The confrontation between Russia and Sweden began in the 18th century, when Peter the Great decided to gain access to the Baltic Sea for his country. This became the reason for the outbreak of the Northern War, which lasted from 1700 to 1721, which Sweden lost. The results of this conflict changed the political map of Europe. Firstly, Sweden, from a great and powerful maritime power dominating the Baltic Sea, has turned into a weak state. To regain its position, Sweden had to fight for decades. Secondly, the Russian Empire appeared in Europe with its capital in the city of St. Petersburg. The new capital was built by Peter the Great on the Neva, next to the Baltic. This made it easier to control the region and the sea. Thirdly, between Russian Empire and Sweden the war continued for a long time. The peak of the struggle was the war, known in historical literature and documents as the Russian-Swedish war. It began in 1808 and ended in 1809.

The situation in Europe at the end of the 18th century.

The revolutionary events that began in France in 1789 influenced the situation in Russia, Sweden, Germany, and England. The political and economic situation in many countries changed by leaps and bounds. In particular, in France the monarchy was overthrown, King Louis the Sixteenth was killed, and a republic was proclaimed, which was quickly replaced by Jacobin rule. The military took advantage of the political confusion and brought Napoleon Bonaparte to power, who created in France new empire. Napoleon sought to conquer Europe, to subjugate not only its western regions, but also to extend his power to the Balkans, Russia, and Poland. Russian Emperor Alexander the First spoke out against the grandiose plans of the French emperor. He managed to stop Napoleon's army in Russia and shake the foundations of the French state. The empire created by Bonaparte began to fall apart.

So, to the main prerequisites for the Russian-Swedish war of the early 19th century. the following factors include:

• Sweden's loss in the Northern War.
• The creation of the Russian Empire and the transition under its authority of important trade routes that were located in the Baltic Sea.
• The Great French Revolution, which was inevitable and which influenced the course of European history in the 19th – 20th centuries. Many consequences of events in France in the late 1780s - 1790s. are still felt in Europe today.
• Napoleon's rise to power, his conquests in Europe and his defeat in Russia.
• Constant wars between the monarchs of Europe and Napoleon's army to protect the national borders of their states from French influence.

Campaigns of the Napoleonic army at the beginning of the 19th century. contributed to the unification European countries into the anti-French coalition. Austria, England and Russia opposed Bonaparte. Emperor Alexander the First pondered for a long time which side to prefer. This choice was due to two important factors. Firstly, the influence on the Russian emperor of the so-called German party, whose members determined foreign policy ambitious Alexander the First. Secondly, the ambitious plans of the new ruler of Russia, who constantly interfered in the internal affairs of the German principalities and lands. Germans were everywhere in the empire - in important government positions, in the army, at court, and the emperor was married to a German princess. His mother was also from a noble German family and had the title of princess. Alexander wanted to carry out constant campaigns of conquest, win, win battles, striving with his achievements to wash away the stain of shame from the murder of his father. Therefore, Alexander the First personally led all campaigns in Germany.

There were several coalitions against Napoleon, Sweden joined the third of them. Its king, Gustav the Fourth, was as ambitious as the Russian emperor. In addition, the Swedish monarch sought to get back the lands of Pomerania, taken away in the 18th century. Only Gustav the Fourth did not calculate the power of his country and the military capabilities of the army. The king was confident that Sweden was capable of drawing the map of Europe, changing borders and winning grandiose battles, as before.

Relations between Russia and Sweden before the war

In January 1805, the two countries signed a treaty to create a new alliance, considered the third anti-Napoleonic coalition of European monarchies against revolutionary and recalcitrant France. In the same year, a campaign was carried out against Bonaparte, which ended in a serious defeat for the allied forces.

The battle took place in November 1805 near Austerlitz, the consequences of which were:

• Escape from the battlefield of the Austrian and Russian emperors.
• Huge losses among the Russian and Austrian armies.
• Sweden attempted to independently conduct a campaign in Pomerania, but the French quickly drove them out of there.

In such a situation, Prussia and Austria tried to save themselves on their own, bypassing the terms of cooperation with Russia. In particular, Austria signed an agreement with France in Pressburg, which historians call a separate agreement. Prussia went to establish allied relations with Napoleon Bonaparte. So, in December 1805, Russia was left alone with France, which did everything to ensure that Alexander the First agreed to sign a peace treaty. But the ruler of the Russian Empire was in no hurry to do this, because he defended the interests of German dynasties and family ties.

