Importance in the initial period of the reign of Alexander I had an eastern foreign policy direction, where Russia has traditionally had difficult relations with the Ottoman Empire and Persia (Iran).

The key issue here can be considered the problem of control over the Black Sea straits (Bosphorus, Dardanelles) and the division of spheres of influence in the Balkan Peninsula, which belongs to Turkey, but has a Slavic and predominantly Orthodox population. The Caucasus, where Russia sought to establish its power, was also of fundamental economic and military-strategic importance.

In accordance with the Treaty of St. George (1783) , Eastern Georgia, fearing a Persian and Turkish invasion, came under the protection of Russia. At the end of 1800, the last Georgian king from the Bagratid dynasty abdicated in favor of the Russian sovereign. During 1801–1804 the whole of Georgia voluntarily became part of the Russian Empire, and a Russian administration was created on its territory, headed by a governor appointed in St. Petersburg.

Russian expansion in Transcaucasia aroused the indignation of the Persian Shah.

In 1804, the Russian-Iranian war began, which lasted until 1813. The Russian army had a huge superiority over the poorly armed and poorly organized Persian troops. As a result, on October 12, 1813, a peace treaty was signed in the village of Gulistan, according to which Iran recognized not only Georgia, but also Dagestan and Northern Azerbaijan as part of the Russian Empire, and in addition, Russia received the exclusive right to keep a navy in the Caspian Sea .

In 1806, relying on the support of France, the Turkish Sultan Selim III closed the Black Sea straits for Russian ships. He also replaced the Russian-friendly rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia (Ypsilanti and Muruzi), which was a direct violation of existing Russian-Turkish agreements. The war, which began in December 1806, continued until 1812. Among the Russian commanders who took part in it, it should be noted General I.I. Michelson and Vice Admiral D.N. Sinyavin, who defeated the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Athos (June 19, 1807). In the spring of 1811 General M.I. Kutuzov, who in October 1811 won a major battle at Ruschuk. May 28, 1812 M.I. Kutuzov signed Bucharest peace , according to which Bessarabia became part of Russia (the border was established along the Prut River), and Moldova, Wallachia and Serbia received autonomy as part of Ottoman Empire. This treaty was signed a few days before Napoleon's invasion of Russia and ensured Turkey's neutrality in the upcoming Patriotic War of 1812.

The main foreign policy interests of Russia during the entire reign of Alexander I (1801–1825) were concentrated towards the west .

At the turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries. France, Great Britain and Austria began another redistribution of Europe, which went down in history under the name "Napoleonic Wars". Of course, the Russian Empire, which has the status of a great European power and is constantly striving to increase its influence on the continent, could not but take part in this process.

At first, the government of Alexander I tried to take the position of an arbitrator in European affairs, and "become desirable for everyone, without assuming any obligations in relation to anyone." Already in March - June 1801, steps were taken to normalize relations with Great Britain, in September 1801 a peace agreement was signed with France. There was a temporary lull in Europe that lasted until the spring of 1805, when the third anti-Napoleonic coalition was created(Russia, Great Britain, Austria). Napoleon acted decisively.

In October 1805 he defeated Austria and occupied Vienna.

On November 20, 1805, a major battle took place near Austerlitz, in which the allied Russian-Austrian troops, led by M.I. Kutuzov, were defeated. This defeat forced Alexander I to withdraw his army from Europe and in June 1806 sign an unfavorable peace with France.

However, already at the end of 1806, a new (fourth) anti-Napoleonic coalition was formed, in which Prussia and Sweden took the place of Austria. The French emperor attacked the allies in the autumn of 1806. In October, he occupied Berlin, defeating Prussian army under Jena. Here he announced the establishment of a continental blockade of England.

At the beginning of 1807, a major battle took place near Preussisch-Eylau between the French and the Russian army, commanded by General L.L. Bennigsen. Napoleon failed to win a decisive victory then, but already on June 2 of the same year in the battle of Friedland, Bennigsen was defeated and was forced to retreat behind the Neman.

On June 25, 1807, Alexander I and Napoleon met in Tilsit, as a result of which the emperors not only signed peace, but also signed an alliance treaty. The terms of this peace were extremely disadvantageous and even insulting for Russia.

