The surrender to France of Russian occupied territories in the Adriatic under the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807 and the potential capture of the major Russian naval forces in the area posed major threats to Britain's position across the Mediterranean. The British Minister to the Ionian Islands, Spiridion Foresti, recognised these threats and responded with rapid intelligence dissemination of the changed circumstances and attempts to persuade local commanders to quickly intervene. French re-occupation could not be prevented however and Foresti at Malta commenced a prolonged campaign with the British Government and the Mediterranean Commanders laying out the advantages possession of the Ionian Islands would provide and arguing for their occupation. Finally successful, he then played a major role in the series of operations in 1809-1810 in which all the islands except Corfu were occupied and the Independent Republic of the Seven Islands was established under British protection.