Treaty of Madrid (1617)

The Treaty of Madrid (1617) was a diplomatic agreement signed on September 26, 1617, between the Republic of Venice and the Habsburg Monarchy (represented by Ferdinand, Archduke of Inner Austria, later Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II). The treaty aimed to resolve the Uskok War, a long-standing conflict primarily concerning the Uskok pirates operating from the Adriatic coast.

The core issue was the Uskoks, pirates largely consisting of refugees from Ottoman-occupied lands, who were nominally subjects of the Habsburgs but operated independently and preyed on Venetian shipping. Venice accused the Habsburgs of supporting or at least tolerating the Uskoks, while the Habsburgs faced pressure from the Venetians to suppress the piracy.

Key provisions of the treaty included:

• The expulsion of the Uskoks from the town of Senj and other coastal settlements under Habsburg control.
• The dismantling of the Uskok's pirate fleet.
• The resettlement of the Uskoks inland, away from the coast, to areas where they would be unable to continue their piracy.

The treaty was initially met with resistance from the Uskoks, but the Habsburg authorities, with Venetian support, ultimately enforced its terms. While the Treaty of Madrid (1617) did significantly reduce Uskok piracy, the problem was not completely eradicated. Sporadic incidents continued to occur for several years afterward. The treaty marked a temporary resolution to a persistent regional conflict that threatened stability in the Adriatic Sea and strained relations between Venice and the Habsburgs.