Describe the foreign policy of the 17th century. Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century

History of Russia IX–XVIII centuries. Moryakov Vladimir Ivanovich

4. Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century

The main foreign policy tasks that stood in the XVII century. before Russia, were determined by the needs of its political, economic and cultural development, ensuring the security of Russian lands from external invasions. In the West, Russia was perceived as a backward country, which was of interest to a number of European countries only as an object for the further expansion of their territories.

The primary task for Russia was the return of the lands lost after the Polish-Lithuanian and Swedish intervention. One of the most important foreign policy priorities was the annexation of the Ukrainian and Belarusian lands, which were previously part of the Old Russian state, and in the 17th century. were part of the Commonwealth. Therefore, the main contradictions for a long time were the contradictions between Russia and the Commonwealth. The extensive development of its economy also pushed Russia to join the Ukrainian and Belarusian lands: the state needed new lands, an increase in the number of taxpayers.

The neighborhood with the last remnant of the Golden Horde - the Crimean Khanate, which was in vassal dependence on Turkey, remained dangerous for the country. In order to gather forces to fight for the Smolensk lands, Russia had to maintain peaceful relations with the Crimean Khanate and Turkey, and strengthen its southern borders.

It was extremely important to have access to the Baltic Sea for the development of economic ties with the countries of Western Europe, which would ensure the progressive development of the country, overcoming its backwardness. Sweden, which dreamed of its complete dominance in the Baltic, offered the most powerful resistance to Russia in this direction. She continued to claim the northern Russian lands, which threatened the only Russian seaport - Arkhangelsk.

An obstacle to the solution of the foreign policy tasks facing Russia was its economic and military backwardness. The noble militia and archery troops, poorly trained in combat tactics and poorly armed, were inferior to the armies of European countries. The country imported weapons, formed an officer corps by hiring foreigners. The diplomatic and cultural isolation of Russia affected.

Patriarch Filaret in the 1920s and early 1930s sought to create an anti-Polish coalition consisting of Russia, Sweden and Turkey. In 1622, the Zemsky Sobor proclaimed a course to prepare for war with the Commonwealth. But the death of the Turkish sultan, the conclusion of a truce with Poland and Sweden, the raid of the Crimean Tatars on the southern Russian lands forced Russia to postpone the start of the war. For 10 years, Russia has provided assistance to Denmark and Sweden - the opponents of Poland.

By the beginning of the 1930s, the “truce” years established by the Deulino truce ended. In 1632, King Sigismund III died, which led to a long "royalty" in the Commonwealth. Russia decided to take advantage of this and start a war for the return of the Smolensk lands.

However, the beginning of the Smolensk War was complicated by the raid of the Crimean Tatars and local disputes of the governors.

In June 1632, the Russian army led by M. B. Shein, who led the heroic defense of Smolensk in 1609–1611, reached the border. The beginning of hostilities for Russia was successful. But in the summer of 1633, the Crimean Khan, who entered into an alliance with Poland, invaded Russian lands. Many nobles left the theater of operations and rushed to save their estates and estates from the Krymchaks. The new king of the Commonwealth, Vladislav IV, with the main forces, attacked the Russian army standing near Smolensk. Mercenary officers who served in the Russian army transferred to the service of King Vladislav IV. The “freemen” movement that began in the Russian army among soldiers from peasants and serfs finally demoralized him. Shein was forced to capitulate, for which he was executed on charges of treason.

In May 1634, between Russia and the Commonwealth, the Polyanovsky peace was concluded. The Commonwealth returned to Russia only the city of Serpeisk, while the cities of Nevel, Starodub, Sebezh, Pochep, taken at the beginning of the war, were returned to the Poles. Smolensk also remained with the Poles. However, Vladislav renounced his claims to the Russian throne and recognized Mikhail Fedorovich as "the sovereign of all Russia."

The raid of the Crimean Tatars in 1633 once again reminded Russia of the need to fight the Turkish-Tatar aggression. In the fight against it, the Don Cossacks played a prominent role, not only repulsing the raids, but also going on the offensive. So, in 1637 they captured the Turkish fortress of Azov. The Turks made great efforts to bring her back, laying siege to the fortress. The Cossacks stubbornly defended Azov (“Azov Seat”), because Azov blocked their access to the sea, which made it impossible for them to make trips “for zipuns” to the Turkish and Crimean coasts. In 1641, the Cossacks turned to the Russian government for help, for which the acquisition of Azov was of great importance, since it opened up access to the Azov and Black Seas. On this occasion, the Zemsky Sobor was convened in Moscow in 1642. Most members of the council spoke out against sending troops to help the Cossacks, as this meant an imminent war with Turkey, for which Russia was simply not ready. The Cossacks were denied support. In 1642 they left Azov and destroyed its fortifications.

In the 30s of the XVII century. work began on the construction of a new line of fortifications - the Belgorod notch line. In 1646, it extended far to the south and stretched from Akhtyrka through Belgorod to Tambov. The old Tula notch line was rebuilt and fortified. It went from the headwaters of the Zhizdra River through Tula to Ryazan and became the second line of defense against Tatar raids, and notches along the Oka River were fortified in the rear.

Of great importance for the return of the western Russian lands from Smolensk was the rise of the national liberation movement in Ukraine. According to the Union of Lublin in 1569, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which included Ukrainian lands, united with Poland. After the union, Polish magnates and gentry began to settle on Ukrainian lands. Feudal oppression intensified in Ukraine. Ukrainian peasants and urban artisans were ruined due to growing taxes and duties. The regime of brutal oppression in Ukraine was also aggravated by the fact that as early as 1557 the pans received from the royal power the right to the death penalty in relation to their serfs. Along with the strengthening of feudal oppression, the population of Ukraine experienced national and religious oppression. All this led to the rise of the national liberation movement. Its first wave, which came in the 20-30s of the 17th century, was brutally suppressed by the Polish lords. A new stage of the national liberation movement took place at the end of the 1940s and the beginning of the 1950s. Its center was the Zaporizhzhya Sich, where the free Cossacks were formed.

