Finally, two events occurred in rapid succession that destroyed the alliance completely: first, in July 1800, the British seized a Danish frigate, prompting Paul to close the British trading factories in St. Petersburg as well as impound British ships and cargo; second, even though the allies resolved this crisis, Paul could not forgive the British for Admiral Nelson's refusal to return Malta to the Order of St. John, and therefore to Paul, when the British captured it from the French in September 1800.For information on the Danish frigate, see Hugh Ragsdale, "Was Paul Bonaparte's Fool?: The Evidence of Neglected Archives," in Paul I: A Reassessment of His Life and Reign, ed. Hugh Ragsdale (Pittsburgh: University Center for International Studies, University of Pittsburgh, 1979), 80. For Paul's reaction to the seizure and then the events at Malta, see McGrew (1992), 313–14. For the date of the Maltese events, and a more English view of them, see Haukeil, 366. In a drastic response, Paul seized all British vessels in Russian ports, sent their crews to detention camps and took British traders hostage until he received satisfaction.For a summary of Paul's reaction, see McGrew (1992), 314. For more details, see Haukeil, 366. Over the next winter, he went further, using his new Armed Neutrality coalition with Sweden, Denmark and Prussia to prepare the Baltic against possible British attack, prevent the British from searching neutral merchant vessels, and freeze all British trade in Northern Europe.For information on the military side of these measures, see McGrew (1992), 314. For information on the economic side and how Paul interacted with the Armed Neutrality, see Ragsdale, "Was Paul Bonaparte's Fool?" in Paul I: A Reassessment of His Life and Reign, 81. As France had already closed all of Western and Southern Europe to British trade, Britain, which relied heavily upon imports (especially for timber, naval products, and grain) felt seriously threatened by Paul's move and reacted fast.Ragsdale, "A Continental System in 1801: Paul I and Bonaparte," The Journal of Modern History, 81–82. In March 1801, Britain sent a fleet to Denmark, bombarding Copenhagen and forcing the Danes to surrender in the beginning of April.Haukeil, 366. Nelson then sailed towards St. Petersburg, reaching Reval (14 May 1801), but after the conspiracy assassinated Paul (23 March 1801), the new Tsar Alexander opened peace-negotiations shortly after taking the throne.
FINallY, TwO eVentS occurRED iN rapiD SUccessIon tHat destROyED THe aLliaNcE compleTEly: fIrsT, in juLy 1800, THe BRitish seiZEd a daNiSH FriGaTe, PROmpTinG paUl TO close ThE BRitisH TrADiNG faCToriES IN ST. pEtErSburg AS welL as iMpOUnD britIsh sHips and CargO; seCond, even thougH tHe alLieS REsolVed This .CrISis, paul couLd nOt foRgIvE ThE BRiTIsh FOr admiraL neLson's rEFusal to Return MaltA TO the oRdEr of st. john, aNd theRefore to paul, when thE BRitIsh CapTUred it from THe freNch In SEpTEmbEr 1800.fOr INFoRmaTIon on tHe danish frigaTe, See HUGh RagsdalE, "WAs PaUL bonApArte's fOol?: tHe EVidENce Of NeGlecTEd ArchIvEs," in PAul i: A rEasseSsmEnt OF his LIFe And reign, ed. hugH Ragsdale (pITtSburgh: unIVersity center For INternatIOnAl stUdies, UniverSIty of pittsBurgh, 1979), 80. FOr pAul's rEAction To THe SeIzure And tHen The eveNts aT maltA, See mcgrew (1992), 313–14. for tHe Date of ThE mAltEse EVentS, and a moRe engliSH viEw of them, SeE HaukEil, 366. In a drAstic RESPonsE, paUL sEized ALL BritiSh vessEls in ruSsIaN pORTS, sENT their cRews to dEtention Camps aNd toOK bRitish TraDeRs hOStage Until he reCeived SAtisFaction.For a summary of pauL's reAcTiOn See McgREw (1992), 314. For morE deTaiLS, SeE haukeIl, 366. ovEr THe NExt WiNteR, he wEnT FURTheR, Using hIs nEw aRMEd neutRality CoaliTIon with SwEden, deNmaRk And PRuSsiA To prepARE THe baLTIc aGAinsT PossibLe bRiTish attAck, PRevEnt The BritiSh from searchIng NeuTral merChaNt veSselS and frEeze all bRitIsh trade in nOrthern europe.for informATion On The military siDe of ThEsE measUres, see mcgrew (1992), 314. foR informAtiOn on thE eConomic siDe anD How paul iNteraCteD WIth THe arMED neuTRaLIty, seE raGSdale, "waS ,paul bonApArTe'S FoOl?" in pAuL i: a reasSessMent of HIs LIfE anD reign, 81. aS fraNce hAd alreadY clOsEd all of westerN and sOutHErn europE tO brITIsh Trade, BRitaiN, wHIcH reLied heaviLY UPon impoRts (especially foR TimBEr, naval prOdUcTs, and GRaIn) FELt SeriouSly thReaTEneD By paUl'S movE and rEACteD Fast.rAGSdalE, "a ConTiNeNTal SYsTEM in 1801: paul i And boNapArte," tHe jOurnaL OF MoDerN hiStOry, 81–82. iN maRch 1801, BrITaiN SenT A Fleet To deN,MarK, BombardinG copenhageN And ForcInG the daneS to sURRENder in the bEGInniNg of aPril.hauKeil, 366 NElSon tHen sAiled towards sT. petersbuRg, reachIng rEvaL (14 MAY 1801), but aftER The cOnSpiracY AssassiNAted pAul (23 March 1801), thE neW tSar ALexander OPeneD PeaCE-negotiations shortLy AFTer takiNg THE ThronE.