Austro-Turkish War 1735 1739. Russian-Turkish Wars - briefly

In 1735, the war began, which is called the Russian-Turkish and Austro-Russian-Turkish. Its participants hoped to change the balance of power in the Black Sea region and the Balkans. Neither side was able to achieve its objectives, but the balance of power did change: the war contributed to the strengthening of Russia and the weakening of Austria. The Ottoman Empire, having returned a significant part of its possessions in the Balkans, lost its strategic advantage in the Black Sea region.

Main combat episodes of the war

Results of the war

This war has become another attempt Russia to solve one of its most important foreign policy problems XVIII century- achieve access to the Black Sea. The reason for the war was the attacks of the Crimean Tatars on the Russian border lands. St. Petersburg did not miss the chance given to it by the Crimean Khan, since the international situation was developing very favorably for Russia. Türkiye was then at war with Persia, with which Russian diplomacy entered into an alliance. An agreement on joint actions against the Turks was also reached with Austria. Thus, the borders of the Ottoman Empire from the Adriatic Sea to the Persian Gulf came under pressure from powers hostile to it.

Campaign of 1735.

At the first stage, Russia actually fought only with the Crimean Khanate. Taking advantage of the departure of the main forces of the khan to Dagestan (to help Turkey in the war in Persia), the Russian command tried to capture the deserted Crimea. In the fall of 1735, the army of General Leontyev (40 thousand people) moved there. But this time too, nature itself protected Crimea. It started raining on October 13th. Then snow fell and frost hit. Only half the journey had been completed, and 9 thousand soldiers and 3 thousand horses had already died from lack of food and disease. Ahead lay a bare snow-covered steppe, through which Leontyev did not dare to go to certain death. Thus, for the umpteenth time, the Wild Field defended the northern possessions of the Ottoman Empire better than any fortresses and troops.

Campaign of 1736.

Capture of Azov. The plan of the Russian command for 1736 provided for the simultaneous conduct of two large independent operations - against Azov and Crimea. Their capture broke the ring of Ottoman possessions on the Azov-Black Sea coast. The campaign began in March with the siege of Azov. An army under the command of Field Marshal Peter Lassi (25 thousand people) acted against him. The fortress was supposed to be taken by May 15 in order to use part of the troops for landing in Crimea. But the siege dragged on, and the assault began only on June 17. The Russians overcame the ditch and entrenched themselves in the front garden near the fortress walls. Things did not come to a general assault, because on June 19, 1736, the Azov garrison threw out the white flag. 4 thousand people were taken prisoner. This capture of Azov cost the Russians little blood - 200 killed and 1,500 wounded. Nevertheless, the delay in the siege did not allow Lassi to strike the Crimea. While the siege of Azov was going on, the main Russian army, led by Field Marshal Burchard Munnich (58 thousand people), moved on April 17 to Perekop. Taking into account the unsuccessful experience of previous campaigns, Minikh special attention devoted to supply issues. His army was accompanied by a colossal convoy of 40 thousand carts (almost one cart for each warrior). To protect against unexpected attacks, the army moved in one large square. Covering 8-10 versts a day, Minikh approached the walls of Perekop on May 20. Before this, the Russian army repelled the attacks of the Crimean cavalry (20 thousand people) in the Chernaya Dolina tract (40 km north of Perekop).

Capture of Perekop.

The basis of the Perekop fortifications was an eight-kilometer ditch stretching from the Black to the Azov Sea, as well as an earthen rampart with stone towers. On May 21 (virtually without siege preparations), Russian troops launched an assault on Perekop, which was defended by a 3,000-strong Turkish garrison. The assault troops crossed the ditch, and then, using pikes and slingshots, began to climb the rampart. Half an hour later they were already at the top. The Turkish detachment offered fierce resistance to only one of the watchtowers. He defended himself for an hour and was completely exterminated. The rest surrendered on the condition that they would be allowed to go home. Having taken Perekop, Minikh decided to secure his right flank from the Dnieper and sent General Leontyev’s 10,000-strong corps there against the Turkish fortress of Kinburn. The field marshal himself entered Crimea. On June 5, the Russians captured Yevpatoria, where they captured significant booty. This allowed them to continue the offensive and on June 16, 1736, for the first time in the history of the Russian-Crimean wars, to capture the capital of the Khanate - Bakhchisarai. However, they failed to gain a foothold in Crimea. Due to lack of water and widespread diseases, Minikh lost almost half of the army (out of 30 thousand who were out of action, combat losses amounted to less than 7%). Ahead of him lay the August heat, which only foreshadowed an increase in casualties. Minikh also had information about the movement of the Turkish army towards the Danube. Its blow from Ochakov could lock the Russians in the Crimea. In August, the Russian army left the Crimean Peninsula. Due to heavy losses and lack of fodder, Minich abandoned a new campaign in the Crimea in the fall of the same year. “For the Russian army, the Turks and Tatars were least terrible... Hunger, thirst, constant labor and marches during the most terrible time of the year had a much more disastrous effect on it,” General Manstein, a participant in that war, recalled on this occasion.

Campaign of 1737.

This campaign began with a major winter attack by the Crimean Khan on Ukraine. Having crossed the Dnieper on ice at Perevolochna, the Crimeans defeated the detachment of General Leslie and invaded the territory of the Left Bank. But in a battle with the detachment of Lieutenant Colonel Svechin, they were repulsed. On February 16, the khan retreated beyond the Dnieper, fearing the opening of the river due to the early thaw. In the spring, the Russian command resumed offensive operations. Now the main blow was supposed to be delivered to Turkey’s key point in the Northern Black Sea region - the Ochakov fortress. Having taken it, the Russians cut off the Crimean Khanate from Turkish possessions, gained control over the mouth of the Dnieper and open access to the Black Sea. An auxiliary attack was planned on Crimea. During this period there were changes in international situation. Despite the agreements with Russia, Persia ended the war with Turkey. But in 1737, Austria finally came out against the Ottoman Empire. This forced the Turks to transfer the main forces to Serbia and Bosnia.

Capture of Ochakov (1737).

