The 1762 campaign was the last of the Seven Years' War. The weapon naturally fell from the hands of the tired fighters. The conclusion of peace was accelerated by Russia's exit from the Seven Years' War after the death of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Sweden withdrew from the struggle even earlier by signing the Treaty of Hamburg (May 22, 1762), by which it pledged to clear Prussian Pomerania. The Seven Years' War ended with the Paris and Hubertsburg peace treaties of 1763, which summed up its political results.

Peace of Paris 1763

The result of the business trip of the French ambassador Duke of Nivernay to London and the English Duke of Bedford to Paris was the conclusion of a preliminary peace at Fontainebleau (November 3, 1762) and then a final peace in Paris (February 10, 1763). The Peace of Paris of 1763 ended naval and colonial struggle between France and England . England, which destroyed the French and Spanish fleets in the Seven Years' War, received all the benefits it could wish for. According to the Peace of Paris, France gave the British an entire power in North America: Canada with all the regions belonging to it, i.e. the island of Cap Breton, the islands of St. Lawrence, the entire Ohio Valley, the entire left bank of the Mississippi with the exception of New Orleans. From the Antilles she lost three disputed islands, having received back only the island of St. Lucia, and also abandoned Grenada and the Grenadile Islands.

Results of the Seven Years' War in North America. Map. Red indicates British possessions before 1763, pink indicates the annexation of the British following the Seven Years' War.

Of all of Senegal, after the Seven Years' War, France retained only the island of Gorey, and of all its former huge possessions in Hindustan, only five cities.

India in the middle and end of the 18th century. On the large map, the purple line shows the border of the spread of French colonial influence by 1751, lost as a result of the Seven Years' War

According to the Peace of Paris, the French returned Minorca, located off the Spanish coast, to the British. Spain did not oppose this concession, and since it also ceded Florida to the British, France gave it the right bank of the Mississippi as a reward (agreement of November 3, 1762).

These were the main results of the Seven Years' War for France and England. The English nation could be content with peace on such terms. And regardless of them, the very end of the war, which increased Britain's national debt by 80 million pounds, was a great benefit for her.

Treaty of Hubertsburg 1763

Almost at the same time as the Treaty of Paris, the Treaty of Hubertsburg was signed. between Prussia, Austria and Saxony (February 15, 1763), which determined the outcome of the Seven Years' War on the continent . It was drafted by Minister Herzberg on behalf of the Prussian king, Frisch and Kollenbach on behalf of Maria Theresa and the Emperor, and Brühl on behalf of the Saxon Elector Augustus III. According to the Treaty of Hubertsburg, Frederick II the Great retained Silesia, but promised to vote for the election of the eldest son of the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa, Joseph, as king of Rome (that is, as heir to the throne of the German Empire). The Saxon elector received back all his possessions.

The Treaty of Hubertsburg restored the state borders that existed in Europe before the Seven Years' War. The Prussian king remained the ruler of Silesia, because of which the struggle actually began. The enemies of Frederick II faced an enemy in the Seven Years' War who "managed to defend himself better than they could attack him."

“It is remarkable,” said one of the most active figures of that era, the French Cardinal Bernie, “that as a result of the Seven Years’ War, not a single power achieved its goal.” The Prussian king planned to make a great revolution in Europe, to make the imperial throne alternately the property of Protestants and Catholics, to exchange possessions and take for himself those areas that were more to his liking. He gained great fame by subjugating all the European courts to his species, but he left a legacy of fragile power to his successor. He ruined his people, depleted his treasury and depopulated his domains. Empress Maria Theresa showed greater courage in the Seven Years' War than was expected of her, and made her appreciate her power and the dignity of her armies higher... but did not achieve any of the goals she had set out. She could neither regain Silesia, lost in the War of the Austrian Succession, nor return Prussia to the position of a minor German possession. Russia in the Seven Years' War showed Europe the most invincible and worst-led army in existence. The Swedes played a subordinate and inglorious role to no avail. The role of France in the Seven Years' War, according to Bernie, was ridiculous and shameful.