Alexander I had to recognize all the French conquests in Europe and approve the creation of the Duchy of Warsaw (meanwhile, the revival of Polish statehood was contrary to the interests of Russia).

Alexander also pledged to break off relations with Great Britain and join the continental blockade. This condition violated the economic and political sovereignty of the Russian Empire.

The union of Alexander and Napoleon also had positive consequences for Russia - France approved the expansionist plans of the Russian Empire in relation to northern Europe.

From February 1808 to August 1809 the last Russian-Swedish war in history took place, ending with the signing of the Friedrichsham Peace Treaty. Under its terms, Finland (which received wide autonomy) and the Åland Islands became part of Russia, and Sweden pledged to join the continental blockade.

Obviously, the Tilsit Peace Treaty did not resolve, but only exacerbated the contradictions between France and Russia. The situation remained tense even after the meeting of the two emperors in Erfrut (September–October 1808). In 1811, the Russian Empire actually withdrew from the continental blockade, increased its army, looked for allies, and prepared for an attack on the Duchy of Warsaw.

Patriotic War 1812

Causes

The Treaty of Tilsit (1807) did not resolve, but only exacerbated the contradictions between France and Russia. A big war was coming. Its main reasons can be considered: 1) in 1812, Russia and Great Britain remained the last serious obstacles to Napoleon's path to world hegemony. The French emperor rightly considered economically developed bourgeois England to be his main opponent, but in order to defeat her, he first needed to seize and strengthen leadership on the continent, as well as establish a strong alliance with Russia on favorable terms for the French Empire; 2) Russia not only did not want to follow in the wake of French policy, but also had its own hegemonic ambitions, if not global, then at least European. There is evidence indicating that Alexander I in 1811 - early 1812. actively preparing for an attack on France. However, Napoleon was ahead of him; 3) diplomatic contradictions between France and Russia were concentrated around the following (insoluble by peaceful means) problems: the creation of the Duchy of Warsaw (1807) threatened the national security of Russia, which was not interested in the revival of Polish statehood; the capture by France of the Duchy of Oldenburg (1810), with the ruling dynasty of which Alexander I had family ties; France's resistance to Russia's desire to establish control over the Black Sea straits (Bosporus and Dardanelles); 4) in early XIX v. Great Britain was the most important trading partner of the Russian Empire, so joining the continental blockade was a real economic disaster. From 1808 to 1812 Russian foreign trade turnover decreased by 45%. The restriction of the state sovereignty of Russia, in fact, was a ban on official diplomatic relations with England; 5) Russian society had a negative attitude towards the union with France. Napoleon was called "usurper", "soldafon" and even "Antichrist" here. Personal relations between the emperors also left much to be desired. They especially went wrong in 1810 after Alexander I refused to agree to the marriage of his sister Anna with Napoleon.

Both countries were actively preparing for war, making huge diplomatic efforts in search of allies. France managed to put together a powerful coalition. It included Austria, Prussia, the Netherlands, the Duchy of Warsaw, most of the German principalities and Italian states. However, as it turned out later, only the Poles joined the union voluntarily, while the rest were only looking for a suitable opportunity to betray Napoleon. In turn, Russia could ensure the neutrality of Sweden and Turkey, thereby protecting its flanks.

On August 15, 1811, at the solemn reception of the diplomatic corps, the French emperor declared to Prince A.B. Kurakin: "I don't know if I'll beat you, but we'll fight!"

