| Count A.K. Benckendorff represented Russia's interests in Great Britain at the time of the consolidation of two rival European blocs prior to the First World War. The defeat in the war with Japan and the revolution of 1905-7 forced the Russian Empire to embark on a program of modernization and political reform which required a prolonged period of external peace. Russia attempted to secure it through a policy of balancing between the principal rival powers, Britain and Germany, without committing itself irrevocably to either side. The attempt failed and the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 fixed Russia's position alongside Great Britain and France.The system which allowed him to rise to his high position, proved unable to impose discipline on him and his efforts undermined Russian foreign policy. This is the first work in western or Russian historiography on a Russian diplomatic mission in Europe.Keywords: World War I, Entente, Triple Alliance, Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907, Russo-Japanese War, Eastern question, Franco-Russian alliance, Central Asia, Persia, Russo-German relations, old diplomacy, Foreign Office, Russian Foreign ministry, Paul Cambon, Sir Edward Grey, Sir Charles Hardinge, A.P. Iswolsky, Lord Lansdowne, S.D. Sazonov, Edward VII, Nicholas II, Empress Maria Feodorovna.Count Benckendorff's efforts to bring about and strengthen the Anglo-Russian rapprochement contributed to the failure of the balancing policy adopted by the Russian government. He saw the Anglo-Russian rapprochement as a way to secure Russia's peaceful modernization and incorporation into the European community of nations. His admiration of the successful and prosperous British state made him side with the British government in all the bilateral issues. Using his considerable personal influence at St Petersburg Benckendorff improved Anglo-Russian relations but at the same time he contributed to the Russo-German antagonism and to the circumstances which led to the conflict of August 1914. |
