Russian-Swedish war. Causes, consequences. New page (1) Causes of the war with Sweden 1741 1743

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Russian-Swedish War (1741-1743)

Starting the war, Sweden hoped to regain the territories lost in the Peace of Nystadt. She was pushed to this by France, which was primarily concerned with distracting Russia from helping Austria in the outbreak of the Silesian War (1740-1747). But the moment for revenge was chosen poorly. The Swedish troops numbered only 15 thousand soldiers. Russia had already ended the war with Turkey and could bring down the full power of its armed forces on its northern neighbor.

Thus, Sweden became a hostage to the policies of the European powers. Along with this, in Stockholm hope was placed on the unstable situation in Russia after the death of Empress Anna Ioannovna (1740). There, dissatisfaction with the increased role of foreigners of German origin was brewing, and the struggle between court factions was intensifying.

This Swedish attack serves as a vivid example of how a country, living with memories of lost greatness, easily loses its sense of reality and succumbs to deliberate adventures. Thus, the Russian envoy in Stockholm, Mikhail Bestuzhev-Ryumin, reported that the Swedes, seized by a thirst for revenge, were ready to believe any myths - about Poland and Turkey coming to their side and even the daughter of Peter the Great, Princess Elizabeth. Having not found a significant reason to start a war, Sweden presented itself as the liberator of the Russian people from “German domination.” In particular, the Manifesto of the Swedish General K. Levenhaupt stated that the Swedes are not fighting against Russia, but against the government that oppresses the Russians. However, Russian soldiers did not respond to the Swedish general’s proposal to turn their bayonets against their own government.

Battle of Wilmanstrand (1741). A month after the start of the Russian-Swedish war, the first major battle took place near the walls of the Vilmanstrand fortress in Finland between the Russian army under the command of Field Marshal Lassi (10 thousand people) and the Swedish corps under the command of General Wrangel (6 thousand people). The Swedes occupied an advantageous position under the protection of fortress cannons. The first attack of the Russian infantry was repulsed. Then Lasi threw his cavalry into battle, which hit the Swedes in the flank and forced them to retreat into the fortress in disarray.

After the battle, Lasi invited Wrangel to surrender, but the Russian envoy was shot. Then a furious assault on the fortress followed, ending an hour later with its capture. The Swedes lost more than 4 thousand people killed, wounded and prisoners, that is, two-thirds of the corps. Wrangel himself and his staff were captured. The Russian casualties amounted to 2,400 people. The Vilmanstrand defeat dispelled Sweden's illusory hopes of revenge for the defeat in the Northern War of 1700-1721. This battle effectively ended the 1741 campaign.

Capitulation of Helsingfors (1742). In the summer of the following year, Russian troops launched a decisive offensive in southern Finland. Neyshlot, Borgo, Friedrichsgam, Tavastguz were taken without much resistance. In August 1742, the army of Field Marshal Lasya (about 20 thousand people) cut off the retreat of the Swedish army of General Busket (17 thousand people), surrounding him in Helsingfors (Helsinki). At the same time, the Baltic Fleet blocked the city from the sea. On August 26, 1742, the Swedish army capitulated. Its soldiers turned out to be only a shadow of the former formidable Swedes, led into battle by the undaunted Charles XII. According to a contemporary who left a description of those events, “the behavior of the Swedes was so strange and so contrary to what is usually done that posterity will hardly believe the news of this war.” Later, in Stockholm, the generals who signed the surrender were put on trial and executed, but there was no question of resuming the struggle. After the Helsingfors disaster, Sweden began peace negotiations in the city of Abo.

The Battle of Corpo and the Peace of Abos (1743). While negotiations were ongoing, hostilities resumed in the spring. Lacking a sufficient ground army, the Swedes placed their last hopes on their fleet. On May 20, 1743, near the island of Korpo in the Baltic Sea, a battle took place between the Russian and Swedish rowing flotillas. Despite the numerical superiority of the Swedes (19 ships versus 9), the detachment under the command of Captain 1st Rank Kaisarov decisively attacked the squadron of Admiral Falkengren. During the three-hour battle, the Russian artillerymen especially distinguished themselves. As a result of well-aimed fire, a fire started on the Swedish ships, and they were forced to retreat. In June, Lassi's detachment left Kronstadt in galleys to land troops in Sweden. But along the way, news was received about the conclusion of the Peace of Abos. According to its terms, Russia received land in the southeast of Finland up to the Kymmene River.

Based on materials from the portal "Great Wars in Russian History"

In 1735-1739, another Russian-Turkish war took place. Under the terms of the Belgrade Peace Treaty of 1739, as a result of this war, Russia acquired Azov (subject to the demolition of fortifications), small territories in Right Bank Ukraine along the middle reaches of the Dnieper and the right to build a fortress on the Don island of Cherkassy (and Turkey - at the mouth of the Kuban). Greater and Lesser Kabarda were declared independent and were supposed to play the role of a barrier between the powers. Russia was prohibited from having a navy in the Azov and Black Seas; trade with Turkey could only be carried out using Turkish ships. Russian pilgrims were given guarantees of free access to holy places in Jerusalem. This agreement was in force for 35 years until 1774, when, after another Russian-Turkish war, under the terms of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty, Russia again received the right to have its own fleet in the Black Sea and the right of passage through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits.