General results of the Seven Years' War for the European powers

The results of the Seven Years' War were doubly disastrous for France - both in what it lost in it and in what its enemies and rivals won. As a result of the Seven Years' War, the French lost their military and political prestige, their fleet and their colonies.

England emerged from this fierce struggle as the sovereign mistress of the seas.

Austria, that demanding ally to which Louis XV had given himself up, was freed as a result of the Seven Years' War from the political influence of France in all Eastern European affairs. After the Seven Years' War, she began to settle them without any regard for Paris, together with Prussia and Russia. The soon-to-be-concluded triple agreement of Russia, Austria and Prussia in 1772 on the First Partition of Poland was the result of the joint intervention of these three powers in Polish affairs.

In the Seven Years' War, Russia fielded already organized and strong troops, not much inferior to those that the world later saw at Borodin (1812), Sevastopol (1855) and Plevna (1877).

As a result of the Seven Years' War, Prussia acquired the name of a great military power and actual supremacy in Germany. The Prussian Hohenzollern dynasty “with their raking hands” after that continuously increased its possessions. Seven Years' War, in fact, became the starting point for the unification of Germany under the leadership of Prussia, although it took place only a hundred years later.

But for Germany generally The immediate results of the Seven Years' War were very tragic. The unspeakable disaster of many German lands from military devastation, the mass of debts that remained to weigh on posterity, the destruction of the well-being of the working classes - these were the main results of the persistent political efforts of the religious, virtuous and beloved empress

Frederick II Frederick II, King of Prussia from 1740. Bright representative enlightened
absolutism, the founder of Prussian-German statehood.

In 1756, Frederick attacked Austria's allied Saxony and entered Dresden. He justified his
actions with a “preventive strike”, claiming that a Russian-Austrian war had formed against Prussia
a coalition that was ready for aggression. Then followed the bloody Battle of Lobozicka, in
which Frederick won. In May 1757, Frederick took Prague, but then on June 18, 1757
year he was defeated in the Battle of Kolinsky.
The Battle of Zorndorf on August 25, 1758 ended in victory for the Russians (according to the unwritten laws of that
At the time, the winner was considered the one who had the battlefield left behind him; battlefield of Zorndorf
remained with the Russians), the Battle of Kunersdorf in 1759 dealt a moral blow to Frederick.
The Austrians occupied Dresden, and the Russians occupied Berlin. Victory provided some respite
at the Battle of Liegnitz, but Frederick was completely exhausted. Only contradictions between
Austrian and Russian generals kept it from final collapse.
The sudden death of the Russian Empress Elizabeth in 1761 brought unexpected relief.
New Russian Tsar Peter III turned out to be a great admirer of Friedrich's talent, with whom he
concluded a truce. Gained power as a result of the palace
coup, Empress Catherine II did not dare to involve Russia in the war again and withdrew everything
Russian troops from the occupied territories. Over the next decades she
maintained friendly relations with Frederick in line with the so-called policy. northern chord.

