The Treaty of Tilsit

On 7th July 1807, Napoleon and Alexander I signed the Treaty of Tilsit, which marked the end of the war between Russia and France. The treaty was unusual in that it was signed on a raft in the middle of the Neman river near the town of Tilsit, which is now Sovetsk in Kaliningrad, Russia.

Terms of the Treaty

The Tilsit treaty united Russia and France against Britain. They split Europe up between them, vastly reducing Prussia’s territory and distributing it between Russia and a handful of independent kingdoms such as Saxony and Westphalia.

Napoleon and Alexander

During the course of the negotiations, Napoleon and Alexander developed a good relationship. Medallions produced at the time to commemorate the Treaty of Tilsit even show Alexander and Napoleon embracing! The two emperors spent many hours discussing matters of government and strategy. Historians say Alexander particularly discussed constitutions, which were a source of fascination throughout his life.

Aftermath

In spite of Alexander and Napoleon leaving Tilsit as allies and friends, the terms of the treaty did not last. By 1810, Alexander once again allowed neutral shipping in Russian ports, which went against the terms of the treaty. In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia, symbolically crossing the Neman river where they had signed the Tilsit treaty five years earlier.