At that time, Persia was in a state of collapse and anarchy. The weakness of the Persian state opened the way for Turkish expansion into the Caspian region. This did not suit Russia, which itself sought to control the Caspian Sea zone.
First Persian Campaign (1722-1723) i>
8 months after the end of the Northern War, in May 1722, Peter I set out on the Persian campaign. The reason for it was the fact of the robbery of Russian merchants in Persia for a total amount of 500 thousand rubles. The reason for such decisive actions was the desire to seize the shores of the Caspian Sea and prevent Turkey from reaching them. At that time, Persia was in a state of collapse and anarchy. The weakness of the Persian state opened the way for Turkish expansion into the Caspian region. This did not suit Russia, which itself sought to control the Caspian Sea zone. It should be noted that back in 1721, almost all the princes of Dagestan swore allegiance to the Russian emperor, and the Kartlian king Vakhtang VI asked to send Russian troops to Georgia. About 50 thousand people took part in the Persian campaign, including 5 thousand sailors, 22 thousand infantry, 9 thousand cavalry, as well as irregular troops (Cossacks, Kalmyks, etc.). In the summer of 1722, the Russian army led by Peter I left Astrakhan on ships, and the cavalry walked on foot from Tsaritsyn. Having united in the area of the Agrakhan Bay, the Russians moved to Derbent, in the area of which they defeated the troops of the Utemish Sultan Mahmud. On August 23, 1722, the naib of Derbent handed Peter the keys to the fortress. This effectively ended the 1722 campaign. Its continuation was prevented by autumn storms in the Caspian Sea, which complicated the delivery of food by sea. The leak in the ships partially spoiled the flour supplies, which put the Russian army in a difficult situation. Then Peter left a garrison in Derbent under the command of Colonel Juncker, and he and his troops moved on foot back to Russia. Strict discipline was maintained among the troops. In particular, denying a patient a seat on a cart was punishable by death penalty. On the road near the Sulak River, the tsar founded a new fortress, the Holy Cross, to cover the Russian border. From there Peter went to Astrakhan by sea. Further military operations in the Caspian Sea were led by General Matyushkin. They actually boiled down to Russian landings on the western and southern coasts of the Caspian Sea. At the same time, negotiations were conducted with the Persian government. Peter offered the Persian Shah Tahmasp assistance in the fight against Turkey, Afghans and other aggressors. For this, the tsar demanded that the shah cede the eastern and South coast Caspian Sea.
Treaty of St. Petersburg (1723). In December 1722, Colonel Shilov’s detachment occupied Rasht to protect it from attacks by opponents of the Shah. In July 1723, General Matyushkin occupied Baku. According to the Russian-Persian treaty (1723), signed in St. Petersburg, Russia provided military assistance to Persia. In return, it ceded to Russia the entire western and southern coast of the Caspian Sea (Derbent and Baku, the provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad). The firm position of Russian diplomacy did not allow Turkey, whose troops had invaded Transcaucasia at that time, to continue the offensive against Persia. According to the Russian-Turkish treaty (1724), Transcaucasia (Armenia, eastern Georgia and part of Azerbaijan) remained for Ottoman Empire, and the Caspian coast is behind Russia. Peter's death canceled out the surge in Russian activity in the southern direction. After the death of the king, Persia tried to regain the lost lands in the Caspian Sea. In the next decade, frequent military clashes between Russians and the Persians, but also with the troops of local princes, took place in this area. As a result, a quarter of the entire Russian army was used in the Caucasus-Caspian region in the second half of the 20s. At the same time, negotiations were underway about the reverse cession of these areas. Constant military skirmishes, raids, as well as high mortality from disease (in 1723-1725 alone, disease claimed the lives of 29 thousand people in this area) made Russia’s Caspian possessions unsuitable for both trade and economic exploitation. In 1732, the powerful ruler Nadir Shah came to power in Persia. In 1732-1735 Empress Anna Ioannovna returned to Persia the Caspian lands conquered by Peter the Great. The final impetus for the return of lands was Russia's preparation for the war with Turkey (1735-1739). The successful conduct of hostilities with the Turks required, in particular, the settlement of territorial relations with Persia to ensure a peaceful rear in the south.
Second Persian Campaign (1796) i>
The campaign of Russian troops in the Azerbaijani provinces of Persia in response to the invasion of Persian troops in Georgia in 1795. In December 1796, the troops were recalled by Emperor Paul I.
War of 1804-1813 i>
The activity of Russia's policy in the Transcaucasus was mainly associated with Georgia's persistent requests for protection from the Turkish-Iranian onslaught. During the reign of Catherine II, the Treaty of Georgievsk (1783) was concluded between Russia and Georgia, according to which Russia pledged to defend Georgia. This led to a clash first with Turkey and then with Persia (until 1935, the official name of Iran), for which Transcaucasia had long been a sphere of influence. The first clash between Russia and Persia over Georgia occurred in 1796, when Russian troops repelled an invasion of Georgian lands by Iranian troops. In 1801, Georgia, by the will of its king George XII, joined Russia. This forced St. Petersburg to become involved in the complex affairs of the troubled Transcaucasian region. In 1803, Mingrelia joined Russia, and in 1804, Imereti and Guria. This displeased Iran, and when in 1804 Russian troops occupied the Ganja Khanate (for the raids of Ganja troops on Georgia), Persia declared war on Russia. In this conflict, the number of Persian troops many times exceeded the Russian ones. The total number of Russian soldiers in Transcaucasia did not exceed 8 thousand people. They had to operate over a large territory: from Armenia to the shores of the Caspian Sea. In terms of weapons, the Iranian army, equipped with British weapons, was not inferior to the Russian one. Therefore, the final success of the Russians in this war was associated primarily with more high degree military organization, combat training and courage of the troops, as well as the military leadership talents of the military leaders. The Russian-Persian conflict marked the beginning of the most difficult military decade in the country's history (1804-1814), when Russian Empire had to fight along almost the entire perimeter of its European borders from the Baltic to the Caspian Sea. This required tension from the country unprecedented since the Northern War.
