Russian-Iranian wars. Russo-Persian Wars As a result of the Russo-Iranian War

2. Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813

Iran has had its interests in the Caucasus for a long time, and in this matter until the second half of XVIII V. competed with Turkey. The victory of Russian troops in the Russo-Turkish war of 1769–1774 put Russia among the contenders for the North Caucasus. The transition of Georgia under the patronage of Russia in 1783 and its subsequent accession to the empire in 1801 allowed Russia to extend its influence to the Transcaucasus.

At the beginning, the Russian administration in the Caucasus acted very cautiously, fearing to provoke a war with Iran and Turkey. This policy was carried out from 1783 until the beginning of the 19th century. During this period, the Shamkhalate of Tarkov, the principalities of Zasulak Kumykia, the khanates of Avar, Derbent, Quba, the Utsmiystvo of Kaitag, the Maysum and Kadiystvo of Tabasaran came under the protection of Russia. But this was not an entry into Russia, the rulers retained political power over their subjects.

With the appointment in 1802 to the post of inspector of the Caucasian line of the commander-in-chief of Georgia, Lieutenant-General P.D. Tsitsianov, a supporter of vigorous and drastic military measures to expand Russian power in the Caucasus, Russia's actions have become less circumspect.

Tsitsianov practiced mainly forceful methods. So, in 1803, he sent a detachment of General Gulyakov against the Dzhars. The fortified point of Belokany was taken by storm, the inhabitants were sworn allegiance to Russia and imposed tribute. In early January 1804, Russian troops under the command of Tsitsianov himself, after a month-long siege, captured the Ganja fortress by assault and annexed it to Russia, renaming it Elizavetpol.

With these and other careless actions, Tsitsianov offended Iran's interests in the Transcaucasus. Shah sharply demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Azerbaijani khanates, Georgia and Dagestan.

The number of tsarist troops in Transcaucasia was about 20 thousand people. The Iranian army was much larger, but the Russian troops outnumbered the Iranian irregular cavalry in training, discipline, weapons, and tactics.

The first clashes took place on the territory of the Erivan Khanate. On June 10, detachments of generals Tuchkov and Leontiev defeated the Iranian forces led by the Shah's heir Abbas-Mirza. On June 30, the troops took the Erivan fortress under siege, which lasted until early September. Repeated ultimatums and assaults did not give any results, the rebellious Ossetians closed the Georgian Military Highway. I had to lift the siege on September 2 and retreat to Georgia. The detachment of General Nebolsin was instructed to cover Georgia and the Shuragel region from the side of the Erivan Khanate.

The tsarist administration in the Caucasus under Tsitsianov ill-treated the local population, while he himself behaved arrogantly towards the khans, sending them insulting messages. The uprisings of Ossetians, Kabardians, Georgians were brutally suppressed with the use of artillery.

In July 1805, a detachment under the command of Colonel P.M. Karyagin repulsed the attacks of Abbas Mirza in Shah Bulakh. This gave time for Tsitsianov to gather forces and defeat the Iranian troops led by Feth-Ali Shah.

In the same month, an expeditionary detachment of I.I. arrived by sea from Russia to the western coast of the Caspian Sea (in Anzeli). Zavalishin, which was supposed to occupy Rasht and Baku. However, the task was not completed, and Zavalishin led the squadron with a detachment to Lankaran.

At the end of November 1805, Tsitsianov ordered Zavalishin to go to Baku again and wait there for his arrival. In early February 1806, Tsitsianov approached Baku with a detachment of 1600 people. He demanded that the Baku khan surrender the city, promising to leave the khanate behind him. He agreed, and on February 8 he arrived at the commander-in-chief with the keys to the city. During the negotiations, one of the nukers (servants) of Hussein Ali Khan killed Tsitsianov with a pistol shot. Zavalishin spent a month at Baku inactive, and then took the squadron to Kizlyar.

After taking the post of Commander-in-Chief in the Caucasus, General I.V. Gudovich in 1806, Derbent, Baku, and Cuba were occupied by the tsarist troops. Derbent was annexed to Russia. Gudovich managed to improve the damaged relationship with the feudal lords North Caucasus. At the end of December 1806, Türkiye also declared war on Russia. Gudovich's attempt in 1808 to seize Erivan by storm was unsuccessful. He returned to Georgia and submitted his resignation.