Meanwhile, by the end of the 1730s, revanchist sentiments began to intensify in Sweden - the nation longed for a revision of the Nystad Peace Treaty of 1721, which recorded Sweden's defeat in the Northern War.

Swedish revanchists already declared in 1738 that they were “always ready to prefer a mighty war to a shameful peace.” In addition, in Sweden they were convinced that the upcoming war would bring the Swedes an easy victory, since the majority of political and military leaders believed that “the Russian army should be completely exhausted by campaigns against the Turks and that all regiments consisted of only recruits.” It was enough, they believed, for small Swedish detachments to appear to put the poorly trained Russian army to flight.

In July 1738, Swedish Major Sinclair was sent to Turkey to deliver duplicate dispatches to the Swedish ministers in Constantinople regarding the conclusion of a Swedish-Turkish military alliance, which was, naturally, directed against Russia.

Russian intelligence worked well. Sinclair's trip became known to the Russian ambassador in Stockholm, M. P. Bestuzhev, who suggested that the Russian government “anlevate” (liquidate) Sinclair, and then start a rumor that he was attacked by the Haidamaks. By this measure he hoped to prevent the conclusion of an alliance directed against Russia. The idea was supported by Field Marshal Minich. He singled out a “special group” (3 officers - Kutler, Levitsky, Veselovsky + 4 guards non-commissioned officers) and gave them the following instructions:

“Recently, Major Sinclair was sent from Sweden to the Turkish side with some important commission and letters, who is not traveling under his own name, but under the name of one called Gagberkh, who for the sake of her highest and. It is absolutely necessary to adopt in every possible way the interests of Poland in a secret way and with all the letters available with it. If you find out about him somewhere, then immediately go to that place and look for an opportunity to bring him into company or see him in some other way; and then observe whether it is possible to comprehend it either on the way, or in some other secret place where there were no Poles. If you find such a case, then kill the elder or drown him in water, and first take away the letter completely.”

However, on the way to Istanbul, Sinclair could not be intercepted. But this was done on June 17, 1739, when Sinclair was returning to Sweden. Between the Polish towns of Neustadt and Grünberg, it was liquidated and the dispatches were confiscated.

You can read documents related to this special operation.

But Sinclair's death could not be attributed to robbers. Sinclair's killers, Kutler and Levitsky, were secretly sent to Siberia and kept near Tobolsk, in the village of Abalak, and Veselovsky was kept in Kazan. In 1743, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna ordered Kutler to be promoted to lieutenant colonel, Levitsky to major, and the four sergeants with them to warrant officers, and to leave them for some time in Siberia. Then in the same year they were transferred to the Kazan garrison so that they would change their names, Kutler would be called Turkel, and Levitsky would be called Likevich.

And in the Swedish capital, after the murder of Sinclair, a scandal began. For the death of Sinclair, the particularly zealous Swedes promised to destroy the Russian ambassador Bestuzhev. As a result, Bestuzhev immediately gave the bribe money for safekeeping to the Dutch ambassador, burned all the receipts and accounts of the bribe takers, as well as secret papers, and took refuge in the embassy. The Swedish king strengthened the security of the embassy and prevented a pogrom.

After it became known about the Swedish-Turkish negotiations, Empress Anna Ioannovna banned the export of grain to Sweden from Russian ports. And the treaty between Sweden and Turkey was signed on January 20, 1740. But due to Russian protests and the threat of a Persian invasion, the Turks did not ratify it.

On July 28, 1741, the Russian ambassador in Stockholm was informed that Sweden was declaring war on Russia. The cause of the war in the manifesto was declared to be Russian interference in the internal affairs of the kingdom, the ban on the export of grain to Sweden and the murder of the Swedish diplomatic courier M. Sinclair.

Thus began another Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743. This war may well be classified as a “forgotten war.” If you start typing “Russian-Swedish war” in Yandex, then this war will not be among the suggested options in the drop-down tips.

The result of this war, which ended in defeat for Sweden, was the confirmation of the terms of the Nystad Peace, as well as the fact that the south-eastern part of Finland went to Russia.

This note was written specifically for Russian Navy Day. Therefore, for those who are interested in the Russian-Swedish war of 1741-1743, I suggest reading the book by M.A. Muravyova

Plan
Introduction
1 Foreign policy situation on the eve of the war
2 Declaration of war
3 Swedish goals in the war
4 Progress of the war
5 Negotiations and peace
6 Sources

Bibliography
Russo-Swedish War (1741-1743)

Introduction

Russian-Swedish War 1741-1743 (Swedish: hattarnas ryska krig) - a revanchist war that Sweden started in the hope of regaining the territories lost during the Northern War.

1. Foreign policy situation on the eve of the war

In Sweden at the Riksdag 1738-1739. The party of “hats” came to power and set a course for preparing a war with Russia. She was actively supported by France, which, in anticipation of the death of the Austrian Emperor Charles VI and the subsequent struggle for the division of the Austrian inheritance, tried to bind Russia with a war in the North. Sweden and France, through their ambassadors in St. Petersburg, E.M. von Nolcken and the Marquis de la Chetardie, tried to prepare the ground for the successful completion of the planned war by establishing relations with Princess Elizabeth. The Swedes tried to get a written confirmation from her that she would cede to Sweden the provinces conquered by her father if they would help her ascend the throne. However, despite all efforts, Nolken was never able to obtain such a document from Elizabeth.

