Russo-Persian Wars
The Russian-Persian Wars are a series of military conflicts between Russia and Persia in the 17th-20th centuries. The wars were fought primarily over the Caucasus, first the North, then the South.
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Background to the conflict
In the middle of the 16th century, Russia conquered the Astrakhan Khanate and reached the coast of the Caspian Sea and the foothills of the Caucasus. The Nogai Horde and Kabarda were also vassals of Russia.
1651-1653
In the 17th century, the main support of the Russian state in the North Caucasus was Terki fortress.
The royal commanders and troops were located here. In the middle of the 17th century, seventy families of Kabardian uzdeni (nobles), many merchants (Russian, Armenian, Azerbaijani and Persian) and artisans lived in the suburbs of the Terek city. On the right bank of the Terek at the confluence of the Sunzha River, northeast of modern Grozny, in 1635 Persian influence extended to the possessions of the Kumyk feudal lords in Dagestan. The largest was the Tarkov Shamkhalate, whose rulers had the title of ruler of Buinaksk, wali (governor) of Dagestan and for some time Khan of Derbent. Another important possession of the Kumyks was the Enderian Shamkhalate. At the beginning of the 17th century, it separated from the Tarkov Shamkhalate. In the 50s of the 17th century, the “Enderey owner” Murza Kazan-Alp ruled there. To the north-west of Derbent there was the Kaitag Utsmiystvo. In 1645, the Persian Shah expelled the ruler Rustam Khan, loyal to Russia, from here and appointed Amirkhan Sultan as the owner of Kaitag.
In the Caucasus, the interests of Persia inevitably collided with the interests of Russia. Shah Abbas II at the beginning of his reign, he maintained peaceful relations with Russia, offering the Tsar friendship and trade cooperation, achieving a positive response. However, soon the Shah led the struggle not only for the conquest of Dagestan, but also for the complete ousting of the Russians from North Caucasus, began to interfere in the internal affairs of the highlanders.
Two campaigns of the Persian army against the Sunzhensky fort followed. As a result of the second campaign, it was captured. Following this, the conflict was resolved. The result of the war was a slight strengthening of Persia's position in the North Caucasus.
1722-1723
Persian campaign (1722-1723)
After the end of the Northern War, Peter I decided to make a trip to the western coast of the Caspian Sea, and, having captured the Caspian Sea, restore the trade route from Central Asia and India to Europe, which would be very useful for Russian merchants and for the enrichment of the Russian Empire. The route was supposed to pass through the territory of India, Persia, from there to the Russian fort on the Kura River, then through Georgia to Astrakhan, from where it was planned to transport goods throughout the entire Russian Empire. The reason for the start of a new campaign was an uprising in the coastal provinces of Persia.
Peter I announced to the Shah of Persia that the rebels were making forays into the territory of the Russian Empire and robbing merchants, and that Russian troops would be sent into the territory of northern Azerbaijan and Dagestan to assist the Shah in pacifying the inhabitants of the rebel provinces.
On July 18, the entire flotilla of 274 ships went to sea under the command of Mr. General Admiral Count Apraksin.
On July 20, the fleet entered the Caspian Sea and followed the western coast for a week. On July 27, the infantry landed at Cape Agrakhan, 4 versts below the mouth of the Koysu (Sulak) River.
A few days later the cavalry arrived and joined the main forces. On August 5, the Russian army continued its movement towards Derbent.
On August 6, on the Sulak River, the Kabardian princes Murza Cherkassky and Aslan-Bek joined the army with their troops.
On August 8, she crossed the Sulak River. On August 15, the troops approached Tarki, the seat of Shamkhal. On August 19, an attack by a 10,000-strong detachment of the Utyamysh Sultan Magmud and a 6,000-strong detachment of the Utsmiya of Kaitag Akhmet Khan was repulsed. Peter's ally was the Kumyk shamkhal Adil-Girey, who captured Derbent and Baku before the approach of the Russian army. On August 23, Russian troops entered Derbent. Derbent was a strategically important city, as it covered the coastal route along the Caspian Sea.
Further progress to the south was stopped by a strong storm, which sank all the ships with food. Peter I decided to leave a garrison in the city and returned with the main forces to Astrakhan, where he began preparations for the 1723 campaign. 
This was the last military campaign in which he directly took part. In September Vakhtang VI He entered Karabakh with his army, where he fought against the rebel Lezgins.
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After the capture of Ganja, Armenian troops led by Catholicos Isaiah joined the Georgians. Near Ganja, waiting for Peter, the Georgian-Armenian army stood for two months, however, having learned about the departure of the Russian army from the Caucasus, Vakhtang and Isaiah returned with their troops to their possessions. In November, a landing force of five companies was landed in the Persian province of Gilan under the command of Colonel Shipov to occupy the city of Ryashch (Rasht). Later, in March of the following year, the Ryashch vizier organized an uprising and, with a force of 15 thousand people, tried to dislodge the Shipov detachment that occupied Ryashch. All Persian attacks were repelled. During the second Persian campaign, a much smaller detachment was sent to Persia under the command of Matyushkin, and Peter I only directed Matyushkin’s actions from the Russian Empire. 15 gekbots, field and siege artillery and infantry took part in the campaign. On June 20, the detachment moved south, followed by a fleet of gekbots from Kazan. On July 6, ground forces approached Baku. To Matyushkin’s offer to voluntarily surrender the city, its residents refused. On July 21, with 4 battalions and two field guns, the Russians repulsed an attack by the besieged. Meanwhile, 7 geckbots anchored next to the city wall and began to fire heavily at it, thereby destroying the fortress artillery and partially destroying the wall. On July 25, an assault was planned from the sea through the gaps formed in the wall, but a strong wind arose, which drove away the Russian ships. The residents of Baku managed to take advantage of this by sealing all the gaps in the wall, but still, on July 26, the city capitulated without a fight.
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The successes of Russian troops during the campaign and the invasion of the Ottoman army in Transcaucasia forced Persia to conclude a peace treaty in St. Petersburg on September 12, 1723, according to which Derbent, Baku, Rasht, the provinces of Shirvan, Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad went to Russia.
Russo-Persian War (1796)
In the spring of 1795, the Persians invaded Georgia and Azerbaijan, and on September 12 (23) of the same year they captured and plundered Tbilisi. Although belatedly, fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty of Georgievsk of 1783, the Russian government sent the Caspian Corps (12,300 men with 21 guns) from Kizlyar through Dagestan to the Azerbaijani provinces of Iran. Having set out on April 18 (29), 1796, Russian troops laid siege on May 2 (13), and captured Derbent by storm on May 10 (21). On June 15 (26), 1796, Russian troops simultaneously entered Cuba and Baku without a fight.
In mid-November, the 35,000-strong Russian corps under the command of Lieutenant General Zubov reached the confluence of the Kura and Araks rivers, preparing for further advance into Iran, but after the death of Catherine II in the same year, Paul I ascended the throne, the Zubovs fell out of favor, Changes occurred in Russian policy, and in December 1796, Russian troops were withdrawn from Transcaucasia.