At the end of April 1737, Minich's army (60-70 thousand people) with a convoy of 28 thousand carts moved towards Ochakov. To prevent the movement of Russian troops, the Crimeans set fire to the steppe. This slowed down the campaign, which took place in fire, dust and ash. To protect against fire, troops had to dig deep trenches around the perimeter of their camp sites. Finally, on June 30, the army approached the walls of the fortress, the garrison of which (along with families) numbered 17 thousand people. On July 1, shelling of the fortress began, and on July 2, Russian troops launched an attack. This lack of preparation was due to two main reasons. Firstly, the scorched steppe stretched for tens of kilometers around Ochakov. A long siege was impossible, since the army had only 8 days of food and fodder left. Secondly, Minikh was afraid of large reinforcements approaching Ochakov by sea and from the fortress of Bendery (on the Dniester). So the troops launched an assault without reconnaissance. The lack of information about the fortifications led to the fact that the attack began against the most fortified side of Ochakov. Approaching the fortress, the attackers were stopped by a deep ditch. Not having the equipment to overcome it, the soldiers went down into the ditch, but could not get out. The attack stalled. Under devastating fire, the Russians, unable to move forward, began to retreat back. The Turks made a sortie and rushed to finish off the retreating ones. According to the participants in the battle, if the entire garrison had gone on a counterattack, the Russian army would have been threatened with complete defeat. Minich fell into despair. He dropped his sword and, wringing his hands, shouted: “Everything is lost!” Minich was saved from the impending disaster by the skill of the Russian artillerymen. Thanks to their accurate and intense fire, fires were already raging in the city by that time, from which powder magazines began to burst. Fleeing from the fire, the Turks began to leave the city and move towards the sea. Seeing that south gate open and poorly protected, the hussars and Cossacks rushed into a counterattack and managed to break into the fortress. This forced the Ochakov seraskir to capitulate. 4 thousand people were captured. The rest died mainly from fire and explosions. The Russians lost about 4 thousand people during the attack. Due to a lack of food and fodder, Minikh soon retreated to Ukraine. As in the previous campaign, the main losses of his army came not from battles, but from illness (15 thousand people). Having strengthened Ochakov, “a thorn in the enemy’s feet” (according to Minich), the field marshal left there a 9,000-strong garrison led by General Shtofeln. On October 14-28, 1737, he managed to repel the attacks of a 50,000-strong Turkish army that arrived from Bendery to recapture Ochakov. Having lost 10 thousand people in the attacks, the Turkish army retreated.

Battle of Salgir (1737).

Almost simultaneously with Minich, on May 3, 1737, the army of Field Marshal Lassi (40 thousand people) set out from Azov for the Crimea. Khan with the main forces (45 thousand people) was waiting for her at Perekop. But Lasi decided to bypass the Perekop fortifications. On July 7, his army crossed Lake Sivash and moved to the Crimea along the Arabat Spit. Having gone to the rear of the Khan’s group, Lassi attacked a detachment of Crimean troops (15 thousand people) near the Salgir River on July 12 and inflicted a complete defeat on them. Then Lassi defeated the Crimeans near the city of Karasu-Bazar on July 14. Fearing a blow to the rear, Khan Fethi-Girey left the Perekop fortifications and retreated to the mountains. Despite achieved success, Lasi was soon forced to leave Crimea due to extreme heat, lack of feed and water. Thus, like the first, the second Crimean campaign ended. Meanwhile, Türkiye, attacked from two sides, was leaning toward peace. But at the Nemirov Congress (1737) convened by her, the allies put forward demands that were not commensurate with the results of the actions of their armies. Defeated Austria demanded Moldavia and Wallachia from Turkey. Russia sought Azov, Crimea, Kuban and the Northern Black Sea region. By the way, Russian demands were rejected not only by the Turks, but also by the Austrians. Thus, the Austrian Ambassador Osteen said that no one would allow Russia to take possession of Crimea. The congress ended inconclusively, and hostilities resumed.

Campaign of 1738.

The main goal of the 1738 campaign was the Turkish stronghold on the Dniester River - the Bendery fortress. Owning it and Ochakov, the Russians could completely oust the Turks beyond the Dniester. An auxiliary strike was again planned to be carried out on Crimea. On May 18, 1738, Minich's 55,000-strong army (it was no longer possible to recruit due to major losses in previous years) with 40,000 carts moved from the Dnieper to the Dniester. This was Minich's longest steppe campaign, during which he had to overcome more than 300 km of continuous steppe. Approaching the Dniester, north of Bendery, on July 26, the Russian army was never able to cross. On the right bank, a 60,000-strong army of the Bendery seraskir Veli Pasha was waiting for her, who placed artillery on the dominant heights and blocked the crossing. Russian attempts to cross the river were repulsed. Then Minich decided to maneuver along the river, but achieved nothing. August passed in heated skirmishes between the Russian army and Turkish-Tatar detachments, which crossed to the left bank and inflicted sensitive blows on Minich. “These places,” the field marshal wrote, “are very difficult for a military operation of such a large army... there is not enough water, high and rocky banks make it difficult to approach with livestock for watering... there is neither enough feed, nor convenient roads, but everywhere empty and deaf mountains and gullies..." In the campaign of 1738, the overload of the army with convoys, which was characteristic of this war, was especially affected, which interfered with maneuverable actions against the Turkish-Tatar detachments. The Austrian military envoy, Captain Paradis, a participant in that campaign, wrote that the Russians were making it difficult for themselves with an excessive supply of convoys, which were distributed extremely unevenly. Majors, for example, had up to 30 carts each. “The unheard-of large convoy made this noble army immobile,” Paradis testified. “When the convoy is in disarray, the carts become so entangled and entangled with each other that the army is forced to stand in one place for two or three hours, when the air is filled with the screams of many cabbies... The Russian army spends more than 30 hours on such a transition, for which another army uses four hours... Care for the sick is poor: there is a lack of skilled surgeons, every student who comes here is immediately assigned to the regimental doctor.” At the end of August, Minikh retreated beyond the Bug. A considerable part of the artillery had to be abandoned due to the death of horses and oxen - the guns were thrown into wells, the shells were buried in the ground. Upon return, only half of the army remained in service. The other one was killed, mostly by illness. In 1738, a plague broke out in the steppes. She mowed down two-thirds of the Ochakov garrison. Saving the remnants of troops in Kinburn and Ochakov from the epidemic, the Russian command was forced to leave these fortresses. The Third Crimean Campaign also ended in failure. Having approached Perekop in June and captured its fortifications, Lassi soon turned back due to lack of food and fatigue of the troops. So, the campaign of 1738 ended with a negative result for Russia. Her troops not only failed to complete their assigned tasks, but also left Ochakov with Kinburn, thereby erasing their greatest achievement. After four campaigns, only Azov remained in Russian hands.

Campaign of 1739.

