Prussian-Russian Alliance Treaty (1762)

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Europe at the time of the Seven Years' War

The Prussian-Russian Alliance Treaty of June 30, 1762 was a short-lived defensive and offensive alliance between Prussia and Russia , which had only recently made peace. In essence, it contained provisions that were directed offensively against Denmark . Due to the coup d'état against Peter III. , the contract was no longer confirmed by the heir to the throne Catherine II .

Political framework

Frederick the Great's policy of conquest had endangered the European balance . Russian advisors to Empress Elisabeth feared that Prussia would unleash a major European war, even in the immediate vicinity of Russian territory. Russian diplomats tried to cover themselves in Europe in this case.

After a failed attempt for a British-Russian-Prussian coalition, which the Viennese court was supposed to join at the instigation of England , Russia's Empress Elisabeth allied herself with the Habsburg Maria Theresa in an offensive and defensive treaty directed against Prussia in March 1756 . The Habsburg monarchy had previously entered into an alliance with Versailles ( reversal of the alliance systems ).

For the Prussian king this meant the danger of being encircled by the three major European powers. In August 1756, Frederick II opened hostilities, and the Seven Years' War began. The situation of the Prussian king worsened from month to month. The Empress Elisabeth died on January 5th, 1762. Your nephew, Peter III. , immediately took office. While the change of the throne in Petersburg caused the Danes the greatest consternation and the worst fears, Frederick the Great greeted this message with undisguised joy, especially as Peter III. already as the Grand Duke expressed his preference for everything Prussian.

Settling the quarrel between the Gottorf fish and the royal house in Holstein through an exchange contract between Peter and Denmark failed during the lifetime of Empress Elisabeth. In July 1761, Peter declared that he rejected the Danish proposals and insisted on his rights. Since then, the Danish King Frederick V has been preparing for war. Shortly after taking office, Peter III. It is clear that he will immediately start the war against Denmark for Holstein.

Friedrich II sent Colonel Wilhelm Bernhard von der Goltz to Saint Petersburg and authorized him to offer Prussia's guarantee that Peter would take possession of Holstein and offer neutrality in the event of a Danish-Russian war. Von der Goltz was welcomed with open arms at the Imperial Russian court. Negotiations proceeded swiftly, and on May 5th the peace between the two states was signed in Saint Petersburg .

Draft contract

Following handed Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov the Prussian ambassador to documents drawn up in German language draft of the alliance contract. The contract was signed on June 19 in the presence of the Emperor and Prince Georg von Holstein . Vorontsov read out each article of the treaty individually, from which Goltz the changes he requested. These were approved except for the article that concerned Schleswig. Here Peter II insisted on a guarantee from Prussia.

In the treaty, both powers confirmed their possessions and promised each other, in the event of an attack by third powers, to provide an auxiliary corps of 15,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry for the duration of the conflict. Precise provisions were made in the contract about salaries, meals and command. Two separate articles and three secret articles had been added to the 20 articles of the treaty. The first separate article stated that the treaty would not apply in the event of a Russo-Persian War or a war against England.

The second separate article dealt with domestic affairs in Poland-Lithuania . The first secret article stipulated that Prussia should assert to the Russian emperor his rights as Duke of Holstein in Schleswig. Prussia also granted further territorial cessions to Denmark for a future Russian-Danish-Holstein peace. The second and third secret articles contained provisions on Courland and Poland.

Friedrich II approved the action of his envoy von der Goltz and ratified the treaty on June 30th.

Further development

Peter set the troops in motion and gathered 40,000 men at Kolberg . Further reinforcements should bring the attacking army to 60,000 men. At the beginning of July the vanguard moved into Swedish Pomerania . The Danes put their navy and army in readiness.

Shortly afterwards, Peter III. overthrown by his wife Catherine II on July 9, 1762. The troops immediately received orders to the contrary. The alliance concluded between Russia and Prussia became obsolete. Katharina did not confirm the contract signed by Friedrich II. However, its provisions served as the basis for the new alliance treaty concluded between Russia and Prussia in 1764 .

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