The introduction of martial law in the Grand Duchy of Finland in the projects of Russian institutions and officials (1907–1911)

Abstract

The article considers the projects of the introduction of martial law in the Grand Duchy of Finland after the end of the first Russian Revolution in 1907–1911 and the discussions in the ruling circles on that issue. It analyzes the reasons for the desire of the bureaucratic elite to introduce martial law in the Principality. Based on documents from the Archive of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the State Archive of the Russian Federation, the Russian State Historical Archive funds and published sources, it is concluded that the introduction of martial law was associated with the need to fight the Russian revolutionary movement, whose participants actively used the Finland’s special status when hiding from the Russian police and gendarmerie. A  comparison is made of the positions of Nicholas  II, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, P.A. Stolypin, A.F. Zein,V. N.Kokovtsov regarding the possibility of martial law in Finland. Their views, as well as the position of representatives of the ministries, show that the imposition of martial law has always been considered by the Russian side as an extreme measure, an undesirable and ineffective way of governing the Grand Duchy. That is why, despite the difficult political circumstances, it was not introduced and official St. Petersburg sought to resolve issues through negotiations.