He was replaced as commander-in-chief by General A.P. Tormasov, who continued the course of his predecessor and did a lot to develop trade with the North Caucasian peoples. Abbas-Mirza's attempt to take Yelizavetpol was unsuccessful, but on October 8, 1809, he managed to take Lankaran. In the summer of 1810, Abbas-Mirza invaded Karabakh, but was defeated by Kotlyarevsky's detachment at Migri.

Iran's attempt to act against Russia together with Turkey also failed. Turkish troops were defeated on September 5, 1810 near Akhalkalaki. At the same time, the Iranian detachment standing nearby did not enter the battle. In 1811–1812 The Quba and Kyura Khanates of Dagestan were annexed to Russia.

In early 1811, with the help of the British, Iran reorganized its army. The new commander in chief in the Caucasus, General N.F. Rtishchev made an attempt to establish peace negotiations with Iran, but the Shah put forward impossible conditions: to withdraw Russian troops beyond the Terek.

On October 17, 1812, General Kotlyarevsky, without the permission of Rtishchev, with one and a half thousand infantry, 500 Cossacks with 6 guns, crossed the river. Arak and defeated the forces of Abbas Mirza. Pursuing him, Kotlyarevsky defeated the detachment of the Shah's heir at Aslanduz. At the same time, he captured 500 people and captured 11 guns. On January 1, 1813, Kotlyarevsky captured Lankaran by storm. In the course of a continuous 3-hour battle, Kotlyarevsky lost 950 people, and Abbas-Mirza - 2.5 thousand. The tsar generously rewarded Kotlyarevsky: he received the rank of lieutenant general, the Order of St. George of the 3rd and 2nd degrees, and 6 thousand rubles. Rtishchev was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. In this battle, Kotlyarevsky was seriously wounded, and his military career ended.

In early April 1813, after the defeat at Kara-Benyuk, the Shah was forced to enter into peace negotiations. He instructed the English envoy in Iran, Auzli, to lead them. He tried to negotiate with minimal concessions from Iran or conclude a truce for one year. Rtishchev did not agree with this. Owsley advised the Shah to accept Russia's terms. In his report, Rtishchev indicated that Auzli had greatly contributed to the conclusion of peace.

First of October fighting were suspended for fifty days. On October 12 (24), 1813, in the town of Gulistan in Karabakh, the commander of the tsarist troops in the Caucasus, Rtishchev, and the authorized representative of the Iranian Shah, Mirza-Abdul-Hasan, signed a peace treaty between the two countries.

The exchange of instruments of ratification took place on September 15 (27), 1814. There was a clause in the agreement (a secret article) that the ownership of the disputed lands could later be revised. However, it was omitted by the Russian side during the ratification of the treaty.

The large territorial acquisitions received by Russia on the basis of this document led to the complication of its relations with England. A year later, Iran and England signed an agreement directed against Russia. England undertook to help Iran achieve a revision of certain articles of the Gulistan Treaty.

The Russian side was very pleased with the outcome of the war and the signing of the treaty. Peace with Persia protected the eastern borders of Russia with peace and security.

Feth-Ali-Shah was also pleased that the winner was able to settle accounts with foreign territories. He released Rtishchev 500 Tabriz batmans of silk, and also awarded the signs of the Order of the Lion and the Sun, on a gold enamel chain, to be worn around the neck.

For the peace of Gulistan, Rtishchev received the rank of general from infantry and the right to wear the diamond order of the Lion and the Sun, 1st degree, received from the Persian Shah.

Article 3 of the Gulistan Treaty reads: “E. sh. V. as proof of his sincere affection for E.V., the Emperor of All Russia, this solemnly recognizes both for himself and for the high successors of the Persian throne as belonging to the property Russian Empire the khanates of Karabagh and Ganzhinsky, now turned into a province called Elisavetpol; as well as the khanates of Sheki, Shirvan, Derbent, Quba, Baku and Talyshen, with those lands of this khanate, which are now in the power of the Russian Empire; moreover, all of Dagestan, Georgia with the Shuragel province, Imeretia, Guria, Mingrelia and Abkhazia, likewise all the possessions and lands located between the border now set and the Caucasian line, with lands and peoples touching this latter and the Caspian Sea.

