Many border lines have been drawn during the years. The first border line was drawn in
1323 by the Peace of Nöteborg (Pähkinäsaari) allowing Sweden to take possession of
western Karelia with the city of Viborg (now Vyborg) as centre.
The Catholic, later Lutheran Sweden and the Orthodox Russia like its predecessor Novgorod
fought at the same time for the control of Karelia. The territory had been relatively
independent until Novgorod brought it under its dominion in the 13th century. Sweden
spread out from the West. The fight was formally finished by the Peace of Pähkinäsaari
in 1323 when Karelia was split in two, in the Swedish Karelia around Vyborg and in the
Karelia of Novgorod around Käkisalmi.