Pyotr Aleksandrovich Rumyantsev

Manifestation in the Seven Years' War:
By the beginning of the Seven Years' War, Rumyantsev already had the rank of major general. As part of the Russian troops under
under the command of S. F. Apraksin, he arrived in Courland in 1757. On August 19 (30) he distinguished himself
in the battle of Gross-Jägersdorf. He was entrusted with leading a reserve of four infantry
regiments - Grenadier, Troitsky, Voronezh and Novgorod - which was located on another
side of the forest bordering the Jägersdorf field. The battle continued from with varying success, And
when the Russian right flank began to retreat under the attacks of the Prussians, Rumyantsev, without orders,
on his own initiative he threw his fresh reserve against the left flank of the Prussian infantry.
In January 1758, the columns of Saltykov and Rumyantsev (30,000) set out on a new campaign and
occupied Königsberg, and then all of East Prussia. In the summer, Rumyantsev's cavalry
(4000 sabers) covered the maneuvers of Russian troops in Prussia, and its actions were
recognized as exemplary. In the Battle of Zorndorf Rumyantsev, direct participation
did not accept, however, after the battle, covering Fermor’s retreat to Pomerania, 20
dismounted dragoon and horse-grenadier squadrons of Rumyantsev's detachment were detained
for the whole day the 20,000-strong Prussian corps at Pass Krug.
In August 1759, Rumyantsev and his division took part in the Battle of Kunersdorf.
The division was located in the center of Russian positions, at the height of the Big Spitz. She's the one
became one of the main targets of attack by Prussian troops after they crushed the left flank
Russians. Rumyantsev's division, however, despite heavy artillery fire and
the onslaught of Seydlitz's heavy cavalry (the best forces of the Prussians), repulsed
numerous attacks and went into a bayonet counterattack, which he personally led
Rumyantsev. This blow threw back the army of King Frederick II, and it began to retreat,
pursued by cavalry.

Willim Villimovich Fermor

Manifestation in the Seven Years' War:
The peak of Fermor's military career came during the Seven Years' War. With the rank of general-in-chief he
brilliantly takes Memel, contributes to the victory of Russian troops at Gross-Jägersdorf (1757).
In 1758 he became commander of the Russian troops instead of S. F. Apraksin,
takes Königsberg and all of East Prussia. It was erected by Empress Maria Theresa
to the dignity of a count. Unsuccessfully besieged Danzig and Küstrin; commanded the Russians
troops in the battle of Zorndorf, for which he received the Order of Andrew
First Called and St. Anne.
Post-war life:
Participated in the battle of Kunersdorf (1759). In 1760 he acted along the banks of the Oder for
diverting Frederick's forces, a short time replaced the sick Saltykov at his post
commander-in-chief, and at that time one of his detachments (under
Totleben's command) Berlin was occupied. At this time, in the position of duty officer
officer, and then general duty officer under Fermor, the future great Russian serves
commander A.V. Suvorov.
At the end of the war in 1762 he was discharged from military service. IN next year appointed
Governor-General of Smolensk, and after 1764 headed the Senate commission on
salt and wine collections. Empress Catherine II entrusted him with the restoration
the city of Tver, almost completely destroyed by fire. In 1768 or 1770 he came out in
resignation, died on September 8 (19), 1771.

Stepan Fedorovich Apraksin

Stepan Fedorovich Apraksin
Manifestation in the Seven Years' War:
When Russia concluded an anti-Prussian alliance with Austria, Empress Elizabeth
Petrovna promoted Apraksin to field marshal and appointed
commander-in-chief of the active army.
In May 1757, Apraksin’s army, numbering up to 100 thousand people, of which -
20 thousand irregular troops set out from Livonia in the direction of the river
Neman. 20 thousandth detachment under the command of General-in-Chief Fermor under
supported by the Russian fleet, he besieged Memel, the capture of which took place on June 25 (according to the old
style) in 1757 was the signal for the start of the campaign.
Apraksin with the main forces moved in the direction of Verzhbolovo and Gumbinen.
The enemy of the Russian army in East Prussia was left for her
guard corps under the command of Field Marshal Lewald, numbering
30.5 thousand soldiers and 10 thousand militias. Having learned about the roundabout movement of the Russian
army, Lewald came out to meet it with the intention of attacking the Russians
troops. General battle between the Prussian and Russian armies
occurred on August 19 (30), 1757 near the village of Gross-Jägersdorf and ended
victory of the Russian troops. In five hours of battle, the losses of the Prussian side exceeded
4.5 thousand people, Russian troops - 5.7 thousand, of which 1487 were killed. The news about
the victory was received with delight in St. Petersburg, and Apraksin received it as his coat of arms
two cannons placed crosswise.

