Foreign Policy of Russia in the 18th Century

The 18th century in world history is characterized as the era of the beginning of modernization and enlightenment. Certainly, the processes of improvement have been going on for several centuries. But it was in the 18th century that the beginning of the renovation of the traditional old society was laid. These processes led to the emergence of modern society.

Particular importance in the development of the Russian Empire belongs to the 18th century. This period is assessed as a complex and contradictory historical stage. Many problems remained unresolved and controversial in it.

Russia's foreign policy of the 18th century was accompanied by changes in all sectors of social and political life. Changes affected both the economic and cultural sphere. Transformations have occurred in both social and political relations.

The first attempt was made to modernize the Russian Empire by the European standard Peter 1. The second attempt was made by Catherine 2. As a result of radical transformations, the power turned into a powerful world empire.

The volume of agricultural and industrial production increased intensively, Russia achieved certain successes in establishing foreign trade relations, and domestic trade in the country also developed successfully. Local and central power has strengthened its positions. The accelerated development of the annexed regions began.

The foreign policy of Russia in the 18th century historians is conditionally divided into three time periods.

The first stage begins during the reign of Peter 1 and ends after his death. The first event, which marked the foreign policy of Russia in the 18th century, is the Northern War.

The next stage is closely connected with the struggle for the throne after the death of Peter 1. This stage ends with the death of Elizabeth (the daughter of the emperor). The main events that mark Russia's foreign policy in the 18th century at this stage are the Russo-Turkish and Seven Years' War.

The beginning of the third stage coincides with the ascent to the throne of Catherine the Great. The main events of this era are wars with Turkey, the conquest of the Crimea, the partition of Poland.

Russia's foreign policy in the 18th century was mainly carried out with the aim of making the country a full-fledged powerful naval power. It should be noted that the transformation within the state and the actions in the international arena were interrelated. The Russian economy developed against the background of the state's exit into the foreign policy sector.

From the very beginning, the international activities of the government of Peter the Great had the same direction as in previous times. The movement of Russia was directed to the south. The government sought to eliminate the Wild Field, which arose in the old days with the formation of a nomadic culture. The liquidation of this region liberated Russia's trade route to the Black and Mediterranean seas. To achieve these goals, campaigns were undertaken to the Crimea Golitsyn and "Azov campaigns" of Peter himself.

The main result of the international activities of the Russian Empire in the 18th century is the transformation of the country into a powerful naval state that has a full-fledged navy and army. Over the course of a century, the state also continues to strengthen in natural geographical and ethnographic boundaries. Completely realized this desire was at the beginning of the next century.

Russia's foreign policy of the 19th century was marked by the annexation of the entire eastern part of the Baltic coast, the acquisition of the Åland Islands and Finland. In addition, the south-western borders expanded. At the same time, historians note that with the establishment of natural borders, foreign policy in the state began to split. Thus, different goals were formed while moving in the eastern, Asian, European (south-western) direction.