Historians assess the consequences of this treaty for Dagestan in different ways. Dagestan at that time was not a single and integral country, but was fragmented into a number of feudal estates and more than 60 free societies. Part of its territory by the time of the signing of the Gulistan peace treaty had already been annexed to Russia (Kuba, Derbent and Kyurin khanates). The first two of them are named separately in the contract. This agreement legally formalized their accession.

Another part of the Dagestan feudal lords and some free societies took an oath of allegiance to Russia, they were not annexed to Russia, but came under its patronage (Tarkovsky Shamkhalate, Avar Khanate, Kaytag Utsmiystvo, Tabasaran Maysumstvo and Qadiystvo, the principalities of Zasulak Kumykia, the federation of Dargin free societies and some others). But territories remained in Dagestan that did not enter into citizenship or under the patronage of Russia (the Mekhtulin and Kazikumukh khanates and many free societies of the Avars). So, it is impossible to talk about Dagestan as a single entity.

The Persian representative, realizing this, did not want to sign the document in such a wording. He stated that "... he does not even dare to think that in the name of his shah he decides to renounce any rights about peoples that are completely unknown to them, fearing to give through that a sure case to his ill-wishers ...".

With the signing of the Gulistan Treaty, all the possessions of Dagestan (annexed, accepted citizenship and not accepted it) were included in Russia.

A different interpretation of article 3 of that treaty could have negative consequences. However, until 1816 the tsarist government skillfully maintained patronage relations with the Dagestan feudal lords.

The Dagestan rulers expressed their pro-Russian orientation by taking an oath, which testified to the consolidation of the patronizing relations that existed earlier. At that time, there was still practically no other type of "subordination" to Russia for the peoples of the Caucasus.

The fiefs of the North Caucasus were state associations with which the rulers of Russia, Iran and Turkey maintained constant communication and correspondence. Persia could give up further claims to Dagestan, but could not dispose of other people's possessions. At the same time, the recognition of Iran did not give the tsarist autocracy the right to declare the Dagestan lands annexed to itself, except for the three feudal possessions indicated, which had already been annexed by that time. Not a single Dagestan or North Caucasian feudal lord took part either in the preparation or in the signing of this document. They were not even informed of their expected fate. Over two years royal authorities concealed from the Dagestanis the content of Art. 3 contracts.

The same time. And, although the merchants had to write off hundreds of thousands of unpaid bills of exchange from their accounts, these losses were compensated by "extraordinary profits."39 Chapter IV. Transport. The development of domestic trade in Russia was held back by the state of transport. In the first half of the 19th century, the main flow of goods within the country was transported along rivers. Back in the 18th century, the Vysh-Nevolotsk system was built ...

Morals inspired the creative intelligentsia, which indirectly, through literary works, strengthened the Russian folk spirit. Everything suggests that Russia had a sense to conquer the Caucasus. Conclusion. A century and a half has passed since the end of the Caucasian epic of the first half of the 19th century. It is hardly worth dividing the actions of the participants in the conquest of the Caucasus into good and bad. More important to keep in mind the lessons...

When there were no heirs left after the deceased, or no one appeared within ten years from the time of the call to the inheritance, the property was recognized as escheat and came to the state, nobility, province, city or rural society. 7. Criminal law. In 1845, a new criminal code was adopted - the Code of Criminal and Correctional Punishments. It retained the class approach to qualification...

Yaroslav Vsevolodovich


	North Caucasus Persia
	The reason for the war was the annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia
	Russian victory; Treaty of Gulistan signed
Territorial changes:	Russia takes under its protection a number of Northern Persian khanates
Opponents

Commanders
P. D. Tsitsianov	Feth Ali Shah
I. V. Gudovich	Abbas Mirza
A. P. Tormasov
Side forces

Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813; - the reason for the war was the annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia, adopted by Paul I on January 18, 1801.