Pyotr Semyonovich Saltykov

Appearance in the Seven Years' War
In the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) Russian empire performed
ally of France and Austria. Russia's main enemy in
this war was Prussia, whose army was personally led
King Frederick II. However, the period of this war from 1757 to 1758
the year was not very successful for the Russian army,
especially after the bloody Pyrrhic victory of Russian troops over
Frederick's army at Zorndorf. Ineffectiveness of actions
and the fall in the authority of the Russian commander-in-chief
Fermor's troops led to the fact that
Empress Elizabeth dismissed him. Replaced it
Saltykov held this post - the appointment took place in 1759.

In the 18th century, a serious military conflict called the Seven Years' War broke out. The largest European states, including Russia, were involved in it. You can learn about the causes and consequences of this war from our article.

Decisive reasons

The military conflict, which turned into the Seven Years' War of 1756-1763, was not unexpected. It has been brewing for a long time. On the one hand, it was strengthened by the constant clashes of interests between England and France, and on the other, by Austria, which did not want to come to terms with the victory of Prussia in the Silesian Wars. But the confrontations might not have become so large-scale if two new political unions had not formed in Europe - the Anglo-Prussian and the Franco-Austrian. England feared that Prussia would seize Hanover, which belonged to the English king, so it decided on an agreement. The second alliance was the result of the conclusion of the first. Other countries took part in the war under the influence of these states, also pursuing their own goals.

The following are the significant reasons for the Seven Years' War:

• Constant competition between England and France, especially for the possession of the Indian and American colonies, intensified in 1755;
• Prussia's desire to seize new territories and significantly influence European politics;
• Austria's desire to regain Silesia, lost in the last war;
• Russia's dissatisfaction with the increased influence of Prussia and plans to take over the eastern part of Prussian lands;
• Sweden's thirst to take Pomerania from Prussia.

Rice. 1. Map of the Seven Years' War.

Important events

England was the first to officially announce the start of hostilities against France in May 1756. In August of the same year, Prussia, without warning, attacked Saxony, which was bound by an alliance with Austria and belonged to Poland. The battles unfolded rapidly. Spain joined France, and Austria won over not only France itself, but also Russia, Poland, and Sweden. Thus, France fought on two fronts at once. Battles took place actively both on land and on water. The course of events is reflected in chronological table on the history of the Seven Years' War:

date	Event that happened
	England declares war on France
	Naval battle of the English and French fleets near Minorca
	France captured Minorca
August 1756	Prussian attack on Saxony
	The Saxon army surrendered to Prussia
November 1756	France captured Corsica
January 1757	Union Treaty of Russia and Austria
	The defeat of Frederick II in Bohemia
	Treaty between France and Austria at Versailles
	Russia officially entered the war
	Victory of Russian troops at Groß-Jägersdorf
October 1757	French defeat at Rosbach
December 1757	Prussia completely occupied Silesia
beginning 1758	Russia occupied East Prussia, incl. Koenigsberg
August 1758	Bloody Battle of Zorndorf
	Victory of Russian troops at Palzig
August 1759	Battle of Kunersdorf, won by Russia
September 1760	England captured Montreal - France lost Canada completely
August 1761	Convention between France and Spain on the Second Entry into the War
early December 1761	Russian troops captured the Prussian fortress of Kolberg
	Empress of Russia Elizaveta Petrovna died
	England declared war on Spain
	The agreement between Peter ΙΙΙ, who ascended the Russian throne, and Frederick ΙΙ; Sweden signed an agreement with Prussia in Hamburg
	Overthrow of Peter II. Catherine ΙΙ began to rule, breaking the treaty with Prussia
February 1763	Signing of the Paris and Hubertusburg Peace Treaties

After the death of Empress Elizabeth, the new Emperor Peter ΙΙΙ, who supported the policy of the Prussian king, concluded the St. Petersburg Peace and Treaty of Alliance with Prussia in 1762. According to the first, Russia ceased hostilities and renounced all occupied lands, and according to the second, it was supposed to provide military support to the Prussian army.

