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the Napoleonic period hgr eastern interests were beingvigorously extended in the Caucasus (see pp. 292-293)and on the Danube. Dynastic connexions, notably withBaden and Oldenburg, and Alexander's predilection forFrederick William III of Prussia and his beautiful queenLouise reinforced the political and economic ties withthe West..Thus Alexander joined with England and Austria inthe third coalition. He brought Sweden in, but failedto coerce or cajole Prussia to effective action before thecrushing defeat of Austerlitz (December 1805) drove theemperor Francis to sign peace and Alexander to withdrawto his frontiers. St Petersburg was a prey to rivalcounsels. Czartoryski and Alexander's other early friendslost influence; they complained that he insisted on"remaining absolutely passive and not moving until wewere ourselves attacked."Then the sudden plunge of Prussia into war broughtaction; but before Russian aid could approach Jena hadbeen fought (October 1806) and Prussia overwhelmed.Berlin was occupied, Napoleon himself in Warsaw, onlyEast Prussia remained. There, battling through mudand blood, he won Eylau and Friedland, and on thefamous raft on the Niemen met "the Byzantine Greek"and concluded the peace of Tilsit (July 1807).Something was saved of Prussia, under hard andambiguous terms. The Polish question was resurrectedby the creation of the grand-duchy of Warsaw. Alexanderwas to join the Continental System against England,if she did not yield. He might take Finland as the priceof forcing Sweden into it. Napoleon and Alexander wereto settle the Ottoman empire between them.Peace with Napoleon was imposed upon Alexander bythe heaviness of the Russian losses, the state of hisreserves, and the exhaustion of his country. There hadbeen an almost complete crop failure in 1806. Thewavering 'ministry of all the talents' in England hadrefused to guarantee a new loan. Russian finances hadbegun to collapse, largely owing to unrestricted emissionsof paper money. In the course of the next three yearsthe paper rouble dropped to below a fifth of its nominal398