On September 12, 1801, Alexander I (1801-1825) signed the "Manifesto on the establishment of a new government in Georgia", the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom was part of Russia and became the Georgian province of the empire. Further, the Baku, Cuban, Dagestan and other kingdoms voluntarily joined. In 1803, Mengrelia and the Imereti kingdom joined.

January 3, 1804 - the assault on Ganja, as a result of which the Ganja Khanate was liquidated and became part of the Russian Empire.

On June 10, the Persian Shah Feth-Ali (Baba Khan) (1797-1834), who entered into an alliance with Great Britain, declared war on Russia.

On June 8, the vanguard of the Tsitsianov detachment under the command of Tuchkov set out towards Erivan. On June 10, near the Gyumri tract, Tuchkov's vanguard forced the Persian cavalry to retreat.

On June 19, a detachment of Tsitsianov approached Erivan and met with the army of Abbas Mirza. The vanguard of Major General Portnyagin on the same day was unable to take control of the Etchmiadzin Monastery on the move and was forced to retreat.

On June 20, during the battle of Erivan, the main Russian forces defeated the Persians and forced them to retreat.

On June 30, a detachment of Tsitsianov crossed the Zanga River, where, during a fierce battle, he captured the Persian redoubts.

July 17; near Erivan, the Persian army under the command of Feth Ali Shah attacked the Russian positions, but did not achieve success.

On September 4, due to heavy losses, the Russians lifted the siege from the Erivan fortress and retreated to Georgia.

At the beginning of 1805, a detachment of Major General Nesvetaev occupied the Shuragel Sultanate and annexed it to the possession of the Russian Empire. The ruler of Erivan, Mohammed Khan, with 3,000 horsemen, was unable to resist and was forced to retreat.

On May 14, 1805, the Kurekchay Treaty was signed between Russia and the Karabakh Khanate. According to its terms, the khan, his heirs and the entire population of the khanate passed under the rule of Russia. Shortly before this, the Karabakh Khan Ibrahim Khan completely defeated the Persian army at Dizan.

Following this, on May 21, Sheki Khan Selim Khan expressed a desire to enter Russian citizenship and a similar agreement was signed with him.

In June, Abbas Mirza occupied the Askeran fortress. In response, the Russian detachment of Karyagin drove the Persians out of the Shah-Bulakh castle. Upon learning of this, Abbas-Mirza surrounded the castle and began to negotiate its surrender. But the Russian detachment did not think about surrender, their main goal was to detain the Persian detachment of Abbas Mirza. Having learned about the approach of the Shah's army under the command of Feth Ali Shah, Karyagin's detachment left the castle at night and went to Shusha. Soon, near the Askeran Gorge, Karyagin's detachment collided with Abbas-Mirza's detachment, but all attempts by the latter to set up a Russian camp were unsuccessful.

On July 15, the main Russian forces released Shusha and the Karyagin detachment. Abbas-Mirza, having learned that the main Russian forces had left Elizavetpol, set out in a roundabout way and laid siege to Elizavetpol. In addition, he opened the way to Tiflis, which was left without cover. On July 27, in the evening, a detachment of 600 bayonets under the command of Karyagin unexpectedly attacked the camp of Abbas Mirza near Shamkhor and utterly defeated the Persians.

On November 30, 1805, the Tsitsianov detachment crosses the Kura and invades the Shirvan Khanate, and on December 27, the Shirvan Khan Mustafa Khan signs an agreement on the transfer to the citizenship of the Russian Empire.

Meanwhile, on June 23, the Caspian flotilla under the command of Major General Zavalishin occupied Anzeli and landed troops. However, already on July 20 they had to leave Anzeli and head for Baku. On August 12, 1805, the Caspian flotilla anchored in the Baku Bay. Major-General Zavalishin proposed to the Baku Khan Huseingul Khan a draft agreement on the transfer to the citizenship of the Russian Empire. However, the negotiations were not successful, the people of Baku decided to put up serious resistance. All the property of the population was taken out in advance to the mountains. Then, for 11 days, the Caspian flotilla bombarded Baku. By the end of August, the landing detachment captured the advanced fortifications in front of the city. The Khan's troops leaving the fortress were defeated. However, heavy losses from clashes, as well as a lack of ammunition, forced on September 3 to lift the siege from Baku and on September 9 to completely leave the Baku Bay.