Campaign of 1804. The main hostilities of the first year of the war took place in the Erivan (Yerevan) region. The commander of the Russian troops in Transcaucasia, General Pyotr Tsitsianov, began the campaign with offensive actions. He moved into the Iranian-dependent Erivan Khanate (the territory of present-day Armenia) and besieged its capital Erivan. But although Tsitsianov’s troops in the battle of Kanagir (near Erivan) defeated the Iranian army under the command of Crown Prince Abass-Mirza, Russian forces were not enough to take this stronghold. In November, the Persian troops approached new army under the command of Shah Feth Ali. Tsitsianov’s detachment, which had already suffered significant losses by that time, was forced to lift the siege and retreat to Georgia.
Campaign of 1805. The failure of the Russians at the walls of Erivan strengthened the confidence of the Persian leadership. In June, a 40,000-strong Persian army under the command of Prince Abbas Mirza moved through the Ganja Khanate to Georgia. On the Askeran River (region of the Karabakh ridge), the vanguard of the Persian troops (20 thousand people) met stubborn resistance from a Russian detachment under the command of Colonel Karyagin (500 people), which had only 2 cannons. From June 24 to July 7, Karyagin's rangers, skillfully using the terrain and changing positions, heroically repelled the onslaught of a huge Persian army. After a four-day defense in the Karagach tract, the detachment fought its way into the Shah-Bulakh castle on the night of June 28, where it was able to hold out until the night of July 8, and then secretly left its fortifications. The selfless resistance of Karyagin’s soldiers actually saved Georgia. The delay in the advance of the Persian troops allowed Tsitsianov to gather forces to repel the unexpected invasion. On July 28, at the Battle of Zagam, the Russians defeated the troops of Abbas Mirza. His campaign against Georgia was stopped and the Persian army retreated. After this, Tsitsianov transferred the main hostilities to the Caspian coast. But his attempts to conduct a naval operation to capture Baku and Rasht ended in vain.
Campaign of 1806. In February 1807, Tsitsianov set out on a campaign against Baku, but on February 8 he was treacherously killed by Baku residents during negotiations with the local khan under the walls of the fortress. General Ivan Gudovich was appointed commander-in-chief and continued the offensive in Azerbaijan. In 1806, the Russians occupied the Caspian territories of Dagestan and Azerbaijan (including Baku, Derbent, and Cuba). In the summer of 1806, the troops of Abbas Mirza, who tried to go on the offensive, were defeated in Karabakh. However, the situation soon became more complicated. In December 1806 it began Russian-Turkish war. In order not to fight on two fronts with his extremely limited forces, Gudovich, taking advantage of the hostile relations between Turkey and Iran, immediately concluded a truce with the Iranians and began military operations against the Turks. The year 1807 was spent in peace negotiations with Iran, but they came to nothing. In 1808, hostilities resumed.
Campaign of 1808-1809. In 1808, Gudovich transferred the main hostilities to Armenia. His troops occupied Etchmiadzin (a city west of Yerevan) and then besieged Erivan. In October, the Russians defeated Abbas Mirza's troops at Karababa and occupied Nakhichevan. However, the assault on Erivan ended in failure, and the Russians were forced to retreat from the walls of this fortress a second time. After this, Gudovich was replaced by General Alexander Tormasov, who resumed peace negotiations. During the negotiations, troops under the command of the Iranian Shah Feth Ali unexpectedly invaded northern Armenia (Artik region), but were repulsed. The attempt of Abbas Mirza’s army to attack Russian positions in the Ganja region also ended in failure.
Campaign of 1810-1811. In the summer of 1810, the Iranian command planned to launch an attack on Karabakh from its stronghold of Meghri (a mountainous Armenian village located in the area of the left bank of the Arak River). To prevent the offensive actions of the Iranians, a detachment of rangers under the command of Colonel Kotlyarevsky (about 500 people) went to Meghri, who on June 17, with an unexpected attack, managed to capture this strong point, where there was a 1,500-strong garrison with 7 batteries. Russian losses amounted to 35 people. The Iranians lost more than 300 people. After the fall of Meghri, the southern regions of Armenia received reliable protection from Iranian invasions. In July, Kotlyarevsky defeated the Iranian army on the Arak River. In September, Iranian troops attempted to launch a westward offensive towards Akhalkalaki (southwestern Georgia) to link up with Turkish troops there. However, the Iranian offensive in the area was repulsed. In 1811 Tormasov was replaced by General Paulucci. However, Russian troops did not take active action during this period due to limited numbers and the need to fight a war on two fronts (against Turkey and Iran). In February 1812 Paulucci was replaced by General Rtishchev, who resumed peace negotiations.
Campaign of 1812-1813. At this time, the fate of the war was actually decided. The sharp turn is associated with the name of General Pyotr Stepanovich Kotlyarevsky, whose brilliant military leadership talent helped Russia victoriously end the protracted confrontation.
Battle of Aslanduz (1812). After Tehran received news of the occupation of Moscow by Napoleon, negotiations were interrupted. Despite the critical situation and the obvious lack of forces, General Kotlyarevsky, to whom Rtishchev gave freedom of action, decided to seize the initiative and stop a new offensive by Iranian troops. He himself moved with a 2,000-strong detachment towards the 30,000-strong army of Abbas Mirza. Using the factor of surprise, Kotlyarevsky’s detachment crossed Arak in the Aslanduz area and on October 19 attacked the Iranians on the move. They did not expect such a quick attack and retreated to their camp in confusion. Meanwhile, night fell, hiding the real number of Russians. Having instilled in his soldiers an unshakable belief in victory, the undaunted general led them into an attack against the entire Iranian army. Courage trumped strength. Having burst into the Iranian camp, a handful of heroes with a bayonet attack caused an indescribable panic in the camp of Abbas Mirza, who did not expect a night attack, and put the entire army to flight. Iranian casualties amounted to 1,200 killed and 537 captured. The Russians lost 127 people. This victory of Kotlyarevsky did not allow Iran to seize the strategic initiative. Having crushed the Iranian army at Aslanduz, Kotlyarevsky moved to the Lankaran fortress, which covered the path to the northern regions of Persia.
