By God’s mercy, we, Nicholas the First, the emperor and autocrat of all-Russian, Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod, the tsar of Kazan, the tsar of Astrakhan, the tsar of Poland, the tsar of Siberia, the tsar of the Chersonese-Tavria, the sovereign of Pskov and the Grand Duke of Smolensk, Lithuanian, Volynsk, Podolsk and Finnish, prince of Estland, Livonian, Prince of Eastland, Liflandia, Kurland and Semigalsk, Samogit, Belastok, Karel, Tver, Yugorsk, Perm, Vyatka, Bulgarian and others; Sovereign and Grand Duke of Nova Gorod Nizov lands, Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Belozersk, Udora, Obdor, Kondia, Vitebsk, Mstislavian and all northern countries, sovereign and monarch of Iberian, Kartalian, Georgian, Kabardian lands and regions of Armen, Cherkass and mountain princes and other hereditary sovereigns; heir to Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarns, Ditmarsen and Oldenburg, and so on. …
We declare through this to whom it is proper to know that on the 2nd of September, 1829, between our Imperial Majesty and His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottoman, glorious of all great and most respectable sultans, king of Mecca and Medina and the protector of holy Jerusalem, the king and emperor of the largest provinces inhabited in European and Asian countries and on the White and Black Sea, the brightest, most powerful and great emperor, the Sultan, son of the Sultans and the king and son of kings, the Sultan Mahmud Khan, son of the Sultan Abdul-Hamid Khan; by virtue of the authority given on both sides, namely by ours, the most brilliant and most excellent Count Ivan Ivanovich Dibich-Zabalkansky, our Field Marshal and General adjutant, commander of our 2nd Army, chief of the infantry name of his regiment, member of the State Council and cavalier of all our orders, as well as the imperial-Austrian: Maria Theresa of the lesser cross, Leopold the Great Cross and the Royal Prussian Black Eagle, Red Eagle 1st class and military dignity; owning a golden sword decorated with diamonds, with the inscription “For courage”, medals: for the campaign of 1812, for the capture of Paris in 1814 and for the Persian War of 1826, 1827 and 1828 .; nonetheless from the side of His Majesty the emperor of the Ottoman honorable and worthier Mehmed Sadik Efendi, true great defterdar of the Sublime Porte and Abdul-Kadir-Bey, the Kaziasker of Anatolia, agreed and concluded a treaty of perpetual peace between the two empires, consisting of sixteen articles, which states:
In the name of God Almighty
His Imperial Majesty the most blessed, sovereign, great sovereign emperor and autocrat all-Russian and His Majesty the most blessed and sovereign great emperor of the Ottoman, motivated by an equal desire to put an end to the scourge of war and to restore peace, friendship and good harmony between their powers on a solid and unshakable foundation, unanimously decided to entrust this saving work to the watch and leadership of the mutual representatives, namely: All-Russian Emperor – the most brilliant and highly superior Count Ivan Ivanovich Dibich-Zabalkansky His Majesty Adjutant General, Infantry General, Commander-in-Chief of the 2nd Army, Chief of the Infantry on behalf of his regiment and Member of the State Council, Knight of Orders of All Russian, Imperial-Austrian: Maria Theresa of the Lesser Cross, Leopold the Great Cross, and Royal Prussian: Black Eagle , Red Eagle 1st class and military Dignity; owning a golden sword decorated with diamonds with the inscription “For courage”, medals: for the campaign of 1812, for the capture of Paris in 1814 and for the Persian War of 1826, 1827 and 1828, which, by the power of the highest authority granted to him, appointed and named plenipotentiaries of the Imperial Court of Russia Count Alexei Orlov, Adjutant General, Lieutenant General, Commander of the 1st Cuirassier Division, Knight of Russian Orders: St. Anna of the 1st degree, decorated with diamonds, St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir of the 2nd degree, St. Great Martyr and Victorious George the 4th degree and the golden sword “For courage”, decorated with diamonds; Imperial-Austrian Leopold 3rd class; Royal Prussian: Red Eagle 1st class, “For Dignity” and the Iron Cross; Royal Bavarian Maximilian of the 3rd class, and having silver and bronze medals for the campaign of 1812 and another silver for the capture of Paris in 1814; and Count Theodore Palen, Privy Counselor and Knight of Russian Orders: St. Blessed Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky, St. Anna of the 1st degree and St. John of Jerusalem; His Majesty Emperor of Ottoman – honorable and worthier Mehmed Sadik Efendi, the true great defterdar of the Sublime Porte and Abdul-Kadir-Bey, the Kaziasker of Anatolia.