Rice. 2. Russia's participation in the Seven Years' War.

Consequences of the war

The war was over due to the depletion of military resources in both allied armies, but the advantage was on the side of the Anglo-Prussian coalition. The result of this in 1763 was the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty of England and Portugal with France and Spain, as well as the Treaty of Hubertusburg - Austria and Saxony with Prussia. The concluded agreements summed up the results of military operations:

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• France lost a large number of colonies, giving England Canada, part of the Indian lands, East Louisiana, and islands in the Caribbean. Western Louisiana had to be given to Spain, in return for what was promised at the conclusion of the Union of Minorca;
• Spain returned Florida to England and ceded Minorca;
• England gave Havana to Spain and several important islands to France;
• Austria lost its rights to Silesia and neighboring lands. They became part of Prussia;
• Russia did not lose or gain any land, but showed Europe its military capabilities, increasing its influence there.

So Prussia became one of the leading European states. England, having supplanted France, became the largest colonial empire.

King Frederick II of Prussia proved himself to be a competent military leader. Unlike other rulers, he personally took charge of the army. In other states, commanders changed quite often and did not have the opportunity to make completely independent decisions.

Rice. 3. King of Prussia Frederick ΙΙ the Great.

What have we learned?

After reading a history article for grade 7, which briefly talks about the Seven Years' War, which lasted from 1756 to 1763, we learned the main facts. We met the main participants: England, Prussia, France, Austria, Russia, examined important dates, causes and results of the war. We remember under which ruler Russia lost its position in the war.

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Secrets of the House of Romanov Balyazin Voldemar Nikolaevich

The Seven Years' War between Russia and Prussia in 1757-1760

After Russia on January 11, 1757 joined the Treaty of Versailles, concluded on May 1, 1756 between Austria and France against England and Prussia, Sweden, Saxony and some small states of Germany joined the anti-Prussian coalition strengthened at the expense of Russia.

The war, which began in 1754 in the colonial possessions of England and France in Canada, only moved to Europe in 1756, when on May 28, the Prussian king Frederick II invaded Saxony with an army of 95 thousand people. Frederick defeated the Saxon and allied Austrian troops in two battles and occupied Silesia and part of Bohemia.

It should be noted that foreign policy Russia during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna was distinguished almost all the time by its peacefulness and restraint. The war it inherited with Sweden was ended in the summer of 1743 with the signing of the Abo Peace Treaty, and until 1757 Russia did not fight.

As for the Seven Years' War with Prussia, Russia's participation in it turned out to be an accident, fatally connected with the intrigues of international political adventurers, as already mentioned when it came to Madame Pompadour's furniture and the tobacco trade of the Shuvalov brothers.

But now, after the victories won by Frederick II in Saxony and Silesia, Russia could not remain on the sidelines. She was obliged to do this by the recklessly signed alliance treaties with France and Austria and the real threat to her possessions in the Baltic states, since East Prussia was a border territory adjacent to the new Russian provinces.

In May 1757, a Russian army of seventy thousand, under the command of Field Marshal Stepan Fedorovich Apraksin, one of the best Russian commanders of that time, moved to the banks of the Neman River bordering Prussia.

Already in August, the first major victory was won - at the village of Gross-Jägersdorf, Russian troops defeated the corps of Prussian Field Marshal Lewald.

However, instead of going to the nearby capital of East Prussia, Koenigsberg, Apraksin gave the order to return to the Baltic states, explaining this by the lack of food, large losses and illnesses in the troops. This maneuver gave rise to rumors in the army and in St. Petersburg about his treason and led to the fact that a new commander-in-chief was appointed in his place - a Russified Englishman, general-in-chief, Count Vilim Vilimovich Fermor, who successfully commanded troops in the wars with Sweden, Turkey and the latter. war - with Prussia.