In addition, Sweden, in preparation for war, concluded a friendship treaty with France in October 1738, according to which the parties pledged not to enter into alliances or renew them without mutual consent. Sweden was to receive subsidies from France in the amount of 300 thousand riksdaler per year for three years.

In December 1739, a Swedish-Turkish alliance was also concluded, but Turkey promised to provide assistance only in the event of an attack on Sweden by a third power.

2. Declaration of war

3. The goals of the Swedes in the war

According to the instructions drawn up for future peace negotiations, the Swedes intended to put forward as a condition of peace the return of all lands ceded to Russia under the Peace of Nystadt, as well as the transfer to Sweden of the territory between Ladoga and the White Sea. If third powers opposed Sweden, then it was ready to be satisfied with Karelia and Ingermanland together with St. Petersburg.

4. Progress of the war

1741

Count Karl Emil Levenhaupt was appointed commander-in-chief of the Swedish army, who arrived in Finland and took command only on September 3, 1741. At that moment, there were about 18 thousand regular troops in Finland. Near the border there were two corps of 3 and 5 thousand people. The first of them, commanded by K. H. Wrangel, was located near Wilmanstrand, the other, under the command of Lieutenant General H. M. von Buddenbrook, was six miles from this city, the garrison of which did not exceed 1,100 people.

Karl Emil Levenhaupt (1691-1743)

On the Russian side, Field Marshal Pyotr Petrovich Lassi was appointed commander-in-chief. Having learned that the Swedish forces were small and, moreover, divided, he moved towards Vilmanstrand. Having approached it, the Russians stopped in the village of Armila on August 22, and in the evening Wrangel’s corps approached the city. The number of Swedes, including the Wilmanstrand garrison, ranged from 3,500 to 5,200 people, according to various sources. The number of Russian troops reached 9,900 people.

On August 23, Lassi moved against the enemy, who occupied an advantageous position under the cover of city guns. The Russians attacked the Swedish positions, but due to the stubborn resistance of the Swedes they were forced to retreat. Then Lassi threw his cavalry into the enemy's flank, after which the Swedes were knocked down from the heights and lost their cannons. After a three-hour battle, the Swedes were defeated.

Pyotr Petrovich Lassi (1678-1751)

After the drummer sent to demand the surrender of the city was shot, the Russians took Wilmanstrand by storm. 1,250 Swedish soldiers were captured, including Wrangel himself. The Russians lost Major General Ukskul, three headquarters and eleven chief officers and approximately 500 privates killed. The city was burned, its inhabitants were taken to Russia. Russian troops again retreated to Russian territory.

In September-October, the Swedes concentrated an army of 22,800 people near Kvarnby, of which, due to illness, soon only 15-16 thousand remained in service. The Russians stationed near Vyborg had approximately the same number of people. In late autumn, both armies went into winter quarters. However, in November, Levengaupt with 6 thousand infantry and 450 dragoons headed towards Vyborg, stopping at Sekkijervi. At the same time, several smaller corps attacked Russian Karelia from Vilmanstrand and Neishlot.

Having learned about the movement of the Swedes, the Russian government on November 24 gave the order to the guards regiments to prepare for the march to Finland. This provoked a palace coup, as a result of which Tsarevna Elizabeth came to power. She ordered a cessation of hostilities and concluded a truce with Levenhaupt.

1742

Theater of military operations in 1741-1743.

In February 1742, the Russian side broke the truce, and hostilities resumed in March. Elizaveta Petrovna published a manifesto in Finland, in which she called on its inhabitants not to take part in an unjust war and promised her help if they wanted to secede from Sweden and form an independent state.

On June 13, Lassi crossed the border and at the end of the month approached Fredrikshamn (Friedrichsham). The Swedes hastily abandoned this fortress, but first set it on fire. Levenhaupt retreated beyond Kyumen, heading towards Helsingfors. In his army, morale fell sharply, and desertion increased. On July 30, Russian troops occupied Borgo without hindrance and began to pursue the Swedes in the direction of Helsingfors. On August 7, Prince Meshchersky’s detachment occupied Neishlot without resistance, and on August 26, the last fortified point in Finland, Tavastgus, surrendered.

In August, Lassi overtook the Swedish army at Helsingfors, cutting off its further retreat to Abo. At the same time, the Russian fleet locked the Swedes from the sea. Levenhaupt and Buddenbrook, leaving the army, went to Stockholm, having been summoned to report to the Riksdag on their actions. The command of the army was entrusted to Major General J. L. Bousquet, who on August 24 concluded a capitulation with the Russians, according to which the Swedish army was to cross to Sweden, leaving all the artillery to the Russians. On August 26, the Russians entered Helsingfors. Soon Russian troops completely occupied all of Finland and Österbotten.

The Baltic Fleet under the command of Vice Admiral Z.D. Mishukov in 1742 avoided active actions in every possible way, for which Mishukov was removed from command, and an investigation was launched into his activities.

