ABSTRACT
The Palatine crisis might have been resolved in 1623, or so it was hoped by King James and the Prince of Wales. Naturally Frederick V was dead set against an Anglo-Spanish marriage alliance and was determined to do everything in his limited power to make sure it would not succeed. Since about 1619 it had been a goal of Palatine diplomacy to prevent the conclusion of the Anglo-Spanish match. At the end of 1623, despite the demise of the Anglo-Spanish match, England would not wage war on behalf of the Palatinate as long as Frederick remained recalcitrant. Negotiations proceeded in London for a suspension of arms, and throughout 1623 James pursued multiple marriage treaties to re-establish peace in central Europe and to keep England from joining the conflict. On 1 May 1623 a treaty was signed that guaranteed peace for fifteen months, during which time the Infanta Isabella would oversee a round of negotiations in Cologne for a final settlement.
