April 8, 1904: The Entente Cordiale

April 8, 1904: The Entente Cordiale (Cordial Agreement) is signed in Paris. After about 1,000 years of trying to kill each other, from William the Conqueror to Henry V to Louis XIV to Napoleon Bonaparte, Great Britain and France are allies.

The first and most important document in the treaty was the Declaration respecting Egypt and Morocco. In return for the French promising not to "obstruct" British actions in Egypt, the British promised to allow the French to "preserve order... and provide assistance" in Morocco. Free passage through the Suez Canal was guaranteed, and the erection of fortifications on part of the Moroccan coast forbidden. The treaty contained a secret annex dealing with the possibility of "changed circumstances" in the administration of either of the two countries.

In the second document, the French gave up their rights over the western coast of Newfoundland -- which would remain a Dominion of Britain until becoming a Province of Canada in 1949 -- although they retained the right to fish the coast. In return, the British gave the French some concessions in West Africa.

The final declaration concerned Asia. In Siam (Thailand), the spheres of influence were divided into east (French) and west (British). The British withdrew their objection to the French introducing a tariff in Madagascar. And the parties came to an agreement which would "put an end to the difficulties arising from the lack of jurisdiction over the natives of the New Hebrides" (present-day Vanuatu).

Since France was already allied with Russia, the Entente Cordiale was a stepping stone to the British also entering into an alliance with them, in 1907, which became the Triple Entente. In essence, an attack on one of them was an attack on all of them. Seven years later, World War I.

It has been joked that the reason the Entente Cordiale happened in the first place was that Britain's King Edward VII needed a cover for a visit to Paris. In previous trips, as the Prince of Wales and the heir to the throne, he could go there and enjoy the company of French "ladies of the evening" all he wanted. But, as King, people would wonder why a head of state was visiting. It must have worked: He became known as "Edward the Peacemaker," even though he had little to do with the hammering-out of the treaty.

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April 8, 1904 was a Friday. Baseball was in Spring Training. Football was out of season. Professional basketball and hockey barely existed. So there were no scores on this historic day.