What did Napoleon and Alexander talk in secret?

Heroes conform to history, and history makes heroes. Napoleon, the first French emperor, and Alexander, the Russian emperor, are both historical heroes. The meeting between the two imperial leaders is a legend in itself, and the secrecy of the meeting adds mystery to it.

Meeting between emperors

On the morning of June 25th, 1807, a row of huge rafts was moored on the surface of Nieman River, with the same distance as the banks. Two beautifully decorated white canvas tents were set up on the raft. A huge letter "A" is written on the tarpaulin facing the Russian river bank, and the same big letter "N" is written on another tarpaulin. French emperor Napoleon defeated Russian czar Alexander I 10 days ago. At this point, the two met here again.

1 1, Alexander, wearing a military cap decorated with black and white feathers, dressed in a green military uniform and white trousers, came to the shore by car accompanied by several attendants. The gold ornaments, red ribbons and light blue ribbons hanging obliquely on the czar's right shoulder sparkled in the sun. Such deliberately gorgeous decoration and forced calmness still can't hide his inner excitement. In a short time, Napoleon put on the legendary big triangle military hat, put on the uniform of the guards, and crossed the team of the old guards to the other side. Napoleon had a firm facial expression, bright eyes and a prominent chin. Then, in the deafening cheers of the French army, the two emperors sailed to the center of the river in small boats. In this way, the two emperors held their first long-term separate talks in the tent of the raft.

As of July 17, France and Russia formally signed a peace treaty. Two weeks ago, the two met several times in the small town of Tilsitt. According to Napoleon's suggestion to Alexander, "I will be your secretary, you will be my secretary, ... two of us, and there is no third person", these talks are also held separately, and often last until after midnight.

There are different opinions about the content of the talks.

What was the content of the talks between the two emperors? What are their real positions on a series of major issues? This is the "Tilsitt's Secret" that historians have painstakingly tried to uncover. French historian Bignon took the lead in describing the first meeting between Napoleon and Alexander on the Nieman River in the sixth volume of his History of France: the two emperors embraced after meeting, and Alexander said, "I hate the British as much as you, and I will definitely support all your actions against them." Napoleon immediately replied, "In this case, everything will be easy and reconciliation will be realized." This prelude has laid a good foundation for future negotiations and the signing of a peace treaty. Napoleon just wanted Alexander to break with Britain and form an alliance with France.

Armand Le Fabvre, another French historian, wrote in the book History of the Executive Government and the European Cabinet in the Imperial Period: He (Napoleon) held out his hand, Alexander shook hands, and the two emperors embraced each other. Alexander said, "I hate the British as much as you do. You will get my help in all actions against the British." Napoleon replied: "In this way, everything can be solved and peace has been achieved."

Joseph Abbott, a British historian, described this scene in similar words in Napoleon's Biography. However, John Holland Ross, a British historian who is good at studying the history of naval warfare, does not agree with this view. He once pointed out rudely in the book Biography of Napoleon I: "All the legends about this plot are based on Bignon's description in the final analysis, but Bignon did not give any definite evidence in the book." Ross pointed out that in the absence of entourage, who would know the real content of the talks between the two emperors in the tent? The emperors themselves have no reason to disclose the conversation between the two men, and there is no historical record to show that they mentioned the conversation between the two men.

He didn't think what Alexander said was strategic enough. He quoted another French historian, Tatishev, in his book Alexander I and Napoleon, proving that Alexander wanted to delay breaking with Britain for several months. George Lefebvre, a famous French historian and author of The Napoleonic Age, also holds the same view. He wrote: On June 25th, on the raft on the Nieman River, the two emperors had a long talk alone. We will never know what they said to each other, and we will never know the secrets of other separate talks.

It can be said that Mr. Ross's question is reasonable. But where did the story of the meeting between emperors in this "legend" come from? Historians have no doubt about this. Mr. Ross's explanation is: "French people are full of humor and like witty repartees." In such a nation, as long as the words are wonderful, some people will certainly believe them and pass them on to future generations as historical facts. "This inference is obviously unconvincing. Relatively speaking, the plot told by Mr. Bignon is based on history. After all, the two did meet, but whether the plot is true or not cannot be verified.

Mr. Bignon is based on the basic fact that France and Russia formally signed the "Treaty of Peace and Friendship" on July 7. The peace treaty is extremely tolerant of Russia, which is hardly like treating a defeated country. Russia not only did not lose its territory, but also got a part of the land of its former ally Prussia, and at the same time gained the right to act in Sweden and Turkey. What Russia has to do is to acknowledge the great achievements of the war before Napoleon. At the same time, France and Russia signed a secret covenant to the effect that in all wars, both countries should try their best to deal with the enemies of the same country and use all their strength.

The Covenant specifically stipulates that if Britain does not accept Russian mediation, or does not recognize the freedom of navigation of ships of various countries before 1807 1 1, and does not return the land taken from France and its allies since 1805, Russia will join the French mainland blockade system and declare war on Britain. Therefore, people can know that the basis of the Covenant is to deal with the British. It is reasonable to think that Napoleon and Alexander have the same language on this point, so it is acceptable to look at the evaluation of Britain by the two emperors when they first met.

Historians with different views object to the specific description of what the two emperors said when they met alone, and think it is "unbelievable". However, they are still willing to guess the contents of the meeting from the later narratives of the two emperors, and the analysis of the Covenant and the peace treaty will also help them guess the scene at that time. However, according to their speculation and analysis, Alexander is not in a hurry to break with Britain, let alone to form an alliance with France. As China participated in the mainland blockade system, the closure of Russian ports to Britain will cause great losses to Russian naval construction and trade in coastal areas.

They quoted Alexander's words to the king of Prussia before he left Tilsitt: "The most harsh condition Napoleon imposed on Russia and Prussia (referring to participating in the mainland blockade system) is the same for Russia and Prussia." The anger in his tone was beyond words. Later history also shows that Russia finally went to war with France again because of the direct inducement of opposing and destroying the mainland blockade system. Historians seem unable to really uncover the "Tilsitt's Secret" through speculation and analysis.

The historical truth gradually surfaced.

1963, the former Soviet Union published a batch of diplomatic documents of the Russian era. In the third volume of the first episode, the draft instructions and supplementary instructions given by Alexander I to the plenipotentiary of the French peace talks during the talks in Tilsitt were recorded. From these two documents, we can see: "Judging from some suggestions made by Napoleon, I expect that the representative of France will propose an alliance between Russia and France. Although I am determined to sign a peace treaty with this country and am prepared to fulfill my obligations under the treaty, I still believe that there is no need for the two countries to form an alliance because it is not in the long-term interest. " Alexander pointed out that this alliance means "Russia will pay the price of breaking up with Britain" and "closing Russian ports to Britain: putting pressure on the London court to soften its position on the issue of free and neutral navigation at sea."

Alexander said: "Breaking with Britain in the current situation will bring us great difficulties." Therefore, he instructed his negotiators: "Every effort should be made to explain to the French representative that this is not in their or our interests at present." Needless to say, we can clearly know Alexander's true position on the British issue. Moreover, his instructions also involved some other important issues and made clear instructions.

It can be expected that "Tilsitt's Secret" can be gradually uncovered according to the historical materials gradually discovered and disclosed in the future. Of course, this refers to the true position of the two emperors on a series of major issues during their separate talks. As for what they said in the meeting, it may just be a secret between them.