In the name of the Most Holy and undivided Trinity.
Be it known by these presents, that whereas a bloody, long, and
expensive war has arisen and subsisted for several years past, between
his late majesty king Charles XII. of glorious memory, king of Sweden,
of the Goths, and Vandals, &c. &c. his successors to the throne of
Sweden, the lady Ulrica queen of Sweden, of the Goths and Vandals, &c.
and the kingdom of Sweden, on the one part; and between his czarish
majesty Peter the First, emperor of all the Russias, &c. and the empire
of Russia, on the other part; the two powers have thought proper to
exert their endeavours to find out means to put a period to those
troubles, and prevent the further effusion of so much innocent blood;
and it has pleased the Almighty to dispose the hearts of both powers, to
appoint a meeting of their ministers plenipotentiary, to treat of, and
conclude a firm, sincere and lasting peace, and perpetual friendship
between the two powers, their dominions, provinces, countries, vassals,
subjects, and inhabitants; namely, Mr. John Liliensted, one of the most
honourable privy-council to his majesty the king of Sweden, his kingdom
and chancery, and baron Otto Reinhold Stroemfeld, intendant of the
copper mines and fiefs of Dalders, on the part of his said majesty; and
on the part of his czarish majesty, count Jacob Daniel Bruce, his
general adjutant, president of the colleges of mines and manufactories,
and knight of the order of St. Andrew and the White Eagle, and Mr. Henry
John Frederic Osterman, one of his said majesty's privy-counsellors in
his chancery: which plenipotentiary ministers, being assembled at
Nystadt, and having communicated to each other their respective
commissions, and imploring the divine assistance, did enter upon this
important and salutary enterprise, and have, by the grace and blessing
of God, concluded the following peace between the crown of Sweden and
his czarish majesty.
Art. 1. There shall be now and henceforward a perpetual and inviolable
peace, sincere union, and indissoluble friendship, between his majesty
Frederic the First, king of Sweden, of the Goths and Vandals, his
successors to the crown and kingdom of Sweden, his dominions, provinces,
countries, villages, vassals, subjects, and inhabitants, as well within
the Roman empire as out of said empire, on the one side; and his czarish
majesty Peter the First, emperor of all the Russias, &c. his successors
to the throne of Russia, and all his countries, villages, vassals,
subjects, and inhabitants, on the other side; in such wise, that for
the future, neither of the two reconciled powers shall commit, or suffer
to be committed, any hostility, either privately or publicly, directly
or indirectly, nor shall in any wise assist the enemies of each other,
on any pretext whatever, not contract any alliance with them, that may
be contrary to this peace, but shall always maintain and preserve a
sincere friendship towards each other, and as much as in them lies,
support their mutual honour, advantage and safety; as likewise prevent,
to the utmost of their power, any injury or vexation with which either
of the reconciled parties may be threatened by any other power.
Art. 2. It is further mutually agreed upon betwixt the two parties, that
a general pardon and act of oblivion for all hostilities committed
during the war, either by arms or otherwise, shall be strictly observed,
so far as that neither party shall ever henceforth either call to mind,
or take vengeance for the same, particularly in regard to persons of
state, and subjects who have entered into the service of either of the
two parties during the war, and have thereby become enemies to the
other, except only the Russian Cossacks, who enlisted in the service of
the king of Sweden, and whom his czarish majesty will not consent to
have included in the said general pardon, notwithstanding the
intercession made for them by the king of Sweden.
Art. 3. All hostilities, both by sea and land, shall cease both here and
in the grand duchy of Finland in fifteen days, or sooner, if possible,
after the regular exchange of the ratifications; and to this intent the
conclusion of the peace shall be published without delay. And in case
that, after the expiration of the said term, any hostilities should be
committed by either party, either by sea or land, in any manner
whatsoever, through ignorance of the conclusion of the peace, such
offence shall by no means prejudice the conclusion of said peace; on the
contrary, each shall make a reciprocal exchange of both men and effects
that may be taken after the said term.