On January 30, 1806, Tsitsianov approaches Baku with 2,000 bayonets. Together with him, the Caspian flotilla approaches Baku and lands troops. Tsitsianov demanded the immediate surrender of the city. On February 8, the transfer of the Baku Khanate to the citizenship of the Russian Empire was to take place, but during a meeting with the Khan, General Tsitsianov and Lieutenant Colonel Eristov were killed by the Khan's cousin Ibrahim Bek. Tsitsianov's head was sent to Feth Ali Shah. After that, Major General Zavalishin decided to leave Baku.

Appointed instead of Tsitsianov I.; V. ; Gudovich in the summer of 1806 defeated Abbas-Mirza at Karakapet (Karabakh) and conquered the Derbent, Baku (Baku) and Cuban khanates (Cuba).

The Russian-Turkish war that began in November 1806 forced the Russian command to conclude the Uzun-Kilis truce with the Persians in the winter of 1806-1807. But in May 1807, Feth-Ali entered into an anti-Russian alliance with Napoleonic France, and in 1808 hostilities resumed. The Russians took Etchmiadzin, in October 1808 they defeated Abbas-Mirza at Karababe (south of Lake Sevan) and occupied Nakhichevan. After the unsuccessful siege of Erivan, Gudovich was replaced by A.;P. Tormasov, who in 1809 repulsed the offensive of the army led by Feth-Ali in the Gumry-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 Persian-Turkish agreement on joint operations on the Caucasian front. In May 1810, the army of Abbas-Mirza invaded Karabakh, but a small detachment of P.;S. ; Kotlyarevsky defeated her at the Migri fortress (June) and on the Araks River (July), in September. the Persians were defeated near Akhalkalaki, and thus the Russian troops prevented the Persians from connecting with the Turks.

After the end of the Russian-Turkish war in January 1812 and the conclusion of a peace treaty, Persia also began to lean towards 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, an 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 on January 1 (13) took Lenkoran. The Shah had to enter into peace negotiations.

On October 12 (24), 1813, the Gulistan Peace (Karabakh) was signed, according to which Persia recognized the entry into the Russian Empire of eastern Georgia and the North. Azerbaijan, Imereti, Guria, Mengrelia and Abkhazia; Russia received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea.

Russo-Persian Wars

Russian-Persian wars - a series of military conflicts between Russia and Persia in the XVII-XX centuries. The wars went mainly for the Caucasus, first the North, then the South.

years	Name	Outcome for Russia
	Russo-Persian War	Defeat
	Persian campaign
	Russo-Persian War
	Russo-Persian War
	Russo-Persian War
	Russian intervention in Persia
	Iranian operation

Background to the conflict

In the middle of the 16th century, Russia conquered the Astrakhan Khanate and reached the coast of the Caspian Sea and the foothills of the Caucasus. The Nogai Horde and Kabarda were also in vassal dependence on Russia.

1651-1653 years

In the 17th century, the main pillar of the Russian state in the North Caucasus was the fortress of Terki.

Here were the royal governors and troops. In the middle of the 17th century, seventy families of Kabardian uzdens (nobles), many merchants (Russian, Armenian, Azerbaijani and Persian) and artisans lived in the suburbs of the Terek city. On the right bank of the Terek at the confluence of the Sunzha River, northeast of modern Grozny, in 1635 Persian influence extended to the possessions of the Kumyk feudal lords in Dagestan. The largest was the Tarkov shamkhalate, whose rulers had the title of ruler of Buynaksky, Vali (governor) of Dagestan, and for some time Khan of Derbent. Another important possession of the Kumyks was the Enderi shamkhaldom. At the beginning of the 17th century, it separated from the Tarkovsky shamkhalate. In the 50s of the 17th century, the “Endereevsky owner” Murza Kazan-Alp ruled there. To the north-west of Derbent was the Kaitag Utsmiystvo. In 1645, the Shah of Persia expelled the ruler Rustam Khan, who was loyal to Russia, and appointed Amirkhan Sultan as the Kaitag owner.