1743

Military operations in 1743 were reduced mainly to actions at sea. Rowing fleet (34 galleys, 70 konchebas) under the command of N.F. Golovin left Kronstadt with a landing party on May 8. Later, several more galleys with troops on board joined him. In the Suttong area, the ships spotted a Swedish rowing fleet on the horizon, reinforced by sailing ships. However, the Swedes weighed anchor and left. On June 14, the enemy fleet again appeared near the island of Degerbi east of the Åland Islands, but again chose not to get involved in the battle and retreated.

By the end of the war, the Swedish naval fleet was sailing between the islands of Dago and Gotland. On June 17, Swedish Admiral E. Taube received news of the signing of a preliminary peace agreement and withdrew the fleet to Älvsnabben. On June 18, news of peace reached the Russian fleet located near the Åland Islands.

5. Negotiations and peace

Back in the spring of 1742, the former Swedish ambassador in St. Petersburg, E.M. von Nolcken, arrived in Russia to begin peace negotiations, but the Russian government rejected the condition he put forward for mediation in the French negotiations, and Nolcken returned to Sweden.

In January 1743, peace negotiations began in Abo between Sweden and Russia, which took place in the context of ongoing hostilities. Representatives from the Swedish side were Baron H. Cederkreutz and E. M. von Nolcken, from the Russian side - Chief General A. I. Rumyantsev and General I. L. Lyuberas. As a result of lengthy negotiations, on June 17, 1743, the so-called “Act of Assurance” was signed. It recommended that the Swedish Riksdag elect the regent of Holstein, Adolf Friedrich, as heir to the throne. Sweden ceded to Russia the Kymenigord fief with all the mouths of the Kymen River, as well as the Neyshlot fortress. Russia returned to the Swedes the Österbotten, Björnborg, Abo, Tavast, Nyland fiefs, part of Karelia and Savolaks, occupied during the war. Sweden confirmed the terms of the Nystadt Peace Treaty of 1721 and recognized Russia's acquisitions in the Baltic states.

On June 23, 1743, the Riksdag elected Adolf Frederick as heir to the throne. At the same time, peace with Russia was announced. The Russian Empress signed a peace treaty on August 19.

6. Sources

· Solovyov S. M. History of Russia since ancient times, T. 21

· Military encyclopedia. - St. Petersburg, 1911-1915.

· Stavenow L. Sveriges historia till våra dagar: Frihetstiden, D. 9. - Stockholm, 1922.

Literature Shpilevskaya N.S. Description of the war between Russia and Sweden in Finland in 1741, 1742 and 1743. - St. Petersburg, 1859. References:

1. V.V. Pokhlebkin. Foreign policy of Rus', Russia and the USSR for 1000 years in names, dates, facts. M.: “International Relations”, 1995., p. 238

2. Eighteenth Century Death Tolls

3. Stavenow L. Sveriges historia till våra dagar: Frihetstiden, D. 9. - Stockholm, 1922. - S. 182. According to other estimates, Swedish losses amounted to 50,000 people ( Shpilevskaya N. Description of the war between Russia and Sweden in Finland in 1741, 1742 and 1743. - St. Petersburg, 1859 - P. 267).

Sweden, defeated in the Northern War of 1700–1721, did not reconcile itself with the terms of the Nystadt Peace and nurtured revanchist plans. In 1738, she entered into a defensive alliance with France, which pledged to subsidize Sweden's military preparations.

In 1740, the Prussian attack on Austria began the war between European states for the Austrian succession. Russia was in an alliance with both Austria and Prussia. In order to prevent Russia from acting on the side of Austria, Prussia and its ally France rushed Sweden to start a war against Russia. In January 1741, an agreement was concluded between Prussia and France, according to which Prussia agreed not to interfere with Sweden in the seizure of the Baltic lands.

Even before the outbreak of hostilities, the Swedish government tried to make it difficult for Russian merchant and postal ships to navigate in the Gulf of Finland. On July 11, 1740, the Russian packet boat “New Courier” (Lieutenant F. Nepenin), supporting postal communication between Lübeck and Kronstadt, two miles from Gogland was met by a Swedish shnyava, who demanded to stop for inspection. When the packet boat commander refused, the Shnyava began pursuit, threatening to open fire. F. Nepenin prepared his ship for battle, after which the Swedes stopped pursuing.

Having received a report of this incident, the Russian government immediately sent a frigate to cruise in the Gogland region to suppress such “indecent acts” on the part of the Swedish.

On July 24, 1741, Sweden declared war on Russia. The upcoming war seemed so easy to the Swedes that the manifesto declaring war was announced before the order to concentrate troops scattered throughout Finland. Sweden was not ready for war: there was no developed war plan, the army in Finland was small, the fortresses were poorly prepared for defense. The Swedish fleet was short-staffed and poorly supplied with provisions.

But the Russian fleet was not in the best position. After the death of Peter the Great, his favorite brainchild, the fleet, began to gradually decline. The funds allocated for maintaining the fleet were cut and delayed. The construction of large ships has decreased. By 1739, the shortage of battleships and frigates amounted to 9 units (according to the state it is supposed to have 33, in stock - 24). In the rowing fleet, instead of the 130 galleys required by the state, there were only 83. The fleet had a terrible shortage of crews (instead of 9 thousand people there were barely 4.5 thousand). There was an acute shortage of naval officers and flagships.