Capture of Lankaran (1813). After the defeat at Aslanduz, the Iranians pinned their last hopes on Lankaran. This strong fortress was defended by a 4,000-strong garrison under the command of Sadyk Khan. Sadyk Khan responded to the offer to surrender with a proud refusal. Then Kotlyarevsky gave the order to his soldiers to take the fortress by storm, declaring that there would be no retreat. Here are the words from his order, read to the soldiers before the battle: “Having exhausted all means of forcing the enemy to surrender the fortress, having found him adamant to do so, there is no longer any way left to conquer this fortress with Russian weapons except by force of assault... We must take the fortress or everyone will die, why were we sent here... so let us prove, brave soldiers, that nothing can resist the power of the Russian bayonet..." On January 1, 1813, an attack followed. Already at the beginning of the attack, all the officers in the first ranks of the attackers were knocked out. In this critical situation, Kotlyarevsky himself led the attack. After a brutal and merciless assault, Lankaran fell. Of its defenders, less than 10% survived. Russian losses were also great - about 1 thousand people. (50% of the composition). During the attack, the fearless Kotlyarevsky was also seriously injured (he became disabled and left the armed forces forever). Russia has lost a bright successor to the Rumyantsev-Suvorov military tradition, whose talent was just beginning to work “Suvorov’s miracles.”
Peace of Gulistan (1813). The fall of Lenkoran decided the outcome of the Russian- Iranian war(1804-1813). It forced the Iranian leadership to stop hostilities and sign the Peace of Gulistan [concluded 12(24). October 1813 in the village of Gulistan (now the village of Gulustan, Goranboy region of Azerbaijan)]. A number of Transcaucasian provinces and khanates (Khanate of Derbent) went to Russia, which received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea. Russian and Iranian merchants were allowed to trade freely on the territory of both states.
War of 1826-1828
The war was started by Persia with the goal of returning Eastern Transcaucasia. Russian troops took Nakhichevan, Erivan (later Yerevan), Tabriz. It ended with the Turkmanchay Peace of 1828 [concluded on February 22, 1828, in the village. Turkmanchay (near Tabriz)]. The Erivan (Armenia) and Nakhichevan khanates went to Russia. Confirmed the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813 on Russia’s right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea. The basis of Russian-Iranian relations until 1917.
"From Ancient Rus' to the Russian Empire." Shishkin Sergey Petrovich, Ufa.
Expansion of European powers in Iran. Annexation of Transcaucasia to Russia.
From the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries. Iran becomes important in connection with the struggle between England and France for dominance in Europe and the East. Given the strategic position of Iran, they tried in every possible way to involve it in the struggle that was taking place between them. At the same time, both of these powers opposed Russia, which tried to maintain dominance in Iran and Turkey over the peoples of Transcaucasia. The advancement of Russia in Transcaucasia, the annexation of Georgia to Russia in 1801, and its intervention in the defense of the Transcaucasian peoples caused two Russian-Iranian wars.
Back in 1800, an English mission was sent to Iran, led by the captain of the East India Company troops, Malcolm. This mission was successful, since in 1801 an agreement was concluded with the Shah of Iran, according to which he undertook to send his troops to Afghanistan and stop raids on the Indian possessions of England. Further, the Shah pledged to prevent the French from entering Iran and the Persian Gulf coast. England, for its part, was supposed to supply it with weapons in the event of a war between Iran and France and Afghanistan. At the same time, a trade agreement was signed with the Iranian government, confirming the privileges of the British received earlier in 1763: the right to acquire and own land in Iran; the right to build trading posts on the coast of the Persian Gulf; the right to free trade throughout the country without paying import duties. This agreement marked the beginning of the transformation of Iran into a country dependent on England. In addition, the 1801 treaty was directed against Russia.
During the reign of Napoleon, France twice tried to pave its way to the East. Both attempts were unsuccessful. The French were defeated in Egypt, and the joint Franco-Russian campaign against India never took place. However, French diplomats did not stop their activities in Iran. On the eve of the first Russian-Iranian war, the French government invited the Shah to enter into an alliance against Russia. Hoping for England's help, the Shah rejected the French offer.
First Russian-Iranian war
After the annexation of Georgia to Russia, the tendencies of rapprochement with it intensified among Azerbaijanis and Armenians. In 1802, an agreement was signed in Georgievsk on the transfer of a number of feudal rulers of Dagestan and Azerbaijan to Russian citizenship and on a joint struggle against Iran. In 1804, Russian troops took Ganja and it was annexed to Russia. In the same year, the first Russian-Iranian war began. Meeting almost no resistance, Russian troops advanced into the Yerevan Khanate. But this war dragged on due to the fact that in 1805 Russia joined the anti-Napoleonic coalition and its main forces were turned to the fight against France.
In the war with Russia, the Shah of Iran placed big hopes to the aid of England, but the last one Russia's ally in the anti-Napoleonic coalition, was afraid to openly fulfill the terms of the treaty of 1801. This caused a deterioration in Anglo-Iranian relations. Taking advantage of this, Napoleon again offered the Shah his support in the war against Russia. The defeats of the Iranians and the seizure by Russia of Derbent, Baku and a number of other areas prompted the Shah to reach an agreement with Napoleon.
In 1807, the Treaty of Finckenstein Union was signed between Iran and France. France guaranteed the inviolability of Iranian territory and pledged to make every effort to force Russia to evacuate troops from Georgia and other territories, as well as to provide assistance to the Shah with weapons, equipment and military instructors.
