Foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna (briefly)

Empress All-Russian Elizaveta Petrovna - daughter of Peter the Great and Empress Catherine Alekseevna. She ascended the throne in 1741 and reigned for twenty years. In domestic and foreign policy, Elizabeth adhered to the principles of the rule of her father.

Foreign policy of the predecessors of Elizabeth Petrovna

After the death of Peter the Great , Russia 's foreign policy was stingy with events. The current rulers weakly supported the course of his political activity. During the reign of Ekaterina Alekseevna, the wife of Peter, Russia's relations with England and France deteriorated sharply due to differences in position regarding Schleswig.

Also during this period, the collapse of the European powers into two camps took place. The Russian Empire became part of the Vienna Union together with Austria, Prussia and Spain.

The reign of Peter the Great was not distinguished by special concerns about foreign policy, the young sovereign was more interested in hunting and entertainment.

Foreign policy under Anna Ivanovna became more meaningful. Profitable agreements were concluded with Persia, relations with Sweden improved. In 1735, Russia entered the war with Turkey and won, annexing Moldova and retaining Azov.

Under the regency of Anna Leopoldovna , nothing remarkable happened in foreign policy. In 1741, after the coup, the twenty-year reign of Elizabeth Petrovna began.

Politicians under Elizabeth Petrovna

During the reign, Empress Elizabeth (1741-1761) appointed Count Bestuzhev-Ryumin as Chancellor (Minister of Foreign Affairs). Alexey Petrovich held this post for sixteen years.

But Bestuzhev-Ryumin could spend these years in completely different conditions. Since he was a companion of Biron, and, consequently, of Anna Ioannovna, after entering the throne, Elizabeth fell into disgrace and was imprisoned. Fortunately, the empress's confidant was his friend Johann Lestock, who interceded on the fate of A.P. Bestuzhev.

According to the memoirs of contemporaries of the vice chancellor, he was a competent diplomat and took part in all foreign affairs of Russia until 1757. The foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna under Bestuzhev-Rumin was distinguished by its peacefulness. In 1758, Alexei Petrovich was stripped of all his ranks and titles and sent into exile for speculation and the spread of rumors about the empress's ill health.

His place was taken by Mikhail Vorontsov. He supported the direction of foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna, although he himself adhered to pro-French views all his life. Among the European powers, he was known as a peace lover, because he did not want to drag Russia into military conflicts.

The foreign policy of Elizaveta Petrovna is briefly characterized as west-vector, however, the eastward expansion was proceeding rapidly.

Russian-Swedish war

The reign of Elizabeth was a period of struggle between the French and the Austrians. Each side dreamed of attracting the empress to her union. But since Russia held pro-Austrian views, as Peter the Great bequeathed, France decided to distract the Russian Empire with a war in the north so that it would not interfere with its claims to the Austrian inheritance.

Thus, an alliance was concluded between France and Sweden. The latter planned to take revenge for the defeat in the Northern War and recover the lost territories.

Also in 1739, Sweden entered into an alliance treaty with Turkey against Russia. And on July 28, 1741, war was declared. Despite this, direct hostilities began only at the end of August.

In November, a coup occurred in Russia, and Elizabeth Petrovna’s foreign policy began with the announcement of a truce. However, in March 1742 hostilities resumed. The Swedes sagged noticeably on the defensive and, in the end, by August were surrounded on land and at sea.

The surrender was signed on August 24, and the Swedes returned home, leaving all their guns in place. Technically, the war continued until 1743, but all military operations took place already at sea and practically without the use of weapons. The flotillas of the two countries simply guarded their territories.

Abo world

The armistice negotiations between Russia and Sweden began in January 1743 and lasted almost until mid-summer. A special act was drawn up which contained the main points of the contract.

• Sweden pledged to elect Adolf Friedrich, regent of Holstein, to the throne.
• Russia inherited the Neyshlot fortress, Kyumenigordsky flax, as well as all the mouths of the Kyumen river.
• In return, Russia returned to Sweden all the territories seized from 1741.
• Sweden once again reaffirmed the rights of the Russian Empire in the Baltic states conquered during the Northern War.