The main actions again took place in the Dniester region. Taught by the horrors of the previous campaign, Minikh decided to go to Moldova by a more northern route, through the populated and non-arid areas of Podolia. True, they were then part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. But the Polish throne was then occupied by Russia’s protégé, King Augustus III, and the Russian field marshal believed that the Poles would not oppose the passage of his troops. The target of the Russian army was the Turkish fortress of Khotyn in the upper reaches of the Dniester. Having occupied this area, Minich reached the Austrian border and could establish contact with his allies. They suffered defeats and had long sought military assistance from Russia. On May 28, 1739, the 68,000-strong army of Minich, replenished with reserves, crossed the Polish border and moved towards the Dniester. This water barrier was successfully crossed on July 19 thanks to skillful maneuver. Minikh left the main forces to distract the army of the Khoty Seraskir Hussein Pasha (30 thousand people) standing on the right bank. He himself, with a 20,000-strong corps, secretly moved to the village of Sinkovtsy, where he crossed without interference. Hussein realized it too late. His attacks on Sinkowitz on July 22 were repulsed. Moreover, according to Minich, “our people showed an unspeakable desire for battle.” Hussein Pasha retreated to the village of Stavuchany (2 km south of Khotin), where he united with the army of the Bendery seraskir Veli Pasha (60 thousand people). Having one and a half superiority in forces and, in addition, a powerful fortress, the Turks set up a fortified camp near Stavuchany and began to calmly wait further actions Minikha. The Russians had Khotyn in the rear, with a huge Ottoman army ahead. The Russians had no choice but to retreat back beyond the Dniester, or to fight a general battle for the first time in the entire war. Minich chose the second option.

Battle of Stavuchany (1739).

On August 17, 1739, the Russian army began the battle. Its main forces crossed the Shupanets River on the right flank and approached the Turkish camp. Veli Pasha decided to surround them with flank attacks. Kolchak Pasha's cavalry attacked the left flank of Minich's army. At the same time, the troops that crossed Šupanec were subjected to a powerful attack by the Turkish cavalry. But the Russians managed to repel the first fierce blow and launched a counterattack themselves. They drove back the Turkish troops on the right flank and broke into Veli Pasha's camp. After this, panic began in the Turkish camp, and Veli Pasha’s army fled. The Turks lost 1 thousand people in this battle. killed. Russians - up to 2 thousand killed and wounded.

The Battle of Stavuchany became the largest victory Russian troops in the Russian-Turkish war of 1735-1739. After him, the Turkish army hastily retreated across the Danube, and Moldova accepted Russian citizenship. On August 19, left to the mercy of fate, the Khotin garrison capitulated. On September 3, the Russians entered Iasi. Minikh was preparing for a campaign on the Danube, but then the news that struck him like thunder came - after new defeats from Turkey, Austria concluded a separate peace. The Austrians, beaten by the Turks, left the game, thereby inviting their victors to escort the Russians out of Moldova. Now two-thirds of the most combat-ready Turkish troops, which had hitherto been on the Austrian front, were urgently transferred to Moldova. A shadow hung over Minikh Prut campaign. The cold weather was approaching, and wintering in Moldova with the approach of new Turkish forces and the lack of food and ammunition seemed unrealistic. Most likely, Minich had to return home to start all over again next year. In addition, according to St. Petersburg diplomacy, Turkey could have a new ally - Sweden, which became more and more bellicose with every year that the Russians got stuck in the south. A possible fight alone on two fronts after so many years of exhausting war was pictured in gloomy tones for St. Petersburg. There was little time left to think. 17 days after the Austro-Turkish peace, Russia joined it. Its diplomacy managed to obtain from Turkey mainly only concessions from Azov, and then only on the condition that all its fortifications were demolished. In addition, Russia secured Zaporozhye, which had become its citizenship. Russian state still remained without the right to have its own fleet in the Black Sea. The signed peace was generally consistent with the current situation. In fact, the Russians could confidently hold only Azov. True, the peace did not correspond to the successes of the military campaign, which was also paid for with significant casualties. But this was affected by the specifics of this war, in which we mainly had to fight not with people, but with nature. Without losing a single battle and taking three powerful fortresses, the Russians were defeated in the battle with the steppe. The death of soldiers from heat, hunger and epidemics made up the bulk of all irretrievable losses of the Russian army, which exceeded 100 thousand people.

So, the fourth Russian-Turkish war ended with heavy losses and modest results for Russia. And yet, the victories achieved for the first time ensured lasting peace in the south, permanently cooling the aggressiveness of the Ottoman Empire and, above all, its Crimean vassal towards Russia. Gradually the scales tipped in favor of the Russians. This war, to some extent, became a transitional moment when it ended great era menacing Austro-Turkish clashes and began new stage Europe's struggle with Turkey. Russia replaced Austria, which was weakened in the fight against the Turks.

Shefov N.A. The most famous wars and battles of Russia M. "Veche", 2000.
"From Ancient Rus' to the Russian Empire." Shishkin Sergey Petrovich, Ufa.

, Principality of Moldova

Russo-Turkish War (Russian-Austro-Turkish) 1735-1739- a war between the Russian (in alliance with the Holy Roman Empire) and the Ottoman Empires, caused by increased contradictions in connection with the outcome of the War of the Polish Succession, as well as the endless raids of the Crimean Tatars on the southern Russian lands. In addition, the war was consistent with Russia's long-term strategy to gain access to the Black Sea.

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  Neplyuev settled everything again. (The Ottoman Empire was at that time waging an unsuccessful war with Persia). When, after the death of Augustus II, in 1733, with the help of Russia, Augustus III was elected as the Polish king, and not Stanislav Leszczynski (a protégé of France), the French ambassador to Turkey de Villeneuve began to use every effort to quarrel Russia with Turkey. To do this, with the help of intrigue, he overthrew the Grand Vizier Ali Pasha [remove template], a supporter of peace with Russia. He was replaced by Ishmael Pasha (tur.), a rash and inexperienced person.

  Campaign of 1736

  The army was divided into two parts: the main one was assigned to go down the Dnieper and occupy the Crimea; the other part is to go from Izyum to Azov. At first, Minich himself was with the latter. Suddenly appearing in front of Azov, he captured two Ottoman towers and, with few losses, captured the fortress of Lyutik, and upon the arrival of General Levashov with reinforcements, he handed over his command and went to the main army.

  Although upon Minikh’s arrival in Tsarichanka (April 18) it turned out that the army was still not fully assembled, this did not prevent him from immediately setting out on a campaign with what was at hand. Overthrowing crowds of Tatars along the way, the Russians reached Perekop on May 28 and took it by storm on June 1. Having then advanced a special detachment under the command of General Leontyev to Kinburn, Minikh entered the Crimea and reached Bakhchisarai, consigning everything to fire and sword. However, the complete exhaustion of the troops from the unusual climate and all kinds of hardships forced him to return to Perekop on July 17, where he received news of the occupation of Kinburn without a fight.

  Meanwhile, Field Marshal Lassi, who arrived at the theater of war at the beginning of May and was appointed head of the siege corps near Azov, managed to take possession of this fortress. Leaving a garrison in it, he and the rest of his troops moved towards Perekop, but, meeting General Spiegel’s detachment on the way, he learned about the cleansing of Crimea by our troops.

  The following winter, the Tatars took revenge with a devastating raid on Russia. The prisoners they captured were, however, repulsed by the Don ataman Krasnoshchekov.

  The actions of the Russian troops aroused indignation in Istanbul, but the Ottoman government, preoccupied with the news of Russia's alliance with Austria, did not take anything decisive during 1736.