Ticket 1. Domestic policy of Alexander I

At the beginning of his reign, Alexander I tried to carry out a series of reforms that were supposed to stabilize the economic and political position in the country. In his reform activities, he relied on the so-called. A secret committee, which included statesmen of moderate liberal sentiments (Stroganov, Kochubey, Czartorysky, Novosiltsev). The most serious reforms were in the field political system. In 1802, new central government bodies appeared - ministries, which, together with local institutions introduced provincial reform 1775, formed a single, strictly centralized bureaucratic system of government in Russia. In the same year, the place of the Senate in this system was determined as a supervisory body - again purely bureaucratic - over the observance of the rule of law. Such transformations made it easier for the autocratic authorities to manage the country, but did not introduce anything fundamentally new into the state system. In the socio-economic sphere, Alexander I made several timid attempts to mitigate serfdom. The Decree of 1803 on free cultivators gave the landowner the opportunity to release his peasants with land for a ransom. It was assumed that thanks to this decree, a new class of personally free peasants would arise; the landowners, on the other hand, will receive funds for reorganizing their economy in a new, bourgeois manner. However, the landlords were not interested in such an opportunity - the decree, which was optional, had practically no consequences. After the Peace of Tilsit (1807), the tsar again raised the issue of reforms. In 1808 - 1809. M. M. Speransky, the closest collaborator of Alexander I, developed the "Plan of State Transformation", according to which, in parallel with the administrative-bureaucratic management system pursuing the policy of the center, it was supposed to create a system of elected bodies of local self-government - a kind of pyramid of volost, district (county) and provincial councils. The State Duma, the highest legislative body of the country, was to crown this pyramid. Speransky's plan, which provided for the introduction of a constitutional system in Russia, provoked sharp criticism from the highest dignitaries and the nobility of the capital. Due to the opposition of conservative dignitaries, only the State Council, the prototype of the upper house of the Duma (1810), was established. Despite the fact that the project was created in accordance with the instructions of the king himself, it was never implemented. Speransky was sent into exile in 1812. The Patriotic War and foreign campaigns distracted Alexander I from domestic political problems for a long time. During these years, the king is experiencing a serious spiritual crisis, becomes a mystic and, in fact, refuses to solve pressing problems. The last decade of his reign went down in history as Arakcheevshchina - after the name of the main confidant of the king A. A. Arakcheev, a strong-willed, energetic and merciless person. This time is characterized by the desire to restore bureaucratic order in all spheres of Russian life. Its most striking signs were the pogroms of young Russian universities - Kazan, Kharkov, St. Petersburg, from which professors objectionable to the government were expelled, and military settlements - an attempt to make part of the army self-sustaining, planting it on the ground, combining a soldier and a farmer in one person. This experiment turned out to be extremely unsuccessful and caused powerful uprisings of military settlers, which were ruthlessly suppressed by the government.

2. Foreign policy Alexandra I.

During the reign of Alexander 1, the Russian Empire steadily expanded its possessions and pursued an active foreign policy. The rapprochement between Russia and Georgia continued, which began as early as the 18th century. Georgia sought protection from the expansion of Iran and Turkey in an alliance with Russia. In 1801, the Georgian tsar George X11 renounced power in favor of the Russian tsar.

From 1804 to 1813 there was a war between Russia and Persia. According to the Gulistan Treaty of 1813, Dagestan and Northern Azerbaijan became part of Russia. The peoples of Dagestan even earlier expressed their desire to accept Russian citizenship and took an oath of allegiance. Now it has been enshrined in an international treaty.

In 1805 Russia entered into an alliance with England and Austria against France. Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in France and proclaimed himself emperor. Napoleon won a brilliant victory over the Allied army at the Battle of Austerlitz. Turkey, incited by France, closed the Bosporus to Russian ships. This was the reason for the Russian-Turkish war, which began in 1806 and lasted until 1812. Military operations were conducted in Moldavia, Wallachia and Bulgaria.

In Europe, a new coalition is being formed against France, consisting of England, Russia, Prussia, Saxony and Sweden. The wars of European countries against Napoleonic expansion were called coalition wars. The armies of Russia and Prussia fought inconsistently, in 1806-1807. Napoleon won a number of serious victories. In 1807 The Russian army was defeated near Friedland. After the meeting of Napoleon and Alexander in the town of Tilsit, a peace treaty was concluded, which many considered a shame for Russia.

According to the Treaty of Tilsit, Russia was forced to join the continental blockade of England, that is, to stop trade relations with her. This Napoleon wanted to weaken the economic power of England. Sweden refused to break off relations with England. There was a threat of an attack on St. Petersburg. Under pressure from Napoleon, Alexander declared war on Sweden, which lasted from 1808 to 1809. As a result, Sweden was defeated and Finland went to Russia. As part of the Russian Empire, Finland received autonomy and, together with Vyborg, became known as the Grand Duchy of Finland. It minted its own coin and had a customs border with Russia.

