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The Peace Treaty of Värälä
On August, 3 (14), 1790, in the village of Värälä, on Kumen River, in the region of the modern town of Kouvola in Finland, Russia and Sweden signed a treaty which concluded the Russo-Swedish War of 1788-1790. Sweden was exhausted by the war and Russia was also interested in promptly finishing the war in view of on-going war with Turkey and England and Prussia’s hostile stand.
At first Swedish king Gustav III planned to obtain a part of the Russian lands in Finland and also to demand from his “sister” Empress Catherine II to make peace with Turkey. The Empress however refused flatly. Thus the efforts of Sweden to weaken the role and impact of Russia in the region of Baltic Sea during its serious war with Turkey failed.
On behalf of the Russian government the Treaty of Värälä was signed by governor general of Simbirsk and Ufa baron Otto Heinrich Igelström; on behalf of the Swedish Kingdom – by gentleman of the monarch’s bed chamber and general adjutant of King Gustav III, Baron Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt. The Treaty restored the “eternal peace” and confirmed the firmness of provisions of Nischtadt Treaty (1721) and Abosk (1743) Treaty on eternal peace and friendship, territorial borders, Sweden’s right to buy bread (grain, flour) from Russia on duty-free basis for the sum of 50 000 rubles and hemp for the sum of 200 000 rubles annually.
The main result of the Treaty was that Sweden refused from the union with Turkey, and Russia refused from the wordings of Nischtadt and Abosk Treaties which enabled Russia to intervene into the Swedish domestic affairs. Peace relations and borders of the pre-war time between the two states were restored.
Thus the Treaty of Värälä contributed to the increase of the Russian international prestige.
Lit.: Похлёбкин В. В. Верельский мирный договор между Россией и Швецией 1790 г. // Внешняя политика Руси, России и СССР за 1000 лет в именах, датах, фактах. М., 1995; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.kirjazh.spb.ru/biblio/pohleb/pohleb6.htm#8; Советская военная энциклопедия. Т. 2. М., 1976; Широкорад А. Б. Верельский мирный договор // Северные войны России. М.; Минск, 2001; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/shirokorad1/6_09.html.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:
Брикнер А. Г. Война России с Швецией: в 1788-1790 годах. СПб., 1869;
Полное собрание законов Российской Империи. Собрание 1-е. СПб., 1830. Т. 23. № 16893.