Changes

*''Japanese'': 琉仏修好条約 ''(Ryuu-futsu shuukou jouyaku)''

*''Japanese'': 琉仏修好条約 ''(Ryuu-futsu shuukou jouyaku)''

The Treaty of Amity between the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] and France, signed on [[1855]]/10/15 (Nov 24 on the Western calendar), reaffirmed Ryûkyû's commitment to providing fuel, supplies, repairs, and so forth to French sailors in need, as well as providing for a number of other stipulations, including the establishment of a French consulate in the kingdom, and free movement for Frenchmen within the islands. It was the second such Treaty of Amity signed by the kingdom, after the [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-US)|US-Ryûkyû Treaty of Amity]] signed with [[Commodore Perry|Commodore Matthew C. Perry]] the previous year.

The Treaty of Amity between the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] and France, signed on [[1855]]/10/15 (Nov 24 on the Western calendar), reaffirmed Ryûkyû's commitment to providing fuel, supplies, repairs, and so forth to French sailors in need, as well as providing for a number of other stipulations, including the establishment of a French consulate in the kingdom, free movement for Frenchmen within the islands, and a [[most-favored-nation clause]], granting to France as well any privileges extended by Ryûkyû to other Western countries. It was the second such Treaty of Amity signed by the kingdom, after the [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-US)|US-Ryûkyû Treaty of Amity]] signed with [[Commodore Perry|Commodore Matthew C. Perry]] the previous year.

The events leading up to the Treaty began with the landing of Admiral Nicolas Francois Guerin, Commander-in-Chief of the French Oriental Naval Force, at [[Naha]] on 1855/9/27 (Nov 6). Knowing of the Treaty signed with the United States the previous year, Guerin expressed to [[Shuri]] authorities his desire for an agreement with France as well. Negotiations took place over the course of eight meetings (on 10/1, 10/3, 10/5, 10/7, 10/8, 10/12, and 10/15). Ryukyuan officials, in accordance with previous precedent, orders from [[Satsuma han]], and their own policy interests, gladly offered to agree to stipulations agreeing to the friendly supplying of French ships, but resisted attempts by the French to add in stipulations for French land ownership in the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryukyus]], fully opened trade, French commercial activity within the kingdom, or the establishment of a French consulate. Further, Ryûkyû stood by its assertions, made consistently in earlier interactions with Western agents, that they were not empowered to make any such diplomatic agreements without first consulting with Beijing. Guerin countered this by saying that they had already agreed to similar stipulations with the United States, and that therefore extending the same arrangements to an agreement with France should not require consultation with China; this, despite the fact that the second set of stipulations (for land ownership, consulate, commercial activities, etc.) was ''not'' included in the agreement with the US.

The events leading up to the Treaty began with the landing of Admiral Nicolas Francois Guerin, Commander-in-Chief of the French Oriental Naval Force, at [[Naha]] on 1855/9/27 (Nov 6). Knowing of the Treaty signed with the United States the previous year, Guerin expressed to [[Shuri]] authorities his desire for an agreement with France as well. Negotiations took place over the course of eight meetings (on 10/1, 10/3, 10/5, 10/7, 10/8, 10/12, and 10/15). Ryukyuan officials, in accordance with previous precedent, orders from [[Satsuma han]], and their own policy interests, gladly offered to agree to stipulations agreeing to the friendly supplying of French ships, but resisted attempts by the French to add in stipulations for French land ownership in the [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryukyus]], fully opened trade, French commercial activity within the kingdom, or the establishment of a French consulate. Further, Ryûkyû stood by its assertions, made consistently in earlier interactions with Western agents, that they were not empowered to make any such diplomatic agreements without first consulting with Beijing. Guerin countered this by saying that they had already agreed to similar stipulations with the United States, and that therefore extending the same arrangements to an agreement with France should not require consultation with China; this, despite the fact that the second set of stipulations (for land ownership, consulate, commercial activities, etc.) was ''not'' included in the agreement with the US.