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During the spring months of 1812, there were many battles between the Russians and the Germans. Rumor had it that Napoleon now planned a massive campaign against Moscow itself. The British troops were exhausted, the men going home to get some well-deserved rest if possible or heading straight back into Russia on their way southward after buying horses for themselves at nearby Saratov as needed in order to return to their regiments by June 29th.
With only seven weeks left before they would arrive in Kizel this seemed like a sensible decision; not to mention that leaving half one’s army behind was frowned upon by those officers who’d come from old aristocratic families with histories of serving in European armies stretching over generations!
A good many hoped these German peasants would be easily fooled about fighting while all dressed up like Russian Cossacks too since they might actually fight better when all in uniform with a red cross flag and standard!
The following days saw some sort of heavy snow falling at times until finally reaching down to cover almost everything so the British were still trapped. In his tent, George gave instructions for he sent another set off westwards towards Bolshoia Voda whilst Peter moved around trying to reach other commanders.
Finally making contact with Mikhail Bulgakov commander north of Kulikovo Field and through him with Nicholas Andreievich he found himself engaged in talks for peace which didn’t include retreating.
Unfortunately, John Graham, Gormley, and many others died during this siege as did Pierre Soucy General de Lamar who came close several times to escaping but the Russians chased him down each time and killed him using artillery fire in great numbers and even with rams’ heads across wooden culverins!
It was here the French broke out at last bringing reinforcements. Some tried to escape to England or else reached Spain where they were well received while some headed further eastward towards the Mongolians, though in places Tsarevich Alexander learned enough English for an officer rank.
To be exact he learned what to say for ‘general’. For three more years George went on campaigning mostly from the Dnieper via the Ukraine fighting and advancing often taking cities and then having to retreat again back along river lines as necessary!
Yet it wasn’t just due to French help: the Tartars attacked from that direction also along with yet another Russo-Prussian alliance involving both sides fighting over the same ground. Both had much to gain in attacking Kharkiv to take control of all roads coming southwards especially when either side took Warsaw instead!
The combined armies faced once more the biggest city within Russian control ending up besieging and capturing Kyiv in October 1813 before retiring far deeper into the steppes beyond Minsk.
That done it became apparent Tsar Alexander really wanted peace since it now seemed impossible to continue any more fighting even with any small success no matter how limited such gains were. If France got control of the key fortress towns however like Rostok and Kholmogory it might prove very useful for them next year even if she won major victories elsewhere given their weak supply system.
Bearing these facts in mind Georg Wenzel met Napoleon Bonaparte personally at Tilsit along with Karl Gustav von Grünewald and Jan Karol Skalny among others! All knew why these talks were taking place apart from the Tsar himself hoping one-day peace could somehow exist between their two countries!
But unlike Russia, these states thought like Princes and Kings whilst, to begin with, neither leader considered Britain being allied together with Prussia as part of some joint enterprise against another state who shared enemy status so strongly felt despite huge territorial differences and no common border except Crimea.
Plus the idea of Napoleon getting rid of Austria-Hungary seemed preposterous whilst holding back Turkey was harder than putting off the reality of his brother Joseph finally dying completely. Filled with worries about such threats George I kept working hard even meeting Emperor Francis II in St Petersburg, whilst Olga the Duchess of Oldenburg gave birth to Prince William, who later became King of Great Britain.
Indeed given her husband’s refusal of British support perhaps for fear that Britain may be drawn fully into the war otherwise with Elizabeth? Instead, Russia sent financial aid including supplies to help bring the Ottoman Empire under firm Russian rule which would let Britain have no choice but to take sides with whoever won as well!
Thereafter Austria’s goals changed whilst Austria-Hungary sent forces to join them once Napoleon had withdrawn his army east of the Gulf of Finland!
What was eventually settled upon involved Austria occupying northern Poland until after they stopped growing crops then Austria declared itself free of Russia while Russia would gain Kostromskaya oblast in Moldova’s southeast from southern Romania in exchange for renouncing claims to Bessarabia, Podolia, and Bukowa lands.
However Austrians now garrisoned Brest Fortress till Russia signed a neutrality agreement regarding Central Europe, nor would Moscow give military guarantees over German princes, etc whereas Poland remained neutral.
