“Imperialistic Catherine” & Russia’s foreign affairs 1762-1774 By Tam Mai Catherine’s rise to power Coup d'état (1762) Peter III was forced to abdicate and later murdered Catherine became the Empress of Russia Motivations for the coup Catherine’s own Enlightenment ideas and political ambitions Catherine’s painful marriage with Peter III Peter III’s scorn for Russia and sympathy for Prussia >< Catherine’s desire to continue the Seven Years’ War against Prussia Thus, even before the coup d’état of 1762, foreign policy in general and Prussia in particular already played important roles in the empress-to-be’s political playbook. First 12 Years of Catherine II’s Reign Foreign Policy Peace Prussia Panin Poland The Porte 1. Peace Peter III, prior to abdication Ordered the Russian army to withdraw from Prussia despite an imminent victory Forged an alliance with Prussia Declared war on Denmark To return the province of Schleswig – lost to Denmark in 1721 – to Holstein To showcase his real battlefield leadership Catherine II, upon claiming the throne Renounced Russia’s alliance with Prussia Yet kept peaceful relations with this neighbor Canceled the Russo-Denmark war 2. Prussia Following the Seven Years’ War, both Prussia and Russia were isolated from European international affairs Mutual reliance Prussia’s weak military on land needed support from Russia’s strong army Russia needed Prussia to reshuffle Polish politics Prussia was geographically close to Poland Both Frederick II of Prussia and Catherine II of Russia preferred a non-Saxon successor to King Augustus III of Poland 3. Panin Background A seasoned diplomat, internationally recognized as a rare “sophisticated, liberal-minded Russian” Appointed as the chief tutor of Paul under Empress Elizabeth Partook in the coup d'état of 1762 and became a senior member of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs in 1763 Source: Wikimedia Commons Nikita Panin 3. Panin (cont’d) Panin’s dream of a Northern Alliance as an opposing force to the Franco-Austrian bloc Obstacles: Prussia and Denmark were amenable to Panin’s plan But Great Britain balked at a military alliance with Russia, fearing that such an alliance would oblige it to offer assistance to Russia in the event of a Russo-Turkish war Outcome: In the end, no Northern Alliance was established Britain? Franco-Austrian Bloc Austria France Northern Accord Poland Sweden Prussia Russia 4. poland In August, 1764, Catherine elected her former lover, Stanislaw Poniatowski, as the King of Poland, “making Poland a vassal state with a puppet king” (Moss 280) In 1766, in response to pleas for help from Polish Orthodox believers, Catherine insisted the Polish government concede to religious minorities’ demand Otherwise, Russia would not listen to Polish noblemen’s requests for reforms Both sides refused to compromise Russia sent troops to Poland to suppress Catholic uprising and stop Poland’s implod.