On August 19, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna signed the Abo Peace Treaty.

Seven year war

The seven-year war, or, as it was also called, the Colonial War, began with the confrontation of two American colonies - the French and the English. After the usual conflict escalated into an armed confrontation, Britain declared war on France already on European territory.

Friedrich II, who ascended the Prussian throne, decided to strengthen his position in Europe, and without a declaration of war attacked Saxony. He concluded an agreement with England, which was not particularly beneficial for him, but inspired hope that this would keep Russia from entering the war. Friedrich was shortsighted, for which he later paid. A defensive alliance was concluded between France, Austria and Russia against Prussia. The Allied army was twice the size of the Prussian troops.

The foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna regarding Prussia was aimed at weakening and deterrence. In September 1756, Russia declared war on Prussia, but entered into hostilities only in 1757.

The commander of the Russian army was Field Marshal Apraksin, who was soon removed from his post and arrested for the withdrawal of troops from East Prussia.

The Battle of Gross Jegersdorf

The first major battle in the Seven Years' War with the participation of Russia took place on August 19, 1757 near the village of Gross-Egersdorf.

The start of the Prussian attack was unexpected, so the first minutes of the battle remained with them. Russian soldiers had to retreat under the protection of their guns. Prussia's plans included breaking a breach in the center of the Russian defense, where in the end the most fierce battle took place.

From the valley, the fighting went into the forest, where even hand-to-hand fighting could be observed. The outcome of the whole battle was decided by Major General Rumyantsev, who dealt an unexpected blow to the left flank of the Prussians. Opponents stampeded.

Russian losses in this five-hour battle amounted to almost 6 thousand people, including 1,487 killed. The Prussians lost more than 4 thousand soldiers.

Unfortunately, the brilliant victory at Gross-Jegersdorf was not used by Apraksin in any way for further warfare. A week after the camp, he and his army began to retreat from the territory of Prussia to Kurland (historians are inclined to believe that the retreat was due to Apraksin receiving a letter from Bestuzhev-Ryumin, which mentioned the death state of the empress and the speedy ascension to the throne of Peter Fedorovich, who idolized Prussia).

Continuation of the war

In 1758, the new commander-in-chief of the Russian troops, Willem Fermor, began a campaign in East Prussia, and without much difficulty occupied its capital - Koenigsberg. The Russian army was on its way to Berlin. At the village of Zorndorf, Frederick II met her. A bloody battle took place. Both sides suffered huge losses and, exhausted, stayed to spend the night right on the battlefield, and in the morning Friedrich took his army back, fearing help from Rumyantsev.

In May 1759, a new army commander was appointed - P.S. Saltykov. He won the battle of Palzig and allied with the Allied army of Austria on the way to Berlin.

The battle of Kunersdorf took place on August 12, 1759, in which Frederick was defeated, and the road to the capital of Prussia was open. However, disagreements in the camp of the Allies prevented them from bringing the matter to a final victory.

In October 1760, Berlin was captured by the Allies. Frederick with the remnants of his army fled to Saxony, where he hoped to strengthen and replenish the ranks of his soldiers.

The end of the war for Russia

The war for Russia ended completely unexpectedly and not in the way that many thought. The defeat of Frederick was already an obvious fact, and the foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna in his regard was unambiguous. The war was fought to a victorious end.

But in December 1761, the empress dies. Her nephew Peter, who makes a shameful peace with Frederick II, ascends the throne, returns all the conquered territories to him, and also sends a division to help him in the fight against Austria. So recent opponents became companions, which gave the Prussian king a chance to complete what he started.

Results of foreign policy of Elizaveta Petrovna

Every second statesman fought for the empress’s disposition, and each had his own personal goal. The foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna is briefly characterized as ill-conceived. After all, the exact state course was not chosen, as under Peter the Great. Despite this, most of the time of Elizabeth’s reign, Russia was at peace. Relations with the west and the east developed systematically. Consider the results of the Empress in the form of tables.

Western foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna. Table number 1

Eastern foreign policy of Elizabeth Petrovna. Table number 2

These are the results of the empress. Perhaps she had lived longer, the political map of Europe at that time would have looked completely different. But history is subjunctive.