The reduced squadrons (4-5 battleships and 2-3 frigates) entered the Kronstadt roadstead only in mid-summer and spent the entire campaign on the roadstead or at Krasnaya Gorka. Since 1730, the squadron was not based in Reval, which was freed from ice much earlier than Kronstadt.

The Swedish squadron (10 battleships, 4 frigates, 1 bombardment ship) was sent from Karlskrona to the Gulf of Finland, to the Aspö Islands back in May 1741. The Swedish rowing flotilla (30 ships) arrived from Stockholm and anchored off Friedrichshamn. Swedish troops were concentrated in the area of the fortresses of Vilmanstrand and Friedrichshamn.

The Russian government, having learned about the Swedes' intention to start a war, from the beginning of July 1741 began to concentrate troops on the border with Finland and in the Baltic states. The command of the Russian army was entrusted to Field Marshal P.P. Lassi. The corps of General Ya.V. concentrated near Vyborg. Keita. To repel a possible Swedish landing in the St. Petersburg area, another corps was stationed at Krasnaya Gorka. Small detachments were sent to Livonia and Estland to defend the coast.

On August 13, Russia declared war on Sweden. Russian troops under the command of Field Marshal P.P. Lassi, setting out from Vyborg on August 23, defeated the Swedes near Vilmanstrand. This was the end of hostilities in 1741.

Russian squadron under the command of Rear Admiral Ya.S. Barsha (14 battleships, 3 frigates, 2 bombardment ships, 2 prams, 2 shnyavs) entered the Kronstadt roadstead at the beginning of June. The frigates “Hector”, “Warrior” and “Russia” took turns cruising to Gogland to monitor the Swedish fleet. Two Shnyavas alternately cruised between the Beryozovy Islands and Gogland. The battleships stood in the roadstead training their teams. At the beginning of August, 9 ships were pulled into the harbor, and the rest - “Northern Eagle”, “Foundation of Well-Being”, “Arkhangelsk”, “St. Andrei,” as well as the ships and bombardment ships remained in the roadstead until late autumn, in case of need to defend Kronstadt. Only on November 10, with the onset of frost, all ships entered the harbor. Thus, the fleet did not directly participate in hostilities.

In Arkhangelsk there were new ships built at the Solombala shipyard. Three battleships and one frigate left the mouth of the Northern Dvina and on July 22 arrived in Kola, where they remained for the winter. In the spring of next year they were supposed to go to the Baltic Sea.

32-gun frigate "Russia"

In November 1741, Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great, ascended the throne. She concluded a truce with Sweden and began peace negotiations. The Swedes were firmly convinced that with the accession of Elizabeth to the throne, with the complicity of France, they would be able to conclude a peace beneficial to themselves and return part of the lands conquered by Peter, but they were very mistaken in their calculations. Elizabeth not only did not agree to any concessions, but, on the contrary, decided to vigorously continue the war.

From March 1742, hostilities were resumed. The main forces of the Swedish army concentrated west of Friedrichshamn. The Swedish fleet stationed in Karlskrona consisted of 22 battleships and 7 frigates. However, due to a shortage of personnel and a lack of provisions, only 15 battleships and 5 frigates went to sea, which anchored off the Aspe Islands on June 5. The Swedish rowing flotilla, consisting of 31 ships, arrived at Friedrichshamn on June 6.

The Russian plan of 1742 provided for offensive actions. At the beginning of June 1742, a 25,000-strong corps under the command of P.P. moved from Vyborg along the shore of the Gulf of Finland. Lassi.

A. Hansen. Galley fleet in skerries

The Russian rowing fleet (106 ships) with a 10,000-strong landing force, following the skerries, supported the left flank of the corps in its actions on the coast and delivered food and military equipment.

In Kronstadt, a squadron of the naval fleet was armed with 23 pennants (13 ships, 3 frigates and 7 other ships) under the command of Vice Admiral Z.D. Mishukov (flag on the battleship "St. Alexander") junior flagships - rear admirals D.S. Kalmykov (flag on the battleship "Revel") and Y.S. Barsh - flag on "Ingermanland".

Arkhangelsk squadron of 4 ships, 5 frigates and 1 gukor under the command of Vice Admiral P.P. Bredalya was supposed to move to the Baltic to connect with Z.D. Mishukov.

Housing P.P. Lassi, following the rapidly retreating enemy, who expected not war, but peace, reached Helsingfors almost without firing a shot, where, cutting off the Swedes' path to further retreat, on August 24 he captured the city and forced the entire 17,000-strong Swedish corps to surrender. Soon, Russian troops occupied Abo, where peace negotiations began, which led nowhere.

In contrast to the successful actions of the army, our naval fleet was distinguished by its amazing inaction. From May 20 to June 29, detachments of ships left Kronstadt for cruising in the area of the Birch Islands - Seskar Island - Gogland Island - Aspö Islands.