Russo-Persian War (1804–1813)
On September 12, 1801, Alexander I (1801-1825) signed the “Manifesto on the establishment of a new government in Georgia”; the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom was part of Russia and became the Georgian province of the empire. In 1803, Megrelia and the Imeretian kingdom joined Russia.
January 3, 1804 - storming of Ganja, as a result of which the Ganja Khanate was liquidated and became part of the Russian Empire.
June 10 Persian Shah Feth Ali (Baba Khan)) (1797-1834), who entered into an alliance with Great Britain, declared war on Russia.
On June 8, the vanguard of Tsitsianov’s detachment under the command of Tuchkov set out towards Erivan. On June 10, near the Gyumri tract, Tuchkov’s vanguard forced the Persian cavalry to retreat.
On June 19, Tsitsianov’s detachment approached Erivan and met with the army of Abbas Mirza. The vanguard of Major General Portnyagin on the same day was unable to immediately capture the Etchmiadzin Monastery and was forced to retreat.
On June 20, during the Battle of Erivan, the main Russian forces defeated the Persians and forced them to retreat.
On June 30, Tsitsianov’s detachment crossed the Zangu River, where, during a fierce battle, they captured the Persian redoubts.
On July 17, near Erivan, the Persian army under the command of Feth Ali Shah attacked Russian positions, but did not achieve success.
On August 21, at Karkalis, the Persians under the command of Sarkhang Mansur and the Georgian prince Alexander destroyed, in an ambush, a detachment of the Tiflis Musketeer Regiment numbering 124 people, including 5 officers, 1 artilleryman, 108 musketeers, 10 Armenian militia, under the command of Major Montresor.
On September 4, due to heavy losses, the Russians lifted the siege of the Erivan fortress and retreated to Georgia.
At the beginning of 1805, the detachment of Major General Nesvetaev occupied the Shuragel Sultanate and annexed it to the possessions of the Russian Empire. The Erivan ruler Mohammed Khan with 3,000 horsemen was unable to offer resistance and was forced to retreat.
On May 14, 1805, the Treaty of Kurekchay was signed between Russia and the Karabakh Khanate. Under its terms, the khan, his heirs and the entire population of the khanate came under Russian rule. Shortly before this, the Karabakh khan Ibrahim Khan completely defeated the Persian army at Dizan.
Following this, on May 21, Sheki Khan Selim Khan expressed a desire to become a Russian citizen, and a similar agreement was signed with him.
In June, Abbas Mirza occupied the Askeran fortress. In response, Karyagin’s Russian detachment knocked the Persians out of the Shah-Bulakh castle. Having learned about this, Abbas Mirza surrounded the castle and began to negotiate its surrender. But the Russian detachment did not think about surrender; their main goal was to detain the Persian detachment of Abbas Mirza. Having learned about the approach of the Shah's army under the command of Feth Ali Shah, Karyagin's detachment left the castle at night and went to Shusha. Soon, near the Askeran Gorge, Karyagin’s detachment collided with Abbas-Mirza’s detachment, but all the latter’s attempts to set up the Russian camp were unsuccessful.
On July 15, the main Russian forces released Shusha and Karyagin’s detachment. Abbas-Mirza, having learned that the main Russian forces had left Elizavetpol, set out in a roundabout way and besieged Elizavetpol. In addition, the path to Tiflis was open to him, which was left without cover. On the evening of July 27, a detachment of 600 bayonets under the command of Karyagin unexpectedly attacked Abbas Mirza’s camp near Shamkhor and completely defeated the Persians.
On November 30, 1805, Tsitsianov’s detachment crossed the Kura and invaded the Shirvan Khanate, and on December 27, the Shirvan khan Mustafa Khan signed an agreement on the transition to citizenship of the Russian Empire.
Meanwhile, on June 23, the Caspian flotilla under the command of Major General Zavalishin occupied Anzeli and landed troops. However, already on July 20 they had to leave Anzeli and head for Baku. On August 12, 1805, the Caspian flotilla dropped anchor in Baku Bay. Major General Zavalishin proposed to the Baku Khan Huseingul Khan a draft agreement on the transition to citizenship of the Russian Empire. However, the negotiations were not successful; the Baku residents decided to put up serious resistance. All property of the population was taken to the mountains in advance. Then, for 11 days, the Caspian flotilla bombarded Baku. By the end of August, the landing detachment captured the advanced fortifications in front of the city. The Khan's troops that left the fortress were defeated. However, heavy losses from the clashes, as well as a lack of ammunition, forced the siege to be lifted from Baku on September 3 and the Baku Bay was completely abandoned on September 9.
On January 30, 1806, Tsitsianov with 2000 bayonets approached Baku. Together with him, the Caspian flotilla approaches Baku and lands troops. Tsitsianov demanded the immediate surrender of the city. On February 8, the transition of the Baku Khanate to the citizenship of the Russian Empire was supposed to take place, but during a meeting with the khan, General Tsitsianov and Lieutenant Colonel Eristov were killed by the khan’s cousin Ibrahim Beg. Tsitsianov's head was sent to Feth Ali Shah. After this, Major General Zavalishin decided to leave Baku.
Appointed instead of Tsitsianov, I.V. Gudovich in the summer of 1806 defeated Abbas Mirza at Karakapet (Karabakh) and conquered the Derbent, Baku (Baku) and Kuba khanates (Cuba).
The Russian-Turkish war that began in November 1806 forced the Russian command to conclude the Uzun-Kilis truce with the Persians in the winter of 1806-1807. But in May 1807, Feth-Ali entered into an anti-Russian alliance with Napoleonic France, and in 1808 hostilities resumed. The Russians took Etchmiadzin, defeated Abbas Mirza at Karabab (south of Lake Sevan) in October 1808 and occupied Nakhichevan. After the unsuccessful siege of Erivan, Gudovich was replaced by A.P. Tormasov, who in 1809 repelled the offensive of the army led by Feth-Ali in the Gumra-Artik region and thwarted Abbas-Mirza's attempt to capture Ganja. Persia broke the treaty with France and restored the alliance with Great Britain, which initiated the conclusion of the Perso-Turkish agreement on joint operations on the Caucasian front. In May 1810, Abbas Mirza’s army invaded Karabakh, but a small detachment of P. S. Kotlyarevsky defeated it at the Migri fortress (June) and on the Araks River (July), in September the Persians were defeated near Akhalkalaki, and thus the Russian troops prevented Persians to unite with the Turks.
Kotlyarevsky changed the situation in Karabakh. Having crossed the Araks, on October 19-20 (October 31 - November 1) he defeated the many times superior forces of the Persians at the Aslanduz ford and on January 1 (13) he took Lenkoran by storm. The Shah had to enter into peace negotiations.