  Campaign of 1737

  Thanks to the successes of the Russian army in the campaign of 1736, Austria intervened in the conflict. In the winter of 1737, Austrian diplomats offered to mediate peace on the terms of the abolition of the Treaty of Prut of 1711 and the restoration of the terms of the Peace of Constantinople of 1700. After lengthy negotiations and an ultimatum from the Austrian side, the Porte agreed to begin negotiations. However, this did not prevent Austria from declaring war on Turkey in July 1737. This was largely caused by the resumption of hostilities by the Russian side after the winter raid of the Crimeans.

  To divert attention, the Ottomans instructed the Kalmyk Khan Donduk-Ombo, with the assistance of the Don Cossacks, to carry out a raid on the Kuban, the lands of the Nogais; Meanwhile, Minikh, having strengthened his army to 70 thousand, at the end of April crossed the Dnieper and moved to Ochakov. On July 2, the Ochakov fortress was taken, and a Russian garrison was left in it under the command of Shtofeln.

  Another Russian army (about 40 thousand), led by Field Marshal Lassi, moved from the Don to the Sea of ​​​​Azov; then, advancing along the Arabat Spit, crossed the Sivash against the mouth of the Salgir River and invaded Crimea. At the same time, she received very important assistance from the head of the Azov flotilla, Vice Admiral Bredal, who delivered various supplies and food to the Arabat Spit.

  At the end of July, Lassi reached Karasubazar and took possession of it; but due to increased sickness among the troops and depletion of provisions, he had to leave the peninsula. Having ravaged Perekop on the way back, he returned at the beginning of October.

  In August, Russia, Austria and Turkey began peace negotiations in Nemirov, which, however, turned out to be inconclusive due to the inconsistency and excessive demands of the allies (whose territorial claims overlapped in Moldavia and Wallachia), as well as the intransigence of Turkish diplomats, who received instructions not to concede anything.

  Meanwhile, Minikh, who was preparing to take possession of Bendery, was stopped in this enterprise by an Ottoman attack on Ochakov. The fortress, however, survived thanks to the heroic defense of the garrison; but Minikh, having calmed down about her fate, no longer did anything against Bender, but returned to Russia.

  Like previous ones, the campaign of 1737 thanks to climatic conditions and the accumulation of all sorts of disorder (embezzlement, bribery and sloppiness) in the administration of troops cost the Russian army huge losses in people; and due to the death of the horses, on the way back it was necessary to leave part of the artillery in Ochakov and in the Andreevsky fortification built on the Bug River.

  Happiness did not favor the allies, the Austrians, either, so they began peace negotiations with the Turks, which the Russian government also began. The emboldened enemy, however, made demands that were considered impossible to agree to.

  Campaign of 1738

  The war resumed; but the 1738 campaign was unsuccessful for the allies. Minikh with his weakened army, the replenishment of which he was denied, reached the Dniester with great difficulty in early August; but having learned that there was a strong Turkish army on the other side of the river and that the plague had appeared in Bessarabia, Minich decided to retreat.

  The retreat through waterless and desert terrain, with the constant threat of danger from the Tatars pursuing the army, again entailed very significant losses.

  Lassi's campaign in the Crimea, through places devastated last year, was also disastrous, since this time the Turkish fleet prevented Vice Admiral Bredal from delivering the necessary supplies to the ground army. Russian troops were forced to leave Crimea at the end of August.

  For the Austrians, this year was especially unhappy: one defeat followed another. A number of all these failures did not lead, however, to the conclusion of peace. Only the plan of action for the future campaign was changed; Lassi had to limit himself to defense.

  It was decided to withdraw Russian troops from Ochakov and Kinburn, where they were rapidly melting away due to an outbreak of plague.

  Campaign of 1739

  Minich was allowed to act at his own discretion, and his army was strengthened. was compiled new plan conducting the war in 1739. Two armies were formed - one, the main one, was supposed to move through Poland to Khotin, the other, auxiliary, to the Crimea and Kuban. The first, under the command of Minich, crossed the Polish border at the end of May and approached the Prut at the end of July. Here near the town of Stavuchan, near Khotyn, August 17 (28) Russian army met with an Ottoman detachment of 90 thousand under the command of Seraskir Veli Pasha. Minikh completely defeated the Turks. Khotyn also fell next, and on September 1, Russian troops entered Iasi, the residents of which pledged to support 20 thousand Russian troops for the first year and presented Minich with 12,000 ducats.

  The course of military operations turned out to be very unsuccessful for the Austrians: the Turks defeated them on July 22, 1739 near the village of Grotsky (40 thousand Austrian army under Count Georg von Wallis in a battle with 80 thousand Turkish army led by El Hadj Mohammed Pasha), having lost 5700 people. With 4,500 killed and 4,500 wounded, the Austrians retreated to Belgrade; Turkish losses were significantly lower. The Turks besieged Belgrade on July 25, forcing the start of peace negotiations, which were also failed by Austrian diplomacy. Soon, Austria, without the knowledge of Russia, concluded a separate peace with Turkey, according to which it ceded Belgrade, Orsov and the entire Serbian Kingdom to the latter.

  Belgrade Peace Treaty

  It was dangerous for Russia to continue the war alone, and through the French ambassador de Villeneuve, peace negotiations began with Turkey. Negotiations went on for a long time, and finally in September 1739 a peace treaty was concluded in Belgrade. According to the agreement, Russia retained Azov, but undertook to demolish all the fortifications located in it. In addition, it was forbidden to have a fleet in the Black Sea, and Turkish ships had to be used for trade on it. Thus, the problem of access to the Black Sea was practically not solved.

  The Belgrade Peace Treaty effectively nullified the results of the Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739. Acted actually before imprisonment

  Türkiye was then at war with Persia, with which Russian diplomacy entered into an alliance. An agreement on joint actions against the Turks was also reached with Austria. Thus, the borders of the Ottoman Empire from the Adriatic Sea to the Persian Gulf came under pressure from powers hostile to it.

  Campaign of 1735. At the first stage, Russia actually fought only with the Crimean Khanate. Taking advantage of the departure of the main forces of the khan to Dagestan (to help Turkey in the war in Persia), the Russian command tried to capture the deserted Crimea. In the fall of 1735, the army of General Leontyev (40 thousand people) moved there. But this time too, nature itself protected Crimea. It started raining on October 13th. Then snow fell and frost hit. Only half the journey had been completed, and 9 thousand soldiers and 3 thousand horses had already died from lack of food and disease. Ahead lay a bare snow-covered steppe, through which Leontyev did not dare to go to certain death. Thus, for the umpteenth time, the Wild Field defended the northern possessions of the Ottoman Empire better than any fortresses and troops.

