Congress of Åland

a congress at which Russia and Sweden attempted to negotiate a peace during the Northern War, 1700–21. It was held, with interruptions, between May 1718 and October 1719 on the island of Sundskär in the Åland archipelago. Russia was represented by General J. Bruce, A. I. Osterman, and P. I. Iaguzhinskii, and Sweden was represented by K. Gyllenborg and G. Görtz. The Russians demanded the transfer to Russia of Ingria, Karelia, Livonia with Riga, and Estonia including Revel, which had been occupied by its troops, and Vyborg as well. Peter I would return Finland, which he had conquered, to Sweden.

Russia’s program corresponded to the interests of France, which wanted Sweden to retain its imperial possessions. It contradicted the interests of England, which demanded that Bremen and Verden, which belonged to Sweden, be transferred to Hanover. The rapprochement between England and France after the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–14) deprived Russia of French support, and consequently Swedish diplomats would not agree to the Russian demands. The parties did not reach agreement, and negotiations were broken off.