Scientists believe that Alexander the First, in order to maintain dominance in the Baltic, control in Finland and over the Black Sea straits, the Caucasian republics, had to agree to peace with Bonaparte. Instead, he showed stubbornness and began to fight with him.

In 1806, new conditions arose for the creation of a new coalition against Napoleon. England, Russia, Sweden, and Prussia took part in it. The English monarch acted as the main financial sponsor of the coalition; the army and soldiers were provided mainly by Prussia and the Russian Empire. The union needed Sweden for balance in order to control Alexander the First. But the Swedish king was in no particular hurry to send his warriors to the European continent from the Scandinavian Peninsula.

The coalition lost again, and Bonaparte’s troops captured Berlin, Warsaw, and reached the Russian border, which ran along the Neman River. Alexander the First personally met with Napoleon and signed the Treaty of Tilsit (1807). Among its conditions it is worth noting:

• Russia should not have interfered in the internal affairs of states Western Europe, including Germany and Austria.
• Complete severance of diplomatic relations and alliance with Austria.
• Russia's observance of strict neutrality.

At the same time, Russia got a chance to deal with Sweden, as well as Turkey. Napoleon during 1807-1808 did not allow Alexander the First to enter Austria, not allowing him to “communicate”.

After the Peace of Tilsit, diplomatic and military games on the European continent did not end. Russia continued to actively interfere in all the affairs of Germany, Britain continued to attack all ships that were regarded as a threat to its state. Thus, the ships of Denmark were accidentally attacked, trying to avoid being drawn into the French wars and coalition alliances against Bonaparte.

In the summer of 1807, British troops landed on Danish territory and Copenhagen was bombed. The British captured the fleet, shipyards, and naval arsenal; Prince Frederick refused to capitulate.

In response to England's attack on Denmark, Russia declared war on Britain because of obligations and family ties. Thus began the Anglo-Russian war, which was accompanied by a blockade of trade ports, goods, and the withdrawal of diplomatic missions.

England was also blockaded by France, which did not appreciate the capture of the Danish fleet and the destruction of Copenhagen. Bonaparte demanded that Russia put pressure on Sweden and that it close the ports to all British ships. This was followed by an exchange of diplomatic letters between Napoleon and Alexander the First. The French emperor offered the Russian all of Sweden and Stockholm. This was a direct hint at the need to begin military action against Sweden. To prevent this Scandinavian country from losing, England signed an agreement with it. His goal was to maintain the position of British merchant ships and companies in Scandinavia and cut off Russia from Sweden. Among the terms of the Anglo-Swedish agreement it is worth noting:

• Paying the Swedish government £1 million every month.
• The war with Russia and its conduct as long as circumstances require.
• Sending British soldiers to Sweden to take control of the country's western border (important ports were located here).
• The transfer of the Swedish army to the east to fight Russia.

In February 1808, it was no longer possible for both countries to avoid military conflict. England wanted to quickly receive “dividends,” and Russia and Sweden wanted to resolve their long-standing disputes.

The course of military operations in 1808-1809.

The war began in February 1808, when Russian troops invaded Sweden in the area of ​​Finland. The effect of surprise gave a serious advantage to Russia, which by mid-spring managed to capture half of Finland, Sveaborg, the Gotland and Åland islands.

The Swedish army suffered huge losses both on land and at sea. In the port of Lisbon at the end of the summer of 1808, the Swedish fleet capitulated to the British, who received the ships for storage until the end of the war. England provided serious assistance to Sweden, providing its troops and navy. Because of this, Russia's situation in Finland worsened. Further events took place in this chronological order:

• In August - September 1808 Russian troops won a number of victories in Finland. Alexander the First sought to clear the occupied territory from the Swedes and the British.
• September 1808 - a truce was signed, but the Russian emperor did not accept it, because he wanted the Swedes to leave Finland for good.
• Winter of 1809 was a winter campaign launched by the Russian Empire to isolate Sweden. The invasion took place through the Gulf of Bothnia (on ice) and along the shore of the bay. The British could not help Sweden from the sea due to weather conditions. The Russian army launched an offensive through the Gulf of Bothnia to the Åland Islands, which they managed to capture, knocking out the Swedes from there. As a result, a political crisis began in Sweden.
• After the winter campaign of 1809, a coup d'état took place in the kingdom, during which Gustav the Fourth was overthrown. The formed government appointed a new regent, and advocated a truce. Alexander the First did not want to sign the treaty until he received Finland.
• March 1809 - General Shuvalov's army marched along the northern shore of the Gulf of Bothnia, capturing Torneo and Kalix. Near the last settlement, the Swedes laid down their arms, and Shuvalov’s troops again went on the offensive. The soldiers, under the skillful leadership of the general, won a victory, and another Swedish army capitulated near the city of Shelefteå.
• Summer of 1809 - the Battle of Ratan, which is considered the last in the Russian-Swedish war. The Russians were advancing on Stockholm, trying to capture it in short time. By that time, the ice in the bay had melted, and British ships rushed to the aid of the Swedes. Decisiveness and surprise were the main factors in the victory of Kamensky’s troops, who gave the last battle to the Swedes at Ratan. They lost, losing one third of their army.

Peace Treaty of 1809 and its consequences

Negotiations began in August and continued for several weeks with the signing of a peace agreement. The agreement was signed in the city of Friedrichsham, now Hanin in Finland. On the Russian side, the document was signed by Count N. Rumyantsev, who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and D. Alopeus, who served as the Russian Ambassador in Stockholm, and on the Swedish side by Colonel A. Scheldebront and Baron K. Stedinck, who was an infantry general.

The terms of the agreement were divided into three parts - military, territorial and economic. Among the military and territorial conditions of the Friedrichsham Peace, attention is drawn to such points as:

• Russia received the Alan Islands and Finland, which received the status of a Grand Duchy. It had autonomy rights within the Russian Empire.
• Sweden was forced to abandon its alliance with the British and take part in the Continental Blockade, aimed at weakening England and its trade in the ports of Sweden.
• Russia withdrew its troops from Swedish territory.
• A mutual exchange of hostages and prisoners of war was carried out.
• The border between the countries passed along the Munio and Torneo rivers, along the Munioniski-Enonteki-Kilpisjärvi line, which stretched to Norway.
• In the border waters, the islands were divided along the fairway line. To the east the island territories belonged to Russia, and to the west to Sweden.

Economic conditions were favorable to both countries. Trade between the states continued, in accordance with the previously signed agreement. Trade remained duty-free in Russian ports on the Baltic Sea, between Sweden and Finland. Other conditions in the field economic cooperation were beneficial to the Russians. They could receive back the taken property, possessions, and lands. In addition, they filed lawsuits to get their property back.

So, the situation in the economic and political spheres after the war changed the status of Finland. It became an integral part of the Russian Empire, began to integrate into its economic and economic system. The Swedes, Finns, and Russians carried out profitable trade operations, regained their property and possessions, and strengthened their positions in Finland.

COURSE OF EVENTS

The plan to attack Russia was to concentrate ground forces in Finland in order to draw the Russian army away from St. Petersburg and liberate the coast; defeat in a general battle on the moraine Russian fleet, blockade Kronstadt; trip to St. Petersburg.

Taking advantage of the war with Turkey, on June 21, 1788, a detachment of Swedish troops crossed the Russian border. The Swedes, having a clear superiority of forces, put forward demands: to punish the Russian ambassador Count Razumovsky; cede Finland to Sweden; accept Swedish mediation to conclude peace with Turkey; disarm the Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea.

The Swedes won victories in the battles of Pardakoski and Kernikoski, near Valkiala (April 18–19, 1790). Russian losses: killed - 6 officers and 195 soldiers; 16 officers and 285 soldiers were wounded. Swedish losses: 41 killed and 173 wounded.

The Russian fleet in the Baltic Sea (49 ships and 25 frigates) was superior to the Swedish (23 battleships, 11 frigates, up to 140 rowing ships) in numbers, not in quality. Almost all ships suitable for combat were sent to the Russian-Turkish theater of operations. In the Battle of Hogland on July 6 (17), 1788, near the island of Gogland in the Gulf of Finland, the Russians defeated the enemy, after which the remnants of the Swedish fleet were forced to take refuge in Sveaborg. In the Battle of Öland on July 15 (26), 1789, near the island of Öland, 36 Swedish ships were defeated by the squadron of Admiral V. Ya. Chichagov.

In the First Battle of Rochensalm on August 13 (24), 1789, the Swedes were defeated, losing 39 ships (including the admiral's, captured). Russian losses - 2 ships. The strategic result of the naval battle of Revel on May 2 (13), 1790, on the roadstead of the port of Revel (Baltic Sea), was the collapse of the entire Swedish campaign plan - it was not possible to defeat the Russian forces piecemeal.