On October 12 (24), 1813, the Peace of Gulistan (Karabakh) was signed, according to which Persia recognized the entry into the Russian Empire of Eastern Georgia and Northern Azerbaijan, Imereti, Guria, Mengrelia and Abkhazia; Russia received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea. The war was the beginning of " Big game"between the British and Russian empires in Asia.
For more information about the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813, see the website: For Advanced - Battles - Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813.
Russo-Persian War (1826–1828)
On July 16, 1826, the Persian army, without declaring war, crossed the borders in the Mirak region and invaded the Transcaucasus into the territory of the Karabakh and Talysh khanates. The bulk of the border “zemstvo guards,” consisting of armed horsemen and foot soldiers of Azerbaijani peasants, with rare exceptions, surrendered their positions to the invading Persian troops without much resistance or even joined them.
The main task of the Iranian command was to capture Transcaucasia, capture Tiflis and push back Russian troops beyond the Terek. The main forces were therefore sent from Tabriz to the Kura region, and auxiliary forces to the Mugan steppe to block the exits from Dagestan. The Iranians also counted on a strike from the rear by the Caucasian mountaineers against the Russian troops, who were stretched out in a narrow strip along the border and did not have reserves. Help for the Iranian army was promised by the Karabakh beks and many influential persons of neighboring provinces, who maintained constant contacts with the Persian government and even offered to slaughter the Russians in Shusha and hold it until the approach of Iranian troops.
Transcaucasian region at the start of the war (borders are indicated according to the Treaty of Gulistan and the Peace of Bucharest)
In the Karabakh province, the Russian troops were commanded by Major General Prince V. G. Madatov, a Karabakh Armenian by origin. At the time of the attack, he was replaced by Colonel I. A. Reut, commander of the 42nd Jaeger Regiment, stationed in the area of the Shushi fortress. Ermolov demanded that he hold Shusha with all his might and transfer all the families of influential beks here - thereby ensuring the safety of those who supported the Russian side, and using those who were hostile as hostages.
The first blow on July 16 on Russian territory was delivered by a 16,000-strong group of the Erivan serdar Hussein Khan Qajar, reinforced by Kurdish cavalry (up to 12,000 people). Russian troops on the Georgian border, throughout Bombak (Pambak) and Shurageli (Shirak) numbered about 3,000 people and 12 guns - the Don Cossack regiment of Lieutenant Colonel Andreev (about 500 Cossacks scattered in small groups throughout the territory), two battalions of the Tiflis infantry regiment and two companies of carabinieri. The head of the border line was the commander of the Tiflis regiment, Colonel Prince L. Ya. Sevarsemidze.
Russian units were forced to fight back to Karaklis (modern Vanadzor). Gumry and Karaklis were soon surrounded. The defense of Greater Karaklis, together with Russian troops, was held by two detachments of Armenian (100 people) and Tatar (Azerbaijani) Borchali cavalry (50 people). Strong Persian troops also headed towards Balyk-chay, sweeping away scattered, small Russian posts on their way.
At the same time, Hassan Agha, the brother of the Erivan sardar, with a five-thousand-strong cavalry detachment of Kurds and Karapapakhs went over to Russian territory between Mount Alagyoz (Aragats) and the Turkish border, plundering and burning Armenian villages on the way to Gumry, seizing cattle and horses, exterminating the local Armenian residents who resisted. Having destroyed the Armenian village of Small Karaklis, the Kurds began methodical attacks on the defenders in Greater Karaklis.
On July 18, Abbas Mirza's army of forty thousand crossed the Araks at the Khudoperinsky Bridge. Having received news of this, Colonel I. A. Reut ordered the withdrawal of all troops located in the Karabakh province to the Shusha fortress. At the same time, three companies of the 42nd regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Nazimka and the hundred Cossacks who joined them failed to get through to Shusha from Geryusy, where they were stationed. The Iranians and the rebel Azerbaijanis overtook them, and during a stubborn battle, half of the personnel died, after which the rest, by order of the commander, laid down their arms.
The garrison of the Shushi fortress amounted to 1,300 people (6 companies of the 42nd Jaeger Regiment and Cossacks from the 2nd Molchanov Regiment). A few days before the complete blockade of the fortress, the Cossacks drove the families of all the local Muslim nobility behind its walls as hostages. The Azerbaijanis were disarmed, and the khans and the most honorable beks were put into custody. Residents of the Armenian villages of Karabakh and Azerbaijanis who remained loyal to Russia also took refuge in the fortress. With their help, dilapidated fortifications were restored. To strengthen the defense, Colonel Reut armed 1,500 Armenians, who, together with Russian soldiers and Cossacks, were on the front line. A number of Azerbaijanis also took part in the defense and expressed their allegiance to Russia. However, the fortress did not have supplies of food and ammunition, so the soldiers had to use the grain and livestock of the Armenian peasants who had taken refuge in the fortress to provide meager food for the soldiers.
Meanwhile, the local Muslim population for the most part joined the Iranians, and the Armenians, who did not have time to take refuge in Shusha, fled to mountainous areas. Mehdi Quli Khan, the former ruler of Karabakh, again declared himself khan and promised to generously reward everyone who would join him. Abbas Mirza, for his part, said that he was fighting only against the Russians, and not against the local residents. Foreign officers who were in the service of Abbas Mirza took part in the siege. In order to destroy the walls of the fortress, according to their instructions, mines were placed under the fortress towers. The fortress was subjected to continuous fire from two artillery batteries, but at night the defenders managed to restore the destroyed areas. To create a split among the defenders of the fortress - Russians and Armenians - Abbas Mirza ordered several hundred local Armenian families to be driven under the walls of the fortress and threatened to execute them if the fortress was not surrendered - however, this plan was not successful.
The defense of Shushi lasted 47 days and was of great importance for the course of military operations. Desperate to capture the fortress, Abbas Mirza eventually separated 18,000 men from the main force and sent them to Elizavetpol (modern Ganja) to strike Tiflis from the east.
Having received information that the main Persian forces were pinned down by the siege of Shushi, General Ermolov abandoned the original plan to withdraw all forces deep into the Caucasus. By this time, he managed to concentrate up to 8,000 people in Tiflis. Of these, a detachment was formed under the command of Major General Prince V. G. Madatov (4,300 people), who launched an attack on Elizavetpol to stop the advance of the Persian forces towards Tiflis and lift the siege from Shusha.
Meanwhile, in the Bombak province, Russian units, repelling Kurdish cavalry raids on Greater Karaklis, began to retreat north on August 9, beyond Bezobdal, and by August 12 concentrated in the camp at Jalal-Ogly. Meanwhile, Kurdish troops spread in a wide avalanche across the nearby area, destroying villages and slaughtering the Armenian population. On August 14, they attacked the German colony of Ekaterinfeld, just 60 km from Tiflis, after a long battle they burned it and massacred almost all the inhabitants.