  Campaign of 1736. Capture of Azov. The plan of the Russian command for 1736 provided for the simultaneous conduct of two large independent operations - against Azov and Crimea. Their capture broke the ring of Ottoman possessions on the Azov-Black Sea coast. The campaign began in March with the siege of Azov. An army under the command of Field Marshal Peter Lassi (25 thousand people) acted against him. The fortress was supposed to be taken by May 15 in order to use part of the troops for landing in Crimea. But the siege dragged on, and the assault began only on June 17. The Russians overcame the ditch and entrenched themselves in the front garden near the fortress walls. Things did not come to a general assault, because on June 19, 1736, the Azov garrison threw out the white flag. 4 thousand people were taken prisoner. This capture of Azov cost the Russians little blood - 200 killed and 1,500 wounded. Nevertheless, the delay in the siege did not allow Lassi to strike the Crimea. While the siege of Azov was going on, the main Russian army, led by Field Marshal Burchard Munnich (58 thousand people), moved on April 17 to Perekop. Taking into account the unsuccessful experience of previous campaigns, Minikh paid special attention to supply issues. His army was accompanied by a colossal convoy of 40 thousand carts (almost one cart for each warrior). To protect against unexpected attacks, the army moved in one large square. Covering 8-10 versts a day, Minikh approached the walls of Perekop on May 20. Before this, the Russian army repelled the attacks of the Crimean cavalry (20 thousand people) in the Chernaya Dolina tract (40 km north of Perekop).

  Capture of Perekop. The basis of the Perekop fortifications was an eight-kilometer ditch stretching from the Black to the Azov Sea, as well as an earthen rampart with stone towers. On May 21 (virtually without siege preparations), Russian troops launched an assault on Perekop, which was defended by a 3,000-strong Turkish garrison. The assault troops crossed the ditch, and then, using pikes and slingshots, began to climb the rampart. Half an hour later they were already at the top. The Turkish detachment offered fierce resistance to only one of the watchtowers. He defended himself for an hour and was completely exterminated. The rest surrendered on the condition that they would be allowed to go home. Having taken Perekop, Minikh decided to secure his right flank from the Dnieper and sent General Leontyev’s 10,000-strong corps there against the Turkish fortress of Kinburn. The field marshal himself entered Crimea. On June 5, the Russians captured Yevpatoria, where they captured significant booty. This allowed them to continue the offensive and on June 16, 1736, for the first time in the history of the Russian-Crimean wars, to capture the capital of the Khanate - Bakhchisarai. However, they failed to gain a foothold in Crimea. Due to lack of water and widespread diseases, Minikh lost almost half of the army (out of 30 thousand who were out of action, combat losses amounted to less than 7%). Ahead of him lay the August heat, which only foreshadowed an increase in casualties. Minikh also had information about the movement of the Turkish army towards the Danube. Its blow from Ochakov could lock the Russians in the Crimea. In August, the Russian army left the Crimean Peninsula. Due to heavy losses and lack of fodder, Minich abandoned a new campaign in the Crimea in the fall of the same year. “For the Russian army, the Turks and Tatars were least terrible... Hunger, thirst, constant labor and marches during the most terrible time of the year had a much more disastrous effect on it,” General Manstein, a participant in that war, recalled on this occasion.

  Campaign of 1737. This campaign began with a major winter attack by the Crimean Khan on Ukraine. Having crossed the Dnieper on ice at Perevolochna, the Crimeans defeated the detachment of General Leslie and invaded the territory of the Left Bank. But in a battle with the detachment of Lieutenant Colonel Svechin, they were repulsed. On February 16, the khan retreated beyond the Dnieper, fearing the opening of the river due to the early thaw. In the spring, the Russian command resumed offensive operations. Now the main blow was supposed to be delivered to Turkey’s key point in the Northern Black Sea region - the Ochakov fortress. Having taken it, the Russians cut off the Crimean Khanate from Turkish possessions, gained control over the mouth of the Dnieper and open access to the Black Sea. An auxiliary attack was planned on Crimea. During this period, changes occurred in the international situation. Despite the agreements with Russia, Persia ended the war with Turkey. But in 1737, Austria finally came out against the Ottoman Empire. This forced the Turks to transfer the main forces to Serbia and Bosnia.

  Capture of Ochakov (1737). At the end of April 1737, Minich's army (60-70 thousand people) with a convoy of 28 thousand carts moved towards Ochakov. To prevent the movement of Russian troops, the Crimeans set fire to the steppe. This slowed down the campaign, which took place in fire, dust and ash. To protect against fire, troops had to dig deep trenches around the perimeter of their camp sites. Finally, on June 30, the army approached the walls of the fortress, the garrison of which (along with families) numbered 17 thousand people. On July 1, shelling of the fortress began, and on July 2, Russian troops launched an attack. This lack of preparation was due to two main reasons. Firstly, the scorched steppe stretched for tens of kilometers around Ochakov. A long siege was impossible, since the army had only 8 days of food and fodder left. Secondly, Minikh was afraid of large reinforcements approaching Ochakov by sea and from the fortress of Bendery (on the Dniester). So the troops launched an assault without reconnaissance. The lack of information about the fortifications led to the fact that the attack began against the most fortified side of Ochakov. Approaching the fortress, the attackers were stopped by a deep ditch. Not having the equipment to overcome it, the soldiers went down into the ditch, but could not get out. The attack stalled. Under devastating fire, the Russians, unable to move forward, began to retreat back. The Turks made a sortie and rushed to finish off the retreating ones. According to the participants in the battle, if the entire garrison had gone on a counterattack, the Russian army would have been threatened with complete defeat. Minich fell into despair. He dropped his sword and, wringing his hands, shouted: “Everything is lost!” Minich was saved from the impending disaster by the skill of the Russian artillerymen. Thanks to their accurate and intense fire, fires were already raging in the city by that time, from which powder magazines began to burst. Fleeing from the fire, the Turks began to leave the city and move towards the sea. Seeing that the southern gate was open and poorly defended, the hussars and Cossacks rushed into a counterattack and managed to break into the fortress. This forced the Ochakov seraskir to capitulate. 4 thousand people were captured. The rest died mainly from fire and explosions. The Russians lost about 4 thousand people during the attack. Due to a lack of food and fodder, Minikh soon retreated to Ukraine. As in the previous campaign, the main losses of his army came not from battles, but from illness (15 thousand people). Having strengthened Ochakov, “a thorn in the enemy’s feet” (according to Minich), the field marshal left there a 9,000-strong garrison led by General Shtofeln. On October 14-28, 1737, he managed to repel the attacks of a 50,000-strong Turkish army that arrived from Bendery to recapture Ochakov. Having lost 10 thousand people in the attacks, the Turkish army retreated.