Apraksin was ordered to go to Narva and await further orders. However, no orders were given, and instead the “Grand State Inquisitor,” the head of the Secret Chancellery, A.I. Shuvalov, came to Narva. It should be borne in mind that Apraksin was a friend of Chancellor Bestuzhev, and the Shuvalovs were his ardent enemies. The “Grand Inquisitor,” having arrived in Narva, immediately subjected the disgraced field marshal to a strict interrogation, mainly concerning his correspondence with Catherine and Bestuzhev.

Shuvalov had to prove that Catherine and Bestuzhev persuaded Apraksin to commit treason in order to ease the position of the Prussian king in every possible way. After interrogating Apraksin, Shuvalov arrested him and transported him to the Four Hands tract, not far from St. Petersburg.

Apraksin also denied any malicious intent in his retreat beyond the Neman and argued that “he did not make any promises to the young court and did not receive any comments from him in favor of the Prussian king.”

However, he was accused of high treason, and everyone suspected of having a criminal connection with him was arrested and brought for interrogation to the Secret Chancellery.

On February 14, 1758, unexpectedly for everyone, Chancellor Bestuzhev was also arrested. They first arrested him and only then began to look for him: what could he be charged with? It was difficult to do this, because Bestuzhev was an honest man and a patriot, and then he was charged with “the crime of lese majeste and for the fact that he, Bestuzhev, tried to sow discord between Her Imperial Majesty and Their Imperial Highnesses.”

The case ended with Bestuzhev being expelled from St. Petersburg to one of his villages, but during the investigation, suspicions fell on Ekaterina, the jeweler Bernardi, Poniatovsky, former favorite Elizaveta Petrovna, Lieutenant General Beketov, teacher Ekaterina Adodurova. All these people were connected with Catherine, Bestuzhev and the English envoy Williams. Of all of them, only Catherine, as the Grand Duchess, and Poniatovsky, as a foreign ambassador, could have felt relatively calm if not for their secret intimate relationships and highly secret relations with Chancellor Bestuzhev, which could easily be regarded as an anti-government conspiracy. The fact is that Bestuzhev drew up a plan according to which, as soon as Elizaveta Petrovna died, Peter Fedorovich would become emperor by right, and Catherine would be a co-ruler. Bestuzhev provided for himself a special status, which vested him with power no less than that of Menshikov under Catherine I. Bestuzhev laid claim to chairmanship of the three most important boards - Foreign, Military and Admiralty. In addition, he wanted to have the rank of lieutenant colonel in all four Life Guards regiments - Preobrazhensky, Semenovsky, Izmailovsky and Cavalry. Bestuzhev outlined his thoughts in the form of a manifesto and sent it to Catherine.

Fortunately for both himself and Catherine, Bestuzhev managed to burn the manifesto and all the drafts and thus deprived the investigators of serious evidence of treason. Moreover, through one of her most devoted servants - valet Vasily Grigorievich Shkurin (remember the name of this man, soon, dear reader, you will meet him again in more than extraordinary circumstances), Catherine learned that the papers were burned and she had nothing to fear.

And yet, suspicion remained, and Elizaveta Petrovna, through the efforts of the Shuvalov brothers, Peter and Alexander, was notified of the Bestuzhev-Ekaterina alliance. The impulsive and unbalanced empress decided, at least outwardly, to show her displeasure with Catherine and stopped accepting her, which led to a cooling towards her and a significant part of the “big court”.

But Stanislav-August remained the lover of the Grand Duchess, and there are many reasons to believe that in March 1758, Catherine became pregnant again from him and on December 9 gave birth to a daughter named Anna. The girl was taken to Elizaveta Petrovna’s chambers immediately after birth, and then everything happened as it did four years ago, when her first-born, Pavel, was born: balls and fireworks began in the city, and Catherine was left alone again. True, this time at her bedside were the court ladies close to her - Maria Alexandrovna Izmailova, Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina, Natalya Alexandrovna Senyavina and the only man - Stanislav-August Poniatovsky.

