Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373 Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373 The Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of 1373 was signed on 16 June 1373 between King Edward III of England and King Ferdinand and Queen Eleanor of Portugal. It established a treaty of "perpetual friendships, unions [and] alliances" between the two seafaring nations. It is the oldest active treaty in the world. It was confirmed "with my usual flourish" by John de Banketre, Clerk. It was reinforced throughout history, including in 1386, 1643, 1654, 1660, 1661, 1703, 1815 and by a secret declaration in 1899. It was recognized in the Treaties of Arbitration in the 20th century between Britain
Treaty of Madrid (5 October 1750) Treaty of Madrid (5 October 1750) The Treaty of Madrid was a commercial treaty signed between Britain and Spain on 5 October 1750. It followed the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which had brought a close to the War of the Austrian Succession in 1748, and resolved lingering Spanish concerns about the Asiento contract. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 had given Britain a thirty-year asiento, or contract-right, to supply an unlimited number of slaves to the Spanish colonies, and 500 tons of goods per year. This provided British traders and smugglers potential inroads into the (traditionally) closed markets in Spanish America.