The outstanding statesman and commander Bogdan Khmelnytsky became the head of the struggle of the Ukrainian people. His will, mind, courage, military talent, devotion to Ukraine created for him a huge authority among the broad sections of the Ukrainian population, and above all the Cossacks. The driving forces of the national liberation movement in Ukraine were the peasantry, the Cossacks, the philistines (town dwellers), the small and medium Ukrainian gentry, and the Orthodox Ukrainian clergy.

The uprising began in the spring of 1648. The rebels defeated the Poles near Zhovti Vody, Korsun and Pilyavtsy. Khmelnytsky turned to Russia with a request to take Ukraine "under the hand of Moscow" and jointly fight against Poland. The government of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich could not satisfy his request: Russia was not ready for war, as popular uprisings raged in the country. But it provided Ukraine with diplomatic, economic and military support.

After the battle near Zbarazh, in the summer of 1649, where the rebels were victorious, Poland and Ukraine began negotiations for peace. On August 8, 1649, the Treaty of Zborowski was signed. The Commonwealth recognized Bogdan Khmelnitsky as hetman. The number of registered (i.e., receiving a salary from Poland for service) Cossacks increased to 40 thousand. The self-government of the Cossack army was also recognized, to which three voivodeships were assigned - Kiev, Chernihiv and Bratslav. The presence of Polish troops and Jesuits on their territory was prohibited, while Polish feudal lords could return to their possessions in these voivodeships. In Poland, this peace was regarded as a concession to the rebels and caused discontent among the magnates and gentry. Ukrainian peasants met with hostility the return of Polish feudal lords to their possessions in Kiev, Chernigov and Bratslav provinces. The further development of the struggle in Ukraine was inevitable.

The uprising resumed in the spring of 1650, and the decisive battle took place in June 1651 near Berestechko. Bribed by the Poles, an ally of the Ukrainians, the Crimean Khan Islam-Giray, led away his cavalry, which largely predetermined the defeat of the rebels and the offensive of the Commonwealth troops on Ukraine, which was stopped only in September 1651 near Belaya Tserkov, where peace was concluded. The reason for the failures of the rebels at this stage was not only the betrayal of the Crimean Khan, but also the departure from the movement of the small and medium Ukrainian gentry, who were afraid of the growth of the peasant movement.

Peace conditions were difficult. The register of Cossacks was reduced to 20 thousand, only the Kiev province was left in the Cossack self-government, the hetman was deprived of the right to independent external relations. The Polish lords were given full power over the dependent population. The answer to this was new performances in the Dnieper region. In 1652, near Batog, the rebels defeated the Poles. However, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, having gathered an army of 50 thousand, launched an offensive against Ukraine, the position of which was becoming more and more dangerous. In April 1653, Khmelnitsky again turned to Russia with a request to take Ukraine "under the hand of Moscow."

On May 10, 1653, the Zemsky Sobor in Moscow decided to accept Ukraine into Russia. The Russian embassy of the boyar Buturlin went to B. Khmelnitsky. On January 8, 1654, the big Rada of Ukraine in Pereyaslav decided to reunite Ukraine with Russia. At the same time, Ukraine retained broad autonomy. She had an elected hetman, local government, estate rights of the nobility and Cossack elders, the right of external relations with all countries except Poland and Turkey. The Cossack register was established in 60 thousand rubles.

The Commonwealth did not agree with the reunification of Ukraine with Russia. A war began, which continued until 1667. The advantage in this war was on the side of Russia. In 1654, Russian troops captured Smolensk and 33 cities of Eastern Belarus. By the summer of 1655, almost all of Ukraine and Belarus were occupied.

In 1655, King Charles X of Sweden moved his troops into the borders of the Commonwealth and seized its northern lands. Swedish troops occupied Warsaw. This state of affairs did not suit Russia, which did not want Sweden to assert itself on its western borders, since this would complicate for it, due to the strengthening of Sweden, the solution of the issue of uniting Russian lands and the struggle for access to the Baltic Sea.

On May 17, 1656, Russia declared war on Sweden and moved its troops to Riga. In October of the same year, Moscow and Warsaw signed a truce between themselves. Russian troops occupied Dorpat, Neuhausen, Marienburg, but failed during the siege of Riga.

In 1658, the Commonwealth resumed the war with Russia. After the death of Khmelnytsky, one of the people close to him, Ivan Vyhovsky, seized power. In 1658, in Gadyach, he signed an agreement with the Poles, according to which the autonomy of the Zaporizhzhya army was secured. In the battle near Konotop, the Russian troops suffered a heavy defeat from the troops of Vygovsky. However, most of the Cossacks of the Left-Bank Ukraine and the Right-Bank Ukraine did not support Vyhovsky. The son of Bogdan Khmelnytsky, Yuriy, became the hetman of Ukraine. The war with the Commonwealth took on a protracted character, but neither side could achieve decisive successes.

In order to prevent Sweden and Poland from joining their forces in the fight against Russia, the Russian ambassador A. L. Ordin-Nashchokin signed an armistice with Sweden for three years in Valiesary. In 1661, Russia, unable to wage war with Poland and Sweden at the same time, began negotiations with the Poles on peace and signed in Kardis (between Derpt and Revel) a peace actually dictated by Sweden. The Russian lands at the mouth of the Neva, as well as the Livonian lands conquered by Russia, passed to the Swedes.

