ABSTRACT
Peter the Great established the city of St. Petersburg at the mouth of the River Neva, near old Finnish territory, in 1703. In the year 1712 it became the capital of the Russian Empire. St. Petersburg rapidly became one of the leading cities in all Europe, and it was by far the largest metropolis in the European North at the beginning of the 19th century. Due to its size, geo graphical proximity and political role, St. Petersburg had numerous effects on neighbouring Finland. In particular, trade and immigration to St. Peters burg, and the need to ensure the security of the capital of the Empire had important consequences on developments in Finland during the 19th cen tury.