In the Battle of Krasnogorsk on May 23–24 (June 3–4), 1790, northwest of Krasnaya Gorka, the battle lasted two days without a clear superiority of the sides, but, having received news of the approach of the Russian Revel squadron, the Swedes retreated and took refuge in the Vyborg Bay. The Vyborg naval battle on June 22 (July 3), 1790 finally thwarted the Swedish plan to land troops and capture St. Petersburg.

The second Battle of Rochensalm took place on June 28 (July 9), 1790, which took place in the same place where the First brought success to the Swedes - 52 Russian ships were killed in this battle.

The Russian-Swedish War of 1788–1790 ended. the signing of the Verel Peace Treaty on August 3 (14), 1790 (Verel, now Värälä in Finland) on the condition of maintaining the pre-war borders. At the beginning of August 1788, Swedish troops left Russian territory.

BEGINNING OF THE WAR

At the beginning of July 1788, a 36,000-strong Swedish army led by the king himself crossed the Russian border into Finland. The Swedes besieged the small Russian fortress of Neyshlot. Gustav III sent an ultimatum to the commandant of the fortress, the one-armed Major Kuzmin, in which he demanded to immediately open the fortress gates and let the Swedes in. To this the major answered the king: “I am without a hand and cannot open the gate, let His Majesty do the work himself.” Let us add that the Neishlot garrison was only 230 people. However, throughout the war, the Swedes were never able to open the gates of Neishlot, they only tried to plunder the surrounding area. Catherine wrote to Potemkin in this regard:

“After two days of shooting at Neishlot, the Swedes went to plunder the Neishlot district. I ask you, what can be robbed there? XII. The latter may come true, since the ruin of Sweden has begun."

On July 22, 1788, the Swedish army approached the Friedrichsgam fortress and blocked it. The condition of the fortress was deplorable, the stone bastions were missing, and the earthen rampart had collapsed in a number of places. The artillery armament consisted of Swedish guns captured during the war of 1741–1743. The fortress garrison consisted of 2539 people. However, the Swedes stood for two days at Friedrichsgam and then retreated.

Shirokorad A.B. Northern wars of Russia. - M., 2001. Section VI. Russo-Swedish War 1788–1790 Chapter 2. Land War in Finland http://militera.lib.ru/h/shirokorad1/6_02.html

BATTLE AT PARDAKOSKI AND KERNIKOSKI

Reconnaissance reported that the enemy was strongly fortified at Pardakoski and Kernikoski, and his right flank was reliably covered from the front by the fast, non-freezing Kerni River. The lakes, despite the month of April, were completely covered with ice. […]

The first column, approaching the village of Pardakoski at dawn, boldly launched an attack on the enemy battery, but the enemy met the Russians with murderous fire, and then energetically launched an offensive against the flank and rear of the Russian column. Despite their stubborn resistance, the detachment of V.S. Baykova was forced to retreat to Solkis with heavy losses.

At the same time, the troops of General P.K. also went on the attack. Sukhtelen, but, approaching the Kerni River, they stopped in front of a dismantled bridge. After the retreat of Brigadier Baikov's column, the Swedes concentrated all their attention on Sukhtelen, and his attack was also repulsed with great damage.

The battle clearly followed an unsuccessful scenario for the Russians, and soon all our troops began to retreat to Savitaipol. “However, the Russians were not defeated in this battle, as they say, completely: they retreated in such an order that the enemy did not dare to pursue them.”

Russian losses that day were significant: about two hundred killed and more than three hundred wounded, two guns were lost. The damage suffered by the enemy is difficult to determine, but, according to the Russian commanders, it was approximately equal to ours - although Swedish sources indicated only 41 killed and 173 wounded.

Nechaev S.Yu. Barclay de Tolly. M., 2011. http://bookmate.com/r#d=euZ9ra0T

The commander of the Russian rowing fleet, Admiral Prince von Nassau-Siegen, divided his forces: the majority, under the command of himself, was to launch an attack from the east and consisted of 78 ships with 260 heavy guns, including 5 frigates and 22 galleys, 48 ​​half-galleys and gunboats, etc.; he entrusted the command of another squadron of sailing ships to Admiral Cruz; it consisted mainly of heavy ships, numbering 29 with 380 heavy guns: 10 frigates and xebecs, 11 half-galleys, 6 brigs and 2 bombarding ships. With this squadron, Cruz was supposed to attack the Swedes from the southwest and cut off their retreat; already on August 23 he passed by Kirkommasari.