In 1667, the Andrusovo truce was signed between Russia and the Commonwealth, on the basis of which a peace treaty was to be prepared. Russia received Smolensk, Dorogobuzh, Belaya, Nevel, Krasny Velizh, Seversk land with Chernigov and Starodub. Poland recognized the reunification of Left-Bank Ukraine with Russia. Right-bank Ukraine and Belarus remained under the rule of the Commonwealth. The Zaporozhian Sich remained under the joint administration of Russia and Poland. These conditions were finally fixed in 1686 in the "Eternal Peace" with the Commonwealth.

The signing of the "Eternal Peace" with Poland was accelerated by the head of the Russian government, Prince V.V. Golitsyn, after Russia agreed to join the anti-Turkish "Holy League" created in 1684, consisting of Austria, Venice and the Commonwealth. The conclusion of the "Eternal Peace", which secured Russia's participation in the anti-Turkish coalition, forced her to terminate the Treaty of Bakhchisaray concluded with Turkey in 1681, which provided for a twenty-year truce and the establishment of a border between Russia and Turkey along the Dnieper. This agreement was the result of the Russian-Turkish war of 1677-1681, which did not bring success to either side. During this war, the Izyumskaya serif line was built 400 miles long. She covered Sloboda Ukraine from the attack of the Tatars and Turks. Subsequently, the Izyumskaya line was extended and connected to the Belgorod notch line.

This text is an introductory piece. From the book History. Russian history. Grade 11. A basic level of author

§ 4. FOREIGN POLICY OF RUSSIA Growing contradictions in the Far East. At the end of the XIX century. the international situation in Europe was stable, but not cloudless. In particular, Russia has developed tense relations with Germany. Russia moved closer to France, as both

From the book History of Russia. XX - the beginning of the XXI century. Grade 11. A basic level of author Kiselev Alexander Fedotovich

From the book History of Russia from ancient times to the 16th century. 6th grade author Chernikova Tatyana Vasilievna

§ 29. FOREIGN POLICY OF RUSSIA In the XVI century 1. Capture of KazanIn the east, Russia's neighbor was the Kazan Khanate. Kazan Tatars often raided Russia, taking away many people in full. Within the khanate there was a struggle for power between groups of murz (nobility). This

From the book History of Russia. XX - beginning of the XXI century. Grade 9 author Kiselev Alexander Fedotovich

§ 39. FOREIGN POLICY OF RUSSIA In the 1990s "Join the civilized world community." Russia had to build relations with the countries of the West and the East in a new way. In February 1992, in a speech on television, President Boris N. Yeltsin spoke of the need to update

From the book History of Russia. XIX century. 8th grade author Lyashenko Leonid Mikhailovich

§ 25 - 26. RUSSIA'S FOREIGN POLICY THE STRUGGLE FOR THE RESPONSE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE PARIS TREATY. The international position of Russia in the mid-1950s. was extremely difficult. Foreign policy isolation, loss of influence in the Balkans and the Middle East, the signing of the shameful Paris Treaty

From the book History of Russia from ancient times to the end of the 17th century author Milov Leonid Vasilievich

Chapter 22. Foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century. Dealing with the consequences of the intervention. For the government of Tsar Michael after the end of the Time of Troubles, the main task was to fight the enemies that invaded the territory of the Russian state - the Polish-Lithuanian state, which seized

From the book Imperial Russia author Anisimov Evgeny Viktorovich

Russia's foreign policy under Elizabeth The reign of Elizabeth was the time when the Russian Empire established its international authority, consolidated its zones of influence in Europe, clearly identified its interests and the power of the armed forces and the economy forced to respect itself

From the book Course of Russian History (Lectures LXII-LXXXVI) author Klyuchevsky Vasily Osipovich

Russia's foreign policy in the 19th century The reign of Emperor Paul was the first and unsuccessful attempt to solve the problems that had come to the fore since the end of the 18th century. His successor was much more thoughtful and consistent in pursuing new beginnings both in the external and in the internal.

From the book History of Russia from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century author Froyanov Igor Yakovlevich

Foreign policy of Russia in the 80-90s of the XIX century. In the first post-war years in Russia there was no consensus on the further ways of developing foreign policy. Pro-German sentiments were still strong (encouraged by the new Minister of Foreign Affairs N.K. Girs), supported by the landowners

From the book HISTORY OF RUSSIA from ancient times to 1618. Textbook for universities. In two books. Book two. author Kuzmin Apollon Grigorievich

§3. FOREIGN POLICY OF RUSSIA IN THE MIDDLE OF THE XVI CENTURY In the foreground for a number of centuries was the task of protecting from Tatar raids. Liberation from the Horde yoke only partly solved it. Predatory raids rolled on the eastern and southern "Ukraines" of Russia and two

From the book History of the Middle Ages. Volume 2 [In two volumes. Under the general editorship of S. D. Skazkin] author Skazkin Sergey Danilovich

Spanish foreign policy in the 17th century. Despite the poverty and desolation of the country. The Spanish monarchy retained its legacy of pretensions to play a leading role in European affairs. The collapse of all the conquest plans of Philip II did not sober his successor. When

From the book Volume 1. Diplomacy from ancient times to 1872. author Potemkin Vladimir Petrovich

2. FOREIGN POLICY OF ENGLAND IN THE XVIII CENTURY. In the 18th century, England, having finally formed its political system after two revolutions, pursued a systematic policy of expanding trade and colonies. The island position of England protects her from attacks from Europe. Therefore

