No matter how the allies of the Ottoman Empire tried to make it fight on against Russia, the Blinding Porte—which had suffered losses in all the major battles on land and at sea—requested peace, and it was concluded in December 1791 in Jassy. “So on the Danube they’ll leave the Turk to guard, or they’ll drive him to the Caucasus line?” guessed the wolf-dog hunters. “Or maybe they’ll send him altogether into Poland to chase the rebellious Poles through the woods? They definitely won’t leave him idle!” And somewhere far away in Saint Petersburg, the Empress’s hand was already writing, pen to white paper: