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Russian Empire and European monarchies in the XVII – XVIII centuries

Introduction

The 1648 Peace of Westphalia put an end to the Thirty Years' War, which arose as a result of the
confrontation between the Austrian Habsburgs and Protestant states, the two coalitions fighting
for supremacy in Europe.

The treaty was concluded as a result of the first international congress in the history of Europe
which was held simultaneously in Muenster and Osnabruck. Russia did not take part in it,
although it became the guarantor of the signed treaty. In the Treaty of Osnabruck, Alexis of
Russia was named ally of Sweden.

Russia was drawn into the system of international relations slower than other countries, and,
accordingly, had little influence on its formation. To some extent this was due to the
geographical location of the country, separated from the main European states by Poland. The
country retained its identity, as a result of which it was perceived as an uncivilized state, which
better not to deal with and which can hardly be considered an equal partner.

During the XVII-XVIII centuries, significant changes occur in international stance and foreign
policy of Russia. As Russia was drawn into the Westphalian system of international relations,
separate, periodic contacts with the outside world are transformed into stable, regular diplomatic,
political and economic relations with most European monarchies.

If, in the 17th century Russia's foreign policy was basically limited to relations with the
neighboring countries, such as Poland, Sweden and Turkey, in the 18th century, as a result of the
establishment of the Empire, Russia was gradually turning into one of the great powers
determining the main trends of European and world politics. These processes were accompanied
by significant changes in the socio-economic and socio-political life of the country. The
intensification of relations with Western European monarchies also resulted in a conflict between
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supporters of Europeanization and adherents of traditional, primarily religious, moral,

foundations.

The results of the Great Northern War and the proclamation of the Russian Empire in October
1721 meant serious changes on the international arena. Henceforth, European states were forced
to settle accounts with Russia's dominance in Eastern Europe and take into account the Russian
factor in foreign policy. Russia played a significant role in the major European conflicts of the
ХVIII century (especially in the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763).

In countries with absolute monarchy, such as France, Austria and especially Russia, foreign
policy depended crucially on the personal qualities and preferences of the head of state. In
Russia, this circumstance was aggravated by political instability, frequent change of power after
the death of Peter the Great. As a result, foreign policy of the Empire in 1726-1762 was of a
passive nature, joining a particular European coalition depended on a confluence of
circumstances.

In 1780 Catherine the Great resigned from the "northern system" which was established by the
Russo-Prusso Alliance, and moved towards Austria. In this case, the turn was made consciously,
the interests of the Russian Empire and Austria coincided in the struggle against Turkey.

Thus, it is possible to state that, in the period of post-Westphalia, significant changes occurred in
the international stance as well as status of the Russian state. For two centuries, Russia evolved
from a weak, peripheral state to a great power, decided on strategic tasks to reach the Baltic and
Black Seas, and achieved a huge expansion of its territory at the expense of Poland, Sweden and
Turkey. Starting from the second half of the XVIII century, Russia was actively involved in
maintaining the balance in relations with European monarchies.
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Research Question

How the Westphalian system impacted the relations between Russian Empire and European
monarchies? How, after the Peace of Westphalia, did the position of the Russian state change in
the system of international relations?

Research Objectives

 To study the peculiarities of relations with Europe within the framework of the
Westphalian system of international relations;

 To examine change in the foreign policy, in particular the willingness to take part in
processes of international relations and alliances in Europe after 1648;

 To compare the position of the Russian state after 1648.

Data Sources

This paper is proposed to employ secondary and primary data. As the scope of this paper is based
on literature review, with focus on the Russian Empire and European monarchies, it was
established that the best methodology is to refer to a reliable database of information, be it
historical books, historical archives and online academic sources. The secondary data will be
collected from Russian-language textbooks.

Resources

Beyond Westphalia?: State sovereignty and international intervention, Gene M. Lyons, Michael
Mastanduno, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995

Russian empire: space, people, power, 1700 - 1930 Burbank, Jane [HerausgeberIn] Bloomington,
Ind. [u.a.] : Indiana University Press ; 2007
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Introduction: the eighteenth-century European states system and its transformations Scott, H. M.

The Russian Empire 1450-1801 Kollmann, Nancy Shields, 1950- [VerfasserIn] Oxford : Oxford
University Press ; 2017 ; First edition.

The Emergence of the Eastern Powers, 1756–1775, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press ;
2001

The Russian Empire in the Eighteenth Century: Tradition and Modernization Aleksandr
Kamenskii, David Griffiths, Routledge 2015

Diplomacy, Henry Kissinger, Simon and Schuster, 2012

Westphalia: The Last Christian Peace, D. Croxton, Springer, 2013