From the book History of Russia author Munchaev Shamil Magomedovich

§ 4. Foreign policy of Russia Turn of the XVII-XVIII centuries. is an important period in the history of Russian foreign policy. The vast territory of Russia was actually deprived of convenient sea routes. Under these conditions, of paramount importance for the fate of the Russian state acquired

From the book History of Russia the author Ivanushkina V V

10. Russia in the XVII century. Domestic and foreign policy. Culture Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1676), the royal power was strengthened. The Council Code limited church and monastic land ownership. Patriarch Nikon carried out a church reform. The Tsar and the Council of 1654 supported

author Kerov Valery Vsevolodovich

Topic 19 Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century. PLAN1. The main tasks and directions of Russia's foreign policy.1.1. The return of the territories, the annexation of the lands that were part of Ancient Russia.1.2. The struggle for access to the Baltic and Black seas.1.3. Further promotion on

From the book A Short Course in the History of Russia from Ancient Times to the Beginning of the 21st Century author Kerov Valery Vsevolodovich

2. Foreign policy of Russia at the beginning of the XIX century. 2.1. Main directions. At the first stage of the reign of Alexander I, two main directions were clearly defined in Russia's foreign policy: European and Middle Eastern.2.2. Russia's participation in the Napoleonic wars. Russia's goals

The Time of Troubles left a legacy of many unresolved foreign policy problems.

The northwestern Russian lands remained in the hands of the Swedes, the Poles ruled the western Russian lands, the raids of the Crimean khans, a dangerous southern neighbor, continued.

Thus, at the beginning of the 17th century, three main directions of the foreign policy activity of the Russian state were determined: northwestern (struggle with Sweden for the liberation of Russian lands and for access to the Baltic Sea); western (relations with the Commonwealth) and southern (relations with the Crimea).

Let us consider how these foreign policy problems were resolved.

The Swedes, who continued to rule after the Time of Troubles in the Novgorod, Baltic Russian lands, also planned to seize the Pskov lands. But the siege of Pskov in 1614 ended in their retreat, and the Swedish king Gustav Adolf agreed to negotiations. In February 1617, Russia and Sweden conclude the Stolbovsky peace treaty: the Swedes returned Novgorod land to the Russians, but left the lands along the Gulf of Finland: Ivan-gorod, Yam, Koporye, Oreshek. Russia has lost access to the Baltic Sea.

An attempt to return the lands lost under the Stolbovsky peace (Russian-Swedish war of 1656 - 1658) also failed.

Russia's failures in relations with Sweden are explained by the lack of reliable allies, but most importantly, by the fact that the government was primarily occupied with Little Russian affairs and the fight against the Commonwealth and Turkey.

After the Time of Troubles, detachments of the Polish-Lithuanian interventionists continued to ravage the Russian lands. The Polish ruling circles did not give up their claims to the Moscow throne either.

In 1617 - 1618, the Polish prince Vladislav made a trip to Moscow, but could not take it. The Poles were forced to agree to a truce signed in the village of Deulino in 1618. Vladislav renounced the Russian throne, but for this Russia gave Smolensk and Chernigov lands to Poland.

In 1632, having decided to take advantage of the “kinglessness” that had come in Poland after the death of Sigismund, Russia began a war with the Commonwealth for the return of Smolensk, but was defeated.

A major role in solving the problem of returning the western Russian lands and Smolensk was played by the events that took place in Ukraine.

The unification of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with Poland as a result of the Union of Lublin in 1569 contributed to the fact that the Polish gentry began to penetrate Russian lands, including those lying along the Dnieper, on the outskirts (“Ukraine”) of the state, to establish serfdom there. The Brest Church Union of 1596 led to the religious persecution of the Orthodox in these "Ukrainian" lands.

In the 17th century, resistance to Catholic influence and gentry oppression in Ukraine resulted in a whole series of uprisings that escalated into a war with the Commonwealth.

The first wave of uprisings took place in the 1920s and 1930s, but they were all suppressed.

A new upsurge in the movement began in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Zaporizhzhya Sich became its center - this is how the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks called the fortified towns they created, located beyond the rapids in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. It was there that many people fled, fleeing from the arbitrariness of the Polish magnates and from Catholicism.

At the head of the movement stood Bogdan Khmelnytsky, who was elected hetman of the Zaporozhian Host.

As a result of the successful actions of Khmelnytsky's detachments against the Polish army in January - July 1649, all of Ukraine was in the hands of the rebels.

In August 1649, the Polish authorities and the rebels concluded an agreement (near Zborov), but its terms did not suit either side.

In 1650 a new phase of the war began. The situation was not in favor of Khmelnitsky.

Khmelnitsky decides to ask for help from Moscow. The masses of the people also gravitated towards Moscow, seeing in it the support of Orthodoxy and a refuge from Polish violence.

Khmelnitsky's appeal to Alexei Mikhailovich with a request to take Little Russia under his high hand was transferred to the Zemsky Sobor. The Council discussed the problem many times during 1651-1658, for Moscow was afraid of the inevitable war with Poland in the event of Ukraine's annexation.

23.~ Finally, on October 1, 1653, the Zemsky Sobor decided to accept Ukraine. An ambassador (boyar Buturlin) was sent to Khmelnitsky.

In 1654, in Pereyaslavl, at the general Rada (people's assembly), where, in addition to the Cossacks, representatives of many Ukrainian cities were present, an act was proclaimed on the unification of Ukraine with Russia. Little Russia retained its internal self-government. Hetman retained the right of diplomatic relations with all states, with the exception of Poland and Turkey.

The consequence of the decision of the Pereyaslav Rada was the war between Moscow and Poland for Little Russia, which began in the spring of 1654.

Moscow troops initially acted successfully, taking Smolensk, Vilna, Grodno and other cities.

