Editing Russification of Finland (section)

== Background ==
After [[Napoleon]]'s victory over the [[Russian Empire]] in the June 1807 [[Battle of Friedland]], tsar [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander I]] was forced to sue for peace with the [[First French Empire]] in the [[Treaties of Tilsit]] (7 July 1807). Alexander agreed to join the [[Continental System]] against the [[British Empire]], to launch the [[Anglo-Russian War (1807–1812)]], and to force [[Gustavian era|Sweden]] (which maintained extensive trade relations with the British) to join the Continental System as well. Swedish king [[Gustav IV Adolf]] delayed his response to Alexander's ultimatum until he brokered an alliance with Britain in February 1808, after which he rejected Alexander's demands. In response, Imperial Russia invaded Swedish Finland in what later became known as the [[Finnish War]] (21 February 1808 – 17 September 1809), which ended favourably for Alexander. 

In 1809, the lost territory of Sweden became the [[Grand Duchy of Finland]], an autonomous part of the [[Russian Empire]]. The [[Diet of Porvoo]] (later the [[Diet of Finland]]) recognized [[Alexander I of Russia]] as grand duke on 29 March 1809. For his part, Alexander confirmed the rights of the Finns, in particular, promising freedom to pursue their customs and religion and to maintain their identity:

{{quote|Providence having placed us in possession of the Grand Duchy of Finland, we have desired by the present act to confirm and ratify the religion and the fundamental laws of the land, as well as the privileges and rights which each class in the said Grand Duchy in particular, and all the inhabitants in general, be their position high or low, have hitherto enjoyed according to the constitution. We promise to maintain all these benefits and laws firm and unshaken in their full force.<ref name=Cyclopedic_JohnsonEtAl>Johnson, A.; Bickford, C., Hudson, W., Dole, N. ''Cyclopedic Review of Current History. Volume 9. Garretson, Cox & Co. 1899'' pp. 198ff.</ref>}}

This meant that the old Swedish [[Instrument of Government (1772)|instrument of government]] from 1772 and the [[Union and Security Act]] from 1789 continued to be used in regards to the Finnish form of government. It also meant that the Swedish [[Civil Code of 1734]] continued as the fundamental law of Finland.{{cn|date=October 2024}}