On August 24, after 9 o'clock in the morning, Cruz, with a westerly wind, approached within cannon shot of the Swedish line, but general fire was opened only an hour later; 380 Russians stood against 250 heavy Swedish guns. The shooting continued until 4 pm; by this time, Major General Balle, to whom command had passed instead of Cruz, had to retreat under concentrated enemy fire, and lost two ships; The Swedes continued the pursuit until 8 pm.

Meanwhile, Prince von Nassau approached from the east, but only after noon began to clear the fairway of obstacles; at the northern tip of Kutsale Island he landed 400 men with cannons. Ehrensvärd sent two large ships there for reinforcement, but by 7 pm the Russians managed to pass the bottleneck and attack the main Swedish forces. The Swedes by that time had fired almost all of their shells and soon had to retreat before the overwhelming superiority of the enemy, who began hot pursuit at 9 o’clock in the evening and continued it until 2 o’clock in the morning, all the way to the Svartholm fortress, which lies 20 nautical miles to the west.

The Swedes lost 7 ships; of these, 5 were captured, 1 drowned, 1 flew into the air; in addition, 16 transports were burned. Losses in people were expressed in the figures of 46 officers and 1300 lower ranks; among them were 500 sick people who remained on the islands. The losses of sailing ships amounted to 35%, the losses of rowing ships - only 3%.

The Russians lost only 3 ships; personnel losses were 53 officers and 960 men; according to some reports, Russian losses were more than twice as significant; in any case, their losses in the battle were much greater.

Shtenzel A. History of wars at sea. In 2 volumes. M., 2002. Volume 2. Chapter XII. Swedish-Russian War 1788–1790 http://militera.lib.ru/h/stenzel/2_12.html

TREATY OF VEREL PEACE OF 1790

The Verel Peace Treaty of 1790 between Russia and Sweden, signed on August 3 (14) in Verel (Finland), summed up the results of the Russian-Swedish war of 1788–1790. According to the agreement, peaceful relations and previously existing borders were restored between both states. Both sides renounced territorial claims against each other and confirmed the provisions of the Nystadt Peace Treaty of 1721. The Swedes were allowed to annually buy duty-free grain in the ports of the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea in the amount of 50 thousand rubles. Sweden's attempts to weaken Russia's role and influence in the Baltic in the context of its waging a serious war with Turkey ended in complete failure. The Verel Peace Treaty strengthened Russia's international position, contributed to the disruption of the plan for the formation of an anti-Russian coalition by England and Prussia, and confirmed the terms of the Abo Peace Treaty of 1743. The urgent conclusion of the Verel Peace Treaty was a complete surprise for England and Prussia, allies of Sweden.

Clashes between states began in the middle of the 12th century, when the First Swedish Crusade was declared. But then the Novgorodians survived. From then until early XIX centuries, Sweden and Russia have fought countless times. There are about two dozen major confrontations alone.

Novgorod takes a hit

The first Swedish crusade had a very specific goal - to recapture Ladoga from Novgorod. This confrontation lasted from 1142 to 1164 and the Novgorodians emerged victorious.
A little over twenty years later, the combined Karelian-Novgorod troops managed to capture the capital of Sweden, Sigtuna. The Archbishop of Uppsala was killed and the city was sacked. Among the spoils of war were the famous bronze church gates, which later “settled” in Novgorod.
Towards the middle of the 13th century, the Swedes declared the Second Crusade.

In 1240, the famous battle between Earl Birger and Alexander Yaroslavich took place. The Novgorodians turned out to be stronger, and thanks to the victory the prince received the nickname Nevsky.

But the Swedes did not even think about calming down. Beginning in 1283, they actively tried to gain a foothold on the banks of the Neva. But they did not dare to get involved in open confrontation. The Swedes used “petty foul” tactics, regularly attacking Novgorod merchants. But the Scandinavians failed to derive any concrete benefit from this.
At the beginning of the 14th century, the struggle continued with varying success. Once even the Swedes managed to capture and burn Ladoga, but they were unable to consolidate or develop their success.

