, 1143–2010 (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 198. ISBN 9781107035546. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b Stephens, H. Morse (1891). The Story of Portugal. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 338–340. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Lains, Pedro; Freire Costa, Leonor; Münch Miranda, Susana (2016). An Economic History of Portugal, 1143–2010 (PDF). Cambridge University Press. p. 213. ISBN 9781107035546. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Francis 1966, p. 336.