The Iranian side, in turn, pledged to interrupt all political and trade relations with England and declare war on it; to induce the Afghans to open the road to India for the French and join their military forces to the allied French army when it sets out to conquer India. However, the stay of French officers in Iran was short-lived. After the signing of the Peace of Tilsit, the Treaty of Finkenstein lost all meaning for Napoleon.
The events in Tilsit also worried the British, who again resumed their negotiations with Iran and again offered them their assistance in the war with Russia. Pursuing its aggressive goals and fearing the French plan for a campaign against India, England is developing active diplomatic activity not only in Iran, but also in the north of India, Afghanistan and Turkey. Having concluded a peace treaty with Turkey in 1809, British diplomats persuaded it and Iran to agree on an alliance for a joint fight against Russia. But neither the help of the British nor the alliance with the Turks saved the Iranian army from defeat.
In May 1812, the Russian-Turkish Bucharest Peace Treaty was concluded. Iran has lost its ally. In July of the same year, an agreement on an alliance between England and Russia was signed in Orebro. The Iranian government asked for peace. The negotiations ended with the signing of the Gulistan Peace Treaty in October 1813.
Under this agreement, the Shah of Iran recognized the Karabakh, Ganja, Sheki, Shirvan, Derbent, Kuba, Baku and Talysh khanates, as well as Dagestan, Georgia, Imereti, Guria, Mingrelia and Abkhazia, as belonging to the Russian Empire. Russia received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea; the right of free trade was granted to Russian merchants in Iran and Iranian merchants in Russia. The Treaty of Gulistan was a further step towards the establishment of a regime of capitulations in Iran, which began with the 1763 agreement with England and the Anglo-Iranian treaty of 1801.
Second Russian-Iranian War
The Shah of Iran and his entourage did not want to put up with the loss of the Azerbaijani khanates. Their revanchist ideas were inspired by British diplomacy. In November 1814, an agreement was signed between the Iranian government and England, directed against Russia and preparing the ground for new British conquests in the Middle East. Thus, the agreement provided for British “mediation” in determining the Russian-Iranian border; Iran was provided with a substantial annual subsidy in case of new war with any European power. Iran pledged to start a war with Afghanistan if the latter opened military operations against British possessions in India. The conclusion of this agreement, firstly, made Iran politically dependent on England, and secondly, led it to conflict with Russia.
British diplomacy contributed in every possible way to the Iranian-Turkish rapprochement, and then to their military alliance against Russia. First, in order to persuade Russia to return the Azerbaijani khanates, an extraordinary ambassador was sent to St. Petersburg, whose diplomatic mission was not successful. In the breakdown of Russian-Iranian negotiations, no last role British diplomacy played a role. Having failed to achieve what they wanted through diplomatic means, in July 1826 Iran began military operations against Russia without declaring war. But military victory again found herself on the side of the Russian troops and the Shah asked for peace. In February 1828, a Russian-Iranian peace treaty was signed in the town of Turkmanchay.
According to the Treaty of Turkmanchay, Iran ceded the khanates of Yerevan and Nakhichevan to Russia; the Shah renounced all claims to Transcaucasia; obliged to pay indemnity to Russia; The provision on Russia's exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea was confirmed. Here a special act on trade between Russia and Iran was signed, which determined the procedure for resolving all controversial cases; Russian subjects were given the right to rent and buy residential premises and warehouses; a number of privileges were established for Russian merchants on the territory of Iran, which consolidated the unequal position of this country.
Huge funds spent on the war with Russia and on paying indemnities ruined the Iranian population. This discontent was used by court circles to incite hatred towards Russian subjects. One of the victims of this hatred was the Russian diplomat A. Griboyedov, who was killed in 1829 in Tehran.
Herat issue
TO mid-19th V. There is a further aggravation of contradictions between England and Russia. In the 30s England took all measures to weaken Russia's strengthened positions in Iran and to tear the Caucasus and Transcaucasia away from Russia. The aggressive plans of the British concerned not only Iran, they extended to Herat and the Central Asian khanates. Already in the 30s. England, following Iran and Afghanistan, began to turn the Central Asian khanates with Herat into its sales market. Herat was of paramount strategic importance - the Herat oasis had an abundance of food, and most importantly, it was the starting point of the trade caravan road from Iran through Kandahar to the borders of India. With Herat, the British could also extend their influence to the Central Asian khanates and Khorasan.
The British sought to keep Herat in the weak hands of its Sadozai shahs and not allow it to pass to Iran or its annexation to the Afghan principalities. As for Russia, it had in Iran, in the person of the Qajar monarchy, the same ally on the western borders of Afghanistan as on its the eastern borders were the Punjab state. In order to prevent the British from establishing themselves on the approaches to the Central Asian khanates, Russian diplomacy encouraged Iran to capture Herat, preferring to see this “key of India” in the hands of the Qajars, dependent on Russia.
Iranian rulers in 1833 marched with troops to subjugate the ruler of Herat. After Mohamed Mirza was crowned Shah of Iran in 1835, the struggle between England and Russia for influence in Iran intensified. Wanting to strengthen their position, the British sent a large military mission to Iran. However, the advantage was on the side of Russian diplomacy, which encouraged Iran’s march on Herat. Therefore, in connection with the new Herat campaign, Anglo-Iranian relations sharply deteriorated.
Soon after the Iranian troops began their campaign against Herat in 1836, England broke off diplomatic relations with it. At the same time, the English squadron appeared in the Persian Gulf. By threatening to seize Iranian territories, the British succeeded in lifting the siege of Herat. This was not the only success of the British. In October 1841, England imposed on Iran new agreement, under which it received large customs benefits and the right to have its own sales agents in Tabriz, Tehran and Bandar-Bushir.
By the middle of the 19th century. Herat again acquired importance as a springboard for British conquests in Central Asia. The rich Herat region also attracted Iran. During the Crimean War, the Shah decided to take advantage of the fact that the British were tied down by the protracted siege of Sevastopol and seize Herat. In addition, the Iranian rulers were afraid of the head of the Afghan state, Dost Mohammed, who concluded a treaty of friendship with England in 1855.
