Week 14 Lecture: Foreign Policy and Imperial Expansion

No male predecessor wanted to mirror her – her posthumous reputation took a hit, until the
foundation of the Imperial Russian Historical Society.

Catherine VERY successful ruler in terms of her expansion of territory  the society
published documents relating to Catherine and FP – Expansion > than ItT (Catherine
managed to expand southwards and westwards, Poland and Modern Ukraine).

Proved hard to convert military success into diplomatic sense – some greater power would
stop you.

‘Great Power’ Definition: Power capable of obliging other powers (smaller powers) to do
something they would otherwise not have done (manipulation).

17th Century Euro = Bi-Polar world [Hapsburg, centre, and French, Western side] – in rivalry
w each other, in their interest to have client states.

France under Louis XIV = develops w Sweden, Poland-Lithuania, Ottoman Empire – partly to
make sure Hapsburg monarchy couldn’t expand eastwards, then later w Russia westwards.

If you were client states, chances were you’d be rescued, often w diplomatic settlements –
France could intervene on behalf even AFTER disaster (return to status quo).

Decline of France = Louis XV, Louis XVI – not a secular/straight line decline, Peace of Belgrade
(1739) – post Russo-Ottoman War, French intervened on behalf of Otto and were able to
claw back all of Russia’s gains (aside from Port of Azov).

Key Problems was trying to fight war on TWO CONTINENTS – Europe and North America
[against British] – contest on both and costs £££, and borrowing ££ becomes more and more
expensive  Rising state debts, and when it comes to 1787 Dutch Revolt, France unable to
act.

Emergence of the Pentarchy (18th Century) = Britain, Prussia, Russia and Austria – treat each
other as equals, aside from Russia, all afraid/treat it as barbarous and uncivilised.

Russia left out of settlement of 7 years war/victory against Prussia [France].

Where should Russia figure in this system?

Consistent to hostility to France – it is the patron of Sweden, Poland-lithuania and Ottoman

Empire.

Alliance then to France’s traditional rival = Habsburg Monarch (Maria Theresa, 1740-1780,
Jospeh II, 1765-80/1780-90, Leopold II, 1790-92)  useful as Austrians have strong interest
in Ottoman Empire, natural for Austrians and Russians have some link to one and another.

Problem: Austrians facing rivalry from Prussia – under Frederick the Great, leading military
success in 18th C and one of the cleverest people, 1740 – 1786.
The Struggle for Mastery in Germany:

Prussia’s annexation of Silesia (1740) – beginning of MT reign – had been part of HM,
strategically significant as pushes Prussian boundaries further South, divides Poland from
Saxony [Ruled by same person, way of weakening the Crown].

War of the Austrian Succession

Austro-Prussian War (1866)

Battle of Sadowa/Koniggratz

Prussia and Russia:

Frederick seeks to undermine Austrian influence at St Petersburg, wants to undermine

diplomatic influence.

Engineers alliance with marriage between Catherine and Peter – reason why everyone thinks
C is a puppet of FtG, as a woman.

Defensive Russio-Prussian Alliance (1764) = Russia Ambassador in Germany was tricked into
this by Frederick (what is believed), Prussians would’ve tried to allied w Ottomans
otherwise.

Diplomatic Consequences of the Seven Years War (1756 – 1763):

Conflict marked end of French Influence in ‘Eastern Europe’ – post-1763 French alliance
(Barriere de l’est) is of no significance.

Emergence of triangle of Eastern Powers = Prussia, Russia and Austria – look after geo-
political sphere creates simultaneously difficulty and opportunity for Russia (ambitious
position for Russia).

Want to maintain relationship w Prussia, strong in N Euro, and good relations w Habsburg,
have strong interest in S-E Euro (also important to Russia)

Challenges of Russia’s geopolitical position:

1. Western Border stretching from Baltic toward black sea

2. Prussia or Austria – both want to get one over on their German rivals
3. Can’t ally w both thanks to their mutual rivalry
4. Cant remain NEUTRAL
5. CAN hold balance of power in Germany (Peace of Teschen, 1779, Catherine II a
guarantor of Status Quo in HRE)
6. Strategic vulnerabilities – follow from Alliance w either German power.

Nikita Panin – Catherine’s foreign minister in all but name, former ambassador in Stockholm,
career had always been in the North.
Panin’s ‘Northern System’ – focus on N: ‘Closest possible union of N Powers… N Peace
completely free from their influence.’

Northern system incomplete:

- 1764 = Russo-Prussian Alliance

- 1765 = Russo-Danish Alliance (powerful in Baltic)
- 1766 = Renew Anglo-Russian trade treaty (from 1734)
- XXX Anglo-Russian Alliance = British nervous being brought into Poland issue, no
interest in getting drawn into conflict
- Southern Border vulnerable.

Russo-Ottoman War (1768-74) = aborts the 1767 legislative commission/correspondence w

Voltaire.

Battle of Chesme (1770) – Admiral Samuel Greig – destroyed Turk fleet by floating fire boats
into harbour, whole war = TRIUMPH.

1774 – Peace of Kuchuk-Kainardzhii == Access to Black Sea Coast  Trade in Med through
Dardanelles  Protection of Orthodox Christians in Ottoman Empire, used as Russia excuse
for intervention in Eastern expansion.

Directed by Catherine Favourite: Prince Grigorii Potemkin – sent off to the South, viceroy of
new Southern Provinces (i.e. Ukraine) – favoured swing towards Austria:

- 1781: Austro-Russian alliance [agreed in secret] via exchange of letters,

mechanism of keeping the two powers equal, no protocol.

1783: Allowed CtG to annex the Crimea (had failed x2 in 1760s, militarily) – French X object,
busy in America, Austria X object, they’re allied – X regularly able to do this (French
weakness).

Danger of war on two fronts:

Russo-Turkish War (1787 – 1791)

Russo-Swedish War (1788 – 1790) – take advantage of lack of focus on the North.

Won BOTH but was moment of crisis for CtG.

Poland-Lithuania – Stanislav-August had been Catherine’s lover in 1750s, put on Polish

thrown in 1760s, to keep it weak (Weak Neighbour Policy) – Russia had indirectly controlled
Poland since 17…

Three Partitions of Poland:

1. Russia, Prussia and Austria (1772)

2. Russia, Prussia (1793)
3. Russia, Prussia, Austria (1795)
Territory divided – Russia gains MOST territory (92,000 km2), Prussia gains least land but
gains in consolidation of borders, strategically joins onto other territory it had earlier.

Austria gains less – 86,000 km2 – strategically unhelpful as it has northern probe bringing
into conflict w other rivals.

Russia sacrificed indirect control of whole, while gaining direct control of only PART, while
losing direct control to Austria and Prussia  now all have DIRECT border w one another
(lost its buffer state).

Gained lands that were heavily populated by Jews – hadn’t previously had a large population
of Jews, for the remainder of the period had been a significant challenge for Russia – should
Jews be regarded as a rival faith? Should they be regarded as an administrative problem? Or
primarily economic problem (in under institutionalised banks, due to trading networks have
access to large quantity of cash).

Resolve them by creation of Pale of settlement.