  Battle of Salgir (1737). Almost simultaneously with Minich, on May 3, 1737, the army of Field Marshal Lassi (40 thousand people) set out from Azov for the Crimea. Khan with the main forces (45 thousand people) was waiting for her at Perekop. But Lasi decided to bypass the Perekop fortifications. On July 7, his army crossed Lake Sivash and moved to the Crimea along the Arabat Spit. Having gone to the rear of the Khan’s group, Lassi attacked a detachment of Crimean troops (15 thousand people) near the Salgir River on July 12 and inflicted a complete defeat on them. Then Lassi defeated the Crimeans near the city of Karasu-Bazar on July 14. Fearing a blow to the rear, Khan Fethi-Girey left the Perekop fortifications and retreated to the mountains. Despite the success achieved, Lasi was soon forced to leave Crimea due to extreme heat, lack of feed and water. Thus, like the first, the second Crimean campaign ended. Meanwhile, Türkiye, attacked from two sides, was leaning toward peace. But at the Nemirov Congress (1737) convened by her, the allies put forward demands that were not commensurate with the results of the actions of their armies. Defeated Austria demanded Moldavia and Wallachia from Turkey. Russia sought Azov, Crimea, Kuban and the Northern Black Sea region. By the way, Russian demands were rejected not only by the Turks, but also by the Austrians. Thus, the Austrian Ambassador Osteen said that no one would allow Russia to take possession of Crimea. The congress ended inconclusively, and hostilities resumed.

  Campaign of 1738. The main goal of the 1738 campaign was the Turkish stronghold on the Dniester River - the Bendery fortress. Owning it and Ochakov, the Russians could completely oust the Turks beyond the Dniester. An auxiliary strike was again planned to be carried out on Crimea. On May 18, 1738, Minich's 55,000-strong army (it was no longer possible to recruit due to major losses in previous years) with 40,000 carts moved from the Dnieper to the Dniester. This was Minich's longest steppe campaign, during which he had to overcome more than 300 km of continuous steppe. Approaching the Dniester, north of Bendery, on July 26, the Russian army was never able to cross. On the right bank, a 60,000-strong army of the Bendery seraskir Veli Pasha was waiting for her, who placed artillery on the dominant heights and blocked the crossing. Russian attempts to cross the river were repulsed. Then Minich decided to maneuver along the river, but achieved nothing. August passed in heated skirmishes between the Russian army and Turkish-Tatar detachments, which crossed to the left bank and inflicted sensitive blows on Minich. “These places,” the field marshal wrote, “are very difficult for a military operation of such a large army... there is not enough water, high and rocky banks make it difficult to approach with livestock for watering... there is neither enough feed, nor convenient roads, but everywhere empty and deaf mountains and gullies..." In the campaign of 1738, the overload of the army with convoys, which was characteristic of this war, was especially affected, which interfered with maneuverable actions against the Turkish-Tatar detachments. The Austrian military envoy, Captain Paradis, a participant in that campaign, wrote that the Russians were making it difficult for themselves with an excessive supply of convoys, which were distributed extremely unevenly. Majors, for example, had up to 30 carts each. “The unheard-of large convoy made this noble army immobile,” Paradis testified. “When the convoy is in disarray, the carts become so entangled and entangled with each other that the army is forced to stand in one place for two or three hours, when the air is filled with the screams of many cabbies... The Russian army spends more than 30 hours on such a transition, for which another army uses four hours... Care for the sick is poor: there is a lack of skilled surgeons, every student who comes here is immediately assigned to the regimental doctor.” At the end of August, Minikh retreated beyond the Bug. A considerable part of the artillery had to be abandoned due to the death of horses and oxen - the guns were thrown into wells, the shells were buried in the ground. Upon return, only half of the army remained in service. The other one was killed, mostly by illness. In 1738, a plague broke out in the steppes. She mowed down two-thirds of the Ochakov garrison. Saving the remnants of troops in Kinburn and Ochakov from the epidemic, the Russian command was forced to leave these fortresses. The Third Crimean Campaign also ended in failure. Having approached Perekop in June and captured its fortifications, Lassi soon turned back due to lack of food and fatigue of the troops. So, the campaign of 1738 ended with a negative result for Russia. Her troops not only failed to complete their assigned tasks, but also left Ochakov with Kinburn, thereby erasing their greatest achievement. After four campaigns, only Azov remained in Russian hands.

  Campaign of 1739. The main actions again took place in the Dniester region. Taught by the horrors of the previous campaign, Minikh decided to go to Moldova by a more northern route, through the populated and non-arid areas of Podolia. True, they were then part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. But the Polish throne was then occupied by Russia’s protégé, King Augustus III, and the Russian field marshal believed that the Poles would not oppose the passage of his troops. The target of the Russian army was the Turkish fortress of Khotyn in the upper reaches of the Dniester. Having occupied this area, Minich reached the Austrian border and could establish contact with his allies. They suffered defeats and had long sought military assistance from Russia. On May 28, 1739, the 68,000-strong army of Minich, replenished with reserves, crossed the Polish border and moved towards the Dniester. This water barrier was successfully crossed on July 19 thanks to skillful maneuver. Minikh left the main forces to distract the army of the Khoty Seraskir Hussein Pasha (30 thousand people) standing on the right bank. He himself, with a 20,000-strong corps, secretly moved to the village of Sinkovtsy, where he crossed without interference. Hussein realized it too late. His attacks on Sinkowitz on July 22 were repulsed. Moreover, according to Minich, “our people showed an unspeakable desire for battle.” Hussein Pasha retreated to the village of Stavuchany (2 km south of Khotin), where he united with the army of the Bendery seraskir Veli Pasha (60 thousand people). Having one and a half superiority in forces and, in addition, a powerful fortress, the Turks set up a fortified camp near Stavuchany and began to calmly wait for Minich’s further actions. The Russians had Khotyn in the rear, with a huge Ottoman army ahead. The Russians had no choice but to retreat back beyond the Dniester, or to fight a general battle for the first time in the entire war. Minich chose the second option.

  Battle of Stavuchany (1739). On August 17, 1739, the Russian army began the battle. Its main forces crossed the Shupanets River on the right flank and approached the Turkish camp. Veli Pasha decided to surround them with flank attacks. Kolchak Pasha's cavalry attacked the left flank of Minich's army. At the same time, the troops that crossed Šupanec were subjected to a powerful attack by the Turkish cavalry. But the Russians managed to repel the first fierce blow and launched a counterattack themselves. They drove back the Turkish troops on the right flank and broke into Veli Pasha's camp. After this, panic began in the Turkish camp, and Veli Pasha’s army fled. The Turks lost 1 thousand people in this battle. killed. Russians - up to 2 thousand killed and wounded.