After the death of Bogdan Khmelnytsky (1657) in Little Russia, the opponents of Russia became more active, the pro-Polish part of the Cossack elite, led by Hetman Ivan Vygodsky, who signed an agreement on the transfer of Ukraine under the rule of Poland (1658)

Vygodsky, in alliance with the Crimean Tatars, managed to inflict a heavy defeat on the Moscow army near Konotop (1659). However, a significant part of the Cossacks rebelled against Vygodsky's policy. Troubles began in Ukraine. Vygodsky fled to Poland. Yury Khmelnitsky (son of Bogdan) became the hetman, who maneuvered between the Poles and Moscow. In the end, the Cossack regiments on the left bank of the Dnieper elected a special hetman for themselves (the Zaporozhian ataman I. Bryukhovetsky), and the Right-Bank Ukraine went to Poland with its own special hetman.

At the same time, the war between Russia and the Commonwealth continued, which went on with varying success on the territory of Little Russia and Russia. This war exhausted the forces of both belligerents.

In 1667, a truce was concluded in the village of Andrusovo (near Smolensk) for 13.5 years. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich abandoned Lithuania, which was conquered by Moscow troops, but Smolensk and Severnaya Zemlya, taken by the Poles during the Time of Troubles at the beginning of the 17th century, returned to Russia. Left-bank Ukraine and the city of Kyiv on the right bank of the Dnieper also went to Russia. Zaporizhzhya Sich passed under the joint control of Poland and Russia.

Thus, Little Russia was divided. In 1686, the “perpetual peace” between Poland and Russia was signed, confirming the terms of the Andrusovo truce. The long conflict between Russia and Poland was eliminated.

Throughout the 17th century, there was a problem of protecting the southern Russian borders. The Crimean Khanate, which was in vassal relations with Turkey, did not stop devastating raids on Russian lands.

After the Troubles, Russia began to strengthen the new border, where the garrisons were increased, the construction of a new (Belgorod) barrier line from Atyrka to Tambov began. New fortified cities appeared: Tambov, Kozlov, Upper and Lower Lomov, etc. The Don Cossacks played an important role in protecting the border, often uniting in their actions with the Zaporozhye Cossacks.

In 1637, the Cossacks stormed the Turkish fortress of Azov at the mouth of the Don, which was the military base of the Turkish-Tatar aggression against Russia.

The famous “Azov sitting” lasted for five years. For five years, the Cossacks held Azov, successfully repelling all the assaults of the Crimeans and Turks. The Cossacks asked Moscow to include Azov in the number of Russian possessions and send an army. The issue of Azov was decided by the Zemsky Sobor in 1642. It revealed many contradictions and problems of inner life. There were no forces and means to help the Cossacks. The accession of Azov would aggravate relations with Turkey, would lead to a war with this powerful enemy.

The government realized that it would be impossible to keep Azov, and ordered the Cossacks to leave it, which was done.

During the years of the Russian-Polish war for Ukraine, Turkey and the Tatars often interfered with the resolution of disputes between Russia and Poland, concluding and suddenly breaking alliances with one side or the other. In 1677 Turkish-Tatar troops invaded Ukraine. This led to the outbreak of war between Russia and Turkey - the first in their relationship in two centuries.

In 1677 - 1681, hostilities were going on, where the Russian troops had an advantage, but the Tatar-Turkish army was still unable to deliver a decisive blow.

In 1681, a peace treaty was concluded with Turkey in Bakhchisarai, according to which hostilities ceased for 20 years. The Dnieper was established as the border between the Russian state and Turkey. The Crimean Khan and the Turkish Sultan recognized the transfer of Left-Bank Ukraine and Kyiv into the hands of Russia. However, the raids of the Crimeans continued, territorial disputes were not resolved.

The conclusion of the "eternal peace" between Russia and Poland opened up the possibility for their unification against the Tatar-Turkish aggression. Russia joined the anti-Turkish "Holy League" - the union of Austria, the Commonwealth and Venice.

In the implementation of the obligations assumed in the "Holy Alliance", which also meet its own interests, Russia undertakes in 1687 and 1689 two large campaigns against the Crimean Khanate. These campaigns of Russian troops under the command of Prince V.V. Golitsyn were accompanied by heavy losses, but did not give the expected results. The Russian armies, diverting significant enemy forces, only helped the Allied army in their fight against Turkey.

The struggle against the Turkish-Tatar aggression for access to the Black Sea was continued at the end of the 17th century by Peter I.

In the 17th century, the rulers of Orthodox Georgia and Moldova asked for Russian protection, trying to get rid of Turkish raids. However, while providing them with diplomatic support, Moscow was not yet ready for military assistance, there were no forces and means.

The territory of Russia in the 17th century expanded not only due to the inclusion of the Left-Bank Ukraine, but also due to the inclusion of new Siberian lands, the development of which began in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the advance of the Russians into Siberia gained even greater scope. Siberia attracted with new lands, minerals, furs. The composition of the settlers was quite diverse: the Cossacks, service people, often sent to Siberia "according to the sovereign's decree"; the peasantry, hoping to get rid of oppression in the new lands; fishermen.

The state was interested in the development of rich lands, which promised replenishment of the treasury. Therefore, the government encouraged settlement with loans and tax benefits, often looking “through the fingers” at the departure of former serfs to Siberia.

The advance in the 17th century to Eastern Siberia was carried out in two directions. One path lay along the northern seas. Mastering the land, the Russians reached the northeastern tip of the mainland. In 1648, the Cossack Semyon Dezhnev and his comrades on small ships discovered the strait separating Asia from North America. Another route to the east ran along the southern borders of Siberia. In 1643 - 1646, the expedition of Vasily Poyarkov set out along the Amur to the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk, and in 1649 - 1653 Yerofei Khabarov made his trip to Dauria and along the Amur.