At the beginning of 1856, Iranian troops took Herat. In response, England declared war on Iran and sent its fleet into the Persian Gulf. Iran again agreed to sign an agreement with England. According to the treaty of 1857, England undertook to evacuate its troops from Iranian territory, and Iran - from Herat and the territory of Afghanistan. The Shah of Iran forever renounced all claims to Herat and other Afghan territories and, in the event of a conflict with Afghanistan, pledged to resort to English mediation. Such a rapid conclusion of the treaty and the evacuation of British troops was explained by the beginning of a popular uprising in India.
IN early XIX centuries, the Russian Empire and Persia argued for influence in Transcaucasia and on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Between these powers were countries such as Georgia, Armenia and Dagestan. In 1804, the first Russian-Persian war began. It ended after nine years. According to its results, enshrined in the Gulistan Peace Agreements, Russia annexed Georgian and partially Armenian lands.
The defeat did not suit the Persians. Revanchist sentiments became popular in the country. The Shah wanted to return the lost provinces. Because of this insoluble conflict of interests, the Russian-Persian War (1826-1828) began. The causes of the conflict and the tense situation in the region made it inevitable.
Diplomatic situation
Preparations for a new war began in Persia immediately after the defeat in 1813. First of all, Feth Ali Shah tried to enlist the support of the European powers. Before this, he relied on Napoleon Bonaparte, who entered into an alliance with the Persians on the eve of his attack on Russia in 1812. Its terms were stipulated in the Treaty of Finkestein.
However, since then the situation in the world has changed a lot. Napoleonic Wars ended with the defeat of France and the ambitious emperor, who found himself in exile on the island of St. Helena. The Shah needed a new ally. Before the Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828 began, Great Britain began to show signs of attention to Persia.
This colonial power had its own interests in the Asian region. The kingdom owned India, and the British ambassadors extracted a promise from the Iranians not to allow any of London's enemies into this country. At the same time, a conflict broke out between Persia and Turkey. The British played the role of peacekeepers in negotiations with the Ottoman Empire, trying to persuade the Shah to war with another neighbor - Russia.
On the eve of the war
At this time, Feth Ali Shah's second son Abbas Mirza was made commander-in-chief of the Persian army. He was instructed to prepare the army for new tests and carry out all the necessary reforms. The modernization of the army took place with the support of Great Britain. The soldiers received new weapons and uniforms, partly purchased in Europe. Thus, Abbas-Mirza tried to overcome the technical lag of his subordinates from Russian units. Strategically, these were steps in the right direction, but in their reforms the Iranian headquarters was in an extremely hurry, trying not to waste time. This played a cruel joke. When the Russian-Persian War began, those who participated in the previous conflict could notice changes in the enemy’s camp. But they were not enough to bridge the gap that existed between the armies and the Shah.
In 1825, Iranian militarists gladly received news that Russian Emperor Alexander I died unexpectedly in Taganrog. His death led to a short dynastic crisis and (more importantly) the Decembrist uprising. Alexander had no children, and the throne was to pass to his next brother, Constantine. He refused, and as a result, Nikolai, who had never prepared for this, began to rule. He was a military man by training. The Decembrist uprising infuriated him. When the coup attempt failed, a lengthy trial began in St. Petersburg.
It was in those days that the advisers of the new king began to inform the monarch that his southern neighbor was openly preparing for an armed conflict. The commander-in-chief in the Caucasus was the famous General Alexei Ermolov. The last Russian-Persian war took place before his eyes, and he, like no one else, realized the danger of a new conflict. It was this general who reminded Nicholas more often than others about the prospects in the Caucasus.
The emperor responded rather sluggishly, but still agreed to send Prince Alexander Menshikov to Tehran. The future naval minister was not found common language with Persian diplomats. The king gave his ward instructions according to which he was ready to cede part of the disputed Talysh Khanate in exchange for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. However, Tehran did not accept such proposals. Menshikov was even arrested along with all the ambassadors, although he was released already in 1827.
Persian intervention
The failure of preliminary negotiations led to the fact that the Russian-Persian war finally began. On July 16, 1826, the Iranian army crossed the border in the area of modern Azerbaijan, where the Talysh and Karabakh khanates were located. This operation was carried out secretly and treacherously, there was no official declaration of war.
On the border there were only defensive detachments, hastily assembled and consisting of local Azerbaijanis. They could not provide serious resistance to the trained Persian army. Some residents who professed Islam even joined the interventionists. According to Abbas Mirza's plans, the Persian army was supposed to move northwest along the valleys of the Kura River. The main target was the provincial city of Tiflis. Ideally, Russian troops should have been thrown to the other side of the Terek.
War in Caucasus region always had several tactical features related to the specific terrain. It was possible to cross the ridge by land only through certain passes. Operating in Transcaucasia, the Persians sent auxiliary detachments to the north, hoping to block all routes for the main Russian army.
War in Karabakh
The main group under the direct leadership of Abbas Mirza numbered 40 thousand soldiers. This army crossed the border and headed towards the Shushi fortress. Even the day before, the Persian command tried to enlist the support of the local khans, who were the leaders of the Azerbaijanis living in the city. Some of them actually promised Abbas Mirza support.
An Orthodox Armenian population also lived in Shusha, which, on the contrary, was loyal to the Russian authorities. The garrison of the fortress consisted of a detachment of Cossacks. The besieged decided to take hostage those Muslim khans who were suspected of betrayal and collaboration with the Persians. Hasty training of the militia, consisting mainly of Armenians, began. Despite the energetic actions of the Cossacks, Shusha did not have any large supply of food and weapons necessary for successful defense during an assault or siege.
At this time, the Karabakh Khan, who became a vassal of Russia after the war of 1804-1813, announced support for the Persian interventionists. Abbas Mirza, for his part, promised protection to all local Muslims. He also announced that he was fighting only the Russians, hoping that this would help him convert the population to his side.