Relations between Russia and France were getting worse. Russia suffered losses from the termination of trade with England, which she supplied with bread. Russia resumed trade with England on American ships, and a customs war broke out between Russia and France. The crushing of Russia became the goal of Napoleon. And the Russian army at this time is at war with Turkey, which, despite the defeat, delays the signing of peace under the influence of France. In 1811, Kutuzov became the commander of this army, who not only won a number of military victories, but also, having shown diplomatic abilities, signed a peace treaty with Turkey a month before Napoleon's invasion of Russia. According to the Belgrade Treaty of 1812, the border with Turkey was established along the Prut River, and Bessarabia ceded to Russia. Serbia remained under Turkish rule, but gained autonomy.

Patriotic War

The cause of the war was the violation by Russia and France of the terms of the Tilsit Treaty. Russia actually abandoned the blockade of England, accepting ships with English goods under neutral flags in its ports. France annexed the Duchy of Oldenburg, and Napoleon considered Alexander's demand for the withdrawal of French troops from Prussia and the Duchy of Warsaw insulting. A military clash between the two great powers was becoming inevitable. June 12, 1812 Napoleon at the head of the 600 thousandth army, crossing the river. Neman, invaded Russia. With an army of about 240 thousand people, the Russian troops were forced to retreat before the French armada. On August 3, the 1st and 2nd Russian armies joined forces near Smolensk, and a battle was fought. Napoleon failed to win a complete victory. In August, M.I. Kutuzov was appointed commander-in-chief. A talented strategist with great military experience, he was very popular with the people and in the army. Kutuzov decided to give battle near the village of Borodino. A good position was chosen for the troops. The right flank was defended by the Koloch River, the left was defended by earthen fortifications - flushes, they were defended by the troops of P.I.Bagration. In the center stood the troops of General N.N. Raevsky and artillery. Their positions were closed by the Shevardinsky redoubt. Napoleon intended to break through the Russian formation from the left flank, and then direct all efforts to the center and press Kutuzov's army to the river. He directed the fire of 400 guns at Bagration's flashes. The French launched 8 attacks, which began at 5 o'clock in the morning, suffering huge losses in them. Only by 4 o'clock in the afternoon did the French manage to advance in the center, temporarily capturing Raevsky's batteries. In the midst of the battle, a desperate raid into the rear of the French was made by the uhlans of the 1st cavalry corps of F.P. Uvarov and the Cossacks of Ataman M.I. Platov. This held back the attacking impulse of the French. Napoleon did not dare to bring the old guard into battle and lose the backbone of the army away from France. The battle ended late in the evening. The troops suffered huge losses: the French - 58 thousand people, the Russians - 44 thousand. Napoleon considered himself the winner in this battle, but later admitted: "Near Moscow, the Russians won the right to be invincible." In the Battle of Borodino, the Russian army won a great moral and political victory over the European dictator. On September 1, 1812, at a meeting in Fili, Kutuzov decides to leave Moscow. The retreat was necessary to save the army and further struggle for the independence of the Fatherland. Napoleon entered Moscow on September 2 and stayed there until October 7, 1812. waiting for peace proposals. During this time, most of the city was destroyed by fires. Bonaparte's attempts to make peace with Alexander I were unsuccessful.

Kutuzov stopped on the Kaluga direction in the village of Tarutino (80 km south of Moscow), covering Kaluga with large supplies of fodder and Tula with its arsenals. In the Tarutinsky camp, the Russian army replenished its reserves and received equipment. Meanwhile, a guerrilla war broke out. Peasant detachments of Gerasim Kurin, Fyodor Potapov, Vasilisa Kozhina smashed the food detachments of the French. There were special army detachments of D.V. Davydov and A.N. Seslavin.

Leaving Moscow in October, Napoleon tried to go to Kaluga and spend the winter in a province not devastated by the war. On October 12, near Maloyaroslavets, Napoleon's army was defeated and began to retreat along the devastated Smolensk road, driven by frost and hunger. Pursuing the retreating French, the Russian troops destroyed their formations in parts. The final defeat of Napoleon's army took place in the battle near the river. Berezina November 14-16. Only 30 thousand French soldiers were able to leave Russia. On December 25, Alexander I issued a manifesto on the victorious end of the Patriotic War.