Thus, during the 17th century, the territory of Russia expanded to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the Kuril Islands.

In the history of our country, the 17th century is a very significant milestone, since at that time there were many events that influenced the entire subsequent development of the state. Foreign policy was especially important, since at that time it was very difficult to fight off numerous enemies, while at the same time preserving strength for domestic work.

What determined the political mood?

In general, the needs of a cultural, economic and military nature determined all the subsequent development of our country in those centuries. Accordingly, the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century was completely dependent on the tasks that confronted statesmen in those difficult times.

Main tasks

First, it was necessary to urgently return all the lands that were lost as a result of the Troubles. Secondly, the rulers of the country were faced with the task of annexing back all those territories that were once part of Kievan Rus. Of course, in many respects they were guided not only by the ideas of reunification of once divided peoples, but also by the desire to increase the share of arable land and the number of taxpayers. Simply put, the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century was aimed at restoring the integrity of the country.

The turmoil had an extremely hard impact on the country: the treasury was empty, many peasants became so impoverished that it was simply impossible to take taxes from them. The acquisition of new lands, not plundered by the Poles, would not only restore the political prestige of Russia, but also replenish its treasury. In general, this was the main foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century. The table (the 10th grade of the school should know it perfectly), given later in the article, reflects its most global goals.

Access to the sea

For their implementation, it was extremely important to have access to the Black and Baltic Seas. Firstly, the existence of these routes would make it possible to easily strengthen economic ties with Europe, establishing the supply of not only rare goods, but also technologies, literature, and other things that could help eliminate the country's lag in the industrial sphere.

Finally, it was time to decide something with the Crimean Khan: it was undignified for a large country at that time to suffer from the raids of some "petty" allies of the Turkish Sultan. However, do not forget about the old army adage about papers and ravines ... There were a lot of difficulties along the way.

Advance to the East

We should also not forget that Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century largely pursued the goal of expanding the country to the East in order to further develop and exploit those lands.

In particular, for export, a huge amount of sable furs was required, which were in incredible demand in the world. The only problem was that in the European part of the country these valuable animals were knocked out a long time ago. Finally, it was urgently required to reach the Pacific Ocean and establish a natural border along it. And further. There were enough “violent heads” in the country, which it was a pity to cut. It was decided to deport the most active, but restless people to Siberia.

So two tasks were solved at once: the center of the state got rid of "undesirable elements", and the border was under reliable protection. This is what Russia's foreign policy was like in the 17th century. The table will show you the main tasks that had to be solved then.

The main milestones of Russian foreign policy in the 17th century

Main tasks	Consequences, solution methods
The return of the Smolensk land, which was lost during the Time of Troubles	In 1632-1634, the Smolensk War was fought, as a result of which he was recognized by the Commonwealth as the legitimate ruler of Russia
Patronage of the Orthodox population of the Commonwealth loyal to Russia	This led to the Russo-Polish War of 1654-1667 and also contributed to the Russo-Turkish War of 1676-1681. As a result, Smolensk land was finally recaptured, Kyiv and the surrounding territories became part of Russia.
Solving the problem with the Crimean Khan	Two wars at once: the aforementioned Russian-Turkish war of 1676-1681, as well as the first 1687 and 1689. Alas, the raids continued
Development of the lands of the Far East	Eastern Siberia was annexed. Treaty of Nerchinsk signed with China
Gaining passage to the Baltic	The war with Sweden in 1656-1658, as a result of which it was not possible to return access to the sea

Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century was complex. The table clearly demonstrates that not a single decade has been without wars, while success has not always accompanied our state.

What hindered the solution of the most important tasks?

The main one was not even the activities of "eternal friends" in the person of Great Britain and France, but their own technological backwardness. Europe during the next, Thirty Years' War, managed to completely rethink the theory of weapons and organization of troops on the battlefield, as well as the tactics of their use. So, the main striking force again became the infantry, which from the end of the Roman Empire was in the lead roles. Regimental artillery, which was intensively developing at that time, became a means of strengthening it.

Backwardness in military affairs

And here the foreign policy of Russia stalled in the 17th century. The table (grade 7 should know its basic provisions) is not able to show this, but the army was extremely weak. The fact is that in our country the backbone of the armed forces was still the noble cavalry. She could successfully fight the remnants of the once powerful Horde, but if she met the army of the same France, she would certainly have faced serious losses.

Thus, Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century (briefly) was aimed mainly at creating a normal military, commercial, administrative and diplomatic apparatus.

About weapon problems

The vast country was heavily dependent on arms imports. The backwardness in tactics and weapons was planned to be eliminated by intensive import of weapons from European manufactories, as well as by recruiting officers. All this resulted not only in dependence on the leading powers of that period, but also cost the country very dearly.

Thus, the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century (the main directions of which we have described) was based on paradoxes: on the one hand, no one doubted the need for war with the Europeans. On the other hand, it was from them that expensive weapons and ammunition were bought, which increased the military and economic power of the powers of the Old World, but greatly weakened Russia, already bled dry by the Time of Troubles.

So, on the eve of the Russo-Polish war mentioned in the table, a lot of gold had to be spent. At least 40,000 muskets and 20,000 pounds of selected gunpowder were purchased from Holland and Sweden. This amount was at least 2/3 of the total number of infantry weapons. At the same time, tension continues to grow on the part of Sweden, which not only blocks access to the Baltic, but also continues to lay claim to a large part of Russian lands.