Siege of Shushi
The new Russian-Persian war began from Shushi. The attackers and defenders were separated by fortifications made of walls. To get rid of this obstacle, the Persians installed mines obtained thanks to European assistance. In addition, Abbas Mirza ordered several demonstrative executions of Karabakh Armenians to be carried out right under the walls, hoping that this act of intimidation would quarrel between the Armenians and Russians holed up in the fortress. This did not happen.
The Persian army besieged Shusha for seven weeks. This delay greatly changed the course of the entire military campaign. The Iranians decided to divide the army and send an 18,000-strong detachment towards Elisavetpol (Ganja). Abbas Mirza hoped that this maneuver would allow him to reach Tiflis from the east, which would be a complete surprise for the Cossacks.
Battle of Shamkhor
Commander-in-Chief Russian troops in the Caucasus, General Ermolov was in Tiflis at the beginning of the war and assembled regiments. His first plan was to quickly retreat into the depths of the region, luring the Persians away from his own territory. Already in new positions, the Cossacks would have had a noticeable advantage over the Shah's army.
However, by the time a detachment of 8 thousand soldiers was assembled in Tiflis, it became clear that the interventionists were stuck for a long time under the walls of Shushi. So, unexpectedly for everyone, the Russian-Persian war began. The year 1826 was in full swing, and Ermolov decided to launch a counterattack before the onset of cold weather. An army led by Major General Madatov was sent towards Elisavetpol to stop the enemy and lift the siege of Shushi.
This detachment encountered the enemy vanguard near the village of Shamkir. The ensuing battle in historiography was called the Battle of Shamkhor. It was she who influenced the results of the Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828. Up to this point, the Iranians had advanced, encountering virtually no organized resistance. Now they had to face a real Russian army.
By the time Madatov found himself in Azerbaijan, the Persians had already managed to besiege Elisavetpol. To break through to the blockaded city, the Russian army needed to defeat the enemy vanguard. On September 3, in the ensuing battle, the Persians lost 2 thousand people killed, while Madatov lost 27 soldiers. Due to the defeat in the Battle of Shamkhor, Abbas Mirza had to lift the siege of Shushi and move to the rescue of the regiments stationed near Elisavetpol.
Expulsion of the Persians from Russia
Valerian Madatov commanded only 6 thousand people. There were clearly not enough of them to drive the Persians away from Elizavetpol. Therefore, after the victory near Shamkhor, he made a small maneuver, during which he linked up with fresh reinforcements that came from Tiflis. The meeting took place on September 10. The new regiments were commanded by Ivan Paskevich. He also took command of the entire army that was marching to liberate Elizavetpol.
On September 13, Russian troops found themselves near the city. There were also Persians there. The parties began to prepare for a general battle. It began with intense artillery shelling. The first Persian infantry attack floundered due to the fact that the regiments ran into a ravine and, being trapped, came under enemy fire.
In the offensive of the Russian units, the Kherson regiment, which was directly led by Paskevich, played a decisive role. The Iranians could not be helped by either artillery or cavalry, which tried to attack the Georgian militias from the flank. The Russo-Persian War, the reasons for which lay in the Shah's desire to strike at his neighbor, once again showed how the eastern type of army was ineffective against Russian units trained in the European manner. The counterattack of Paskevich’s units led to the fact that the Iranians first retreated to their original positions, and by the evening they completely surrendered them.
The losses of both sides were again strikingly disproportionate. General Paskevich counted 46 killed and approximately two hundred wounded. The Iranians lost two thousand people. About the same number of soldiers surrendered. In addition, the Russians received enemy artillery and banners. The victory at Elisavetpol led to Russia now deciding what the Russian-Persian war would be like. The results of the battle were announced throughout the country and accepted as a gift to the new emperor, who needed to publicly prove his own competence as a ruler.
Campaign of 1827
Paskevich's success was appreciated. He was appointed commander-in-chief and viceroy of the Tsar in the Caucasus. By October, Iranian troops were driven back beyond the Araks. Thus the status quo was restored. The soldiers wintered, and a temporary lull established at the front. However, all parties understood that the Russian-Persian War (1826-1828) was not yet over. Briefly speaking, Nicholas decided to take advantage of the successes of the army and not only drive out the interventionists, but also complete the annexation of Orthodox Armenia, part of which still belonged to the Shah.
Paskevich’s main goal was the city of Erivan (Yerevan) and the Erivan Khanate, which was a vassal of Iran. The military campaign began in late spring. In the summer, the important fort of Sardar-Abad surrendered to Russian troops. Until August, the king's army did not encounter serious resistance. All this time Abbas-Mirza was in his homeland, collecting new regiments.
Battle of Oshakan
In early August, the Persian heir with a 25,000-strong army entered the Erivan Khanate. His army attacked the city of Etchmiadzin, which had only a small Cossack garrison, as well as an ancient Christian fortified monastery. The fortress had to be rescued by a detachment led by Lieutenant General Afanasy Krasovsky.
August 17th small Russian army 3 thousand people attacked the 30 thousand army of Abbas Mirza. This was one of the most striking episodes for which that Russian-Persian war is known. The date of the Battle of Oshakan (as it is known in historiography) coincided with the established unbearable Caucasian heat, which tormented all soldiers equally.
The goal of Krasovsky’s detachment was to break through to the besieged city through the dense ranks of the enemy. The Russians carried an extensive baggage train and supplies needed for the garrison. The path had to be paved with bayonets, because there was not a single road left where there were no Persians. To deter enemy attacks, Krasovsky deployed artillery, which from the very beginning of the operation occupied strategically convenient heights for shelling. Firing from the guns prevented the Persians from attacking the Russians with all their might, which was reflected in the result of the battle.