Anna Naryshkina, nee Countess Rumyantseva, was married to Chief Marshal Alexander Naryshkin, and Izmailova and Senyavina were nee Naryshkins - the marshal's sisters and trusted confidantes of Catherine. In “Notes,” Catherine reports that this company gathered secretly, that the Naryshkins and Poniatovsky hid behind screens as soon as there was a knock on the door, and in addition, Stanislav-August went into the palace, calling himself the Grand Duke’s musician. The fact that Poniatovsky was the only man who found himself at Catherine’s bedside after the birth seems to be quite eloquent evidence confirming the version of his paternity.

In her Notes, Catherine cites an interesting episode that occurred shortly before giving birth in September 1758: “Since I was becoming heavy from my pregnancy, I no longer appeared in society, believing that I was closer to giving birth than I actually was. . It was boring for the Grand Duke... And therefore His Imperial Highness was angry with my pregnancy and decided to say one day at his place, in the presence of Lev Naryshkin and some others: “God knows where my wife gets her pregnancy from, I don’t really know, my “Is this a child and should I take it personally?”

And yet, when the girl was born, Pyotr Fedorovich was glad about what happened. Firstly, the child was named exactly as the name of his late mother, the Empress’s sister, Anna Petrovna. Secondly, Pyotr Fedorovich, as the father of a newborn, received 60,000 rubles, which, of course, he more than needed.

The girl lived very briefly and died on March 8, 1759. For some reason, she was buried not in the Peter and Paul Cathedral, which since 1725 became the tomb of the Romanov house, but in the Church of the Annunciation of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. And this circumstance also did not escape contemporaries, leading them to think about whether Anna Petrovna was the legitimate tsar’s daughter?

And events behind the walls of the imperial palaces went on as usual. On January 11, 1758, Vilim Fermor's troops occupied the capital of East Prussia - Königsberg.

Then on August 14 there followed a bloody and stubborn battle at Zorndorf, in which the opponents only lost about thirty thousand people killed. Catherine wrote that more than a thousand Russian officers were killed in the battle of Zorndorf. Many of the dead had previously lodged or lived in St. Petersburg, and therefore the news of the Zorndorf massacre caused grief and despondency in the city, but the war continued, and so far there was no end in sight. Ekaterina was worried along with everyone else. Pyotr Fedorovich felt and behaved completely differently.

Meanwhile, on August 6, 1758, without waiting for the trial, S. F. Apraksin suddenly died. He died of cardiac paralysis, but rumors immediately spread throughout St. Petersburg about a violent death - after all, he died in captivity. Supporters of this version were even more convinced by the fact that the field marshal was buried without any honors, hastily and secretly from everyone in the cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Apraksin died of cardiac paralysis, but one could only guess why the paralysis occurred. An indirect recognition of Apraksin’s innocence was that everyone involved in the investigation in the Bestuzhev case - and it arose after Apraksin’s arrest - were either demoted in their positions or expelled from St. Petersburg to their villages, but no one suffered criminal punishment.

Catherine remained out of favor with the Empress for some time, but after she asked to be released to Zerbst, to her parents, so as not to experience humiliation and suspicions offensive to her, Elizaveta Petrovna changed her anger to mercy and restored her previous relationship with her daughter-in-law.

And in the theater of military operations, successes gave way to failures, and, as a result, the commanders-in-chief were replaced: Fermor was replaced in June 1759 by Field Marshal, Count Pyotr Semenovich Saltykov, and in September 1760, another Field Marshal, Count Alexander Borisovich Buturlin, appeared. The empress's favorite flashed with fleeting success - he occupied Berlin without a fight, whose small garrison left the city when a Russian cavalry detachment approached.

However, three days later, the Russians also hastily retreated, having learned about the approach of the superior forces of Frederick II to the capital of Prussia. The “sabotage” against Berlin did not change anything during the war. And what was decisive for its outcome was not the military campaign, but the coming to power in England of a new government, which refused Prussia further monetary subsidies.

