Briefly, the foreign policy of Alexander 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
Bubbling 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 grand failure.
While Napoleon stubbornly gained power andturned his state into a mighty empire, gathered the Third Anti-French Coalition from Russia, England and Austria. She had to stop the Corsican's plans from coming to fruition.
Unfortunately, the Austrians, despite the support of the Russian army, began to lose quickly. 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.
Enemies Alliance
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. Need to wait.
The direction of the foreign policy of Alexander 1 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 exceptionally unsatisfactory conditions for the existence of the Russian Empire (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 such an agreement.
- Alexander 1 got the opportunity to focus on domestic politics, which also needed his presence.
- ActuallyIn fact, such an agreement gave Russia peace of mind and freed its hands in everything related to the eastern part of the world. If everything went according to plan, there should have been two superpowers left in the world - the Western Empire with Napoleon at the head and the Eastern Empire with Alexander 1.
It is worth digressing 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 the internal policy of Alexander 1 bring? It can be summarized in four main ways.
- 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 a colossal change in the moral character of the country.
- Deep reforms of power were carried out. This concerned the change of the state council, its final strengthening as the chief adviser to the emperor. In addition, many privileges were granted, and a single set of duties was established for the Senate.
- But the most important is by far the ministerial reform that created eight ministries. Their heads were obliged to report to the emperor and bear full responsibility for the subject industry.
- Education reform, thanks to which literacy became available even to the lowest stratum of the population. Primary schools became free, and the secondary-higher hierarchythe educational institution has finally become fully operational.
Assessment of the domestic policy of Alexander 1 can be given objectively only on the basis of further events. Because all his reforms played a decisive role.
Challenge Bonaparte
What is the Patriotic War of 1812, 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. Kutuzov's strategic talent, which the Russian ruler now listened to, outplayed Napoleon's tactics.
Very soon Russian troops were in Paris.
Other wars
Don't 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 intocomplete defeat of 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 away from 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 between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. And of course, one cannot help but recall the war with the Persians, which made Alexander 1 a full-fledged Asian player.
Results
This is the foreign policy of Alexander 1 (summary).
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 have been like if Russia had been conquered then.