In 1813-1814, the Russian army marched abroad to liberate Europe from Napoleon's rule. In alliance with Austria, Prussia and Sweden, Russian troops inflicted a number of defeats on the French, the largest was the "Battle of the Nations" near Leipzig. The Treaty of Paris on May 18, 1814 deprived Napoleon of the throne and returned France to the borders of 1793.

Objective conditions for implementation Factors of influence on the foreign policy of Alexander I: International situation Economic interests Personal views and interests Army - 500 thousand people. Well organized, equipped, trained Extensive and established diplomatic service

Alexander I as a diplomat Ideas of European unity (strict pan-European order) Preservation of legitimate principles For the creation of multilateral European unions Used personal contacts with the monarchs and politicians of Europe Napoleon considered him the most prominent politician and diplomat among European sovereigns

Eastern Direction Russia was interested in weakening the Ottoman Empire, which at that time ruled over many Balkan peoples. Russia also needed to stabilize the situation in the Black Sea region, ensure the most favorable political and legal regime for the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, guarantee Turkey to prevent the penetration of naval forces into them. Western countries. National movements Russia could use the peoples of the Balkans to influence the Turkish government (Porto).

Eastern direction The program of action was developed in the circle of "young friends" of the emperor. For the preservation of the integrity of the Ottoman Empire, the refusal of deals with European powers on its division. 1805 - an agreement with Turkey (the right of passage of Russian ships through the straits). 1806 in connection with liberation struggle Balkan peoples relations with Turkey deteriorated. The port closed the straits for Russian ships Russo-Turkish War 1806 - 1812 Bucharest Peace Treaty. Bessarabia and part of the Black Sea coast from the city of Sukhum went to Russia.

Caucasus Russia's interest in the Caucasus was dictated by geopolitical, economic and strategic reasons. The accession of the Caucasus opened up broad prospects for the development of trade through the ports of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, made it possible to increase both political and military pressure on Turkey and Persia. The process of accession of the peoples of the Caucasus to the Russian Empire took place in 3 stages. The first period (from 1801 to 1813) annexation of significant territories in Transcaucasia (including Georgia, Northern Azerbaijan and certain areas of the Black Sea coast; then (from 1813 to 1829) annexation of Eastern Armenia, the Akhaltsikhe region of Akhalkala, most of Black Sea coast Caucasus, the final stage (1830 - early 60s) - the conquest of the main territories of the North Caucasus.

Western Direction Since the end of the 18th century, a series of wars has continued uninterruptedly in Europe. The military operations waged by France under Bonaparte are known in history as the Napoleonic Wars. In bloody battles, France defended the right to a republican form state structure, sought to export the revolution to monarchical countries. But Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804 proclaimed himself emperor, thus changing the vector political development France. The export of the revolution and the campaigns for prey have now become, in their essence, the struggle for world domination.

3rd Anti-Napoleonic Coalition The situation in Europe was threatening. Russia could no longer pursue a policy of neutrality. In 1805, Alexander I enters into a military alliance with England and Austria against France. At the end of the same year, the Russian and Austrian troops suffered a heavy defeat in the battle near Austerlitz from the Napoleonic army.

4th coalition military coalition against Napoleon, which included England, Russia, Prussia, Saxony, Sweden. The main emphasis was placed by the allies on the forces of Prussia and Russia, the actions of the allies themselves were not thought out. In 1806-1807, Napoleon dealt a number of important blows to the allies. The Russian army was defeated near Friedland.

In June 1807 in the town of Tilsit ( East Prussia) Alexander I met with Napoleon. The emperors decided to conclude a peace treaty. Napoleon, on the other hand, needed not only peace with Russia, but also an allied treaty so that Russia would join the continental blockade of Great Britain. Russian diplomacy was forced to agree and sign the treaty. Russia insisted on maintaining the independence of Prussia, which, in spite of everything, turned out to be greatly curtailed according to the clauses of the treaty. Napoleon also formed the Duchy of Warsaw, which became Bonaparte's stronghold during the attack on Russia. The union treaty provided for Russia's accession to the continental blockade. The fact of Russia's participation in the continental blockade of England was a heavy burden for the country, had a negative impact on the economy, and undermined the interests of the merchants.