At the end of June the entire fleet under the command of Z.D. Mishukova moved to the island of Seskar, where he anchored. Despite the order of P.P. Lassi to attack the Swedes, the admiral avoided meetings with the enemy, since the ships’ crews were not complete. On July 12, the Russian fleet weighed anchor and tried to catch up with the Swedish fleet, which was leaving from the Aspö Islands to the Gangut Peninsula. In search of the enemy, the Russian fleet approached Helsingfors on July 16, and then retreated to about. Gogland, where due to headwinds, repairing damage to the ships, stood from July 19 to August 3. Z.D. Mishukov approached the island of Nargen on August 7, and Gangut on August 10, but did not dare to attack the Swedish fleet. Z.D. Mishukov, commanding a fleet equivalent to the enemy's, showed amazing indecision and took advantage of all possible circumstances so as not to meet the Swedish fleet, which with the same persistence tried to evade the Russian.

The refusal to assist the fleet forced P.P. Lassi, upon the surrender of the Swedes, agree to more lenient conditions for them. Fortunately for us, during this campaign the enemy fleet was, in fact, even weaker than ours. Moreover, in the absence of energy, the Swedish flagships were not inferior to Z.D. Mishukov. At the end of the campaign over the actions of Z.D. An investigation was ordered for Mishukov. The admiral's explanations for his actions were in most cases very unsatisfactory. So, for example, Mishukov explains the failure to comply with the field marshal’s demand that the fleet approach Helsingfors at the same time as the army and cut off the Swedes’ communication with the sea by the “fair wind” that was blowing at that time, in which it would then be difficult to move away from the Finnish coast.

In August 1742, the Admiralty Board decided to divide the naval fleet and keep one squadron in Reval, so that in the spring it would go to sea before the Kronstadt squadron. 7 battleships, a frigate, and a bombardment ship were left in Reval. The remaining ships returned to Kronstadt on October 10.

To defend the coast of Finland, 12 galleys, a frigate and two ships were left for the winter in Helsingfors, 5 galleys in Friedrichshamn, and 4 in Borgo.

The Arkhangelsk squadron also did not take part in hostilities in the campaign of 1742. Three battleships and a frigate, which wintered in Ekaterininskaya Harbor, went to sea in early June, but moved not to the Baltic Sea, but to Arkhangelsk. At the same time, the ships remaining in Arkhangelsk began to go out into the roadstead. The ship "Blagopoluchie" ran aground while crossing the bar of the Northern Dvina, got a leak and did not participate in the voyage.

Finally, the squadron under the command of Vice Admiral P.P. Bredal, consisting of 4 battleships, 5 frigates and a gukor, left Arkhangelsk on July 19. The ships were preparing for battle and meeting the enemy. On August 9, the ships passed the North Cape, and the next day they were caught in a severe storm that lasted three days. The consultation of captains decided, in view of the damage to the ships, to go to the island of Kildin, where they arrived on August 13. August 20 P.P. Bredal with five frigates went to Arkhangelsk, and the battleships remained to winter in Catherine Harbor. Only the gukor "Kronshlot" continued sailing, but did not dare to go to the Baltic alone and wintered in Christiansand (Norway). Thus, out of ten ships that left Arkhangelsk on July 19, not one reached the Baltic ports this year.

In April next year P.P. Bredal was recalled to St. Petersburg for investigation. The Admiralty Board recognized the reasons for the return as disrespectful and sent its opinion to the Senate.

Despite the fact that there were no military clashes between the naval fleets, both the Russians and the Swedes suffered losses. On July 29, the Russian frigate “Hector” struck a reef not marked on the map near the island of Gogland and crashed. The crew was saved. On October 24, the Swedish frigate Ulriksdal was carried into Revel Bay by a storm, where it was captured. Subsequently, the frigate served in the Russian fleet for 30 years.

Despite the inaction of the naval fleet, thanks to the successes of the army obtained with the participation of the galley fleet, all of Finland was occupied by the Russians; a detachment of Swedish troops, driven behind Torneo, could not move from there, held by our dragoons and Cossacks. P.P. Lassi returned to St. Petersburg in the fall, and General Y.V., who remained in command in Finland. Keith and his main forces settled down for the winter near Abo.

After the surrender of the army, Sweden could not count on a successful outcome of the war and offered to make peace. Peace talks began again in Abo in March. But now the Swedes did not agree to territorial concessions.

In March 1743, peace negotiations began in Åbo, but Sweden was preparing to continue hostilities, which resumed in the spring.

At the beginning of 1743, a Swedish corps was concentrated at Torneo, which was supposed to head to Finland. A rowing flotilla (18 galleys, ships and several other ships) with landing troops left for the Åland Islands from Stockholm to land on the coast of Finland. The Swedish naval fleet (16 battleships, 5 frigates, 2 bombardment ships, 4 auxiliary ships) left Karlskrona on April 30 and anchored off Gangut on May 18. 5 battleships were sent to cruise between Gangut and Dago Island.

The Russian command, trying to speed up the conclusion of peace on terms favorable to Russia, assumed, following the example of 1719, to inflict a decisive blow on Sweden by landing on its own shores. The naval fleet was given the task of covering the rowing fleet during the transition and landing.