Art. 4. His majesty the king of Sweden does, by the present treaty, as
well for himself as for his successors to the throne and kingdom of
Sweden, cede to his czarish majesty, and his successors to the Russian
empire, in full, irrevocable and everlasting possession, the provinces
which have been taken by his czarish majesty's arms from the crown of
Sweden during this war, viz. Livonia, Esthonia, Ingria, and a part of
Carelia, as likewise the district of the fiefs of Wybourg specified
hereafter in the article for regulating the limits; the towns and
fortresses of Riga, Dunamund, Pernau, Revel, Dorpt, Nerva, Wybourg,
Kexholm, and the other towns, fortresses, harbours, countries,
districts, rivers, and coasts, belonging to the provinces: as likewise
the islands of Oesel, Dagoe, Moen, and all the other islands from the
frontiers of Courland, towards the coasts of Livonia, Esthonia, and
Ingria, and on the east side of Revel, and in the road of Wybourg,
towards the south-east, with all the present inhabitants of those
islands, and of the aforesaid provinces, towns, and countries; and in
general, all their appurtenances, dependencies, prerogatives, rights,
and advantages, without exception, in like manner as the crown of Sweden
possessed them.
To which purpose, his majesty the king of Sweden renounces for ever, in
the most solemn manner, as well for his own part, as for his successors,
and for the whole kingdom of Sweden, all pretensions which they have
hitherto had, or could have, to the said provinces, islands, countries,
and towns; and all the inhabitants thereof shall, by virtue of these
presents, be discharged from the oath of allegiance, which they have
taken to the crown of Sweden, in such wise as that his Swedish majesty,
and the kingdom of Sweden, shall never hereafter either claim or demand
the same, on any pretence whatsoever; but, on the contrary, they shall
be and remain incorporated for ever into the empire of Russia. Moreover,
his Swedish majesty, and the kingdom of Sweden, promise by these
presents to assist and support from henceforth his czarish majesty, and
his successors to the empire of Russia, in the peaceable possession of
the said provinces, islands, countries, and towns; and that they will
find out and deliver up to the persons authorized by his czarish majesty
for that purpose, all the records and papers principally belonging to
those places which have been taken away and carried into Sweden during
the war.
Art 5. His czarish majesty, in return, promises to evacuate and restore
to his Swedish majesty, and the kingdom of Sweden, within the space of
four weeks after the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, or
sooner if possible, the grand duchy of Finland, except only that part
thereof which has been reserved by the following regulation of the
limits which shall belong to his czarish majesty, so that his said
czarish majesty, and his successors, never shall have or bring the least
claim or demand on the said duchy, on any pretence whatever. His czarish
majesty further declares and promises, that certain and prompt payment
of two millions of crowns shall be made without any discount to the
deputies of the king of Sweden, on condition that they produce and give
sufficient receipts, as agreed upon; and the said payment shall be made
in such coin as shall be agreed upon by a separate article, which shall
be of equal force as if inserted in the body of this treaty.
Art. 6. His majesty the king of Sweden does further reserve to himself,
in regard to trade, the liberty of buying corn yearly at Riga, Revel,
and Arensbourg, to the amount of fifty thousand rubles, which corn shall
be transported from thence into Sweden, without paying duty or any other
taxes, on producing a certificate, shewing that such corn has been
purchased for the use of his Swedish majesty, or by his subjects,
charged with the care of making this purchase by his said majesty; and
such right shall not be subject to, or depend on any exigency, wherein
his czarish majesty may find it necessary, either on account of a bad
harvest, or some other important reasons, to prohibit in general the
exportation of corn to any other nation.
Art. 7. His czarish majesty does also promise, in the most solemn
manner, that he will in no wise interfere with the private affairs of
the kingdom of Sweden, nor with the form of government, which has been
regulated and established by the oath of allegiance, and unanimous
consent of the states of said kingdom; neither will he assist therein
any person whatever, in any manner, directly or indirectly; but, on the
contrary, will endeavour to hinder and prevent any disturbance
happening, provided his czarish majesty has timely notice of the same,
who will on all such occasions act as a sincere friend and good
neighbour to the crown of Sweden.