After several weeks of calm, on September 2, a three-thousand-strong Kurdish detachment of Hassan Agha crossed the Dzhilga River, 10 km above Jalal-Ogly (modern Stepanavan), and attacked Armenian villages, destroying them and stealing livestock. Despite the intervention of Russian units and significant losses, the Kurds managed to steal 1,000 head of cattle.
Subsequently, attacks were carried out only by small detachments. By early September the situation had changed in Russia's favor. On March 16 (28), 1827, General Paskevich was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian troops and governor in the Caucasus region, replacing General Ermolov.
In June, Paskevich moved to Erivan, on July 5 (17) he defeated Abbas-Mirza at the Dzhevan-Bulak stream, and on July 7 (19) he forced the Sardar-Abad fortress to capitulate.
At the beginning of August, Abbas Mirza, trying to prevent the Russian invasion of Azerbaijan, invaded the Erivan Khanate with an army of 25 thousand and, joining forces with the troops of the Erivan Sardar Hussein Khan, besieged Etchmiadzin on August 15 (27), defended only by a battalion of the Sevastopol Infantry Regiment (until 500 people) and a hundred cavalry from the Armenian volunteer squad. On August 16 (28), A. I. Krasovsky with a detachment (up to 3,000 soldiers with 12 guns) came to the aid of besieged Echmiadzin and the next day was attacked from all sides by the troops of Abbas Mirza and Hussein Khan (totaling up to 30 thousand infantry and cavalry with 24 guns). However, the Russian detachment, having suffered huge losses (1,154 people killed, wounded and missing), managed to break through to Etchmiadzin, after which the siege was lifted. The losses of the Persian army amounted to about 3,000. This battle went down in history as the Battle of Oshakan (or Ashtarak).
Military failures forced the Persians to negotiate peace. On February 10 (22), 1828, the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty was signed (in the village of Turkmanchay near Tabriz), concluded between the Russian and Persian empires, according to which Persia confirmed all the terms of the Gulistan Peace Treaty of 1813, recognized the transfer to Russia of part of the Caspian coast up to the river. Astara, Eastern Armenia (A special administrative entity was created on the territory of Eastern Armenia - the Armenian region, with the resettlement of Armenians from Iran there). The Araks became the border between the states.
In addition, the Shah of Persia was obliged to pay an indemnity to Russia (10 kurur tumans - 20 million rubles). As for Iranian Azerbaijan, Russia has undertaken to withdraw troops from it upon payment of indemnity. The Shah of Persia also pledged to grant amnesty to all residents of Iranian Azerbaijan who collaborated with Russian troops.
For more information, see the website: For Advanced - Battles - Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828
Russian intervention in Persia 1909-1911
On April 20, 1909, to the governor in the Caucasus and commander of the troops of the Caucasian Military District, Adjutant General Rafa Illarion Vorontsov-Dashkov a secret directive No. 1124 was sent, which stated: “In view of the expected attack on the consulate and European institutions and subjects in Tabriz by the revolutionaries and the population of Tabriz, driven to despair by hunger... The Sovereign Emperor ordered to immediately move a forced march to Tabriz with a detachment of sufficient strength to protection of Russians and foreign institutions and subjects, supplying them with food, as well as maintaining secure communication between Tabriz and Julfa.”
Soon two battalions of the 1st Caucasian Rifle Brigade, four mounted hundreds of Kuban Cossacks, an engineer company and three eight-gun artillery batteries were sent to Persia. This detachment was commanded by the head of the 1st Caucasian Rifle Brigade, Major General I. A. Snarsky. The instructions given to him stated:
“All communications between military commanders in cities occupied by Russian troops with local Persian authorities and with the population must be carried out through diplomatic agents of the Russian Imperial Government; joint stay with Russian troops in populated areas and movement along roads guarded by Russian troops of any armed detachments and parties whose activities were of a predatory nature is not allowed... The decision on the use of weapons in the matter depends solely on the military authorities... Once the decision has been made, it must be carried out irrevocably and with full energy.”
Russian troops had to act mainly against nomads (Kurds and Yomud Turkmen), whom the weak Persian army could not cope with.
For each case of robbery and assault by the Kurds, Russian troops collected a sum of money from their tribal leaders in favor of the injured party. Murders of subjects of the Russian Empire were punishable by death sentences handed down by a Russian military court. Russian consuls reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The merchants, together with the entire civilian population of passing villages, bless the arrival of our troops.”
After a short period of calm, in the fall of 1911 the situation escalated again - there were attacks by numerous armed groups on the Russian detachment in Tabriz, and cases of shelling of Russian consular offices and convoys in Rasht became more frequent. Nomads attacked trade caravans. Detachments of pro-Turkish governors of the western provinces, as well as representatives of revolutionary groups in the Russian Transcaucasus, took part in the forays against Russian troops. On October 29 (November 11), 1911, in Tehran, the Russian ambassador presented the Persian government with an ultimatum demanding the restoration of order in Persia and the protection of Russia's economic interests. After the expiration of the ultimatum of November 11, 1911, Russian troops crossed the Russian-Persian border and occupied the city of Qazvin. On November 10 (23) in Tehran, after the occupation of northern Persia by Russian troops, the Persian government agreed to satisfy all Russian demands.
The deployment of troops was carried out in three operational directions - from Julfa, Astara and Anzali - to Tehran. Direct operational leadership of the Russian troops in Persia was carried out by the Quartermaster General of the headquarters of the Caucasian Military District, Major General Nikolai Yudenich. The contingent of Russian troops included: the 14th Georgian and 16th Mingrelian grenadier regiments of the Caucasian Grenadier Division, regiments from the 21st, 39th and 52nd infantry divisions (81st Absheron, 84th Shirvan, 156th Elizavetpolsky, 205th Shemakha, 206th Salyansky and 207th Novobayazetsky) with artillery and machine guns. Transportation of troops by sea, their landing in the port of Anzeli and its fire cover was carried out by Caspian military flotilla.
Communication support was provided by the 2nd Caucasian Railway Battalion and the Caucasian Automobile Team. The railway battalion began construction of the Julfa-Tehran railway line. The arrangement of temporary headquarters was carried out by the 1st Caucasian Engineer Battalion. Communications were provided by the Caucasian Spark Company.
Infantry units with attached hundreds of Kuban and Terek Cossacks were organized into detachments. At the same time, two detachments - Meshedsky and Kuchansky formed the troops of the Turkestan Military District - two battalions of the 13th and 18th Turkestan Rifle Regiments, two cavalry hunting teams from the same units, two machine gun platoons and a hundred of the Turkmen cavalry division.
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When Russian troops seized large quantities of weapons in Tabriz and Rasht, riots broke out, which led to civilian casualties. Real battles began around these cities. Turkish troops entered the western borderlands of Persia, the disputed territories, and took control of the passes in the mountain passes between Khoy and Dilman.
Russian troops began operations to oust Turkish troops from Persian territory. Russian units approached the Turkish bivouacs at dawn and, placing cannons and machine guns on the heights, demanded that they leave Persian territory. The Turks offered no resistance.