As a result, Krasovsky’s detachment managed to break through to Etchmiadzin, despite the fact that every second soldier from this army died fighting off Muslim attacks. The failure had an extremely strong demoralizing effect on the entire Persian leadership. Abbas Mirza continued to try to besiege the city for some time, but soon wisely retreated.
The main forces of the empire under the leadership of Paskevich at this time planned to invade Azerbaijan and go to Tabriz. But at the end of August, the commander-in-chief received news of the events in Etchmiadzin, because of which the Russian-Persian War (1826-1828) moved to another stage. The reasons why Paskevich sent a small detachment to the west were simple - he believed that Abbas Mirza was in a completely different region. Realizing that the main Iranian army was in his rear, the commander-in-chief abandoned the campaign to Tabriz and moved towards the Erivan Khanate.
Capture of Yerevan
On September 7, Paskevich and Krasovsky met in Etchmiadzin, from which the siege had been lifted the day before. At the council it was decided to take the Armenian Erivan. If the army had managed to capture this city, the Russian-Persian war would have ended. The year 1828 was already approaching, so Paskevich immediately set off, hoping to complete the operation before the onset of winter.
The Russian-Persian War, the years of which occurred during a period of turbulence in the Russian state, nevertheless showed that, in spite of everything, the tsarist army could solve operational problems in the most difficult conditions. Nicholas I, not without reason, believed that he needed to establish a protectorate over all of Armenia. The indigenous inhabitants of this country were also Orthodox Christians and suffered from Muslim domination for centuries.
The first attempts of the Armenians to establish contact with St. Petersburg took place back in It was from that time Russian army liberated province after province in Transcaucasia. Paskevich, once in eastern Armenia, was greeted with enthusiasm local residents. Most of the men joined the general as militiamen.
The Russian-Persian War of 1828 became a chance for Armenians to start living in Christian country. There were many of them in Erivan. Realizing this, the Persian commandant of the fortress expelled from the city members of influential Armenian families who could incite the townspeople to revolt. But the precautionary measures did not help the Iranians. The city was taken by Russian troops on October 1, 1827 after a short assault.
Negotiation
Two weeks after this victory, it became known at headquarters that another royal detachment had captured Tabriz. This army was commanded by Georgy Eristov, sent by Paskevich to the southeast after the commander-in-chief left for Erivan. This victory was the last front-line event for which the Russian-Persian War (1826-1828) is known. The Shah needed a peace treaty. His army lost all strategically important battles. In addition, the royal regiments now occupied part of its territory.
Therefore, with the onset of winter, both states began to exchange diplomats and envoys. They met in Turkmanchay, a small village not far from captured Tabriz. The treaties signed in this place on February 10, 1828 summed up the results of the Russian-Persian War (1826-1828). All the conquests that tsarist army did in the previous conflict. In addition, the imperial crown received new territorial acquisitions. This was eastern Armenia with its main city Yerevan, as well as the Nakhichevan Khanate. The Iranians agreed to pay a large indemnity (20 million rubles in silver). They also guaranteed their non-interference in the resettlement process Orthodox Armenians to your homeland.
End of the conflict
It is curious that a member of the royal embassy was the diplomat and writer Alexander Griboyedov. He took part in the discussion of the conditions under which the Russian-Persian War (1826-1828) ended. In short, the agreement did not suit the Iranians. A few months later a new one began and the Persians tried to violate the terms of the peace.
In order to resolve the conflict, an embassy was sent to Tehran, headed by Griboyedov. In 1829, this delegation was brutally murdered by Islamic fanatics. Dozens of diplomats were killed. The Shah sent rich gifts to St. Petersburg to smooth over the scandal. Nikolai did not agree to confrontation, and since then there has been a long peace between the neighbors.
Griboedov's mutilated body was buried in Tiflis. While in Yerevan, which had just been liberated from the Iranians, he staged his most famous play, “Woe from Wit,” on stage for the first time. This is how that Russian-Persian war ended. The peace treaty allowed the creation of several new provinces, and from then on Transcaucasia remained part of the empire until the fall of the monarchy.
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.
Start 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 controlled Georgia, 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, hostilities began between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, 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.
By the end of the 18th century. Transcaucasia was divided between the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Safavid Iran: western Georgia and the main part of Armenia were under Turkish control, eastern Georgia (Kartli, Kakheti), eastern Armenia (Erivan Khanate) and Azerbaijan (Shirvan, Karabakh) were under Persian control. In the first quarter of the 18th century. the strengthened Russian state, which owned the lands north of the river. Terek, intensified its penetration into North Caucasus and in Transcaucasia. Its natural allies turned out to be the Christian peoples of the Caucasus (Georgians, Armenians).
First Persian campaign 1722–1723.
The weakening of the Safavid state under Shah Sultan Hussein (1694–1722) created the threat of the seizure of Eastern Transcaucasia by Turkey, one of Russia's main opponents. After the Afghan invasion of Persia in January 1722, the Turks invaded Kartli, which was under Iranian protectorate. The heir to Sultan Hussein, the Persian Shah Tahmasp II, turned for help to Russia, which had just successfully completed the Northern War of 1700–1721. Peter I (1682–1725), trying to secure Russian trade interests in the Caspian Sea and not wanting Kartli to be captured by Turkey, decided on armed intervention in Caucasian affairs.
In July 1722, the Russian army led by the Tsar set out from Astrakhan. Having crossed the border river Sulak, she subjugated Tarki (Primorsky Dagestan) and captured Derbent without a fight, but in the fall, due to illness and food shortages, she was forced to return to her homeland. In 1723, the Russians undertook a new campaign in Eastern Transcaucasia. They took Baku, landed troops in the Persian region of Gilan and occupied its administrative center of Rasht. On September 12 (23), Persia concluded the St. Petersburg Treaty with Russia, ceding to it its Caspian provinces of Gilan, Mazanderan and Astrabad (modern Gorgan) and agreeing to the transfer of the Derbent and Baku khanates to its rule. In 1724, Russian acquisitions in Transcaucasia were recognized by Turkey; in exchange, Peter I had to recognize the Turkish protectorate over Kartli, the Erivan Khanate and almost all of Azerbaijan.