The Peace of Tilsit is a peace treaty concluded between June 25 and July 9, 1807 in Tilsit (now the city of Sovetsk in the Kaliningrad region) between Alexander I and Napoleon after the War of the Fourth Coalition of 1806–1807.

In Russian society, the Peace of Tilsit was perceived as a political miscalculation of Alexander, but no matter how society regarded this fact, Russia, thanks to the conclusion of peace, got the opportunity to gather strength, better prepare for further hostilities, while also being able to resolve its other foreign policy issues (problems of relations with Turkey, Sweden and Persia).

Russia waged a short-term war with Sweden in 1808-1809. Its reason was the refusal of the Swedish king Gustav IV to join the continental blockade. After that, Russian troops entered Finland. The local population met the Russians quite kindly, as there were anti-Swedish sentiments in public circles. In March 1809, Russian units under the command of Bagration and Barclay de Tolly entered the territory of Sweden. King Gustav IV was deposed. In August of the same year, the Friedrichsham Peace Treaty was signed. Finland retreated to Russia, and Sweden was to join the continental blockade. The Grand Duchy of Finland was created, which existed as part of the Russian Empire until the end of its existence.

And yet the Peace of Tilsit did not bring long peace and did not solve all the problems. A new important meeting of emperors was held in 1808 in Erfurt, which turned out to be held in a more favorable political situation for Russia. Napoleon continued to pursue a policy of expansion, even in Tilsit he offered Alexander to divide the territory of Turkey, began to conduct military operations in Spain, expected that Russia would take part in the Franco-Austrian war. But Russia continued to refuse direct cooperation with Napoleon, and also delayed the question of the beginning of the continental blockade of England. Under neutral flags, Russia continued to trade with England, which angered Napoleon. The final break in diplomatic relations was inevitable.

Patriotic War of 1812 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Plan Causes, nature of the war. Preparation of the parties to the war plans of the parties. periodization of the war. The course of hostilities from Vilna to Smolensk. The course of the Battle of Borodino. Tarutinsky march-maneuver; the fire of Moscow The counteroffensive of the Russian army and the expulsion of the French from Russia

The foreign policy of Alexander 1 is a key theme from which many consequences of Russia's position on the world stage in the first half of the 19th century will follow. Therefore, in order to qualitatively study history, maximum attention should be paid to this topic.

Emperor Alexander the First Blessed

background

Before describing the foreign policy of Alexander 1, I would like to briefly remind readers of how Alexander 1 came to power and what events caused this. Alexander 1 came to reign through a conspiracy against his father, Paul.

Alexander believed that it would be easy to overthrow his father from the throne - if Paul signed the act of abdication, but Paul stubbornly resisted, and even in the last minutes, looking death in the eyes, Paul did not sign anything. A group of conspirators, led by Palyon, brutally killed Paul, disregarding the feelings of Alexander, who somewhere deep down loved his father very much. So, through murder, blood and pain, Alexander 1 became the Russian emperor.

In the first days of his reign, Alexander 1 devoted a lot of time to changes within the state and radically revised domestic policy, but did not stand aside and foreign policy. Let us briefly describe, point by point, the main transformations in foreign policy carried out by Alexander 1.

Main directions

Before 1812

Relinquished claims to the island of Malta;

• On June 5, 1801, a convention of friendship was signed between Russia and England;
• Were restored diplomatic relations with Australia;
• An agreement was signed on the restoration of relations between Russia and Spain;
• On September 26, 1801, a peace treaty was signed between Russia and France. But already in 1802, relations between the countries heated up. Alexander realized that war was inevitable. And already in 1805, a coalition began to form, which included Sweden, England, Russia and Austria. Alexander 1 tried to persuade Prussia to participate in the coalition, but this was unsuccessful, since Prussia agreed to join the coalition only in the future, and so far only a convention has been signed about this.
• From 1806 to 1812, Russia waged war with Turkey over the closure of the Bosporus by Turkey. The reason for this was incitement. Why did Turkey take such a step, you ask? Turkey was actively encouraged by France. This led to hostilities not only between countries, but France finally carried out its plan and started a war against Russia.
• During this period, Napoleon won a number of major victories, and in 1806 Alexander the First had no choice but to conclude the Treaty of Tilsit, according to which Russia was to stop trade relations with England. By such actions, Napoleon wanted to weaken the economy of England. Sweden did not take the side of Russia and refused to break off its relations with England. Russia, under pressure from Napoleon, declared war on Sweden, which lasted from 1808 to 1809. Russia won this war.

