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Accession of Finland to Russia: briefly

At the beginning of the XIX century, an event occurred that affected the fate of an entire people who inhabited the territory adjacent to the coast of the Baltic Sea and for many centuries under the jurisdiction of Swedish monarchs. This historic act was the accession of Finland to Russia, the history of which formed the basis of this article.

The document that became the outcome of the Russo-Swedish war

On September 17, 1809, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland in the city of Friedrichsham, Emperor Alexander I and King Gustav IV of Sweden signed an agreement, the result of which was Finland's accession to Russia. This document was the result of the victory of Russian troops, supported by France and Denmark in the last of a long series of Russian-Swedish wars.

The accession of Finland to Russia under Alexander 1 was a response to the appeal of the Borghorn Seim, the first estate assembly of the peoples who inhabited Finland, to the Russian government with a request to accept their country as Russia's Grand Duchy of Finland, and to conclude a personal union.

Most historians believe that it was the positive reaction of the Emperor Alexander I to this nationwide will that gave impetus to the formation of the Finnish national state, whose population had previously been completely controlled by the Swedish elite. Thus, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it is Russia that Finland owes to the creation of its statehood.

Finland as part of the Kingdom of Sweden

It is known that until the beginning of the nineteenth century the territory of Finland, inhabited by tribes of money and money, never represented an independent state. In the period from the X to the beginning of the XIV century it belonged to Novgorod, but in 1323 was conquered by Sweden and for many centuries passed under its control.

According to the agreement signed in the same year, Finland became part of the Kingdom of Sweden on the rights of autonomy, and from 1581 received the formal status of the Grand Duchy of Finland. However, in reality, its population was subjected to severe discrimination, both legally and administratively. Despite the fact that the Finns had the right to delegate their representatives to the Swedish parliament, their number was so insignificant that they did not allow any significant influence on the solution of current issues. This state of affairs persisted until in 1700 another Russian-Swedish war broke out.

Finland's accession to Russia: the beginning of the process

During the Northern War, the most significant events took place on Finnish territory. In 1710, the troops of Peter I, after a successful siege, captured the well-fortified city of Vyborg and thus secured their access to the Baltic Sea. The next victory of the Russian troops, won four years later in the Battle of Napouz, allowed to liberate practically all the Grand Duchy of Finland from the Swedes.

This could not be regarded as the complete accession of Finland to Russia, since a large part of it remained in Sweden, but the process was started. He could not be stopped even by subsequent attempts to take revenge for the defeat suffered by the Swedes in 1741 and 1788, but both times were not successful.

Nevertheless, on the condition of the Treaty of Nystadt, which completed the Northern War and was concluded in 1721, the territories of Estland, Livonia, Ingria, and a number of islands of the Baltic Sea moved to Russia. In addition, the structure of the empire included Southwest Karelia and the second largest city of Finland - Vyborg.

It became the administrative center of the soon-established Vyborg Province, which was incorporated into the St. Petersburg province. According to this document, Russia assumed obligations on all Finnish territories that had withdrawn to it to preserve the previously existing rights of citizens and the privileges of certain social groups. It also provided for the preservation of all former religious beliefs, including the freedom of the public to profess evangelical faith, the performance of worship services, and instruction in theological educational institutions.

The next stage of the expansion of northern borders

During the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1741 a new Russian-Swedish war broke out. It also became one of the stages of the process, the result of which almost seven decades later, became Finland's accession to Russia.

Briefly, its results can be reduced to two main points - the capture of a large territory of the Grand Duchy of Finland, under Swedish control, which allowed Russian troops to advance right up to Uleaborg, as well as the subsequent highest manifesto. In it on March 18, 1742, the Empress Elizabeth Petrovna announced the introduction on all of the territory of independent government, conquered from Sweden.

In addition, a year later in the large administrative center of Finland - the city of Abo - the government of Russia concluded an agreement with the representatives of the Swedish side according to which the whole of South-Eastern Finland was included in the composition of Russia. It was a very large area, including the cities of Vilmanstrand, Friedrichsham, Neyshlot with its powerful fortress, as well as Kymenegorskaya and Savolakskaya provinces. As a result, the Russian border moved further away from St. Petersburg, thereby reducing the danger of Swedes attacking the Russian capital.

In 1744, all the territories that were part of the Russian Empire on the basis of the agreement signed in the city of Abo, were joined to the previously created Vyborg province, and together with it formed the newly formed Vyborg gubernia. On its territory were established counties: Serdobol, Vilmannstrand, Friedrichsgam, Neishlot, Keksgolmsky and Vyborg. In this form, the province existed until the end of the XVIII century, after which it was transformed into a vicegerency with a special form of government.

Finland's accession to Russia: an alliance beneficial to both states

At the beginning of the XIX century, the territory of Finland, which was part of Sweden, represented an underdeveloped agrarian region. Its population in that period did not exceed 800 thousand people, of which only 5.5% lived in cities. On the peasants who were tenants of land, there was a double oppression both from the side of the Swedish feudal lords and from their own. This in many ways slowed down the development of national culture, and self-awareness.

The accession of Finland to Russia was undoubtedly beneficial to both states. Alexander I was able, thus, to further push the border from his capital - St. Petersburg, which in no small measure contributed to the strengthening of its security.

The Finns, while under the control of Russia, gained considerable freedom in both the legislative and executive branches. However, this event was preceded by another, 11th, and last in the history of the Russo-Swedish war, which broke out in 1808 between the two states.

