Nordic allies

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The terms Nordic Allies or Nordic Alliance , Nordic Cooperation , sometimes also referred to in the literature as Nordic cooperation , to find Nordic allies , describe temporary political-military alliances in the history of diplomacy in Northern Europe in the early modern period and permanent partnership and intergovernmental cooperation between the Nordic states in modern times .

The best-known Nordic alliance was formed in the run-up to the Great Northern War , when the Swedish war opponents Russia , Saxony-Poland , Denmark-Norway , Prussia and Electorate of Hanover allied.

The formation of a Nordic alliance from parts or all of the northern European states took place repeatedly afterwards. One such attempt was the formation of a Nordic system under Empress Catherine II , also known as the Nordic Accord . In terms of content, the term has always been accompanied by the goal of joint coordination and understanding in politics in the Nordic region, both internally and externally.

Geographical reference area, characteristics, change in meaning

In terms of power politics, the Scandinavian empires, the Russian Empire and the German Baltic Sea states as well as Poland-Lithuania are among the potential Nordic allies.

The Baltic Sea was formed because of their limited size for all powers a transit corridor and target foreign policy expansionism. The rule over the sea routes of the Baltic Sea determined the changing alliance constellations through the centuries. Temporally dominant hegemons such as Denmark, Moscow Tsarism and later Sweden were fought and defeated by the Nordic alliances of the other neighbors directed against them. For these limited goals, the Alliance members worked together. Otherwise, the alliance members' opportunistic behavior dominated. It was only when the calm of the north prevailed as the guiding principle in the foreign policy of the Nordic states that alternative conflict resolution mechanisms and a change in the meaning of the ideas of Nordic alliances emerged. This led to a minimization of the warlike goals towards the search for partnership cooperation.

Kalmar Union

The Kalmar Union was a supranational association under Danish leadership. The Kalmar Union is sometimes glorified as the beginning of Nordic cooperation.

Nordic Alliance of the Great Northern War

Depiction of the campaigns during the first phase of the war from the outbreak of war in 1700 to the end of the war following the battle of Poltava in July 1709.

In terms of power politics, there was a dominant northern great power in the form of the Swedish Empire around 1700 . This great power position was achieved by the country in the struggle for control of the Baltic Sea from 1631 and defended until the outbreak of war in 1700 at the expense of the other Baltic countries. Sweden's base was too small to maintain its great power status over the long term, and its violent expansion had created lasting hostilities with Denmark and Russia. Russia was completely ousted from the Baltic Sea by Sweden in the Ingermanland War in 1617 and was considered a Nordic power at that time, even if the country was classified more on the eastern edge of the Nordic cultural area due to its geographical location.

The Nordic alliance was formed in 1699 with the Treaty of Preobrazhenskoe and the Treaty of Dresden between Saxony-Poland, Denmark and Russia. Denmark left the alliance as early as 1700 with the Treaty of Traventhal . Saxony, too, had to conclude the Altranstädter Peace in 1706 and was also eliminated. Russia continued to fight Sweden alone. After the turn of the war in 1709, Denmark and Saxony re-entered the war on the side of Russia with the Treaty of Thorn , the Treaty of Copenhagen and the Treaty of Dresden . Prussia and Hanover also entered the Nordic Alliance in 1715 with the alliance treaty of Stettin , the alliance treaty of Berlin and the alliance treaty of Greifswald . Due to the military development, Russia became the dominant alliance partner after 1709 and the other states became junior partners.

In 1721, Russia emerged victorious from the struggle between the Swedish neighboring states for the vacant great power position. Hanover and Prussia also made profits, while Denmark and Saxony-Poland missed out.

"The contemporary term Nordic allies expresses the striving of Russia and Saxony-Poland to achieve territorial profit in the Baltic Sea region ." Opportunistic behavior dominated among all partners, which put their own advantage before that of the alliance. As a result of this competitive relationship, the Allies were at odds with one another, disagreed and prone to uncoordinated war operations.

This led significantly to a weakening of the alliance and an extension of the war. Saxony-Poland and Russia fought over the Swedish provinces in the Baltic States ; Denmark, Prussia and Hanover for the Swedish possessions in northern Germany . Russia was watched with suspicion by its allies because they feared a military hegemony of the Tsarist Empire. Russia, for its part, tried to weaken Poland lastingly and to expand its influence to Central Europe.

As a result, these quarrels led to diplomatic intrigues, successfully controlled by representatives from the Kingdom of Great Britain .

Modern times

Members of the NIB

In the 21st century, the term Nordic Alliance has established itself with reference to the EU . This includes informal but also binding country agreements with regional references.

Official Nordic cooperation is guided by two forums: the Nordic Council , which has existed since 1952 , and the Nordic Council of Ministers since 1971 , both organizations having their headquarters in Copenhagen. The "Nordic Council" is responsible for interparliamentary cooperation and the "Nordic Council of Ministers" for intergovernmental cooperation. The institutions of the Council of Ministers include the Nordic Industry Fund ( NIF), the Environmental Fund for Eastern European Countries established in 1989 and the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) founded in Helsinki in 1976 . Other interregional partnerships are the Baltic Sea Council and the Nordic-Balic Eight Association.

The close ties between the Nordic countries are also expressed in the maintenance of joint missions abroad, such as the Nordic embassies in Berlin.

literature

• Robert I. Frost: The Northern Wars. War, State and Society in Northeastern Europe, 1558-1721. Routledge, 2014.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Sven Jochem: The political systems of Scandinavia, Springer-Verlag, 2012, p. 40f
2. ↑ Martin Meier: Western Pomerania north of the Peene under Danish administration 1715 to 1721. Establishment of an administration and securing of rule in a conquered area. Verlag Oldenbourg, Munich 2008, ISBN 978-3486582857 , p. 21.
3. ↑ wirtschaftslexikon24.com /d/nordischer-ministerrat/nordischer-ministerrat.htm