How the Russian-British commercial treaty of 1734 was prepared (based on the materials of diplomatic correspondence)

Abstract

Based on the analysis of diplomatic correspondence of British ambassador in Russia at the court of Empress Anna Ioannovna highlights the process of preparation for the conclusion of the Russian-British commercial treaty in 1734. In foreign and Russian historiography, the treaty was actively discussed, but the plot related to its preparatory stage was poorly covered, or not touched at all. The author draws attention to the complex nature of the negotiations, the persistence and skill of the British negotiators in achieving their goals, and the weakness and inability to protect the national interests of certain high-ranking Russian officials. The treaty of 1734 is estimated by the author as unequal and the most profitable for the English merchant class.