The commander of the 11th Turkish corps, Jabir Pasha, in the presence of foreign consuls, stated: “Having seen in practice what the Persian constitution is and what kind of anarchy reigns in Persia, I personally believe that the arrival of Russian troops in Persia is a manifestation of humanity and humanity, and not the result any aggressive intentions. The Russians act in Persia very skillfully and carefully, and therefore the sympathies of almost the entire population are on their side.”
After ensuring stability, most of the Russian troops left Persia, but individual Russian units remained on Persian territory until the outbreak of the First World War.
1941
Iranian operation
The Anglo-Soviet World War II operation to occupy Iran, codenamed " Operation "Consent" (eng. Operation Countenance) was carried out from August 25, 1941 to September 17, 1941.
Its goal was to protect the Anglo-Iranian oil fields from possible capture by German troops and their allies, as well as to protect the transport corridor (southern corridor), along which the Allies carried out Lend-Lease supplies to the Soviet Union.
These actions were taken due to the fact that, according to the assessments of the political leadership of both Great Britain and the USSR, there was a direct threat of Iran being drawn to the side of Germany as an ally in World War II.
The Shah of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, refused Britain and the Soviet Union's request to station troops in Iran. Motivating its participation in this military operation against Iran, the Soviet government referred to paragraphs 5 and 6 of the then-current Treaty between Soviet Russia and Iran of 1921, which provided that in the event of a threat to its southern borders Soviet Union has the right to send troops into Iranian territory.
During the operation, the Allied forces invaded Iran, overthrew Shah Reza Pahlavi and took control of the Trans-Iranian Railway and Iran's oil fields. At the same time, British troops occupied the south of Iran, and the USSR occupied the north.
Read more about Operation “Consent” on the website: WWII - Operation “Consent” “
The conflict between Iran (Persia) and the Russian Empire had been brewing since the time of Peter I, however, it was only local in nature, and full-fledged hostilities began only in 1804.
Beginning of the war
The Ganja Khanate, which existed in the North Caucasus in the second half of the 18th century, was an independent khanate. He managed to coexist around powerful neighbors, sometimes raiding the Karabakh Khanate and Georgia. After the last raid on Georgia, the Ganja Khanate doomed itself to cease to exist.
Wanting to ensure the security of Georgia under its control, Russia decided to seize and annex Ganja to its territory. Led by General Tsitsianov, Ganja was taken on January 3, 1804, its khan was killed, and the Ganja Khanate ceased to exist.
After this, the general moved his troops towards Erivan, which was controlled by Iran, with the desire to also annex it to the Russian Empire. Erivan was famous for its fortress, and could serve as a reliable outpost for subsequent military operations against Persia.
Before reaching Erivan, the Russian army met with a 20,000-strong Persian army led by the son of the Shah Abbas Mirza. Having defeated the Persians three times, Tsitsianov’s army besieged Erivan, but due to a lack of food and ammunition, they had to retreat. From that moment the confrontation began. Officially, the Shah of Persia declared war on Russia on June 10, 1804.
The feat of Karyagin's detachment
Inspired by the retreat of the Russians, the Persian Shah assembled an army of 40 thousand people in 1805. On July 9, the 20,000-strong army of Abbas Mirza, moving towards Georgia, came across a detachment of Colonel Karyagin, numbering 500 people. He had only 2 cannons at his disposal, however, neither numerical superiority nor better weapons broke the spirit of the detachment; for 3 weeks they managed to repel numerous Persian attacks, and when the situation became critical they managed to escape. During the retreat, in order not to leave the cannon to the enemy, soldier Gavrila Sidorov proposed to build a “living bridge” across the crevice, and lay down there with his comrades, sacrificing his life. For this feat, all the soldiers received salaries and awards, and a monument was erected to Gavrila Sidorov at the General Staff. After this, Abbas Mirza abandoned the campaign against Georgia.
Calm
In 1806, Russia and Ottoman Empire Military operations began, and the main forces from the Persian direction were transferred to the war with the Turks. Before this, General Tsitsianov managed to annex the Shirvan Khanate, besieged Baku and agreed to surrender the city, but during the transfer of the keys he was treacherously killed by a relative of the khan. Baku was taken by General Bulgakov. Relative silence continued until September 1808, when an attempt was again made to take Erivan, but it was unsuccessful. Then there was a lull in the Russian-Persian war again; Russia mainly fought the war with partisan detachments, paying more attention to the confrontation with the Turks.
Resumption of active activities
In 1810, Colonel Kotlyarevsky’s detachment captured the Migri fortress, crossing the Araks and the vanguard of Abbas Mirza’s troops was defeated. In 1812, Napoleon I and the Persians, who were inclined towards peace, decided to take advantage of the moment and defeat the Russians in the Caucasus. The newly assembled army, led by Abbas Mirza, began to gradually take one fortress after another. First taking Shah-Bulakh, and then Lankaran. It was the same Kotlyarevsky who managed to reverse the situation. At the end of 1812, he defeated the Persians at the Aslanduz ford, after which he went to Lankaran. On January 1, 1813 it was taken, after which the war was stopped and peace negotiations began.
2. Russian-Iranian War 1804–1813
foreign policy military Türkiye
Iran has long had its interests in the Caucasus, and in this matter until the second half of the XVIII V. competed with Turkey. Victory of Russian troops in the Russian-Turkish war of 1769–1774. put Russia among the contenders for the North Caucasus. The transition of Georgia under the protection of Russia in 1783 and its subsequent annexation to the empire in 1801 allowed Russia to extend its influence to Transcaucasia.
At the beginning, the Russian administration in the Caucasus acted very carefully, fearing to provoke a war with Iran and Turkey. This policy was carried out from 1783 to early XIX century. During this period, the Shamkhaldom of Tarkov, the principalities of Zasulak Kumykia, the khanates of Avar, Derbent, Kubinsk, the Utsmiystvo of Kaitag, the Maisum and Qadiy of Tabasaran came under the protection of Russia. But this did not mean joining Russia; the rulers retained political power over their subjects.
With the appointment in 1802 of the commander-in-chief of Georgia, Lieutenant General P.D., to the post of inspector of the Caucasian line. Tsitsianov, a supporter of energetic and drastic military measures to expand Russian power in the Caucasus, Russia's actions became less cautious.
Tsitsianov practiced mainly forceful methods. So, in 1803, he sent a detachment of General Gulyakov against the Jharians. The fortified point of Belokany was taken by storm, the residents were sworn to allegiance to Russia and subjected to tribute. At the beginning of January 1804, Russian troops under the command of Tsitsianov himself, after a month-long siege, captured the Ganja fortress by storm and annexed it to Russia, renaming it Elizavetpol.
With these and other careless actions, Tsitsianov hurt Iran’s interests in Transcaucasia. The Shah sharply demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Azerbaijani khanates, Georgia and Dagestan.