Attitude towards the country in the international arena

The fact that in the West Russia was perceived only as an extremely backward, “barbarian” country, the territory of which was subject to mandatory expansion, and the population was planned to be partially assimilated, had a very bad effect. Otherwise, everyone was destined for the sad fate of the Indians of North America.

Thus, a strong Russian foreign policy in the 17th century was more important than ever. Its main tasks were aimed at "cutting through the window", which Peter later did. Economic and military backwardness was largely due to banal territorial isolation, since a powerful Turkish-Polish-Swedish barrier stood in the way of establishing normal relations.

We do not forget about the constant intrigues of the English merchants, who did not at all smile at getting a powerful competitor in trade affairs. All these contradictions could be resolved only by creating a powerful army and breaking through the trade and economic blockade.

Here is the main foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century. In short, the most important tasks lay in the West, from where the military threat was increasingly felt.

Wars in the West

All this led to the fact that in 1632, immediately after his death, a war began to revise the Deulin agreements. Our country was the instigator. Unfortunately, the forces were clearly unequal. In general, the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century (a brief summary of which we have already discussed) largely failed due to the extreme imperfection of the administrative, military and

Let us give the most obvious and annoying example of this. Due to extremely poor diplomacy, the Polish king Vladislav managed to establish contact with the Crimean Tatars. The slow Russian army, which was led by M. Shein, consisted of service people. When they learned that the Tatars began regular sorties inland, they simply left the army, leaving to protect their own estates. All this ended with the signing of the Polyanovsky Peace.

Poland had to return all the lands conquered at the beginning of the war, but King Vladislav completely renounces any claims to Russian lands and the throne. The governor M. Shein and A. Izmailov were declared guilty of the defeat, and their heads were subsequently cut off. Thus, the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century is not developing in a particularly successful way for us.

The territory of present-day Ukraine

At the same time, it broke out on the territory of present-day Ukraine. In 1648, another uprising broke out in those parts, which was caused by intolerable conditions for the Orthodox population who lived in the territory of the Commonwealth.

The culprits were Zaporozhian Cossacks. In general, they led a quite good life: guarding the borders of Poland from the raids of the same Crimean Tatars, they received a decent reward (not counting military booty). But the Poles were not very happy with the fact that the Cossacks accepted any runaway serf into their ranks and never gave him back. A methodical "crackdown" began, the reduction of the Cossack freemen. Bohdan Khmelnytsky led the immediately flared uprising.

Successes and failures of the rebels

Already in December 1648, his troops occupied Kyiv. In August of the following year, settlement agreements were signed. They provided for an increase in the number of "official" Cossacks, to whom the authorities had no claims, but the list of achievements ended there.

Khmelnitsky understood that he would not be able to correct the injustice without outside help. Russia was the only candidate for allied relations, but its authorities were no longer too eager to fight, as time was needed to completely reform the army. Meanwhile, the Poles did not tolerate a shameful peace; already in 1653, the rebels were under the threat of complete extermination.

Russia could not allow this. In December 1653, an agreement was concluded on the reunification of Ukrainian lands with Russia. Of course, immediately after this, the country was drawn into a new war, but its results were much better than before.

This is what characterized the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century. You will find the main directions, tasks, results of it in this article.

In the history of Russia, the 17th century is an important moment in its development. Being surrounded by numerous enemies, important processes took place inside the country that influenced the further development of the state.

The main tasks of Russian foreign policy in the 17th century

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Time of Troubles began in Russia. The Rurik dynasty was interrupted and the Polish-Swedish intervention began. It was only in 1612 that the country was able to defend its sovereignty and reassert itself on the world stage by launching a broad foreign policy activity.

The main task of the new Russian dynasty was the return of Russian territories lost during the Time of Troubles. This also included the local task of gaining access to the Baltic Sea, because during the Russian Time of Troubles these lands were occupied by Sweden.

Rice. 1. Map of Russia at the beginning of the 17th century.

The task of uniting the territories of the former Kievan Rus around Moscow remained historical. Moreover, it was not only about the unification of the people, but also an increase in arable land and the number of taxpayers.

In other words, Russia's foreign policy in the 17th century met the objectives of uniting and restoring the integrity of the country.

Table "Foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century"

*A task*	*Event*	*date of*	*Outcome*
Eliminate the raids of the Crimean Tatars	Russo-Turkish War		Defeat in the war
Eliminate the raids of the Crimean Tatars	Crimean campaigns		Failed to stop raids
Return of Smolensk	Smolensk war		Mikhail Romanov is recognized as legitimate by the Poles. Serpeysk and Trubchevsk went to Russia
Getting access to the Baltic Sea	War with Sweden		Failed to return access to the sea
Support for the Orthodox population in the Commonwealth	Russian-Polish war		Smolensk land returned to Russia, as well as Kyiv and adjacent lands
Support for the Orthodox population in the Commonwealth	Russo-Turkish War
Development of Siberia and the Far East	Annexation of Eastern Siberia	Throughout the 17th century	Huge Siberian territories mastered

Many modern European historians consider the development of Siberia to be colonization and the relationship of Moscow with the local population as a colony with the metropolis.

It should be noted the emergence of the "Caspian issue" for Russia. The Rurikovichs were not in contact with all the countries located in Eurasia. One of these was Persia.

In 1651, the Persian army entered Dagestan and the Caspian lands, wanting to claim their rights to them. As a result, military campaigns ended in nothing. Alexei Mikhailovich in 1653 managed to achieve the preservation of the position of the borders until the start of the Persian campaign. However, the struggle for the coast of the Caspian Lake from that moment was just beginning for Russia.

Rice. 3. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.

One of the reasons for the unresolved majority of tasks was the technological backwardness of Russia from European countries. After the Thirty Years' War in Europe, military science took a step forward, but it bypassed the Russian military art.

