Condé's alliance with Spain

Timeline

1. 1652Spanish Netherlands (Brussels) · Spanish NetherlandsIn the summer of 1652, as Parisian opinion turned and the restoration of royal authority became inevitable, Prince Condé was forced to withdraw from France with his remaining followers, crossing the border into the Spanish-controlled Netherlands (roughly present-day Belgium), where he received the protection and hospitality of the Spanish Habsburgs in Brussels. The French Parliament immediately declared Condé a traitor.
2. 1653–1658Franco-Spanish border (Flanders and Artois) · FlandersFrom 1653, Condé formally accepted a commission from King Philip IV of Spain, serving as captain-general of the Spanish armies and leading allied forces in Flanders against France. His military ability gave Spain local advantages at several points along the border, putting pressure on France's northern front. In 1658, however, Turenne defeated Condé and the Spanish allied army at the Battle of the Dunes, reversing the situation.
3. 1659Franco-Spanish border (Pheasant Island) · PyreneesIn November 1659, the Treaty of the Pyrenees included a specific clause pardoning Prince Condé, requiring him to surrender all Spanish offices while France restored his titles and estates. Condé then returned to France and later became a celebrated general under Louis XIV, distinguishing himself again in the wars of 1668 and 1672. This outcome made Condé's rebellion and exile one of the most dramatic political reversals in history.