However, in the 1730s, the government of Anna Ivanovna (1730–1740), trying to win over Persia in the brewing military conflict with Turkey, revised the St. Petersburg Treaty. According to the Treaty of Rasht in 1732, Gilan, Mazanderan and Astrabad were returned to Iran, and the Kura River became the border. According to the Ganja Treaty of 1735, Russia ceded Derbent and Baku to him and agreed to push the border to the Terek.
Second Persian campaign 1796.
During the reign of Catherine II (1762–1796), Russia, taking advantage of a long period of unrest in Persia, strengthened its position in the Caucasus. In 1783, Irakli II, the ruler of the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom, passed into Russian citizenship (Georgievsky Treaty); in 1786 Tarki was included in the empire; Russia's influence in Dagestan increased. However, in the mid-1790s, Aga Mohammed Khan Qajar, having seized the Persian throne and putting an end to civil strife, tried to regain control over Eastern Transcaucasia. In the summer of 1795, the Persians invaded Kartli. In response, Catherine II in 1796 sent a military expedition to Transcaucasia led by V.A. Zubov, who a short time managed to occupy Derbent, Kuba, Baku, Shemakha and Ganja. But after the death of the empress on November 6 (17), 1796, her successor Paul I (1796–1801) recalled the troops to their homeland.
Russian-Persian War 1804–1813.
At the turn of the 18th–19th centuries. Russia has intensified its penetration into Transcaucasia. In September 1801, Alexander I (1801–1825) announced the annexation of the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom to the empire. In November 1803 - January 1804, the Ganja Khanate was conquered. In May 1804, the Persian Shah Feth Ali (1797–1834), who entered into an alliance with Great Britain, demanded that Russia withdraw its troops from Transcaucasia. At the beginning of June, the Persians (Tsarevich Abbas-Mirza) invaded the Erivan Khanate, but, having been defeated by the troops of P.D. Tsitsianov at the Gumry tract, at the Etchmiadzin monastery, on the Zanga river and at the village. Kalagiri, retreated beyond the Araks River. However, the Russians failed to take Erivan (modern Yerevan). In June 1805, Abbas Mirza launched an attack on Tiflis, but the heroic resistance of a small detachment of Karyagin on the Askeran River near the Karabakh Range allowed Tsitsianov to gather forces and at the end of July defeat the Persians on the Zagam River near Ganja. The power of Russia was recognized by the Karabakh and Shirvan khanates, as well as the Shuragel Sultanate. In November 1805 Tsitsianov moved to Baku; On February 8 (20), he was killed during negotiations with the Baku Khan. Appointed instead of him, I.V. Gudovich in the summer of 1806 defeated Abbas Mirza at Karakapet (Karabakh) and conquered the Sheki, Derbent, Baku and Kuba khanates.
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 Echmiadzin, 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, Russian troops stopped the Persian advance in the Akhalkalaki direction and prevented them from connecting with the Turks.
After the signing of the Russian-Turkish peace in January 1812, Persia began to lean toward reconciliation with Russia. But the news of Napoleon I's entry into Moscow strengthened the military party at the Shah's court; In southern Azerbaijan, a huge army was formed under the command of Abbas Mirza to attack Georgia. However, Kotlyarevsky, having crossed the Araks, on October 19–20 (October 31 – November 1) defeated the many times superior Persian forces at the Aslanduz ford and took Lenkoran on January 1 (13). The Shah had to enter into peace negotiations. On October 12 (24), 1813, the Treaty of Gulistan was signed, according to which Persia recognized eastern Georgia and most of Azerbaijan as part of the Russian Empire; Russia received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea.
Russian-Persian War 1826–1828.
Persia did not accept the loss of most of Eastern Transcaucasia. After the Peace of Gulistan, she became even closer to Great Britain (Treaty of Union of 1814) and launched anti-Russian agitation among the Dagestan and Azerbaijani rulers. However, in 1820 Russia finally subjugated the Shirvan Khanate, and by 1824 completed the conquest of Dagestan. With the accession to the throne of Nicholas I (1825–1855) Russian politics in the Caucasus changed: in the context of an escalating conflict with Turkey, St. Petersburg was ready to cede to it the southern part of the Talysh Khanate for the neutrality of Persia. But under pressure from Abbas-Mirza, Feth-Ali rejected the Russian proposals (mission of A.S. Menshikov). In July 1826, Persian troops crossed the border without declaring war, occupied Elisavetpol (formerly Ganja) and besieged Shusha. On September 5 (17), V.G. Madatov’s detachment liberated Elisavetpol, and on September 13 (25), the Separate Caucasian Corps (I.F. Paskevich) defeated the main forces of the Persians (Abbas-Mirza) and by the end of October threw them back beyond the Araks. In June 1827, 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 stop the further advance of the Russians, invaded the Erivan Khanate, besieged Etchmiadzin on August 15 (27), but having suffered defeat from A.I. Krasovsky near the village of Ushagan (Oshakan) on the Kasakh River, he retreated to Persia . On October 1 (13), Paskevich took Erivan and entered South Azerbaijan; On October 14 (26), G.E. Eristov’s detachment captured Tabriz (Tabriz). Military failures forced the Persians to negotiate peace. On February 10 (22), 1828, the Peace of Turkmanchay was signed (in the village of Turkmanchay near Tabriz), according to which Persia ceded eastern Armenia (Erivan and Nakhichevan khanates) to Russia.
As a result Russian-Persian wars Eastern Transcaucasia became part of the Russian Empire, Russia became the master of the Caspian Sea, and favorable conditions were created for the spread of Russian influence in the Middle East. Christian nations eastern Georgia and northeastern Armenia got rid of religious oppression and were given the opportunity to preserve their ethno-cultural identity.
Ivan Krivushin