1814 Public Notice of the Governor General of Saxony Regarding the End of Russian Control.
A fine and extremely rare original printed Public Notice of the Governor General of Saxony, subscribed by Freiherr von der Reck, Prussian Minister of State, and Freiherr von Gaudi, Major General and Prussian Commander in Saxony. Dated Dresden 10th November 1814, in German.
The text states the agreement reached between the powers, that the Russian control of the Kingdom of Saxony is being transferred to the King of Prussia, and the ending of the Governor Generalship of the Russian General, His Highness Count Repnin (Fursten Repnin Durchlaucht, 1778 - 1849).
This formal announcement relates to an important stage in the tangled history of Saxony during the Napoleonic period. When war broke out in 1806 between Prussia and Napoleon, the electorate of Saxony joined with Prussia and thus had a part in the defeat at Jena. Napoleon offered neutrality to Saxony as it had a strategically valuable position, and Frederick quickly abandoned Prussia in favour of the French. In December 1806, Frederick assume the title of King of Saxony following the peace talks at Poznan, annd entered the Confederation of the Rhine. Saxony became one of France's most reliable German subordinates, but the tide turned in 1813 when the allies invaded Saxony. Frederick fled and withdrew his contingent from the French army, but after Napoleon's victory at Lutzen in May, the Saxony army again joined with the French. Within a few months however, Napoleon was defeated at Leipzig in October 1813 (many Saxony troops deserting to the allies), Frederick was taken prisoner in Leipzig and the Government of Saxony was assumed for a year by the Russians.
This announcement comes at the end of the period of Russian control, when Prussia succeeded; after which Prussia zealously sought to annex the whole of the Saxony electorate, and thereby cause major problems at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Finally it was decided that the northern part of the electorate (more than half the area) should go to Prussia, while Frederick retained the remainder and his royal title.
Approx. 430x360mm., folded, and with light wear and minor soiling at fold points. However, overall in extremely good condition, and a rare survivor of a public notice from the Napoleonic era.