Swedes against the Russian Empire

The Scandinavians did not abandon their claims to the northern lands even after Novgorod became part of the Moscow principality. At the very end of the 15th century, under Ivan III, Russia for the first time in for a long time attacked Sweden itself. Having secured the support of the Danish king, Russian troops set out to capture Vyborg.
The war went on with varying degrees of success. Either the Russian governors managed to plunder enemy settlements, or the Swedes did the same. Only the Danish king, who took the Swedish throne, benefited from the confrontation.

A truly large-scale and bloody war between the Russian kingdom and Sweden unfolded under Ivan the Terrible. The reason was traditional - border disputes. The Scandinavians were the first to attack and the Oreshek fortress came under attack. In retaliation, Russian troops laid siege to Vyborg. But both the first and second failed.

Then the Swedes invaded the Izhora and Korelia lands, organizing a pogrom there. During the capture of Korela, the Scandinavians completely slaughtered all Russian inhabitants (about two thousand). Then they exterminated another seven thousand in Gapsala and Narva.

The bloodshed was put to an end by Prince Khvorostinin, who managed to defeat the Scandinavians in battles in Votskaya Pyatina and near Oreshek.

True, the peace treaty between the states was disadvantageous for Russia: it lost Yam, Ivangorod and Koporye.

The Swedes tried to use the troubles that began in Russia for themselves as profitably as possible. And, as they say, they took Ladoga “on the sly.” Further more. The Novgorodians themselves invited the Swedish king to rule over them, so they surrendered the city without a fight. When Mikhail Fedorovich ascended the Russian throne, the Scandinavians already owned Ingria and most of the Novgorod lands.
The Russian troops failed to recapture Novgorod in a rush; the war boiled down, for the most part, to brawls on the borders. Because the commanders did not dare to go into open battle with the troops of Gustavus Adolphus. Soon the Swedes captured Gdov. But failure awaited them near Pskov. Only in 1617, the Stolbovo Treaty was concluded between the countries, according to which Russia called for Swedish rights to Ingermanland and Karelia.

In the middle of the 17th century, hostilities continued. But neither side managed to achieve significant results.

Wars under Peter the Great

Under Peter the Great, the largest war in history took place between Russia and Sweden - the Northern War, which lasted from 1700 to 1721.
Initially, the Scandinavians were opposed by an alliance of European states who wanted to snatch parts of the Baltic territories. The Northern Alliance, which emerged thanks to the initiative of the Elector of Saxony and the Polish King Augustus II, also included the Danes and Russia. But very quickly the alliance fell apart due to several Swedish victories.

Until 1709, Russia fought alone against a formidable enemy. After the capture of Noteburg, Peter founded St. Petersburg in 1703. A year later, Russian troops were able to take Dorpat and Narva.

Four years later, the Swedish king Charles XII went all-in and lost. First, his troops were defeated near Lesnaya. And then - in the decisive battle near Poltava.
The new king of Sweden, Fredrik I, had no choice; he asked for peace. The defeat in the Northern War hit the Scandinavian state hard, knocking it out of the rank of great powers forever.

Wars in the 18th and 19th centuries

The Swedes wanted to regain their status as a great power. To do this, they absolutely had to defeat the Russian Empire.

Under Elizaveta Petrovna, the Swedes declared war. It lasted only two years: from 1741 to 1743. The Scandinavian army was so weak that it could hardly even defend itself, let alone take any offensive actions.
The result of the war was the loss by Sweden of the Kymenegor province with Neishlot, Vilmanstrand and Friedrichsgam. And the border between the states began to pass along the Kyumen River.
Once again the Swedes tried their military luck under Catherine II, succumbing to the instigations of England. The Scandinavian king Gustav III hoped that he would not encounter serious resistance in Finland, since Russian troops were pulled south. But this war, which lasted from 1788 to 1790, did not produce any results. According to the Werel Peace Treaty, Russia and Sweden simply returned the occupied territories to each other.
It fell to Emperor Alexander I to put an end to the centuries-old confrontation between Russia and Sweden. The war lasted only a year (from 1808 to 1809), but was very eventful.
Alexander decided to put an end to his old enemy once and for all, so Russian troops set off to conquer Finland. The Swedes hoped to the last that bloodshed could be avoided, and the king did not believe in the presence of an enemy army on the border. But on February 9, Russian troops (armies commanded by Barclay, Bagration and Tuchkov) invaded the neighboring state without an official declaration of war.
Due to the weakness of the monarch and the impending disaster in Sweden, a coup d'état took place “just in time.” Gustav IV Adolf was deposed, and power passed into the hands of his uncle, the Duke of Südermanland. He received the name Charles XIII.
After these events, the Swedes perked up and decided to expel the enemy armies from Österbothnia. But all attempts were unsuccessful. At the same time, which is typical, the Swedes refused to agree to peace, giving the Åland Islands to Russia.