These plenipotentiaries, having gathered in the city of Adrianople, within their powers decided the following articles.
Article I
Any hostility and disagreement that had existed between the two empires hitherto cease on land and in the seas; and may peace, friendship, and good agreement between His Majesty emperor and Padishah all-Russian and His Majesty the Ottoman emperor and Padishah, their heirs and successors, and also between their empires. Both High Contracting Parties will be especially cautious about warning everything that could revive hostility between the both countries’ subjects. They will fulfill exactly all the conditions of this peace treaty and will evenly observe that it is by no means violated either directly or indirectly.
Article II
His Majesty Emperor and All-Russian Padishah, wanting to guarantee His Majesty the Ottoman Emperor and the Padishah, in the sincerity of his friendly disposition, returns the Principality of Moldova to the Sublime Porte, within the borders that it had before the war, which has been terminated with this peace treaty. His Imperial Majesty also returns the Principality of Wallachia and the Krapovsky Banat without any exemption, Bulgaria and the land of Dobrudja from the Danube to the sea and together with Silistra, Girsovo, Machin, Isakchu, Tulchu, Babadag, Bazardzhik, Varna, Pravody and other cities, towns and villages that are located in these lands, the entire space of the Balkan Range from Emine-Burnu to Kazan, and all the lands from the Balkans to the sea, as well as Selimno, Yamboli, Aydos, Karnabat, Misimvriya, Ankhiali, Burgas, Sisopol, Kirklissi, the city of Adrianopol, Lule-Burgas, finally, all cities, towns and villages, and in general all the places occupied in Rumelia by Russian troops.
Article III
The border between the two empires will still be the Prut River from its inflow to Moldova to the confluence with the Danube. From this point, the boundary line must follow the Danube until the confluence of the St George’s Bay into the sea, so that all the islands formed by the various branches of this river will belong to Russia; its right bank, as before, will remain in the possession of the Ottoman Ports. Meanwhile, it is decided that the right bank of the river, starting from the point where the Georgievsky branch separates from Sulinsky till to the area away from the river for two hours ride will remain uninhabited and there will be no establishments on it; as well as on the islands that pass into the possession of the Russian court, no establishments or fortifications will be permitted, except quarantine ones. Merchant ships of both powers are granted free navigation right throughout the Danube, knowing that those under the Ottoman flag may not be forbidden to enter the Kiliya and Sulinsky ports and that the St. George’s port remains common for the military and merchant ships under the flags of both empires. However, Russian warships should not go up the Danube beyond the place of its connection with the Prut.
Article IV
Georgia, Imereti, Mingrelia, Guria and many Transcaucasian regions have long been attached to the Russian Empire for eternal times; to this power were also ceded the Khanates of Erevan and Nakhichevan under the treaty concluded with Persia in Turkmenchay on February 10, 1828. Therefore, both High Contracting Parties recognized the need to establish a definitive border between the mutual possessions along the entire mentioned border that would be able to avert any misunderstanding for the future. Likewise, they took into consideration the means that could put an insurmountable barrier to the raids and robberies of adjacent tribes, hitherto so often breaking the ties of friendship and good neighborliness between the two empires. As a result of this, it is now supposed to recognize the border line between the Russian court and the Sublime Porte across their possessions in Asia, which, following the current border of Guria from the Black Sea, ascends to the border of Imereti and from there in straight direction to the point where the border of the Akhaltsikhe and Kars pashaliks connects with Georgia, so that the cities of Akhaltsikhe and the fortress of Akhalkalaki remain north of the marked line and at a distance of no closer than two hours road from it.
All lands lying south and west from the above mentioned boundary line to the direction of Kars and Trebizond pashaliks with a large part of the Akhaltsikhe pashalik will remain in the eternal possession of the Sublime Porte; lands lying to the north and east from this line to the direction of Georgia, Imereti and Guria, as well as the entire coast of the Black Sea from the mouth of the Kuban to the docks of St. Nicholas included, will remain in the eternal possession of the Russian Empire. As a result, the Imperial Court of Russia gives and returns to the Sublime Porte the rest of the Akhaltsikhe’s pashalik, the city of Kars with its pashalik, the city of Beyazid with its pashalik, the city of Erzurum with its pashalik, as well as all the places occupied by Russian troops and located outside the above line.
Article V
Because Moldavian and Wallachian Principalities subjugated themselves to special capitulations of the Sublime Porte’s supreme authority, and since Russia took upon itself as the guarantor of their prosperity, they now retain all the rights, advantages and benefits granted in those capitulations or agreements signed between two imperial courts, or finally in the Hatt-i-sharifs, published at different times. Therefore, these principalities are given freedom of worship, complete security, independent national governance and the right to free trade. The articles additional to the previous treaties, which were deemed necessary so that these regions would certainly enjoy their rights, are set forth in a separate act, which is and will be considered equivalent to the other parts of this contract.
