World War I, The Racconigi Bargain

October, 1909
The Racconigi Bargain


Excerpts from the October, 1909 secret Agreement between Nicholas II and King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy. Some few days later, Italy signed another agreement with Austria-Hungary, which ignored the agreement made at Racconigi.

Materials for the History of Franco-Russian Relations ( Materialy po Istorii Franko-Russkikh Otnoshenii za 1910-1914) (Moscow, 1922), p. 298.


4. If Russia and Italy desire to conclude agreements concerning the European East with a third Power, beyond those that exist at the present moment, each will do so only with the participation of the other.

5. Italy and Russia pledge themselves to regard with benevolence, the one Russia's interests in the matter of the Straits, the other Italian interests in Tripoli and Cyrenaica.


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Last Updated: February 10, 1996.