What have we learned?

Speaking briefly about the foreign policy of Russia in the 17th century, it should be noted that Russia was engaged in the restoration of its historical borders and the return of territories lost during the Time of Troubles. Most of the tasks facing it in the 17th century could not be solved.

Topic quiz

Report Evaluation

Average rating: 4.1. Total ratings received: 668.

This chapter will consider the most important points related to the issues of the foreign policy of the Russian state in the 17th century. At the beginning of the 17th century, a necessary condition for the country's exit from a deep crisis was the cessation of foreign intervention and the stabilization of the foreign policy situation. Several tasks can be traced in the foreign policy of the 17th century: 1) overcoming the consequences of the Time of Troubles; 2) access to the Baltic Sea; 3) fight against the Krymchaks on the southern borders; 4) development of Siberia.

Foreign policy of Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645)

Restoring the state after the Troubles, the new government was guided by the principle: everything should be in the old days. One of his main concerns was to overcome the consequences of the intervention, but all attempts to expel the Swedes from the Russian lands failed. Then, using the mediation of the British, Mikhail began peace negotiations, which ended in 1617 with the signing of the "eternal peace" in the village of Stolbovo. Under this treaty, Novgorod was returned to Russia, but the coast of the Gulf of Finland, the entire course of the Neva and Karelia remained with Sweden.

The situation with Poland was even more difficult. If the Swedes had no reason to expand their aggression beyond the territories they had already captured, then the Poles had such reasons. The Polish king Sigismund did not recognize the accession to the Moscow throne of Mikhail Romanov, still considering his son to be the Russian tsar. He undertook a campaign against Moscow, but failed. The king did not refuse claims to the Russian throne, but he could not continue the war either, therefore in the village of Deulino in 1618 only a truce was signed for a period of 14 years. Smolensk, Chernigov and 30 other Russian cities continued to remain under Polish occupation. In 1632, Moscow troops tried to free them, but to no avail. In 1634, an "eternal peace" was signed with Poland, but it did not become eternal - a few years later hostilities resumed. True, Prince Vladislav renounced the Russian throne.

Foreign policy of Alexei Mikhailovich (1645-1678)

The foreign policy of the next ruler - Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, who ascended the throne after the death of his father in 1645 - turned out to be quite active. The consequences of the Time of Troubles made inevitable the resumption of the struggle against Russia's main enemy - Poland. After the Union of Lubin in 1569, which united Poland and Lithuania into one state, the influence of the Polish gentry and the Catholic clergy on the Ukrainian and Belarusian Orthodox population increased dramatically. The imposition of Catholicism, attempts at national-cultural enslavement caused sharp opposition. In 1647, a powerful uprising began under the leadership of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, which grew into a real war. Unable to cope with a strong opponent alone, Bogdan Khmelnitsky turned to Moscow for help and patronage.

The Zemsky Sobor of 1653 was one of the last in the history of Russia. He decided to accept Ukraine as part of the Russian lands, and the Pereyaslav Rada, representing the Ukrainian population, on January 8, 1654, also spoke in favor of reunification. Ukraine became part of Russia, but received wide autonomy, retained self-government and its own judicial system.

Moscow's intervention in the Ukrainian question inevitably entailed a war with Poland. This war went on, with some interruptions, for thirteen years - from 1654 to 1667 - and ended with the signing of the Andrusov peace. Under this agreement, Russia regained Smolensk, Chernigov-Seversk land, acquired Kyiv and the Left-Bank Ukraine. The right-bank part and Belarus remained under Polish rule. The lands that once belonged to Sweden could not be recaptured in the 17th century. Thus ended another attempt to reunite the ancient Russian lands under the auspices of Moscow.

But it should not be assumed that the peoples inhabiting them unconditionally supported this process. Over the centuries of separation, Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians have experienced various influences, they have developed their own characteristics of language, culture, way of life, as a result of which three nationalities have formed from the once single ethnic group. The struggle for liberation from the Polish-Catholic enslavement had as its goal the acquisition of national independence and independence. Under these conditions, the appeal to Russia for protection was considered by many as a forced step, as an attempt to choose the lesser of two evils. Therefore, this kind of association could not be sustainable. Under the influence of various factors, including Moscow's soon-to-be desire to limit the region's autonomy, part of the Ukrainian and Belarusian population withdrew from Russian influence and remained in Poland's sphere of influence. Even in Left-Bank Ukraine, the situation remained unsettled for a long time: both under Peter 1 and under Catherine 2, anti-Russian movements took place.

A significant expansion of the country's territory in the 17th century was also observed at the expense of Siberia and the Far East - Russian colonization of these lands began. Yakutsk was founded in 1632. In 1647, the Cossacks, led by Semyon Shelkovnikov, founded a winter hut on the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk, on the site of which Okhotsk, the first Russian port, is today. In the middle of the 17th century, Russian explorers, such as Poyarkov and Khabarov, began to explore the south of the Far East (Amur and Primorye). And already at the end of the 17th century, Russian Cossacks - Atlasov and Kozyrevsky began to explore the Kamchatka Peninsula, which at the beginning of the 18th century was included in the Russian Empire. As a result, the territory of the country from the middle of the 16th to the end of the 17th century. increased annually by an average of 35 thousand km², which is approximately equal to the area of \u200b\u200bmodern Holland.

So, during the reign of the first Romanovs, much has changed in the country's foreign policy situation. First, foreign intervention from Poland and Sweden was overcome as a relic of the Time of Troubles. Secondly, the territory of Russia was significantly expanded due to the annexation of Ukraine, as well as due to the colonization of Siberia and the Far East.