During the Reapers' War which started in 1640 (and included as a part of the Franco-Spanish War) the States-General of Catalonia (Catalan: Junta de Braços or Braços Generals), an extraordinary council of representatives of the Catalan Courts without the king, summoned by the Generalitat, sought support in France and Bernard du Plessis-Besançon [fr] was appointed plenipotentiary of the King of France on 29 August 1640. On 27 October an agreement was finally reached with du Plessis-Besançon to obtain supplies against the army of the King of Spain directed by Pedro Fajardo, Marquis of los Vélez.