Article VI
The circumstances following the Akkerman Convention did not allow the Sublime Porte immediately implement the provisions of Separate Act about Serbia, annexed to Article V of that Convention; therefore, the Port solemnly undertakes to fulfill these provisions without any delay and with all possible accuracy, namely: immediately returns to Serbia six districts, torn away from this area, and thus forever ensures the peace and well-being of the faithful and humble Serbian people. The firman approved by Hatt-i-Sharif on the enforcement of the aforementioned provision, must be issued and Imperial Court of Russia to be officially notified within one month from the date of signing of this peace treaty.
Article VII
Russian citizens will enjoy throughout the Ottoman Empire, on land and in sea, the complete and absolute freedom of trade granted to them in treatises, hitherto between the two High Contracting Powers. This freedom of trade will by no means be violated or constrained in any way and under no pretext, nor through any prohibitions or restrictions, with respect to any institutions and measures imposed in terms of internal governance or legislation. Russian citizens, their vessels and goods will be protected from all violence and claims; the former will exclusively be under the judicial and police authority of the Russian minister and consuls, and the Russian ships will not be subject to any internal search by the Ottoman authorities, either on the high seas or in harbors, marinas or on the raids of the Turkish Empire; all kinds of goods, or supplies belonging to Russian nationals, upon clearing of the customs duty established by tariffs, can be freely sold, stored ashore in the stores of the owners or their attorneys, or loaded onto another vessel, of any power, so that Russian subjects are not required to notify local authorities, and even less to ask for their permission. Moreover, it is decided that these advantages extend both to the trade in bread exported from Russia, and to the free transport of it, no difficulties or obstructions will ever be made under any pretext.
Moreover, the Sublime Porte undertakes to observe carefully so that trade, and especially navigation along the Black Sea, is not exposed to any obstacles; to this end, it acknowledges and announces that the passage through the Canal of Constantinople and the Dardanelles Strait is completely free and open to Russian vessels under a merchant’s flag, with cargo or ballast, coming from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean or from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. These ships, if they are merchants, regardless of their size or the amount of their cargo, will be subjected to neither halt nor harassment, according to the order above. Both imperial courts will enter into an agreement on the most convenient means to avert all sluggishness in supplying ships with the proper types when they are sent.
On this basis and subject to the same conditions as those established for ships under Russian flag, the passage through the Canal of Constantinople and the Dardanelles Strait is declared free and open to merchant ships and all powers that are friends of the Sublime Port, whether these ships will sail to Russian harbors on the Black Sea, or return from there with cargo or ballast.
Finally, the Sublime Porte, presenting the Imperial Court of Russia the right to enjoy such absolute freedom of trade and navigation on the Black Sea, solemnly announces that for its part, it will never oppose with the slightest obstacle. The Sublime Port especially promises to never stop or prohibit the vessels with cargo or ballast belonging both to Russia and to other powers with which the Ottoman Empire is not in a declared war, when they will pass through the Canal of Constantinople or the Dardanelles Strait, from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean or from the Mediterranean to the Russian Black Sea harbors. And if (God save from that) any of the provisions of this article are violated and the notion of the Russian minister about this issue will not be completely and swiftly satisfied, then the Sublime Porte preliminary admits that the Imperial Court of Russia has the right to accept such a violation for hostility action and immediately act in relation to the Ottoman Empire by right of retaliation.
Article VIII
The provisions established in Article VI of the Akkerman Convention regarding the determination and satisfaction of claims of mutual subjects for compensation for losses, in different times incurred since the war of 1806, hitherto had not been carried out, and the Russian merchants, upon conclusion of the above-described convention, suffered still significant new losses as a result of measures taken regarding navigation along the Bosporus. That’s why it is now recognized and accepted that the Sublime Port will pay the Imperial Court of Russia within 18 months and, at such time as may be thereafter determined, one million five hundred thousand Dutch chervonets so that the payment of this amount will put an end to all mutual claims and harassment of both contracting parties in connection with the circumstances mentioned above.
Article IX
Because the continuation of the war, which with the present treaty is supposed to have a peaceful end, caused significant costs to the Imperial Court of Russia, the Sublime Porte recognizes the need to deliver a decent reward for this court. And therefore, in addition to the concession to a small piece of land in Asia, which the Russian court agrees to accept on account of the aforementioned remuneration, stated in Article IV, the Sublime Porte also undertakes to pay amount of money, which will be determined by mutual consent.