Relations between Russia and France did not improve. The first suffered greatly from the cessation of trade with England, and in the end economic relations between the two states resumed.
Based on this, we can conclude that the conditions of the Tilsit peace concluded between the countries were violated and on June 12, 1812, Napoleon's invasion began.

Has begun. The forces were not equal. Napoleon's army numbered 600 thousand people, and the number Russian army was 240 thousand. But near Smolensk, the first and second armies united, and Napoleon was given a worthy rebuff. Thanks to the talented commander-in-chief - Kutuzov, the victory remained with Russia. On December 25, 1812, Alexander I issued a manifesto on the victorious end of the Patriotic War.

Period from 1815 to 1825

• In 1813-1814 the Russian army went on a campaign to liberate Europe from Napoleon's domination. In alliance with Austria, Prussia and Sweden, Russian troops inflicted a number of defeats on the French. On May 18, 1814, the Treaty of Paris was signed, which deprived Napoleon of the throne.
• In 1815, there was the Congress of Vienna, which restored the borders of European states before the Napoleonic Wars. With incredible diplomatic work, Russia forced Finland, the Kingdom of Poland, and Bessarabia to be recognized.
• In 1816 there is Holy Union designed to protect Europe from revolutionary movement, which was gaining momentum in the Balkans and in the European states. Throughout the first half of the 19th century, Russia played the role of a real "gendarme" of Europe. But that didn't save her from

After the end of the war with France, the Decembrist movement appeared in Russia. The progressive nobility did not agree with the policy of Alexander 1 and thus expressed their dissatisfaction.

From 1815 to 1825, secret political societies who wanted to adopt a constitution and abolish serfdom. Among the elite of society, preparations began for an armed uprising. It was not possible to hide this from Alexander, and in 1822 he ordered the Minister of the Interior to close all secret societies. This measure had no effect on the activities of secret societies, and from time to time Alexander received information about the activities of secret societies, but he no longer took any measures, although the thought of unrest in society did not give him rest. What is the reason for such passivity?

The emperor at that time was more concerned about the health of his wife, and he himself very often felt unwell, he was constantly tormented by a fever, he became passive and apathetic. On September 1, 1825, the emperor went to Taganrog, and in St. Petersburg he asked for a prayer service, leaving it a secret. November 19, 1825 Russian emperor Alexander 1 died in Taganrog.

Summing up, it is worth saying that despite the fact that Russia defended its statehood and independence from the hordes of Napoleon, having defeated him, she “strangled” French Revolution, which gave rise to Napoleonic Wars. Thus, the monarchist, conservative beginning overcame the revolutionary one in Europe at that time.

By the way, we analyze all the nuances of this topic in our training courses. Here you can find excellent video lessons, presentations, info cards and professional support from a teacher who has prepared many children for passing the exam in history for points above 90.

Alexandra 1 is known to many. Of course, this is the same Russian emperor who once managed to defeat Napoleon. However, many prefer to stop there, not knowing how much this person brought to the country. His skillful diplomacy and cunning, concern for the Motherland can serve as a real example for modern Russian politicians.

Third anti-French coalition

Seething with revolutions, France at the end of the eighteenth century was an adversary for almost everyone. The monarchs were afraid that the republican infection would not visit their homes, and therefore waged many wars against the peddler state.

Alexander's father, Paul, successfully participated in the first two coalitions against France. However, for his son, the beginning of the path in foreign policy began with a grandiose failure.

While Napoleon was stubbornly gaining power and turning his state into a mighty empire, the Third Anti-French Coalition of Russia, England and Austria gathered. She had to prevent the Corsican's plans from coming to fruition.

Unfortunately, the Austrians, despite the support of the Russian army, began to quickly lose. Not looking at Kutuzov's demand not to give a decisive battle, Alexander 1 met Napoleon's army at Austerlitz, which ended in a grand victory for the French emperor and the strengthening of France as a potential world sovereign.