The number of tsarist troops in Transcaucasia was about 20 thousand people. The Iranian army was much larger, but the Russian troops were superior to the Iranian irregular cavalry in training, discipline, weapons and tactics.
The first clashes took place on the territory of the Erivan Khanate. On June 10, the detachments of generals Tuchkov and Leontyev defeated the Iranian forces led by the Shah's heir, Abbas Mirza. On June 30, troops took the Erivan fortress under siege, which lasted until early September. Repeated ultimatums and assaults did not produce results; the rebel Ossetians closed the Georgian Military Road. It was necessary to lift the siege on September 2 and retreat to Georgia. General Nebolsin's detachment was tasked with covering Georgia and the Shuragel region from the Erivan Khanate.
The tsarist administration in the Caucasus under Tsitsianov cruelly treated the local population, while he himself behaved arrogantly with the khans, sending them insulting messages. The uprisings of Ossetians, Kabardians, and Georgians were brutally suppressed using artillery.
In July 1805, a detachment under the command of Colonel P.M. Karyagin repelled the attacks of Abbas Mirza in Shah Bulah. This gave Tsitsianov time to gather forces and defeat the Iranian troops led by Feth Ali Shah.
In the same month, an expeditionary detachment of I.I. arrived by sea from Russia to the western coast of the Caspian Sea (in Anzeli). Zavalishin, who was supposed to occupy Rasht and Baku. However, the task could not be completed, and Zavalishin took the squadron with a detachment to Lenkoran.
At the end of November 1805, Tsitsianov ordered Zavalishin to go to Baku again and wait for his arrival there. At the beginning of February 1806, Tsitsianov with a detachment of 1,600 people approached Baku. He demanded that the Baku Khan surrender the city, promising to leave the Khanate behind him. He agreed, and on February 8 he arrived at the commander-in-chief with the keys to the city. During the negotiations, one of Huseyn-Ali Khan’s nukers (servants) killed Tsitsianov with a pistol shot. Zavalishin remained inactive in Baku for a month, and then took the squadron to Kizlyar.
After assuming the post of Commander-in-Chief in the Caucasus, General I.V. Gudovich in 1806, the tsarist troops occupied Derbent, Baku, and Cuba. Derbent was annexed to Russia. Gudovich managed to mend the damaged relationship with the feudal lords of the North Caucasus. At the end of December 1806, Türkiye also declared war on Russia. Gudovich's attempt in 1808 to take Erivan by storm was unsuccessful. He returned to Georgia and submitted his resignation.
He was replaced as commander-in-chief by General A.P. Tormasov, who continued the course of his predecessor and did a lot to develop trade with the North Caucasian peoples. Abbas Mirza's attempt to occupy Elizavetpol was unsuccessful, but on October 8, 1809 he managed to occupy Lenkoran. In the summer of 1810, Abbas Mirza invaded Karabakh, but was defeated by Kotlyarevsky’s detachment at Migri.
Iran's attempt to act against Russia jointly with Turkey also failed. Turkish troops were defeated on September 5, 1810 near Akhalkalaki. At the same time, the Iranian detachment standing nearby did not enter the battle. In 1811–1812 The Kuba and Kyura khanates of Dagestan were annexed to Russia.
At the beginning of 1811, with the help of the British, Iran reorganized its army. The new commander-in-chief in the Caucasus, General N.F. Rtishchev made an attempt to establish peace negotiations with Iran, but the Shah put forward impossible conditions: to withdraw Russian troops beyond the Terek.
On October 17, 1812, General Kotlyarevsky, without the permission of Rtishchev, with one and a half thousand infantry, 500 Cossacks with 6 guns crossed the river. Arak and defeated the forces of Abbas Mirza. Pursuing him, Kotlyarevsky defeated the detachment of the Shah's heir at Aslanduz. At the same time, he captured 500 people and captured 11 guns. On January 1, 1813, Kotlyarevsky captured Lankaran by storm. During the continuous 3-hour battle, Kotlyarevsky lost 950 people, and Abbas-Mirza - 2.5 thousand. The Tsar generously rewarded Kotlyarevsky: he received the rank of lieutenant general, the Order of St. George 3rd and 2nd degrees and 6 thousand rubles. Rtishchev was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. In this battle, Kotlyarevsky was seriously wounded, and his military career ended.
At the beginning of April 1813, after the defeat at Kara-Benyuk, the Shah was forced to enter into peace negotiations. He instructed the English envoy to Iran, Auzli, to lead them. He tried to reach an agreement with minimal concessions from Iran or conclude a truce for one year. Rtishchev did not agree with this. Auzli advised the Shah to accept Russia's conditions. In his report, Rtishchev indicated that Auzli greatly contributed to the conclusion of peace.
On October 1, hostilities were stopped for fifty days. On October 12 (24), 1813, in the town of Gulistan in Karabakh, the commander of the tsarist troops in the Caucasus, Rtishchev, and the representative of the Iranian Shah, Mirza Abdul Hasan, signed a peace treaty between the two countries.
The exchange of ratifications took place on September 15 (27), 1814. The agreement contained a clause (secret article) that the ownership of the disputed lands could subsequently be revised. However, it was omitted by the Russian side when ratifying the treaty.
Large territorial acquisitions received by Russia on the basis of this document led to complications in its relations with England. A year later, Iran and England entered into an agreement directed against Russia. England pledged to help Iran achieve a revision of certain articles of the Gulistan Treaty.
The Russian side was very pleased with the results of the war and the signing of the treaty. Peace with Persia protected the eastern borders of Russia with peace and security.
Feth Ali Shah was also pleased that it was possible to settle accounts with the winner with foreign territories. He gave Rtishchev 500 Tauriz batmans in silk, and also awarded him the insignia of the Order of the Lion and the Sun, on a gold enamel chain, to wear around his neck.
For the Peace of Gulistan, Rtishchev received the rank of infantry general and the right to wear the Diamond Order of the Lion and the Sun, 1st degree, received from the Persian Shah.
Article three of the Gulistan Treaty reads: “E. w. V. as proof of his sincere affection for H.V., the All-Russian Emperor, he hereby solemnly recognizes both for himself and for the high successors of the Persian throne the khanates of Karabagh and Ganzhin, now converted into a province called Elisavetpol, as belonging to the Russian Empire; as well as the khanates of Sheki, Shirvan, Derbent, Kuba, Baku and Talyshen, with those lands of this khanate that are now under the authority of the Russian Empire; moreover, all of Dagestan, Georgia with the Shuragel province, Imereti, Guria, Mingrelia and Abkhazia, as well as all the possessions and lands located between the now established border and the Caucasian line, with lands and peoples touching this latter and the Caspian Sea.”
Historians have different assessments of the consequences of this treaty for Dagestan. Dagestan at that time was not a single and integral country, but was fragmented into a number of feudal estates and more than 60 free societies. By the time the Gulistan Peace Treaty was signed, part of its territory had already been annexed to Russia (Kuba, Derbent and Kyura khanates). The first two of them are named separately in the agreement. This agreement legally formalized their accession.