  Peace of Belgrade (18(29) September 1739). The Battle of Stavuchany became the largest victory of Russian troops in the Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739. After him, the Turkish army hastily retreated across the Danube, and Moldova accepted Russian citizenship. On August 19, left to the mercy of fate, the Khotin garrison capitulated. On September 3, the Russians entered Iasi. Minikh was preparing for a campaign on the Danube, but then the news that struck him like thunder came - after new defeats from Turkey, Austria concluded a separate peace. The Austrians, beaten by the Turks, left the game, thereby inviting their victors to escort the Russians out of Moldova. Now two-thirds of the most combat-ready Turkish troops, which had hitherto been on the Austrian front, were urgently transferred to Moldova. The shadow of the Prut campaign hung over Minikh. The cold weather was approaching, and wintering in Moldova with the approach of new Turkish forces and the lack of food and ammunition seemed unrealistic. Most likely, Minich had to return home to start all over again next year. In addition, according to St. Petersburg diplomacy, Turkey could have a new ally - Sweden, which became more and more bellicose with every year that the Russians got stuck in the south. A possible fight alone on two fronts after so many years of exhausting war was pictured in gloomy tones for St. Petersburg. There was little time left to think. 17 days after the Austro-Turkish peace, Russia joined it. Its diplomacy managed to obtain from Turkey mainly only concessions from Azov, and then only on the condition that all its fortifications were demolished. In addition, Russia secured Zaporozhye, which had become its citizenship. The Russian state still remained without the right to have its own fleet in the Black Sea. The signed peace was generally consistent with the current situation. In fact, the Russians could confidently hold only Azov. True, the peace did not correspond to the successes of the military campaign, which was also paid for with significant casualties. But this was affected by the specifics of this war, in which we mainly had to fight not with people, but with nature. Without losing a single battle and taking three powerful fortresses, the Russians were defeated in the battle with the steppe. The death of soldiers from heat, hunger and epidemics made up the bulk of all irretrievable losses of the Russian army, which exceeded 100 thousand people.

  So, the fourth Russian-Turkish war ended with heavy losses and modest results for Russia. And yet, the victories achieved for the first time ensured lasting peace in the south, permanently cooling the aggressiveness of the Ottoman Empire and, above all, its Crimean vassal towards Russia. Gradually the scales tipped in favor of the Russians. This war, to some extent, became a transitional moment when the great era of formidable Austro-Turkish clashes ended and a new stage in Europe’s struggle with Turkey began. Russia replaced Austria, which was weakened in the fight against the Turks.

  Shefov N.A. The most famous wars and battles of Russia M. "Veche", 2000.
  "From Ancient Rus' to the Russian Empire." Shishkin Sergey Petrovich, Ufa.