Art. 8. And as they mutually intend to establish a firm sincere and
lasting peace, to which purpose it is very necessary to regulate the
limits so, that neither of the parties can harbour any jealousy, but
that each shall peaceably possess whatever has been surrendered to him
by this treaty of peace, they have thought proper to declare, that the
two empires shall from henceforth and for ever have the following
limits, beginning on the northern coast of the Bothnic gulf, near
Wickolax, from whence they shall extend to within half a league of the
sea-coast inland, and from the distance of half a league from the sea as
far as opposite to Willayoki, and from thence further inland; so that
from the sea-side, and opposite to Rohel, there shall be a distance of
about three-quarters of a league, in a direct line, to the road which
leads from Wibourg to Lapstrand, at three leagues distance from Wibourg,
and which proceeds the same distance of three leagues towards the north
by Wibourg, in a direct line to the former limits between Russia and
Sweden, even before the reduction of the district of Kexholm under the
government of the king of Sweden. Those ancient limits extend eight
leagues towards the north, from thence they run in a direct line through
the district of Kexholm, to the place where the harbour of Porogerai,
which begins near the town of Kudumagube, joins to the ancient limits,
between Russia and Sweden, so that his majesty the king and kingdom of
Sweden, shall henceforth possess all that part lying west and north
beyond the above specified limits, and his czarish majesty and the
empire of Russia all that part which is situated east and south of the
said limits. And as his czarish majesty surrenders from henceforth to
his Swedish majesty and the kingdom of Sweden, a part of the district of
Kexholm, which belonged heretofore to the empire of Russia, he promises,
in the most solemn manner, in regard to himself and successors to the
throne of Russia, that he never will make any future claim to this said
district of Kexholm, on any account whatever; but the said district
shall hereafter be and remain incorporated into the kingdom of Sweden.
As to the limits in the country of Lamparque, they shall remain on the
same footing as they were before the beginning of this war between the
two empires. It is further agreed upon, that commissaries shall be
appointed by each party, immediately after the ratification of this
treaty to regulate the limits as aforesaid.
Art. 9. His czarish majesty further promises to maintain all the
inhabitants of the provinces of Livonia, Esthonia, and Oesel, as well
nobles as plebeians, and the towns, magistrates, companies, and trades,
in the full enjoyment of the said privileges, customs and prerogatives,
which they have enjoyed under the dominion of his Swedish majesty.
Art. 10. There shall not hereafter be any violence offered to the
consciences of the inhabitants of the ceded countries; on the contrary,
his czarish majesty engages on his side to preserve and maintain the
evangelical (Lutheran) religion on the same footing as under the Swedish
government, provided there is likewise a free liberty of conscience
allowed to those of the Greek religion.
Art. 11. In regard to the reductions and liquidations made in the reign
of the late king of Sweden in Livonia, Esthonia, and Oesel, to the great
injury of the subjects and inhabitants of those countries, which,
conformable to the justice of the affair in question, obliged his late
majesty the king of Sweden, of glorious memory, to promise, by an
ordinance (which was published the 13th day of April, 1700, that if any
one of his subjects could fairly prove, that the goods which had been
confiscated were their property justice should be done them, whereby
several subjects of the said countries have had such their confiscated
effects restored to them) his czarish majesty engages and promises, that
justice shall be done to every person, whether residing or not, who has
a just claim or pretension to any lands in Livonia, Esthonia, or the
province of Oesel, and can make full proof thereof, and that such person
shall be reinstated in the possession of his lands and effects.