The hostilities continued, and the Scandinavians decided to take the final, decisive blow. But this idea also failed, the Swedes had to sign a peace treaty. According to it, they ceded all of Finland, the Åland Islands and the eastern part of Vestro-Bothnia to the Russian Empire.

At this point, the confrontation between states, which lasted almost seven centuries, was over. Russia emerged from it as the sole winner.

Sweden is the largest state Northern Europe. In the past, it dominated its region and at certain periods of its history could well be considered one of the great European powers. Among the kings of Sweden there were many great commanders - such as, for example, the “Lion of the North” Gustav II Adolf, Peter the Great’s rival Charles XII, as well as the former French marshal and founder of the currently ruling Swedish royal dynasty of Bernadottes, Charles XIV Johan. Sweden's victorious wars, which the state waged for several centuries, allowed it to create a fairly extensive empire in the Baltic Sea basin. However, in addition to major interstate conflicts, Swedish military history also knows several internal ones - for example, at the end of the 16th century, a war broke out in Sweden. Civil War between supporters of two monarchs: Sigismund III and Charles IX.

An important event, which united Swedish and Russian history, became the Great Northern War, which lasted from 1700 to 1721. The fundamental reasons for this 20-year conflict lay in Russia's desire to gain strategic access to the Baltic Sea. The start of the war against Russia and its allies, which was quite successful for the Swedes, still could not provide this northern power with a final victory. The final results were disappointing for Sweden: defeat in this war began the gradual decline of the country as a great power. With a certain degree of convention, we can assume that the military history of Sweden ended in 1814, when the country fought its last war.
However, even today the Scandinavian kingdom has a highly developed defense industry and, albeit small, a superbly equipped and trained army. A special section of the portal site contains author’s articles and editorial materials dedicated to the rich military history Sweden and today its armed forces.

Scheme for the Unified State Exam.

In 1808, Russian troops invaded Finland, this became the beginning of the Russian-Swedish war, which ended in 1809. As a result, Russia annexed Finland and the Åland Islands. Military plans were implemented in a short time.

In the course of history, there are 18 wars that, since the times of the Crusades, were waged by the Russian principalities, and then Russia, against Sweden. The struggle was waged for the territories of Ladoga, the Karelian Isthmus, Finland, and access to the Baltic. The last war was the war of 1808-1809, largely provoked by France, with which Russia signed a treaty. However, Alexander II also had his own interest - Finland, which completely ceded to the Russian Empire under the terms of the Peace of Friedrichsham, putting an end to the centuries-old confrontation between the two states.

Prerequisites for the war

The Treaty of Tilsit in 1807 made Russia and Napoleonic France allies. Alexander I was forced to join the continental blockade of England, which Denmark was also ready to support. In response to this Hyde-Parker, Admiral English fleet, attacked Copenhagen and captured the Danish fleet.

A confrontation began between Russia and England, which essentially turned into a low-intensity war. Alexander I counted on the support of Gustav IV, the Swedish king. However, he was inclined towards Great Britain, because he had his own interest - Norway, which he hoped to win from Denmark. This allowed the Russian Empire to continue its territorial claims to Sweden.

Causes of hostilities

Three groups of reasons can be distinguished:

Sweden's reluctance to join Napoleon's economic and political sanctions against England, with which allied relations were being built. Gustav IV refused to close his ports to the ships of the English fleet. Russia sought to get Sweden to comply with the treaties of 1790 and 1800, according to which European ships could not freely use the Baltic Sea, and to make it an ally in the fight against Great Britain.

The desire of the Russian Empire to secure its northern borders by moving them away from St. Petersburg, with the goal of capturing Finland, the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland.

Pushing Russia towards aggression by Napoleon, who wanted to weaken his main enemy in Europe - Great Britain. He actually authorized Russia's seizure of Swedish territory.

Goals of war

Reason for war

Alexander I considered the return of the state's highest award to Gustav IV insulting. Previously, the Swedish monarch was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, but returned it when it became known that Russia had awarded a similar award to Napoleon Bonaparte, as well as representatives of his entourage.

In addition, in February, Great Britain pledged to pay Sweden £1 million annually in the event of a military campaign against Russia, having signed a corresponding agreement.

