Treaty of Fredrikshamn — September 1809 peace treaty between Russia and Sweden
Ended the Finnish War, transferring Finnish territories from Sweden to Imperial Russia and reshaping the Baltic regional balance of power.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 17 September 1809
- Parties
- Sweden and Imperial Russia
- Conflict concluded
- Finnish War
- Swedish representative
- Kurt von Stedingk and Anders Fredrik Skjöldebrand
- Russian representative
- Nikolay Rumyantsev and David Alopaeus
- Signing location
- Fredrikshamn (Hamina), Finland
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Finnish War, fought between Sweden and Imperial Russia beginning in 1808, resulted in Russian forces occupying Finland. Sweden suffered repeated military defeats and lacked the capacity to repel the Russian advance, leaving the Swedish government no viable alternative but to negotiate a formal end to hostilities.
On 17 September 1809, Sweden and Imperial Russia signed the Treaty of Fredrikshamn in the Finnish town of Hamina. Sweden was represented by Infantry General Kurt von Stedingk and Colonel Anders Fredrik Skjöldebrand, while Russia was represented by Nikolay Rumyantsev and ambassador David Alopaeus. The treaty formally concluded the Finnish War.
Under the terms of the treaty, Sweden ceded its Finnish territories to Imperial Russia. This transfer brought Finland under Russian imperial rule as the Grand Duchy of Finland, fundamentally altering the geopolitical configuration of the Baltic region and ending centuries of Swedish dominion over Finland.
Political Outcome
Sweden ceded Finnish territories to Imperial Russia, concluding the Finnish War.
Finland under Swedish sovereignty
Finland ceded to and under Imperial Russian rule