  Plan
  Introduction
  1 Background
  2 Main events
  3 1735
  4 1736
  5 1737
  6 1738
  7 1739
  8 Belgrade Peace Treaty
  References
  Russo-Turkish War (1735-1739) Introduction Russo-Turkish War 1735-1739 - war between Russian and Ottoman Empires, caused by increased contradictions in connection with the outcome of the War of the Polish Succession, as well as the ongoing raids of the Crimean Tatars on the southern Russian lands. In addition, the war was consistent with Russia's long-term strategy to gain access to the Black Sea. 1. Background During the reign of Catherine I and Peter II, relations with Turkey were peaceful. The clash occurred under Anna Ioannovna. The occasion was given by Polish affairs. The issue of dissidents in Poland led to Russian intervention in its affairs. The Porte, incited by the French envoy Villeneuve, demanded, on the basis of an agreement concluded under Peter I, Russian non-interference in Polish affairs. The Russian resident Neplyuev cleared up the misunderstandings, and the Porte found Russian intervention in Polish affairs natural, as long as the Russian government was at peace with Turkey. Another reason for misunderstandings was Kabarda, which Russia wanted to appropriate for itself, and Turkey considered the property of the Crimean Khan; the third reason was the willful passage of the troops of the Crimean Khan on the road to Persia through Russian possessions, which led to a bloody clash between the Russians and the Tatars in the Caucasus. Neplyuev managed to eliminate all these misunderstandings, despite all Villeneuve’s efforts to inflate them. It was all the easier to eliminate them because Türkiye was at that time waging an unsuccessful war with Persia. When, after the death of Augustus II, in 1733, with the help of Russia, Augustus III was elected as the Polish king, and not Stanislav Leszczynski, for whom France was working, Villeneuve began to use every effort to quarrel Russia with Turkey. In order to do this more successfully, he, with the help of intrigue, overthrew the Grand Vizier Ali Pasha, who was disposed towards peace with Russia. He was replaced by Ishmael Pasha, a rash and inexperienced man. Around that time, Ahmed was overthrown and his cousin Megmet was installed on the throne. Troubles occurred in Constantinople. Neplyuev and his assistant Veshnyakov, seeing all this, advised their government to immediately start a war with the Turks, which, in their opinion, was inevitable sooner or later. Neplyuev was soon recalled to St. Petersburg, and Veshnyakov remained the resident. In St. Petersburg, the majority of government officials were in favor of an immediate war, and in 1735, Count Osterman, pointing out in a letter to the Grand Vizier a number of violations of peace terms by the Porte, asked for the sending of commissioners to the border to eliminate misunderstandings. The plenipotentiaries were not expelled, and Russia considered the peace terms violated. Then the war began. 2. Main events In 1736, the Russian command established the capture of Azov and Crimea as a military goal. On May 20, 1736, the Russian Dnieper army, numbering 62 thousand people and commanded by Christopher Minich, stormed the Turkish fortifications at Perekop, and on June 17 occupied Bakhchisarai. However, a lack of food, as well as outbreaks of epidemics in the ranks of the Russian army, forced Minich to retreat to Ukraine. On June 19, the Don army of 28 thousand people, led by Peter Lassi, with the help of the Don flotilla, besieged Azov. In July 1737, Minich's army took the Turkish fortress of Ochakov. The Lassi army, which by that time had increased to 40 thousand people, simultaneously invaded Crimea, inflicting a number of defeats on the army of the Crimean Khan and capturing Karasubazar. But she too was soon forced to leave Crimea due to a lack of supplies. Emboldened against the backdrop of Russian victories, Austria declared war on Turkey in July 1737, but quite soon suffered a series of defeats. Thus, its entry into the war only worsened the situation for the allies and strengthened Turkey’s position. In August, Russia, Austria and Türkiye began peace negotiations in Nemirov, which, however, turned out to be inconclusive. During 1738 there were no significant military operations, but the Russian army had to leave Ochakov and Kinburn due to an outbreak of plague. 3. 1735 In June 1735, Minich was called from Poland for the war with Turkey, who decided to attack Crimea. Due to illness, he could not do this himself, and the matter was entrusted to Lieutenant General Leontyev (see). Having up to 20 thousand troops under his command, Leontyev entered the Black Sea lands at the end of summer, brutally punished the Nogais, but due to lack of water and food, he had to return to Ukraine before reaching the Crimea. Following this, Leontyev was replaced by field marshal. Minikh (q.v.), who energetically began preparations for a new campaign, which began in the early spring of 1736. 4. 1736 Anna Ioannovna's army was divided into two parts: the main one was assigned to go down the Dnieper and occupy the Crimea; the other part is to go from Izyum to Azov. At first, Minich himself was with the latter. Suddenly appearing in front of Azov, he captured two T. towers almost without firing a shot and, with an insignificant loss, captured the fortress of Buttercup, and upon arrival, General. Levashov with reinforcements handed over his command to him and went to the main army. Although upon Minikh’s arrival in Tsaritsynka (April 18), it turned out that the army was not yet fully assembled, this did not prevent him from immediately setting out on a campaign with what was at hand. Overcoming the crowds of Tatars along the way, the Russians reached Perekop on May 28 and took it by storm on June 1. Having then put forward a special detachment under the command of Gen. Leontyev to Kinburn, Minikh entered the Crimea and reached Bakhchisarai, consigning everything to fire and sword. However, the complete exhaustion of the troops from the unusual climate and all kinds of hardships forced him to return to Perekop on July 17, where he received news of the occupation of Kinburn without a fight. On August 28, our troops, having destroyed the Perekop fortifications, set out on a return campaign and arrived in Samara on September 27. Following this, the detachment of General, left at Perekop to cover the return movement of troops. Spiegel went to Bakhmut. Meanwhile, Field Marshal Lassi (q.v.), who arrived at the theater of war at the beginning of May and was appointed head of the siege corps near Azov, managed to capture this fortress. Leaving a garrison in it, he and the rest of the troops moved towards Perekop, but, meeting a detachment of the general on the way. Spiegel, learned about the cleansing of Crimea by our troops. The following winter, the Tatars took revenge on us with a devastating raid on Ukraine. The prisoners they captured were, however, repulsed by the Don ataman Krasnoshchekov. Our actions against the Tatars, of course, aroused strong indignation in Istanbul, but the T. government, preoccupied with the news of the alliance of Russia with Austria, did not take anything decisive during 1736. The negotiations that began in Nemirov did not lead to any results, and in the spring of 1737 military operations resumed. To entertain the attention of the Turks, the Kalmyk khan Dokduk-Ombo (q.v.), with the assistance of the Don Cossacks, was instructed to carry out a raid on the Kuban, the lands of the Nogais; Meanwhile, Minich, having strengthened his army to 70 thousand, at the end of April crossed the Dnieper and moved to Ochakov. 5. 1737 On July 2, this fortress was taken, and a Russian garrison was left in it under the command of Shtofeln. Another Russian army (about 40 thousand), led by Field Marshal Lassi, moved from the Don to the Sea of ​​​​Azov; then, advancing along the Arabat Spit, she crossed the Sivash against the mouth of the river. Salgir and invaded Crimea. At the same time, the head of the Azov flotilla, vice admiral, provided her with very important assistance. Bredal (see), who delivered various supplies and food to the Arabat Spit. At the end of July, Lassi reached Karasubazar and took possession of it; but due to increased sickness among the troops and depletion of provisions, he had to leave the peninsula. Having destroyed Perekop on the way back, he was back in Ukraine at the beginning of October. Meanwhile, Minikh, who was preparing to take possession of Bendery, was stopped in this enterprise by a Turkish attack on Ochakov. The fortress, however, survived thanks to the heroic defense of the garrison; but Minikh, having calmed down about her fate, no longer did anything against Bender, but returned to Russia. Like the previous ones, the campaign of 1737, due to climatic conditions and the accumulation of all sorts of disorders in the administration of the troops, cost us enormous losses in people; and due to the death of the horses, on the way back we had to leave part of the artillery in Ochakov and in the one built on the river. Bug fortification of Andreevsky. Fortune also did not favor our allies, the Austrians, so they began peace negotiations with the Turks, which our government also began. The emboldened enemy, however, made demands that were considered impossible to agree to. The war resumed; but the 1738 campaign was unsuccessful for the allies. Minikh with his weakened army, the replenishment of which he was denied, reached the Dniester with great difficulty in early August; but having learned that there was a strong T. army on the other side of the river and that the plague had appeared in Bessarabia, Minikh decided to retreat. 6. 1738 The return movement to Ukraine through waterless and deserted terrain, with the constant threat of danger from the Tatars pursuing the army, again entailed very significant losses. Lassi's campaign in the Crimea, through places devastated last year, was also disastrous, since this time the T. fleet was prevented by the vice adm. Bredal to deliver the necessary supplies to the ground army. Our troops had to leave Crimea and returned to Ukraine at the end of August. For the Austrians, this year was especially unhappy: one defeat followed another. A number of all these failures did not lead, however, to the conclusion of peace. Only the action plan for the future campaign was changed; Lassi was supposed to limit himself to the defense of Ukraine. 7. 1739 It was necessary to withdraw Russian troops from Ochakov and Kinburn, where they were quickly melting away from various diseases and labors. Minich was allowed to act at his own discretion, and his army was strengthened. At the beginning of June 1739 he crossed the Dnieper; On August 15 he was already beyond the Dniester, and on August 27 he won a brilliant victory at Stavuchany (see), the consequence of which was the surrender of the Khotyn fortress to the Russians. Political circumstances prevented further successes of Minich, and peace was concluded between the warring parties. It was drawn up new project conducting the war in 1739. Two armies were formed - one, the main one, was supposed to move through Poland to Khotin, the other, auxiliary, to the Crimea and Kuban. The first, under the command of Minich, crossed the Polish border at the end of May and approached the Prut at the end of July. Here at mst. Stavuchan, near Khotin, on August 17, the Russian army met with T. a 90,000-strong detachment under the command of Seraskir Veli Pasha. Minikh completely defeated the Turks. Following the Battle of Stavuchany, Khotyn also fell, and on September 1, Russian troops entered Iasi, the residents of which pledged to support 20 thousand Russian troops for the first year and presented Minich with 12,000 chervonnies. Soon, Austria, without the knowledge of Russia, concluded a separate peace with Turkey, according to which it ceded Belgrade, Orsov and the entire Serbian kingdom to the latter. 8. Belgrade Peace Treaty It was dangerous for Russia alone to continue the war, and through the French ambassador Villeneuve, peace negotiations began with Turkey. Negotiations went on for a long time, and finally in September 1739 a peace treaty was concluded in Belgrade. According to the agreement, Russia retained Azov, but undertook to demolish all the fortifications located in it. In addition, it was forbidden to have a fleet in the Black Sea, and Turkish ships had to be used for trade on it. Thus, the task of access to the Black Sea was practically not solved. The Belgrade Peace Treaty actually negated the results of the Russian-Turkish War of 1735-1739. It was in effect until the conclusion of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty of 1774. References:

  History of the Russian army. M.: "Eksmo", 2007. P. 88