Germany accepted peace terms with Austria-Hungary acknowledging Vienna as its capital and also joining various alliances there plus many other allies wishing to remain independent not counting France which after defeating Denmark outright got caught up in the Austrian campaign against Naples leaving Joseph abdicating to his brother Ferdinand instead of staying alive in exile to return to fight if so needed!
The Netherlands by chance sided with Austria-Hungary despite much dislike of French power though as far as Britain was concerned only Prussia did manage to maintain relations with Austria in some respects at least partly due to rivalry continuing for access to the Baltic trade routes with Sweden remaining loyal to France.
Eventually, such negotiations made a negotiated settlement possible whilst the people living in the disputed land in question never really cared a whit less as long as the balance held meaning France had no intention whatsoever of ever winning independence for anything since she’d have to ally with herself!
Such an alliance also made Spain see sense however thanks to German victories ending hopes of victory for French armies in Italy in any case which allowed Napoleon to escape further punishment during subsequent battles!
So Napoleon was forced to abdicate but retained his title of First Consul! The States General still wanted him imprisoned, yet it wasn’t he whose fate mattered most.
Napoleon was despised throughout continental Europe and in Russia for giving orders without honorably listening first. Even though the future was uncertain Emperor Wilhelm couldn’t forgive Napoleon or those around him risking everything when fleeing before he finished what he’d started to try to keep his throne safe.
Neither Austria nor England thought any possibility existed that Britain might go back on promises given for a reason! Instead, Georg Wenzel called the recent British proposal unacceptable with German envoy Gessler saying something similar even if things appeared to be calm now.
Only afterward did Frederick William feel he had no choice in order to maintain ties with Russia while Austria-Hungary lost face and refused to enter negotiations lest Berlin takes advantage of such humiliation! Not unless Berlin truly desired peace amongst European great powers to start with?
“If you’ve seen nothing wrong with invading Norway your reputation will have fallen too low for anyone to think of believing a word coming out of your mouth!” Having a legitimate grievance towards Britain thanks to fighting for a better deal for Russia for almost five years to stop being cheated repeatedly when it came time to pay debts owed!
Plus the cost of arming Russians whilst granting huge loans to British states led them to end up buying vast amounts of goods from all sorts of manufacturers including ones based overseas, often cheaper!
Losing money simply trying to sell Britain a lot more guns & cannons especially having previously sold arms to her enemies caused resentment because the treaties didn’t do enough to ban such practices making the Russian tsars wonder how much longer would the empire last, then they remembered Russian Orthodox Churches were bigger than those in Scandinavia?
Meanwhile, war rages everywhere across the globe until everyone begins suffering even the Germans! Yet at home, the same thing applies to the Ottomans and Tsars! In India the East India Company rules and has for centuries and enjoys trading mostly in gold whilst demanding certain taxes or else, whatever country’s ruler decides whether or not to accept the company as it currently stands!
With Napoleon vanquished, yet failed to repay money borrowed in Russia when he arrived to try and kill Peter, who was dealing with constant financial woes after declaring himself sole ruler of Russia even though Russia lacked modern technologies, to begin with, whilst expecting great change after 1721 when reform began thanks to Peter’s personal touch for trying to improve things through kindness but sometimes failing.
Russia soon grew very wealthy thanks to diamond mining mainly along the Arctic Ocean helping make Catherine II enormously popular in comparison to others because instead of growing stronger all year round like peasants doing field work the entire nation thrives except maybe in bad weather!
And the winds are fierce every month! But as winters pass harsh the chill slows activity and keeps Europeans inside eating traditional hearty food rarely found elsewhere.
Russians love cold foods that taste best from late autumn onwards which is why so many recipes developed because in St Petersburg sweet chestnuts thrive in the streets. To heat themselves indoors common folk enjoy watching entertainment performed on stage under domes made of thick glass that can be seen clearly in bright sunlight or heavy snow!
But the rich don’t need domes in the first place where crowds watch performers moving about between wooden chairs put within easy reach of their own places. Furs seem exotic from afar but could prove cheaper overall than fabric despite mass imports being sold due to British exports hitting Scandinavian countries particularly hard!
Youths in London come from rural parts of the mainland being sent away so the city doesn’t lose too many menfolk, but boys don’t survive into adulthood in London, and youth suicides are high although the gang problem means young females are safer wherever the gangs may roam outside, possibly the idea to bring that back! Many aspire to become professional actors rather than merely selling sweets at carts.