The predecessor of province was the County of Savolax and Karelia, which was established in 1775 when Finland was integrated part of Sweden.
As a consequence of the tumultuous conflicts of the Napoleonic Wars, Sweden had allied itself with the Russian Empire, United Kingdom and the other parties of the Fourth Coalition against Napoleonic France.
This enabled Russia in 1808 to challenge Sweden in the Finnish War, over the control of Finland.
In the Treaty of Fredrikshamn on September 17, 1809 Sweden was obliged to cede all its territory in Finland, east of the Torne River, to Russia.
At first there wasn't any changes in the County of Savolax and Karelia, which was now a province in the autonomic Grand Duchy.