The 30 Minute Rule begins July 15 at 7:00 PM EDT. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By July 15 at 6:00 PM EDT To Participate After 6:00 PM EDT
Significant pairing of documents, granting the British ambassador to Russia, Lord Granville Leveson-Gower, full powers for the negotiation of treaties. Includes:
- Manuscript DS, signed "George R," one page both sides, 7.75 x 12, January 8, 1805. King George III authorizes Lord Granville Leveson-Gower, "Our Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Our Good Brother the Emperor of Russia…to treat and agree with the Minister or Ministers of Our said Good Brother, duly authorized thereto upon all such Matters and Things as in Our Said Instrument of Full Power." The four-page instrument, written in Latin, is annexed to the document, attached by a purple ribbon. Signed at the head by King George III, and countersigned at the conclusion by Lord Hawkesbury. The affixed seal partially covers George III's signature.
- Manuscript DS, signed "George R," one page both sides, 7.75 x 12, May 16, 1807. King George III authorizes Lord Granville Leveson-Gower to "treat with the Minister or Ministers of Our Good Brother the Emperor of Russia, upon all such matters as in Our said Instrument of Full Power are contained and expressed." The three-page instrument, written in Latin, is annexed to the document, attached by a purple ribbon. Signed at the head by King George III, and countersigned at the conclusion by George Canning.
In overall fine condition.
These documents belong to a decisive period in European diplomacy during the Napoleonic Wars, when Britain sought to preserve its alliance with Russia as a counterweight to French dominance on the Continent. Lord Granville’s appointment and repeated empowerment to negotiate with Russia reflect the urgency with which King George III’s government pursued coordinated action with Emperor Alexander I, first within the Third Coalition and later amid its collapse following defeats such as Austerlitz. The renewal of Granville’s negotiating authority in 1807 underscores Britain’s efforts to sustain dialogue with Russia even as alliances fractured and the Treaties of Tilsit loomed, marking the transition to a new and precarious phase of the war.
