The first treated of Tilsit (small town of Eastern Prussia become today Sovietsk in Russia) was signed in secrecy the July 7th 1807 by the Tsar Alexandre I {{er}} and the emperor Napoleon I {{er}}.

The June 25th 1807, the two sovereigns met for the first time in the vicinity, on a boat in the middle of the Niémen.

Alexandre Ier, has just been beaten with Friedland the June 14th 1807, wishes to save time in the war against the French.

On his side, Napoleon, at the top of his glory, hopes to finish some with the resistance of the the United Kingdom by associating Russia with the continental Blocus intended to ruin the British economy.

With the treaty of the July 7th, it is the end of the fourth European coalition against France.

In exchange of his support during 5 years against the United Kingdom, Napoleon leaves the freehands to the tsar to seize the Finland at the expense of the Sweden and in his project of dismemberment of the Turkey (a clause lays down the division of the Turkish possessions between Russia and France).

A second treaty is signed the July 9th 1807. This public treaty creates the kingdom of Westphalia in the west and the Duché of Warsaw in the east, with the territories conquered by Napoleon on the Prussian . Dantzig becomes a free city. Moreover, Prussia must adhere to the continental blockade and sees its army reduced to 42.000 men.

See too

Related articles

• Countryside of Russia

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