Art. 12. There shall likewise be immediate restitution made, conformable
to the general amnesty regulated and agreed by the second article, to
such of the inhabitants of Livonia, Esthonia, and the island of Oesel,
who may during this war have joined the king of Sweden, together with
all their effects, lands, and houses, which have been confiscated and
given to others, as well in the towns of these provinces, as in those of
Narva and Wibourg, notwithstanding they may have passed during the said
war by inheritance or otherwise into other hands, with any exception or
restraint, even though the proprietors should be actually in Sweden,
either as prisoners or otherwise; and such restitution shall take place
so soon as each person is re-naturalized by his respective government,
and produces his documents relating to his right; on the other hand,
these proprietors shall by no means lay claim to, or pretend to any part
of, the revenues, which may have been received by those who were in
possession in consequence of the confiscation, nor to any other
compensation for their losses in the war or otherwise. And all persons,
who are thus put in re-possession of their effects and lands, shall be
obliged to do homage to his czarish majesty, their present sovereign,
and further to behave themselves as faithful vassals and subjects; and
when they have taken the usual oath of allegiance, they shall be at
liberty to leave their own country to go and live in any other, which is
in alliance and friendship with the Russian empire, as also to enter
into the service of neutral powers, or to continue therein, if already
engaged, as they shall think proper. On the other hand, in regard to
those, who do not choose to do homage to his czarish majesty, they shall
be allowed the space of three years from the publication of the peace,
to sell or dispose of their effects, lands, and all belonging to them,
to the best advantage, without paying any more than is paid by every
other person, agreeably to the laws and statutes of the country. And if
hereafter, it should happen that an inheritance should devolve to any
person according to the laws of the country, and that such person shall
not as yet have taken the oath of allegiance to his czarish majesty, he
shall in such case be obliged to take the same at the time of entering
on the possession of his inheritance, otherwise to sell off all his
effects in the space of one year.
Also those who have advanced money on lands in Livonia, Esthonia, and
the island of Oesel, and have lawful security for the same, shall enjoy
their mortgages peaceably, until both capital and interest are
discharged; on the other hand, the mortgages shall not claim any
interest, which expired during the war, and which have not been demanded
or paid; but those who in either of these cases have the administration
of the said effects, shall be obliged to do homage to his czarish
majesty. This likewise extends to all those who remain in his czarish
majesty's dominions, and who shall have the same liberty to dispose of
their effects in Sweden, and in those countries which have been
surrendered to that crown by this peace. Moreover, the subjects of each
of the reconciled powers shall be mutually supported in all their lawful
claims and demands, whether on the public, or on individuals within the
dominions of the two powers, and immediate justice shall be done them,
so that every person may be reinstated in the possession of what justly
belongs to him.
Art. 13. All contributions in money shall from the signing of this
treaty cease in the grand duchy of Finland, which his czarish majesty by
the fifth article of this treaty cedes to his Swedish majesty and the
kingdom of Sweden; on the other hand the duchy of Finland shall furnish
his czarish majesty's troops with the necessary provisions and forage
gratis, until they shall have entirely evacuated the said duchy, on the
said footing as has been practised heretofore; and his czarish majesty
shall prohibit and forbid, under the severest penalties, the dislodging
any ministers or peasants of the Finnish nation, contrary to their
inclinations, or that the least injury be done to them. In consideration
of which, and as it will be permitted his czarish majesty, upon
evacuating the said countries and towns, to take with him his great and
small cannon, with their carriages and other appurtenances, and the
magazines and other warlike stores which he shall think fit. The
inhabitants shall furnish a sufficient number of horse and waggons as
far as the frontiers; and also, if the whole of this cannot be executed
according to the stipulated terms, and that any part of such artillery,
&c. is necessitated to be left behind, then, and in such cases, that
which is so left shall be properly taken care of, and afterwards
delivered to his czarish majesty's deputies, whenever it shall be
agreeable to them, and likewise be transported to the frontiers in
manner as above. If his czarish majesty's troops shall have found and
sent out of the country any deeds or papers belonging to the grand duchy
of Finland, strict search shall be made for the same, and all of them
that can be found shall be faithfully restored to deputies of his
Swedish majesty.
Art. 14. All the prisoners on each side, of whatsoever nation, rank, and
condition, shall be set at liberty immediately after the ratification of
this treaty, without any ransom, at the same time every prisoner shall
either pay or give sufficient security for the payment of all debts by
them contracted. The prisoners on each side shall be furnished with the
necessary horses and waggons gratis during the time allotted for their
return home, in proportion to the distance from the frontiers. In regard
to such prisoners, who shall have sided with one or the other party, or
who shall choose to settle in the dominions of either of the two powers,
they shall have full liberty so to do without restriction: and this
liberty shall likewise extend to all those who have been compelled to
serve either party during the war, who may in like manner remain where
they are, or return home; except such who have voluntarily embraced the
Greek religion, in compliance to his czarish majesty; for which purpose
each party shall order that the edicts be published and made known in
their respective dominions.