Squadron of Rear Admiral Ya.S. Barsha (7 ships, 1 frigate and 1 bombardment ship), which spent the winter in Revel, reached the roadstead on April 15th, moved to the island of Nargen on the 28th, and two days later went to sea and on May 1st approached Gangut to ensure the passage of rowing ships . From May 10 to 15, she cruised in the Gangut - Dagerort - Rogerwick Bay area. Then she linked up with the Kronstadt squadron.

Russian rowing ships, wintering in Finland, united at Gangut on May 14, General Ya.V. took command of the united detachment (21 galleys, 2 ships). Kate.

Two days before this, Ya.V. Keith directed Y.S. Barsh demanded to move with the squadron to the Åland Islands and take a position to cut off the escape route for the enemy galleys, but Ya.S. Barsh, citing ignorance of the skerry fairway, continued cruising in the Gulf of Finland.

Heading to the Åland skerries, the detachment of Y.V. On May 15, Keita anchored off the island of Corpo, 45 versts from Abo. On the evening of May 18, Swedish galleys appeared, moving in three columns. Not reaching three miles from the Russian position, they also anchored. I'M IN. Keith pushed 2 galleys and 8 galleys into the narrow passage between the islands. 13 galleys could not line up due to the narrowness of the passage and did not participate in the battle. The Russians placed two batteries on the islands, using four landing field guns and removing four guns from the galleys.

Battle of Corpo Island May 20, 1743

On May 20, Swedish ships moved to the Russian position. I'M IN. Keith was at the coastal battery; on the ships, the battle was commanded by Captain I.I. Kaysarov.

At about 15 o'clock the Swedes fired their first sighting shots, but their cannonballs did not even reach the coastal batteries. Russian ships were further away. The Swedish pram was towed by boats. At 16 o'clock the Swedes approached a cannon shot, but Ya.V. Keith ordered not to open fire until the enemy came within range of a rifle shot. After this, the Russian prams fired their first salvos.

The Swedish pram received severe damage, left the battle and took cover behind one of the nearby islands. Several enemy galleys also received heavy damage. The battle lasted 2.5 hours - from 17.00 to 19.30. At 8 pm the last Swedish galley left the battle.

The main brunt of the battle fell on the pramas: “Oliphant” (Lieutenant A. Soimonov) and “Wild Bull” (Lieutenant P. Pronchishchev). During the battle, 1063 shots were fired from Russian boats, 322 from galleys, and 89 from coastal batteries. The intensity of the battle can be judged by the fact that the Wild Bull received 39 holes, 3 guns were damaged, 3 were killed and 2 sailors were wounded , on the "Oliphant" - 20 holes, 3 killed, 7 wounded. The battle off Corpo Island was the only naval battle of the entire war.

At the beginning of May, Field Marshal P.P. also moved from St. Petersburg. Lassi with 9 infantry regiments, 8 grenadier companies and 200 Cossacks, placed on 112 galleys and conchebas, to land troops on the Swedish coast. The landing corps was headed personally by P.P. Lassi. The sea voyage was very slow, with long stops.

The Kronstadt squadron consisted of eight battleships, one bombardier and two fireships. In April, Admiral N.F. was appointed commander of the Baltic Fleet and the Kronstadt squadron. Golovin, who was commanded by the highest decree, “ if need demands, then attack the enemy fleet not only with a force superior to the enemy, in the number of ships and guns, but also with an equal force against it».

In 1743, the squadron began the campaign earlier than in 1742 - on May 1, the ships left the harbor for the roadstead. On May 7, Empress Elizabeth visited the fleet; she inspected the flagship St. Peter". Two days later, the Kronstadt squadron went to sea and on May 12 arrived at the island of Nargen, where on May 15 it united with the Revel squadron. On May 21, the fleet weighed anchor and went west, and on May 24, near Gangut, it discovered the Swedish fleet - 21 pennants.

Approaching the Swedish fleet, N.F. Golovin, in full view of the enemy, went adrift; on May 25, he assembled a general council of flagships and all captains and proposed to approach the Swedish fleet and attack it with fire ships and bombardment ships. But the general council did not agree with him and by a majority vote decided: “Wait to attack until the arrival of the galleys, because it is not possible to attack in such a narrow place.”

P.P. Lassi arrived with galleys on May 26 at Tvereminna, but the further route to the west was blocked by the Swedish fleet, stationed at Gangut on the very fairway. The field marshal had to wait for N.F. to arrive. Golovin, who, after connecting with the Revel squadron, had enough strength to attack the enemy and thereby distract him from Gangut. But N.F. Golovin turned out to be no better in this case than Z.D. Mishukova. Approaching Gangut with 25 ships (battleships “St. Peter”, “St. Alexander”, “Northern Eagle”, “Revel”, “Glory of Russia”, “Ingermanland”, “Foundation of Wellbeing”, “Astrakhan”, “Arkhangelsk” ", "Kronstadt", "Azov", "Neptune", "St. Andrew", "Northern Star", frigates "Russia", "Warrior", bombardment ships "Jupiter", "Samson" and 6 small ships), admiral , despite the urgent demands of the field marshal, stood for some time inactive at anchor near the Swedish fleet.

