Empress Elizabeth's Manifesto of 1742

For the later attempt of a Finnish monarchy, see Kingdom of Finland.

In March 1742, during the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743, Empress Elizabeth of Russia issued a manifesto addressed to the people of Finland, at the time part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The manifesto promised peace and protection if Finns refrained from supporting the Swedish army. It also suggested that Finland could break away from Swedish rule and establish an autonomous government under Russian protection.

During the subsequent occupation, Finnish representatives sent a deputation to petition Empress Elizabeth to place Duke Charles Peter Ulrich of Holstein-Gottorp (the future Emperor Peter III of Russia) at the head of such a state. However, Elizabeth refused to receive the deputation, and the idea came to nothing. Under the Treaty of Åbo (Turku) in 1743, most of Finland was returned to Sweden, while the area east of the Kymi River was ceded to Russia.

The manifesto is historically significant as the first known document to suggest the possibility of an autonomous Finnish state. Such state was later realized with the creation of the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1809.

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