The last war between Russia and Sweden

As is known from archival documents, the war with the Kingdom of Sweden was not part of Alexander I's plans and was only a forced act on his part, the consequence of which was Finland's annexation to Russia. The fact is that, according to the Treaty of Tilsit, signed in 1807 between Russia and Napoleonic France, the sovereign took upon himself the duty to persuade Sweden and Denmark to a continental blockade against the enemy at that time, England.

If there were no problems with the Danes, the Swedish King Gustav IV categorically rejected the proposal put forward to him. Having exhausted all possibilities to achieve the desired result by diplomatic means, Alexander I was forced to resort to military pressure.

Already at the beginning of the hostilities it became evident that, for all its arrogance, the Swedish monarch was not able to expose against the Russian troops a sufficiently powerful army capable of holding the territory of Finland on which the main military actions were unfolded. As a result of the offensive deployed in three directions, the Russians withdrew to the Kaliksjoki River in less than a month and forced Gustav IV to begin negotiations on concluding peace on conditions dictated by Russia.

The new title of the Russian Emperor

As a result of the Friedrichsham peace treaty - under this name the agreement signed in September 1809 became known, Alexander I became known as the Grand Duke of Finland. According to this document, the Russian monarch undertook to fully support the implementation of the laws adopted by the Finnish Sejm and approved.

This clause of the treaty was very important, as he gave the emperor control of the Seimas, and made him essentially the head of the legislative branch. After Finland was annexed to Russia (the year 1808), it was only with the consent of St. Petersburg that it was allowed to convene the Sejm and introduce changes into the legislation that existed at that time.

From the constitutional monarchy to absolutism

The accession of Finland to Russia, whose date coincides with the day of the announcement of the tsarist manifesto of March 20, 1808, was accompanied by a number of very specific circumstances. Considering that Russia was obliged, according to the treaty, to give the Finns much of what they had failed to achieve from the Swedish government (the right to self-determination, as well as political and social freedoms), significant difficulties arose on this path.

It should be taken into account that earlier the Grand Duchy of Finland was part of Sweden, that is, of a state that had a constitutional structure, elements of separation of powers, class representation in the parliament and, most importantly, the lack of serfdom of the rural population. Now Finland's accession to Russia made it part of a country dominated by an absolute monarchy, where the very word "constitution" aroused fury at the conservative elite of society, and any progressive reforms met imminent resistance.

Establishment of the Commission for Finnish Affairs

We should pay tribute to Alexander I, who was able to take a sober look at this issue, and headed the commission, which he established his liberal protégé to solve the existing problems - Count M. M. Speransky, famous for his reformist activities.

Having studied in detail all the features of Finnish life, the Earl recommended that the Tsar put the principle of autonomy in the basis of its state structure, preserving all local traditions. He also developed an instruction for the work of this commission, the main provisions of which formed the basis of the future constitution of Finland.

The accession to Finland of Russia (year 1808) and the further arrangement of its internal political life were largely the result of decisions taken by the Borghorn Seim, with the participation of representatives of all social strata of society. After drawing up and signing the corresponding document, the members of the Seimas swore allegiance to the Russian emperor and the state under whose jurisdiction they voluntarily entered.

It is interesting to note that, ascending to the throne, all subsequent representatives of the House of Romanov also issued manifestos that certified Finland's accession to Russia. Photo of the first of them, owned by Alexander I, is placed in our article.

After accession to Russia in 1808, the territory of Finland was somewhat enlarged due to the transfer to its jurisdiction of Vyborg (formerly Finland) province. The state languages at that time were Swedish, which became widespread due to the historical features of the country's development, and Finnish, which was spoken by all of its indigenous population.

Armed Soviet-Finnish conflicts

The consequences of Finland's accession to Russia proved to be very favorable for its development and the formation of statehood. Thanks to this for more than a hundred years, there were no significant contradictions between the two states. It should be noted that during the entire period of Russian rule the Finns, unlike the Poles, never raised uprisings and did not try to get out of control of their stronger neighbor.

The picture changed radically in 1917, after the Bolsheviks, led by VI Lenin, granted independence to Finland. Having responded to this act of goodwill with black ingratitude and taking advantage of the difficult situation in Russia, the Finns in 1918 started the war and, having occupied the western part of Karelia up to the Sestra River, advanced to the Pechenga region, partially capturing the Rybachy and the Middle peninsulas.

Such a successful start pushed the Finnish government to a new military campaign, and in 1921 they invaded the Russian borders, nurturing plans for the creation of the "Great Finland". However, this time their successes were much less modest. The last armed confrontation between two northern neighbors - the Soviet Union and Finland - was the war that broke out in the winter of 1939-1940.

She also did not bring victory to the Finns. As a result of the military operations that lasted from the end of November to the middle of March, and the peace treaty that became the final feature of this conflict, Finland lost almost 12% of its territory, including the second largest city of Vyborg. In addition, more than 450 thousand Finns lost their homes and property, forced to be evacuated from the front line inland.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that the Soviet side blamed the start of the conflict on the Finns, referring to the supposedly undertaken artillery shelling, the international community accused the Stalin government of unleashing a war. As a result, in December 1939, the Soviet Union as an aggressor state was expelled from the League of Nations. This war made many forget all the good things that Finland once brought with it to Russia.

Russia's day, unfortunately, is not celebrated in Finland. Instead, the Finns celebrate Independence Day on December 6 each year, recalling how in 1917 the Bolshevik government gave them the opportunity to secede from Russia and continue on their own historical path.

Nevertheless, it is hardly an exaggeration to say that Finland, due to its present position among other European countries, owes much to the influence that in former times Russia has had on its formation and the attainment of its own statehood.

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