Art. 15. His majesty the king, and the republic of Poland, as allies to
his czarish majesty, are expressly comprehended in this treaty of peace,
and have equal right thereto, as if the treaty of peace between them and
the crown of Sweden had been inserted here at full length: to which
purpose all hostilities whatsoever shall cease in general throughout all
the kingdoms, countries, and patrimonies belonging to the two reconciled
parties, whether situated within or out of the Roman empire, and there
shall be a solid and lasting peace established between the two aforesaid
powers. And as no plenipotentiary on the part of his Polish majesty and
the republic of Poland has assisted at this treaty of peace, held at
Nystadt, and that consequently they could not at one and the same time
renew the peace by a solemn treaty between his majesty the king of
Poland and the crown of Sweden, his majesty the king of Sweden does
therefore engage and promise, that he will send plenipotentiaries to
open the conferences, so soon as a place shall be appointed for the said
meeting, in order to conclude, through the mediation of his czarish
majesty, a lasting peace between the two crowns, provided nothing is
therein contained which may be prejudicial to the treaty of perpetual
peace made with his czarish majesty.
Art. 16. A free trade shall be regulated and established as soon as
possible, which shall subsist both by sea and land between the two
powers, their dominions, subjects, and inhabitants, by means of a
separate treaty on this head, to the good and advantage of their
respective dominions; and in the mean time the subjects of Russia and
Sweden shall have leave to trade freely in the empire of Russia and
kingdom of Sweden, so soon as the treaty of peace is ratified, after
paying the usual duties on the several kinds of merchandise; so that,
the subjects of Russia and Sweden shall reciprocally enjoy the same
privileges and prerogatives as are enjoyed by the closest friends of
either of the said states.
Art. 17. Restitution shall be made on both sides, after the ratification
of the peace, not only of the magazines which were before the
commencement of the war established in certain trading towns belonging
to the two powers, but also liberty shall be reciprocally granted to the
subjects of his czarish majesty and the king of Sweden to establish
magazines in the towns, harbours, and other places subject to both or
either of the said powers.
Art. 18. If any Swedish ships of war or merchant vessels shall have the
misfortune to be wrecked, or cast away by stress of weather, or any
other accident, on the coasts and harbours of Russia, his czarish
majesty's subjects shall be obliged to give them all aid and assistance
in their power to save their rigging and effects, and faithfully to
restore whatever may be drove on shore, if demanded, provided they are
properly rewarded. And the subjects of his majesty the king of Sweden
shall do the same in regard to such Russian ships and effects as may
have the misfortune to be wrecked or otherwise lost on the coasts of
Sweden; for which purpose, and to prevent all ill treatment, robbing,
and plundering, which commonly happens on such melancholy occasions, his
czarish majesty and the king of Sweden will cause a most rigorous
prohibition to be issued, and all who shall be found transgressing in
this point shall be punished on the spot.
Art. 19. And to prevent all possible cause or occasion of
misunderstanding between the two parties, in relation to sea affairs,
they have concluded and determined, that any Swedish ships of war, of
whatever number or size, that shall hereafter pass by any of his czarish
majesty's forts or castles, shall salute the same with their cannon,
which compliment shall be directly returned in the same manner by the
Russian fort or castle; and, _vice versa_, any Russian ships of war, of
whatever number or size, that shall hereafter pass by any fort or castle
belonging to his Swedish majesty, shall salute the same with a discharge
of their cannon, which compliment shall be instantly returned in the
same manner by the Swedish fort; and in case any one or more Swedish and
Russian ships shall meet at sea, or in any harbour or elsewhere, they
shall salute each other with a common discharge, as is usually practised
on such occasions between the ships of Sweden and Denmark.