In short, the foreign policy of Alexander 1 changed a lot after this incident.

Union of Enemies

The wise Alexander 1 saw in Bonaparte something that many did not notice - the absence in this man of the very thought of losing. It was clear that now this Corsican with eyes burning with a thirst for conquest could not be defeated. It is necessary to wait.

The direction of foreign policy changed dramatically. He broke off relations with Britain and personally met Napoleon on rafts in the middle of the river near the town of Tilsit.

It seemed that the agreement concluded there created for Russian Empire exceptionally unsatisfactory conditions for existence (recognition of all the conquests of Bonaparte, rejection of a number of areas conquered from Turkey). However, in reality it was a more than profitable peace. There are at least two reasons for this agreement.

1. Alexander 1 got the opportunity to focus on domestic politics, which also needed his presence.
2. In fact, such an agreement gave Russia peace of mind and freed its hands in everything related to eastern part peace. If everything went according to plan, there should have been two superpowers left in the world - Western Empire with Napoleon at the head and Eastern - with Alexander 1.

It is worth distracting from diplomacy and figure out what was the internal policy of Alexander 1 (briefly, to understand further events).

Politics inside

The reign of the son of Paul 1 forever changed Russia. What new did Alexandra 1 bring? This can be summarized in four main directions.

1. For the first time, the Russian emperor decided to discuss the issue of abolishing serfdom - one of the pillars of the Russian legal system. He even ordered the preparation of three projects. However, none of them was implemented. But the very fact of working with this topic shows colossal changes in the moral character of the country.
2. Deep reforms of power were carried out. It was about changing state council, his final strengthening as the emperor's chief adviser. In addition, many privileges were granted, and a single set of duties was established for the Senate.
3. But the most important is by far the ministerial reform, which created eight ministries. Their heads were obliged to report to the emperor and bear full responsibility for the subject industry.
4. The reform of education, thanks to which literacy became available even to the lowest stratum of the population. primary schools became free, and the “secondary-higher” hierarchy educational institution finally started to work.

Grade domestic policy Alexander 1 can be given objectively only on the basis of further events. Since all his reforms played a decisive role.

Challenge of Bonaparte

What is the year, probably everyone knows. Usually, when the foreign policy of Alexander 1 is briefly described, they stop only at it. Let us note only the main facts of this event.

So, it all started with a treacherous French attack on Russia. It was really unexpected, because before that, as already mentioned, an agreement favorable to the French had been signed. The reason for the invasion was the refusal of Russia to actively support the blockade of Great Britain. Bonaparte saw this as a betrayal and unwillingness to cooperate.

What happened after must be called the greatest mistake of the French emperor. After all, he did not know that Alexander 1 and Russia were not going to simply surrender, like many states before that. The strategic talent of Kutuzov, to which the Russian ruler now listened, outplayed Napoleon's tactics.

Very soon Russian troops were in Paris.

Other wars

You should not think that France was the only thing on which the foreign policy of Alexander 1 was based. It is worth briefly recalling his other conquests.

One of the achievements of Alexander 1 is the conflict between the Russians and the Swedes, which turned into a complete defeat for the latter. Thanks to the cunning and courage of Alexander 1, who ordered the transfer of troops across the frozen Gulf of Bothnia, the Russian Empire had the entire territory of Finland. In addition, Sweden, at that time the only big player on the European field, who tried to stay out of the France-England conflict, had to boycott the UK.

Alexander 1 successfully helped the Serbs in acquiring autonomy and successfully completed the Russian-Turkish campaign, which was one of the most important stages in the long confrontation with Russia. And of course, one cannot but recall the war with the Persians, which made Alexander 1 a full-fledged Asian player.

Results

Such is the foreign policy of Alexander 1 (briefly stated).

The Russian emperor annexed many territories to the state: Transnistria (during the war with Turkey), Dagestan and Azerbaijan (due to confrontation with the Persians), Finland (due to the campaign against Sweden). He significantly raised the world authority of Russia and forced the whole world to finally fully reckon with his homeland.

But, of course, no matter how briefly the foreign policy of Alexander 1 would be stated, his main achievement would be the victory over Napoleon. Who knows what the world would be like now if Russia had been conquered then.