Article X
The Sublime Porte, announcing that it completely agrees to the resolution of the treaty concluded in London on June 24 / July 6, 1827 between Russia, Great Britain and France, proceeds evenly to the act which, by mutual agreement of these powers, took place on March 10/22, 1829 on the basis of the mentioned contract and contains a detailed statement of measures relating to bring it into the final effect. Immediately upon exchanging the Ratifications of this peace treaty, the Sublime Porte will appoint commissioners for an agreement with the plenipotentiaries of the imperial Russian, as well as English and French courts, on the enforcement of the mentioned measures and decrees.
Article XI
Following the signing of this peace treaty between the two empires and the exchange of Ratifications of both sovereigns, the Sublime Porte will immediately begin the speedy and accurate execution of the decisions contained in it, namely: Articles III and IV regarding the borders that should divide both empires in Europe and Asia, and Articles V and VI regarding the principalities of Moldova and Wallachia, as well as Serbia, and as soon as these various articles are recognized as executed, the Imperial Court of Russia will begin to withdraw its troops from the possessions of the Ottoman Empire in accordance with the grounds drawn up in a separate act, which constitutes an equivalent part of this peace treaty. Until the complete cleansing of the occupied lands, the administration and order, which are now introduced under the possession of the Imperial Court of Russia, will remain in force and the Sublime Porte of Ottoman will not intervene at all.
Article XII
Immediately after the signing of this peace treaty, the commanders of both troops will be ordered to cease hostilities on land and in sea. Their same actions, which will follow upon the signing of this treaty, will be regarded as if not happened and will not cause any change in the decisions agreed in this treaty. Likewise, everything that in this period of time will be conquered by the troops of any of the High Contracting Powers will be returned without any delay.
Article XIII
The High Contracting Powers, renewing the alliance of sincere friendship between them, grant general pardon and absolute amnesty to all of their subjects, whatever their titles, during the course of the war which was successfully terminated, took part in actions or showed by their conduct or opinions an allegiance to either of the two contracting powers. Therefore, none of these persons for their deeds will be subjected to intimidation or harassment in relation to either their personality or property, but each of them is granted the right to repossess his former property, quietly, under the protection of laws, use it or, without fear of any claim or oppression, sell it within eighteen months, if he wishes to move with his family and movable property to another country of his choice. Moreover, mutual subjects residing in areas returned to the Sublime Port or ceded to the Imperial Court of Russia are also given an eighteen-month period, counting from the exchange of the Ratifications of this peace treaty, so that, if they deem it necessary, they can make decisions regarding property they acquired before the war or after this, and relocate with their capitals and movable property into the possession of one or another of the contracting powers.
Article XIV
All the Prisoners of War, of whatsoever nation, condition, and sex they may be, who are in the two Empires, must, immediately after the exchange of the Ratifications of the present Treaty of Peace, be delivered up and restored without the least ransom or payment. Exception is made in favor of the Christians who, of their own free will, have embraced the Mahometan religion, in the Sublime Porte, and of the Mahometans, who in like manner, of their own free will, have embraced the Christian religion in the Empire of Russia.
The same shall be observed with respect to the Russian subjects, who, after the signing of the present Treaty of Peace, may have, in any manner, fallen into captivity, and who are in the lands of the Sublime Porte. The Imperial Court of Russia promises, on its part, to act in the same manner towards the subjects of the Sublime Porte.
No reimbursement of the sums which have been expended by the High Contracting Powers for the maintenance of the Prisoners of War, shall be required. Each of them shall provide all that is necessary for them during their journey to the frontier, where they will be exchanged by Commissioners appointed respectively.
Article XV
All treaties, conventions and decrees that have been concluded at different times between the Imperial Court of Russia and the Sublime Porte, with the exception of articles canceled by this peace treaty, are confirmed in all their strength and scope, and both High Contracting Parties are obliged to keep them holy and inviolable.
Article XVI
The present peace treaty will be ratified by both High Contracting Courts, and the exchange of Ratifications between their plenipotentiaries will follow in six weeks or, if possible, early.
This peace act, which contains sixteen articles and which will be finally approved by the exchange of mutual Ratifications within the stipulated time, we signed by the power of our authorities, our seals have been attached and exchanged it for another similar one, which was signed by the above-mentioned Plenipotentiary of the Ottoman Sublime Porte and attached to it their seals.
Adrianople, September 2nd day of 1829
Signed:
Count Alexey Orlov
Count F. Palen