Art. 20. It is mutually agreed between the two powers, no longer to
defray the expenses of the ministers of the two powers, as have been
done hitherto; but their representative ministers, plenipotentiaries,
and envoys, shall hereafter defray their own expenses and those of their
own attendants, as well on their journey as during their stay, and back
to their respective place of residence. On the other hand, either of the
two parties, on receiving timely notice of the arrival of an envoy,
shall order that their subjects give them all the assistance that may be
necessary to escort them safe on their journey.
Art. 21. His majesty the king of Sweden does on his part comprehend his
majesty the king of Great Britain in this treaty of peace, reserving
only the differences subsisting between their czarish and his Britannic
majesties, which they shall immediately endeavour to terminate in a
friendly manner; and such other powers, who shall be named by the two
reconciled parties within the space of three months, shall likewise be
included in this treaty of peace.
Art. 22. In case any misunderstanding shall hereafter arise between the
states and subjects of Sweden and Russia, it shall by no means prejudice
this treaty of perpetual peace; which shall nevertheless always be and
remain in full force agreeable to its intent, and commissaries shall
without delay be appointed on each side to inquire into and adjust all
disputes.
Art. 23. All those who have been guilty of high treason, murder, theft,
and other crimes, and those who deserted from Sweden to Russia, and from
Russia to Sweden, either singly or with their wives and children, shall
be immediately sent back, provided the complaining party of the country
from whence they made their escape, shall think fit to recal them, let
them be of what nation soever, and in the same condition as they were at
their arrival, together with their wives and children, as likewise with
all they had stolen, plundered, or taken away with them in their flight.
Art. 24. The exchange of the ratification of this treaty of peace, shall
be reciprocally made at Nystadt within the space of three weeks, after
the day of signing the same, or sooner, if possible. In witness whereof,
two copies of this treaty, exactly corresponding with each other, have
been drawn up, and confirmed by the plenipotentiary ministers on each
side, in virtue of the authority they have received from their
respective sovereigns; which copies they have signed with their own
hands, and sealed with their own seals. Done at Nystadt, this 30th day
of August, in the year of our Lord 1721. O. S.
Jean Liliensted.
Otto Reinhold Stroemfeld.
Jacob Daniel Bruce.
Henry-John-Frederic Osterman.
_Ordinance of the Emperor Peter I. for the crowning of the Empress
Catherine._
We, Peter the First, emperor and autocrator of all the Russias, &c. to
all our officers ecclesiastical, civil, and military, and all others of
the Russian nation, our faithful subjects.
No one can be ignorant that it has been a constant and invariable custom
among the monarchs of all Christian states, to cause their consorts to
be crowned, and that the same is at present practised, and hath
frequently been in former times by those emperors who professed the
holy faith of the Greek church; to wit, by the emperor Basilides, who
caused his wife Zenobia to be crowned; the emperor Justinian, his wife
Lucipina; the emperor Heraclius, his wife Martina: the emperor Leo, the
philosopher, his wife Mary; and many others, who have in like manner
placed the imperial crown on the head of their consorts, and whom it
would be too tedious here to enumerate.
It is also well known to every one how much we have exposed our person,
and faced the greatest dangers, for the good of our country during the
one and twenty years' course of the late war, which we have by the
assistance of God terminated in so honourable and advantageous a manner,
that Russia hath never beheld such a peace, nor ever acquired so great
glory as in the late war. Now the empress Catherine, our dearly beloved
wife, having greatly comforted and assisted us during the said war, and
also in several other our expeditions, wherein she voluntarily and
cheerfully accompanied us, assisting us with her counsel and advice in
every exigence, notwithstanding the weakness of her sex, particularly in
the battle against the Turks, on the banks of the river Pruth, wherein
our army was reduced to twenty thousand men, while that of the Turks
amounted to two hundred and seventy thousand, and on which desperate
occasion she signalized herself in a particular manner, by a courage and
presence of mind superior to her sex, which is well known to all our
army, and to the whole Russian empire: therefore, for these reasons, and
in virtue of the power which God has given us, we have resolved to
honour our said consort Catherine with the imperial crown, as a reward
for her painful services; and we propose, God willing, that this
ceremony shall be performed the ensuing winter at Moscow. And we do
hereby give notice of this our resolution to all who are faithful
subjects, in favour of whom our imperial affection is unalterable.