1797

1797 was a year in the late 18th century marked by continued upheaval from the French Revolutionary Wars and by notable diplomatic and military changes that reshaped European borders. It also featured significant naval events and rising tensions between the United States and France.

In Europe the year opened with Austria and France moving toward peace. The preliminary Treaty of Leoben was signed in April 1797, and the definitive Treaty of Campo Formio followed in October. Campo Formio ended the War of the First Coalition, with Austria ceding the Austrian Netherlands, recognizing the creation of the Cisalpine Republic in northern Italy, dissolving the Venetian Republic, and dividing Italian territories between France and Austria.

On the seas, Britain achieved a major victory at the Battle of Camperdown on 11 October 1797, defeating a Dutch fleet. Earlier in the year, British forces captured Trinidad from Spain in February. Domestically, the Royal Navy faced serious discipline challenges as the Spithead Mutiny (April–May) and the Nore Mutiny (May–June) disrupted operations, ultimately leading to improvements in sailors’ pay and conditions.

In the Atlantic world, tensions between the United States and France intensified. The XYZ Affair emerged in 1797–1798, as American envoys were asked for bribes by French agents to begin negotiations with the Directory. The incident fueled anti-French sentiment in the United States and helped set the stage for the undeclared naval conflict known as the Quasi-War that followed.

Overall, 1797 contributed to a reconfiguration of European power structures, the consolidation of rival spheres of influence in Italy, and increasing geopolitical strain between major Atlantic powers, foreshadowing the broader conflicts of the Napoleonic era.