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Believing the oaths of a traitor is the same as believing the piety of the devil

Elizabeth 1

The fifties of the 18th century brought changes in the political situation in Europe. Austria has lost its position. England and France were in a state of conflict in the struggle for dominance on the American continent. The German army developed at a rapid pace and was considered invincible in Europe.

Causes of the war

By 1756, two coalitions had emerged in Europe. As mentioned above, England and France determined who would dominate the American continent. The British secured the support of the Germans. The French won over Austria, Saxony and Russia.

The course of the war - the basis of the event

The war was started by the German king Frederick II. He struck Saxony and in August 1756 completely destroyed its army. Russia, fulfilling its allied duty, sends an army led by General Apraksin to help. The Russians were given the task of capturing Koenigsberg, which was guarded by a forty thousand-strong German army. A major battle between the Russian and German armies took place near the village of Gross-Jägersdorf. On August 19, 1757, the Russians defeated the German troops, forcing them to flee. The myth of the invincibility of the German army was dispelled. A key role in this victory was played by P.A. Rumyantsev, who connected reserves in time and dealt a terrible blow to the Germans. The commander of the Russian army, Apraksin S.F., knowing that Empress Elizabeth was sick and her heir Peter sympathized with the Germans, ordered the Russian army not to pursue the Germans. This step allowed the Germans to calmly retreat and quickly gather their strength again.

Empress Elizabeth recovered and removed Apraksin from command of the army. Seven Years' War 1757-1762 continued. Russian army Fermor V.V. began to manage. Soon after his appointment, in 1757 Fermor took possession of Koenisberg. Empress Elizabeth was pleased with this conquest and in January 1578 signed a decree according to which the lands of East Prussia were transferred to Russia.

In 1758 a new major battle Russian and German armies. It happened near the village of Zorndorf. The Germans attacked fiercely, they had the advantage. Fermor shamefully fled from the battlefield, but the Russian army survived, again defeating the Germans.

In 1759, P.S. Saltykov was appointed commander of the Russian army, who in the first year inflicted a severe defeat on the Germans near Kunersdorf. After this, the Russian army continued its advance to the west and captured Berlin in September 1760. In 1761, the large German fortress of Kolberg fell.

End of hostilities

Allied troops did not help either Russia or Prussia. Drawn into this war by France on the one hand and England on the other, the Russians and Germans exterminated each other while the British and French decided on their world domination.

After the fall of Kohlberg, the Prussian king Frederick II was in despair. German history they write that he tried to abdicate the throne several times. There are cases when at the same time Frederick II tried to commit suicide. When it seemed that the situation was hopeless, the unexpected happened. Elizabeth died in Russia. Her successor was Peter 3, married to a German princess and with a love for everything German. This emperor shamefully signed an alliance treaty with Prussia, as a result of which Russia received absolutely nothing. For seven years, Russians shed blood in Europe, but this did not produce any results for the country. The traitor emperor, as Peter 3 was called in the Russian army, saved Germany from destruction by signing an alliance. For this he paid with his life.

An alliance treaty with Prussia was signed in 1761. After Catherine 2 came to power in 1762, this agreement was terminated, however, the empress did not risk sending Russian troops to Europe again.

Key events:

• 1756 - Defeat of France by England. The beginning of Russia's war against Prussia.
• 1757 - Russian victory in the battle of Groß-Jägersdorf. Prussian victory in France and Austria at Rosbach.
• 1758 - Russian troops took Konigsberg
• 1759 - Victory of the Russian army in the battle of Kunersdorf
• 1760 - Capture of Berlin by the Russian army
• 1761 - Victory in the battle of Kolberg fortress
• 1762 - Peace Treaty between Prussia and Russia. Return to Frederick 2 of all lands lost during the war
• 1763 - The Seven Years' War ended

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