Progress of hostilities

Russian troops crossed the border with Finland on February 9, but only on March 16, 1808, war on Sweden was officially declared . This is due to the order of Gustav IV to arrest representatives of the Russian embassy.

Commanders

Balance of forces, actual start of the war

Before the outbreak of hostilities Russian army was located between Neishlot and Friedrichsgam. There were scattered along the border 24 thousand people. Sweden, counting on England's support, delayed the moment in every possible way armed conflict. In Finland, the Swedish army numbered 19 thousand people and did not receive instructions to transfer to martial law. After the Russian troops crossed Finnish border she was given the task of not getting involved in fighting, while holding Sveaborg.

This allowed Russian troops to strengthen themselves in Svartholm in March and occupy the Åland Islands and Cape Gangut. 20.03. The manifesto of the Russian Emperor on the annexation of Finland was published. In April 1808 Sveaborg fell. 7.5 thousand Swedish soldiers and 110 ships were captured by the winners.

Failures of the royal army

The Russian army was unable to consolidate its success at the first stage for a number of reasons:

In northern Finland, the enemy had a superiority of forces, which led to defeat at Siikajoki, Revolax and Pulkila. Russian troops retreated to Kuopio.

The Finns launched a partisan struggle against the Russian army.

In May, the English corps arrived in Gothenburg and only a lack of coordination with the Swedish monarch prevented it from playing decisive role during the military campaign. However, thanks to the efforts of the Anglo-Swedish fleet, the Russians lost Gotland and the Åland Islands.

Fracture

By the summer, Russia managed to assemble an army of 34 thousand people while V. M. Klingspor was inactive. This led to a series of victories in August - early September: at Kuortana, Salmi, Oravais. In mid-September, the Anglo-Swedish fleet attempted a landing in the south of Finland in the amount of 9 thousand people, but after the defeat of one of the detachments at Helsinga, a truce was concluded. Alexander I did not approve of him, but at the end of November a new treaty, according to which Sweden was obliged to leave Finland, was agreed upon.

Successes of the Russian army

In 1809, the emperor set Knorring the task of transferring the theater of military operations to Swedish territory in order to persuade Gustav IV to peace. The army crossed the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia in three columns. Having captured the Åland Islands, Umeå, Torneo and reaching Grisselgam (Kulnev's vanguard), Russian troops brought panic to the capital of Sweden. In March, a coup took place in the country, as a result of which GustavIVwas deposed, and his uncle (Charles XIII), who concluded a truce with Russia, ascended the throne.

Dissatisfied with the suspension of hostilities, Alexander I appointed Barclay de Tolly at the head of the army. The last clash where the Swedes suffered a crushing defeat was the battle of Ratan (August 1809).

Peace treaty

All military actions by Sweden against Russia and its allies ceased.

All of Finland up to the Torneo River came into the possession of the Russian Empire in the status of a Grand Duchy. She was given wide autonomy.

Sweden closed its harbors to the British, joining the continental blockade.

Results and historical significance of the war

This war was the last in the confrontation between Russia and Sweden, which ceased to claim the territories lost during the Northern War. Its military result was the unprecedented “Ice March,” during which for the first time in history the Gulf of Bothnia was crossed on ice.

The fate of Finland was finally decided in 1815, which consolidated the decision of the Friedrichsham Peace Treaty.

After the Sejm in Finland, at which autonomy within Russia was proclaimed and the system of internal self-government was preserved, the Finns reacted positively to the changes. The abolition of certain taxes, the disbandment of the army and the right to manage one’s own budget without transferring it to the income of the empire contributed to the formation of friendly, good neighborly relations with the Russian Empire. During the War of 1812, the Finnish regiment from among the volunteers called up for service fought against Napoleon.

National self-awareness was growing in the country, which would play a role when the tsarist autocracy took a course towards reducing the autonomy rights of the Grand Duchy.

Used Books:

1. Butakov Yaroslav. Finland is with us and without us. [Electronic resource] / “Century” Copyright © Stoletie.RU 2004-2019 – Access mode: http://www.stoletie.ru/territoriya_istorii/finlyandiya_s_nami_i_bez_nas_2009-03-19.htm
2. Russian-Swedish wars. [Electronic resource] / Great Russian Encyclopedia. - Electron. text data – BDT 2005-2019. – Access mode: https://bigenc.ru/military_science/text/3522658