Kingdom of Finland (1742)

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The attempt to create a Kingdom of Finland in 1742 is a little known chapter in the history of Finland. Following the Russian occupation in the Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743) and vague promises of making the country independent, Finns selected the then Duke Peter of Holstein-Gottorp as the King of Finland. However, political situation had outgrown the idea of Finnish independence and it quickly evaporated.^[1]

1 Background
2 Lantdag of Turku
3 Aftermath
4 See also
5 References

[edit] Background

When the Russian counter-offensive in Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743) started in March 1742, Empress Elizabeth of Russia presented Finns - then still a part of the Kingdom of Sweden - with a declaration where she promised to make the country independent unless they resisted her troops. It is not known what Elizabeth exactly meant with "Finland" as it had no formal borders yet, but at that moment she probably played with the idea of making a buffer state in between Sweden and Russia.

By July 1742, Russia had occupied all of Finland, meeting almost no resistance at all due incompetent Swedish military command and unmotivated defence forces.

[edit] Lantdag of Turku

General James Keith, a Scottish mercenary responsible for the occupying Russian forces in the south, called for the estates of southwestern Finland - roughly today's Varsinais-Suomi and Satakunta - to meet at lantdag in Turku 18.10.1742. Each city and hundred was to send one from nobility and two from clergy, bourgeoisie and peasants to discuss about matters important for the "cities and the whole country".

Known representatives that showed up in the city were e.g. freiherrs Henrik Rehbinder and Johan Gripenberg, vicars from Loimaa, Halikko, Pöytyä and Maaria and mayors of Rauma and Pori. Names of peasants have not survived, but they were probably best represented. On the official agenda presented by Keith were mostly running matters, but Russians also assured to nominate only local officials and improve usage of Finnish language in domestic administration. Encouraged by Russians' earlier promises of independence, friendly occupation and their own apparent willingness to seize the moment, Finns presented the general with the decision to ask Duke Peter of Holstein-Gottorp as the King of Finland. It is not known how the lantdag reached that decision as no official records of the meeting have survived, but from Russians' internal correspondence it seems evident that Finns had made their moves by themselves. Preparations to form a delegation to present the Empress with the request started.

At the same time, riksdagen had gathered in Stockholm, trying to find a way out from the catastrophical situation. As the King Frederick I was without an heir apparent, the Swedish estates decided to use the future crown in negotiations, also selecting the same Duke as the next King of Sweden.

Duke Peter of Holstein-Gottorp was the great-nephew of King Charles XII. He was very popular in Sweden among peasants, even though he was just a 14-year-old German who had never even been to Sweden. His popularity increased in the lower classes especially in Finland due to the fact that he was also the nephew of Empress Elizabeth and could thus ensure a more enduring peace. Already in July 1742 a group of Finnish peasants had pleaded the Russians to make the duke the King of Sweden.

But the political situation was already outgrowing earlier promises. Russian troops had taken over Finland with such an ease, that Elizabeth had not only dropped the idea of making Finland a puppet state, but planned to turn the whole Sweden as such. Also, since she was without an heir apparent herself as well, she had decided to make the Duke Peter her own heir to the Imperial throne. Word of her new mood reached Turku before the delegation had even got started for Saint Petersburg. Russians effectively stopped the process there, and the lantdag representatives left for their homes. Most probably the duke never got to know about his planned life as the King of Finland.

[edit] Aftermath

Disappointment in the results of the Turku lantdag generated some plans to make a revolt against the Russian occupation. No concrete actions came out of those plans.

In general, events of Turku lantdag in 1742 had no consequences after the Russian occupation had ended in the following year, Elizabeth's candidate having been elected as the next King of Sweden and some territory seceded from Finland for Russia. However, the events clearly resemble what happened 70 years later in the Finnish War which ended up with the Finnish estates gathering in the Diet of Porvoo and swearing their oaths of loyalty to the Russian Emperor Alexander I as the Grand Duke of Finland. Interestingly, Alexander was the grandson of the said Duke Peter.