The Stolbovo peace with Sweden in 1617 was the final chord of the Russian-Swedish war, which lasted more than five years. Negotiations themselves took several months - neither Russia nor Sweden wanted to compromise on their demands.
Political situation
With the death of Fedorov Ivanovich, the last tsar of the Rurik dynasty, difficult times began for Russia in 1598. The period of political and social crisis following the death of the king was called the Time of Troubles or Time of Troubles. This time was a difficult test for all segments of the population. What led the country into a dead end? There were several prerequisites for a crisis:
- The suppression of the Rurik dynasty is the death of the last representative of the reigning dynasty.
- Oprichnina Ivan the Terrible, who eliminated the political elite of that time, capable of taking control of the country in a difficult situation.
- The defeat of Russia in the Livonian War of 1558-1583.
- Crop failure and the subsequent famine of the early 17th century.
The combination of these factors caused the beginning of the Time of Troubles in Russia. People tired of wars, hunger and political confusion, were ready to support and seize on anyone who would promise them a peaceful, quiet life. This led to the emergence of a whole string of false rulers posing as various relatives of the tsar, and made Russia a tidbit for its neighbors - Poland, Lithuania, Sweden.
Russian-Swedish war
The Stolbovsky world of Russia with Sweden was the finale of the Russian-Swedish war, which began during the Time of Troubles in 1610. In 1609, Prince Tsar Vasily Shuisky, who was taking the place of the king, turned to Sweden for help in combating the intervention of Poland and False Dmitry II, an adventurer and impostor, posing as the tsar’s heir, Tsarevich Dmitry. Under the terms of the agreement on the union of Russia and Sweden, Sweden received significant territories belonging to Russia for its participation in the fight against the Poles, including the Korelu fortress. Both parties, wanting to treat the contract as profitably as possible for themselves, did not fulfill the obligations set before each other.
Desiring to annex the fortress, the Swedish king Sigismund III renounces allied obligations and declares war on Russia, rightly believing that the country is weakened by hunger, political crisis and Polish intervention.
In the years 1610-1611, Swedish mercenaries still fight against the Polish troops on the side of Russia. At the same time, they treat the agreement on the union in their own way and use it for profit, not disdaining from time to time to speak out against the Russian troops, if the Poles' forces prevail or the war on the enemy’s side promises them great benefit.
In 1611, the Swedes began to actively seize the Russian border territories - Korela, Yam, Koporye, Novgorod. Weakened cities surrender to the enemy, and Novgorodians even ask to establish Swedish power, thereby hoping to secede from Russia, overcome by turmoil. The king of Sweden happily agrees to the conditions proposed by the Novgorodians, and puts two governors on the territory of the Novgorod Republic - one from the Novgorod nobility, and the other from the Swedish.
By 1613, the Swedes embarked on an unsuccessful siege of Tikhvin. Around the same time, an army came out of Moscow with the goal of freeing the country from intervention. The battles of this army with the Swedes were of varying success.
In 1614, the Swedes embarked on a siege of Pskov, but the city did not surrender to the invaders. An embassy moved from Novgorod to Moscow with the aim of apologizing to the Russian government for the transfer under the rule of the Swedes.
Peace talks
The war, contrary to the expectations of Sweden, dragged on. The signing of the Pillar of Peace with Sweden has become a necessity for both parties. Peace talks began in August 1615, but were suspended due to the repeated siege of Pskov. They resumed only in January 1616. The talks were mediated by the English ambassador John Merik and several Dutch ambassadors. Negotiations on the part of the Swedes were conducted by Jacob Delagardi, and on the part of Russia, Prince Mezetskiy spoke.
Despite all the efforts on the part of the warring parties and ambassadors from different countries (who had their own interests in this matter), the negotiations ended with the signing of only a temporary truce.
The next time the meeting took place in 1616 in the village of Stolbovo.
Stolbovsky world with Sweden
New negotiations lasted two months: each side insisted on conditions impossible for the opponent. And only on February 27, 1617 a compromise was finally found and a peace treaty was signed. The Stolbovsky peace with Sweden implied the return of Novgorod, Ladoga, Staraya Russa and other occupied territories back under the authority of the Russian government. Only the city of Oreshek and a few territories adjacent to it remained to the Swedes.
The Russian government, under the terms of the Stolbowski peace with Sweden, was obliged to pay an indemnity in the amount of 20 thousand silver, which was at that time a huge amount.
In addition, free trade relations were established between the two countries, however, with a ban on merchants from traveling through the territories of former opponents to other countries.
Relationship to the contract
Despite the great losses Russia after the conclusion of the treaty, Moscow was extremely pleased to conclude the Stolbovsky peace with Sweden.
The country lost access to the Baltic Sea, but then stopped the bloody war and was able to fully concentrate on the war with Poland.