Another part of the Dagestan feudal lords and some free societies swore an oath of allegiance to Russia, they were not annexed to Russia, but came under its protection (Shamkhaldom of Tarkov, Khanate of Avar, Utsmiystvo of Kaitag, Maysum and Kadiy of Tabasaran, principalities of Zasulak Kumykia, federation of Dargin free societies and some others). But there remained in Dagestan territories that did not enter into citizenship or under the protection of Russia (the Mekhtulin and Kazikumukh khanates and many free societies of the Avars). So, it is impossible to talk about Dagestan as a single entity.
The Persian representative, realizing this, did not want to sign the document in this wording. He stated that “... he does not dare to even think of deciding, in the name of his Shah, to renounce any rights about peoples completely unknown to them, for fear of thereby giving his ill-wishers a sure chance...”.
With the signing of the Treaty of Gulistan, all possessions of Dagestan (annexed, those who accepted citizenship and those who did not) were included in Russia.
Another interpretation of Article 3 of this treaty could lead to negative consequences. However, until 1816, the tsarist government skillfully maintained protective relations with the Dagestan feudal lords.
The Dagestan rulers expressed their pro-Russian orientation by taking oaths, which indicated the consolidation of patronage relations that had existed previously. At that time, another type of “subjection” of Russia practically did not exist for the peoples of the Caucasus.
The feudal possessions of the North Caucasus were state associations with which the rulers of Russia, Iran and Turkey maintained constant contact and correspondence. Persia could renounce further claims to Dagestan, but could not dispose of other people's possessions. At the same time, the recognition of Iran did not give the tsarist autocracy the right to declare the Dagestan lands annexed to itself, except for the indicated three feudal estates, which by that time had already been annexed. Not a single Dagestan or North Caucasian feudal lord took part in either the preparation or the signing of this document. They were not even informed of their expected fate. For more than two years, the tsarist authorities hid the contents of Art. 3 contracts.
The same time. And, although merchants had to write off hundreds of thousands of unpaid bills from their accounts, these losses were compensated by “extraordinary profits.”39 Chapter IV. Transport. The development of domestic trade in Russia was hampered by the state of transport. In the first half of the 19th century, the main flow of goods within the country was transported along rivers. Back in the 18th century, the Vysh-Nevolotsk system was built...
Morals inspired the creative intelligentsia, which indirectly, through literary works, strengthened Russian folk spirit. Everything suggests that Russia had a reason to conquer the Caucasus. Conclusion. A century and a half has passed since the end of the Caucasian epic of the first half of the 19th century century. It is hardly worth dividing the actions of the participants in the conquest of the Caucasus into good and bad. It's more important to keep the lessons in mind...
When there were no heirs left after the deceased or no one appeared within ten years from the time of the call to inheritance, the property was recognized as escheated and went to the state, nobility, province, city or rural community. 7. Criminal law. In 1845, a new criminal code, “Code on Criminal and Correctional Punishments,” was adopted. It preserved the class approach to qualifications...
At the same time, he waged the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813 in the east, a war barely noticeable to his contemporaries, preoccupied with world events, but nonetheless memorable to posterity both for the prowess of Russian weapons and the importance of its consequences. Marked by the exploits of Tsitsianov, Gudovich, Tormasov and Kotlyarevsky, Russian-Persian war 1804-1813 established Russian dominance over the Caucasus.
Voluntary citizenship of Kartli, Kakheti and Somkhetia, under the general name of Georgia, to Emperor Paul I should have had the inevitable consequence of the annexation to Russia of other small Transcaucasian possessions, already prepared by previous events: the kings of Imereti and the Mingrelian princes, who were of the same faith to us, sought the protection of our court even under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ; Shamkhal Tarkovsky, the khans of Derbent and Baku have expressed devotion to the Russian throne since the time of Peter the Great; and the rulers of Shirvan, Sheki, Ganja and Karabakh, frightened by the victories of Count Zubov, surrendered to the patronage of Catherine II. All that remained was to finally bring them into Russian citizenship and subdue many more independent khans, beks, usmeis and sultans who dominated between the Caucasus and Araks, without which the possession of Georgia could not be safe or useful for Russia. Alexander entrusted the execution of this important task to General Prince Peter Tsitsianov, a Georgian by birth, a Russian at heart, who passionately loved Russia, an equally brave commander and a skillful ruler, briefly acquainted with the Transcaucasian region, where his house belonged to one of the most noble families and was related to the latter Georgian Tsar George XIII, married to Princess Tsitsianova.
Pavel Dmitrievich Tsitsianov
Capture of Ganja by Tsitsianov
Appointed in 1802 by the Russian commander-in-chief of Georgia in place of General Knorring, Tsitsianov with tireless activity took up the internal improvement and external security of the region entrusted to him. For the first purpose, he tried to awaken the people's industry, introduce more order in government and ensure justice. For the second, he hurried to subdue the hostile khans who were disturbing Georgia from the east with a thunderstorm of weapons. The most dangerous of all was the strong ruler of Ganja, Jevat Khan, a treacherous and bloodthirsty despot. Having submitted to Catherine II in 1796, he subsequently betrayed the Russians, went over to the side of Persia and robbed the Tiflis merchants. Tsitsianov entered his region, besieged Ganja and took it by storm (1804). Khan was killed during the assault; his children died in the battle or fled. The people swore an oath of eternal allegiance to the Russian sovereign. Ganja was renamed Elizavetpol and with the entire khanate annexed to Georgia. From under the walls of Ganja, Tsitsianov dispatched General Gulyakov to subdue the rebellious Lezgins who were disturbing Kakheti. The brave Gulyakov drove them into the mountains, penetrated into the most inaccessible gorges, and although he paid with his life for his courage, for all that he brought such horror to the predatory inhabitants of Lezgistan that they sent deputies to Tiflis asking for mercy. Their example was followed by the Khan of Avar and the Sultan of Elisu. Soon the princes of Mingrelia and Abkhazia submitted to the Russian sovereign; the Imeretian king Solomon also entered into eternal citizenship.
Beginning of the Russian-Persian War 1804-1813
Persia looked with envy and fear at the rapid successes of Russian weapons beyond the Caucasus. Alarmed by the fall of Ganja, the Persian Shah Feth-Ali sent the Georgian prince Alexander to outrage the khans subject to us; meanwhile, he ordered his son Abbas Mirza to cross the Araks to pacify the rebellious vassal of his sardar of Erivan and to assist Prince Alexander. Thus began the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813. Tsitsianov, knowing the hostile disposition of Persia and foreseeing the inevitable Russian-Persian war, decided to take possession of Erivan (Yerevan), dependent on the Persians, which, due to its strongholds, famous in the east, could serve him as a reliable support for military operations. On the banks of the Zangi, at the Etchmiadzin monastery, he met Abbas Mirza with an army four times stronger than the Russian detachment, and defeated him (1804); after that he defeated the Persians a second time under the walls of Erivan; finally defeated the Persian Shah himself, who came to the aid of his son, but could not take the fortress and, after a grueling siege, due to lack of food and widespread disease, he was forced to return to Georgia. This failure had unfavorable consequences for the further course of the Russian-Persian war that had begun.
