A common misconception: Finland was part of Russia. No, Finland belonged to the Russian Emperor. But at the same time it constituted a state separate from Russia.
The old dispute of the northern powers
Back in the 13th century, Sweden and Veliky Novgorod were arguing among themselves over Finland. With the decline of Novgorod, the preponderance tilted to the side of Sweden. For centuries Finland was part of the Swedish kingdom.
In the 18th century, Tsar Peter the Great launched an offensive against Sweden. In the course of three wars (Northern 1700-21, 1741-43 and 1788-90) Russia annexed the lands of the Karelian Isthmus, the region of the city of Vyborg and the southeastern part of modern Finland. This territory was later called Old Finland.
The era of the Swedish great power has come to an end. The final blow was dealt to him by Emperor Alexander I at the beginning of the 19th century. The last Russian-Swedish war, which lasted from February 1808 to September 1809, ended with the complete victory of Russia and the conquest of Finland. The borders of Sweden did not change after this war.
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Conquest of Finland
By the beginning of the war, Russia was in an alliance with Napoleonic France and in a state of war with England, and Sweden - in an alliance with England. It was an opportune moment to finally resolve the dispute over the Baltic.
At first, Russian troops conquered almost all of Finland, but then the Swedes managed to inflict a number of defeats on the Russian army. With the help of the British, the Swedes recaptured the island of Gotland from the Russians. However, the Swedes' attempt to recapture Helsingfors (Helsinki) ended in failure.
In Finland, Russian troops already had to face massive partisan resistance. The Finns have never liked uninvited guests.
But Emperor Alexander from the very beginning, in addition to the war, also pursued a "policy of soft power." Already on March 20 (April 1, according to the new style, which operated in Finland) in 1808, he declared Finland an autonomous Grand Duchy under the scepter of the All-Russian Emperor and while maintaining the previous laws.
Consolidating conquest
In 1809, the fighting continued. The sovereign decided to strike directly at the territory of Sweden and, if necessary, occupy Stockholm.
At that time, Sweden was ruled by King Gustav IV, who tried to be like Charles XII in everything. He personally went to command the Swedish army at the theater of war. However, he was significantly inferior in talents to his distant predecessor. For mediocrity and despotism, he was dethroned in March 1809.
At this very time, the Russian army crossed the Gulf of Bothnia on the ice and found itself on the outskirts of Stockholm. The new Swedish government asked for peace. Under the terms of the Friedrichsgam Treaty, Sweden forever abandoned Finland in favor of Russia.
In the Russian-Swedish war, for the first time such famous military leaders as Barclay de Tolly and Raevsky became famous.
Back in February 1809, in Borgo (Porvo), Alexander I convened the first Finnish Sejm after the annexation of the Russian Empire. Old Finland was annexed to the Grand Duchy.
While remaining an autocrat in Russia, in Finland the Russian Tsar was a constitutional monarch. Until 1917, Finland had its own laws, police and finance. The Swedish language was used in its state institutions on an equal basis with Russian.