MEATH...8 of PEAcE, and CONGRESS OF AIX-LA CHAPELLE. ThC first peace of Aix-la-Chapelle ended the war carried on between France and Spain for the possession of the Spanish Nether lands, known as the War of Devolution. On the death of Philip IV., Louis NAV. laid claim to a large portion of those territories in the name of his wife, i\laria Theresa, the daughter of Phil ip, urging the law of succession prevailing in Brabant and ,Namur respecting private property. The victorious progress of Louis was checked by the triple alliance between England, Dollaml, and Sweden, and a treaty of was concluded at. Aik-la-Chapelle in DIGS, by which France retained possession of the fortresses of C'harli•rois and Lille, whkh she had already taken, but gave back Franche Cotut• to Spain.
The second peace of .‘ixia.chapelle conclud''d the War of the Austrian Succession (1748 ). (See SUCCESSION, Wags OF.) In general the posses sions of the several states remained as before the war. Austria ceded Parma, Piacenza, and Guas talla to the Spanish infante, Philip; and the possession of Silesia and Matz was guaranteed to Prussia. The privilege of the Assiento Treaty
(q.v.) was confirmed to England for four years, and the Pretender was expelled from France. Owing, chiefly to the exertions of her minister, Nannitz, Austria came off with but small sacri fice, and obtained a ratification of the Pragmatic Sanction (q.v.) from the signatory powers.
The Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle was held in 1818, for regulating the affairs of Europe after the Napoleonic wars. The emperors of Russia and Austria and the King of Prussia were per sonally present. The plenipotentiaries were :Metternich, Castlereagh, and 'Wellington, Bard enberg and Bernstorlf, Nesselrode, and Capo d'Ts trias, with Richelieu on the part of France. France was admitted to take part in the delib erations as one of the live great powers of Eu rope, who proceeded thereupon to sign a protocol announcing a policy known as that of the "Tfoly Alliance" (q.v.). An important result of the Congress achieved by Richelieu was the imme diate evacuation of France by the foreign forces. Consult de Lai puix (Paris, 1892).