In the summer of 1805, the Persians, perked up, gathered an army of 40,000 against the Russians. The Persian prince Abbas Mirza moved with her to Georgia. In Karabakh, on the Askeran River, the 20,000-strong Persian vanguard was met by Colonel Karyagin’s Russian detachment of 500 people, who had only two cannons. Despite this inequality of forces, Karyagin’s rangers for two weeks - from June 24 to July 8, 1805 - repelled the enemy onslaught, and then managed to secretly retreat. During battles in mountainous areas, Russian rangers needed to transport cannons through a crevice. There was no way to put her to sleep. Then Private Gavrila Sidorov suggested setting up a “living bridge.” Several soldiers lay down at the bottom of the pit, and the heavy guns drove right over them. Almost none of these brave men survived, but through a feat of self-sacrifice they saved their comrades. The delay of the Persian horde by the Russian detachment of Colonel Karyagin allowed Tsitsianov to gather troops and saved Georgia from bloody devastation.
F. A. Rubo. Living Bridge. Episode of the Russian-Persian War 1804-1813
The Persian Shah, with the assistance of Tsarevich Alexander, managed to outrage the entire Lezgistan, Ossetia, Kabarda, the khans of Derbent, Baku and Kuba. The military road laid through the Caucasus was stopped by the mountaineers; Georgia was attacked by agitated Lezgins and Ossetians. But Tsitsianov managed to put out such a dangerous fire. On July 28, 1805, he defeated Abbas Mirza at Zagam. The Persian army retreated, stopping the campaign against Georgia. Successful expeditions of Russian troops into the mountains terrified the predatory inhabitants there and restored the communication between the Caucasian line and Georgia that they had interrupted; Ossetians were also brought to obedience.
All that remained was to humble the rebellious khans of Dagestan, the head of which was the ruler of Baku, the treacherous Hussein Quli Khan. Tsitsianov entered his region and, besieging Baku, demanded unconditional submission. Khan, expressing feigned humility, invited the commander-in-chief to accept the city keys. The prince with a small retinue went to the fortress and as soon as he approached it, he was struck down by two bullets fired on the secret orders of Hussein (February 1806).
The news of the death of the commander, fearless in battles, who kept the obstinate tribes in obedience by the mere thunder of his name, again excited the entire Transcaucasian region. Of all the khans under our control, only Shamkhal Tarkovsky did not raise the banner of rebellion and remained faithful to the oath; even King Solomon of Imereti entered into relations with the enemies of Russia. The Persians took heart and, continuing the war with the Russians, again crossed the Araks; the Turks, for their part, as a result of Russia’s break with Porto and the Russian-Turkish war that began in 1806, threatened to attack Georgia.
Continuation of the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813 by generals Gudovich and Tormasov
Tsitsianov’s successor, Count Gudovich, with repeated expeditions to the mountains on both sides of the Caucasus, curbed the Lezgins, Chechens and their allies; took Baku (1806), humbled the Khan of Derbent; defeated the Turks at the Arpachay River (June 1807) and drove the Persians beyond the Araks. Admiral Pustoshkin, acting from the sea, took and ravaged Anapa. However, the secondary assault on Erivan, undertaken by Gudovich on November 17, 1808, again ended in failure.
Gudovich's successor, General Tormasov, successfully continued the Russian-Persian War and the pacification of the Transcaucasian region. With the capture of Poti and the secondary destruction of Anapa, he deprived the Turks of the opportunity to support the uprising in Imereti and Abkhazia; the king of Imereti renounced the throne; his state became part of the Russian possessions; calm has been restored in Abkhazia; and repeated victories over the combined Turkish and Persian troops protected Georgia from the invasion of its main enemies.
After Tormasov was recalled to Russia, where his talents were destined for a vast field in the fight against Napoleon, the leadership of the Transcaucasian region, after the short-term management of the Marquis Paulucci, was entrusted to General Rtishchev. The Peace of Bucharest of 1812, meanwhile, ended Russian-Turkish war. Persia, frightened by a continuous series of failures in its war with Russia, also expressed its readiness for peace, and Abbas Mirza entered into negotiations with the commander-in-chief on the banks of the Araks through the mediation of the English envoy.
Battle of Aslanduz and capture of Lankaran
The negotiations were, however, unsuccessful and soon ended. Rtishchev returned to Tiflis, leaving General Kotlyarevsky with 2,000 people with 6 guns on the left bank of the Araks to monitor the actions of the Persians. The Persian prince Abbas Mirza concentrated his main forces (30 thousand) on the right bank against the Russians and sent several thousand people to destroy the Sheki and Shirvan regions with fire and sword, meanwhile he was preparing to cross to exterminate our small detachment on the left bank of the Araks.
Kotlyarevsky, with a brave and brilliant feat, thwarted the plans of the enemy and led the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813 to a happy outcome. He himself crossed the Araks, quickly attacked Abbas Mirza, knocked him out of the fortified camp, threw back his entire army to the town of Aslanduze and put it into disorderly flight (October 19, 1812). The Persians lost 1,200 people killed and more than 500 prisoners, while Russian losses amounted to only 127 people. The consequence of this victory, won by a weak Russian detachment over an enemy ten times stronger, was the cleansing of the entire left bank of the Araks from the Persians. The Persian Shah still persisted in the war, until Kotlyarevsky’s new feat, even more glorious than the first, the assault and capture of the Lankaran fortress (January 1, 1813), persuaded him to peace. Strong Lankaran was defended by 4 thousand Persian soldiers under the command of Sadyk Khan. Kotlyarevsky had only 2 thousand people. However, the Persian stronghold subsequently fell to the Russian bayonet after a bloody assault, during which Kotlyarevsky lost about half of his soldiers, and the Muslim enemy lost nine-tenths.
Assault on Lankaran, 1813
Peace of Gulistan 1813
Frightened by the menacing movement of the Russians towards the borders of Persia, the Shah agreed to end the war and fulfill all the demands of the Russian court. The treaty that ended the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813 was signed in the Gulistan tract, in the Karabakh region and was called the Gulistan Peace. According to it, Persia recognized the dominance of Russia over the khanates of Karabakh, Ganja, Sheki, Shirvan, Derbent, Kuba, Baku, Talyshin and renounced all claims to Dagestan, Georgia, Imereti and Abkhazia.
Caucasus in the first half of the 19th century. Map indicating the change of borders following the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813
The Russian emperor promised, for his part, in the Treaty of Gulistan, help and assistance to whichever son of the Shah he would appoint as heir to the Persian throne.