On May 30, due to a severe storm, the fleet was forced to take shelter, going to Rogervik, and then headed to Gangut; on June 6, it anchored in sight of the Swedish fleet, the ships prepared for battle. The bombardment ships Jupiter and Samson stood closer to the Swedes and opened fire. On June 7, the fleet weighed anchor and, covering the rowing fleet, approached the Swedes. Both fleets, built in a battle line, lasted more than a day at sea, one against the other, but calm winds and fog allowed the Swedes to avoid battle. The next day we saw Swedish ships in the fog. The leading battleship "St. Alexander opened fire on the enemy, but the Swedes did not respond and, having increased their sails, broke away. On June 9, the Russian fleet, without pursuing the Swedes, entered Rogervik. Until August, the fleet cruised in the Gulf of Finland, then the ships went to Revel and Kronstadt.

On June 8, when the Swedish fleet departed from Gangut, the Russian rowing fleet, numbering 48 galleys, 86 conchebas and 46 other rowing vessels, passed by Gangut and on June 12 joined up with the rowing vessels of Ya.V. Keita. The Swedish rowing flotilla left for Stockholm on June 13. The Russian rowing fleet headed to the shores of Sweden for a landing, but on June 18, news was received of the start of peace negotiations.

The Arkhangelsk squadron did not take part in the campaign of 1743, since the first ships intended for the transition arrived in the Baltic Sea after the signing of peace. On July 15, two battleships and three frigates left Arkhangelsk. Having united with the ships wintering in Catherine Harbor, on August 6 the entire squadron under the flag of V.F. Luisa went further. From August 10 to August 21, the ships were caught in a belt of severe storms. Three battleships entered the Ekaterininskaya harbor, one frigate returned to Arkhangelsk, one was wrecked. The rest - three battleships, a frigate and a gukor (joined in Copenhagen) arrived in Kronstadt in early November.

On August 7, a peace treaty between Russia and Sweden was signed in Abo. The border with Sweden was established along the Kyumen River and Lake Saimaa. The southeastern part of Finland with the fortresses of Friedrichsgamn, Vilmanstrand and Neishlot went to Russia. Sweden recognized Russia's assertion in the Baltic.

As a result of the Russian-Swedish war of 1741–1743, Russia strengthened the security of its northwestern borders.

During the Russian-Swedish war of 1741–1743, all the shortcomings of our fleet were expressed with particular clarity, but the Swedes were not successful in this campaign only because they were equipped even worse than our fleet and acted even more indecisively.

This war showed that a real fleet is not only a large number of different ships. For a fleet to become truly combat-ready, it requires well-trained sailors, experienced officers, and determined flagships. All these qualities are acquired only during voyages and exercises.




	Finland
	Sweden's desire to regain territories lost during the Northern War
	Victory of Russia, Peace of Abo
Opponents

Commanders
Lassi P.P.	Levengaupt K.E.
Strengths of the parties
20,000 soldiers (at the beginning of the war)	17,000 soldiers (at the beginning of the war)
Military losses
10,500 killed, wounded and captured	12,000 -13,000 killed, died from disease and captured

Russian-Swedish War 1741-1743(Swede. hattarnas ryska krig) - a revanchist war that Sweden started in the hope of regaining the territories lost during the Northern War.

Foreign policy situation on the eve of the war

In December 1739, a Swedish-Turkish alliance was also concluded, but Turkey promised to provide assistance only in the event of an attack on Sweden by a third power.

Declaration of war

Swedish goals in the war

Progress of the war

1741

1742

1743

Military operations in 1743 were reduced mainly to actions at sea. The rowing fleet (34 galleys, 70 conchebass) left Kronstadt with a landing party on May 8. Later, several more galleys with troops on board joined him. In the Suttong area, the ships spotted a Swedish rowing fleet on the horizon, reinforced by sailing ships. However, the Swedes weighed anchor and left. On June 14, the enemy fleet again appeared near the island of Degerbi east of the Åland Islands, but again chose not to get involved in the battle and retreated.

By the end of the war, the Swedish naval fleet was sailing between the islands of Dago and Gotland. On June 17, Swedish Admiral E. Taube received news of the signing of a preliminary peace agreement and took the fleet to Elvsnabben. On June 18, news of peace reached the Russian fleet located near the Åland Islands.

Negotiations and peace

In January 1743, peace negotiations began in Abo between Sweden and Russia, which took place in the context of ongoing hostilities. Representatives from the Swedish side were Baron H. Cederkreutz and E. M. Nolken, from the Russian side - Chief General A. I. Rumyantsev and General I. L. Lyuberas. As a result of lengthy negotiations, on June 17, 1743, the so-called “Act of Assurance” was signed. It recommended that the Swedish Riksdag elect the regent of Holstein, Adolf Friedrich, as heir to the throne. Sweden ceded to Russia the Kymenigord fief with all the mouths of the Kymen River, as well as the Neyshlot fortress. Russia returned to the Swedes the Österbotten, Björnborg, Abo, Tavast, Nyland fiefs, part of Karelia and Savolaks, occupied during the war. Sweden confirmed the terms of the Nystadt Peace Treaty of 1721 and recognized Russia's acquisitions in the Baltic states.

On June 23, 1743, the Riksdag elected Adolf Frederick as heir to the throne. At the same time, peace with Russia was announced. The Russian Empress signed a peace treaty on August 19.