Napoleon Implements the Treaty of Tilsit, Shaping It to His Own Benefit and Ordering the Subjugation of Prussia

He moves his generals around like pieces on a chess board, preparing to start the Peninsular War; An important document showing Napoleon’s powers at the high water mark of his reign

The Treaties of Tilsit were two agreements signed by Napoleon in the town of Tilsit in July 1807 in the aftermath of his victory at Friedland. The first was signed on July 7 with Tsar Alexander I of Russia, with whom he met on a raft in the middle of the Neman River. The second was signed with Prussia on July 9. The treaties were made at the expense of the Prussian king, who had already agreed to a truce on June 25 after the Grande Armée had pursued him to the easternmost frontier of his realm. In Tilsit, he ceded about half of his pre-war territories.

From those territories, Napoleon created French sister republics, which were formalized and recognized at Tilsit: the Kingdom of Westphalia, the Duchy of Warsaw and the Free City of Danzig; the other ceded territories were awarded to existing French client states and to Russia.  Napoleon not only cemented his control of Central Europe but also had Russia and the truncated Prussia ally with him against his two remaining enemies, Great Britain and Sweden, triggering the Anglo-Russian and Finnish Wars. Tilsit also freed French forces for the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal.  This was the high water mark for Napoleon and his armies.

In July of 1807, having signed the treaty, Napoleon appointed Count Daru to administer the conquered Prussian and Austrian territories. Marshall Berthier, the Prince of Neuchatel, was Napoleon’s Chief of Staff and confidant, and mentioned in the below letter.

Napoleon wrote to his Minister of War, General Clarke, giving secret orders to implement the treaty. He also re-ordered his army’s units, positioning them to begin the Peninsular War.  This is the very letter, including all of his secret instructions.  In the authoritative work on this subject, Napoleon’s Conduct Towards Prussia, Since the Peace of Tilsit, the author notes that Marshal Soult and the other French generals invented new sacrifices for Prussia “to make beyond the stipulations of the Treaty of Tilsit, as the necessary conditions before evacuation.”  It goes on to list the demands in this very letter, showing that in fact those orders came from Napoleon himself.

Letter signed, St. Cloud, in the hand of Meneval to General Clarke, July 29, 1807.  “You will find enclosed here a copy of a letter I wrote to Marshall Soult, so that might know of it.  Kindly inform Mr. Daru of that which concerns him in that letter.  I informing you of my most secret plan, so that you can give the necessary orders.  Please therefore pass this letter along to Mr. Daru.

“If the Prince of Neufchatel [Berthier] is in Berlin, please inform him of the main points of my letter.  Send General d’Allemagne to serve under the orders of Marshall Brune in Swedish Pomerania.  It is your charge to best position the many troops that will arrive at the seat of your government.”

Included are the original instructions:  “Copie of the letter written by the emperor to Marshall Soult at St. Cloud the 29th July 1807.  By Article 2 of the military convention for evacuation the troops are to occupy the Passarge River until the 20th of August.  My intention is that after the 20th august, they will remain behind the Vistule River until the 15th September.  You will guard the Isle of Nogat until the last moment in order to better supply yourself.  Thus, supposing you will evacuate effectively the 20th August the right bank of the Vistule, that means also the right bank of the Nogat.  But my intention is that you will not evacuate the Passarge the 20th August without having first fulfilling the following:

“1 – The markers are placed around Dantzig and the territory to mark the boundaries of this town.”  He goes on to give his definition of where that boundary should be, much larger than what Prussia thought was the agreement. Soult insisted upon this, and it led to a larger Dantzig and environs.

“2 – I have given you full power to negotiate the military route of Saxony [the Treaty had given the King of Prussia]. You will take care that before evacuating Elbing and the Passarge, this convention be done to your satisfaction and according to the instructions you should have received from the Prince of Benevent.”  The article read: “To secure a connection and communication between the kingdom of Saxony and the duchy of Warsaw, the free use of a military road shall be granted to the King of Saxony through the states of his Majesty the King of Prussia. This road, the number of troops which shall pass through it at one time, and the places at which they shall halt, shall be settled by a particular agreement between the two sovereigns, under the mediation of France.”  Actually Soult went even farther, demanding special travel rights, the building of postal facilities, and a commercial road.

“3 – Two articles of the Treaty require that the maps, letters, papers, archives, as well as the resources belonging to the Duchy of Warsaw, the Kingdom of Westphalie and the town of Dantzig be given back to the King of Prussia.  I have instructed Mr. Daru in Berlin to make sure that all these objects have been returned before evacuating.  My firm intention is that you not evacuate the Passarge except that there be agreement on all these subjects, that the papers, money and effects belonging to Poland and its Polish establishments and the town of Dantzig be given back or sureties given on all relative to the Kingdom of Westphalia… You will have seen by Article 6 of the Treaty that the respective commissaries must be sent to Berlin as well as the contributions.  You will not evacuate the Passarge until what is owed by Old Prussia, Pomerania, Oder….is paid…  Once the Vistule is evacuated, my plan is that the town and fort of Custrin and its territory not be evacuated without a signed letter from me….”

In reality, this constituted a huge financial demand, and the territory was never evacuated.

“Of the rest, send back to France all the governors commanding the army.

“By a secret article of the Treaty, the town of Dantzig will be occupied by our troops until peace with England. [Napoleon closed this city until peace had been reached]  I have designated the division of Dudinot and Verdier to hold garrison in this town.  In evacuating the surroundings of this town, you will join to this garrison a brigade of light cavalry such that there remains under the orders of General Dudinot in Dantzig 600 horses…

“As I am not writing today to Mr. Davout, update him on the news from Paris and the main orders that I have given you.”

This letter relating to Napoleon’s implementation of a key treaty is an extraordinary demonstration of his thought process, reach, and power at its height.