In the Caucasus, the interests of Persia inevitably collided with the interests of Russia. Shah Abbas II at the beginning of his reign, he maintained peaceful relations with Russia, offering friendship and commercial cooperation to the tsar, having achieved a positive response. However, soon the Shah led the fight not only for the mastery of Dagestan, but also for the complete exclusion of Russians from the North Caucasus, and began to interfere in the internal affairs of the highlanders.

Two campaigns of the Persian army against the Sunzha prison followed. As a result of the second campaign, he was taken. Following this, the conflict was resolved. The result of the war was some strengthening of the position of Persia in the North Caucasus.

1722-1723 years

Persian campaign (1722-1723)

After the end of the Northern War, Peter I decided to make a trip to the western coast of the Caspian Sea, and, having mastered the Caspian, to restore the trade route from Central Asia and India to Europe, which would be very useful for Russian merchants and for enriching the Russian Empire. The path was supposed to pass through the territory of India, Persia, from there to the Russian fort on the Kura River, then through Georgia to Astrakhan, from where it was planned to deliver goods throughout the entire Russian Empire. The reason for the start of a new campaign was an uprising in the coastal provinces of Persia.

Peter I announced to the Persian Shah that the rebels were making sorties into the territory of the Russian Empire and robbing merchants, and that Russian troops would be brought into the territory of northern Azerbaijan and Dagestan to assist the Shah in pacifying the inhabitants of the rebellious provinces.

On July 18, the entire flotilla of 274 ships went to sea under the command of Mr. General-Admiral Count Apraksin.

On July 20, the fleet entered the Caspian Sea and followed the western coast for a week. On July 27, the infantry landed at Cape Agrakhan, 4 versts below the mouth of the Koysu (Sulak) River.

A few days later the cavalry arrived and linked up with the main body. On August 5, the Russian army continued to move towards Derbent.

On August 6, on the Sulak River, the Kabardian princes Murza Cherkassky and Aslan-Bek joined the army with their detachments.

On August 8, she crossed the Sulak River. On August 15, the troops approached Tarki, the seat of the shamkhal. On August 19, the attack of the 10,000-strong detachment of the Utyamysh sultan Magmud and the 6,000-strong detachment of the utsmi of the Kaitag Akhmet Khan was repulsed. Peter's ally was the Kumyk shamkhal Adil-Girey, who captured Derbent and Baku before the Russian army approached. On August 23, Russian troops entered Derbent. Derbent was a strategically important city, as it covered the coastal route along the Caspian Sea.

Further progress to the south was suspended violent storm, which sank all the ships with food. Peter I decided to leave the garrison in the city and returned with the main forces to Astrakhan, where he began preparations for the campaign of 1723.

This was the last military campaign in which he directly took part. In September Vakhtang VI he entered Karabakh with an army, where he fought against the rebellious Lezgins.

After the capture of Ganja, the Georgians were joined by Armenian troops led by Catholicos Isaiah. Near Ganja, in anticipation of Peter, the Georgian-Armenian army stood for two months, however, having learned about the departure of the Russian army from the Caucasus, Vakhtang and Isaiah returned with the troops to their possessions. In November, an assault force from five companies was landed in the Persian province of Gilan under the command of Colonel Shipov to occupy the city of Ryashch (Rasht). Later, in March of the following year, the Ryashchi vizier organized an uprising and, with a force of 15 thousand people, tried to dislodge the Shipov detachment that occupied Ryashch. All Persian attacks were repulsed. During the second Persian campaign, a much smaller detachment was sent to Persia under the command of Matyushkin, and Peter I only directed the actions of Matyushkin from the Russian Empire. 15 heckbots, field and siege artillery and infantry took part in the campaign. On June 20, the detachment moved south, followed by a fleet of geckbots from Kazan. On July 6, ground forces approached Baku. On the offer of Matyushkin to voluntarily surrender the city, its residents refused. On July 21, with 4 battalions and two field guns, the Russians repulsed the sortie of the besieged. Meanwhile, 7 geckboats anchored next to the city wall and began to fire heavily at it, thereby destroying the fortress artillery and partially destroying the wall. On July 25, an assault was planned from the side of the sea through the gaps formed in the wall, but a strong wind rose, which drove the Russian ships away. The residents of Baku managed to take advantage of this by filling up all the gaps in the wall, but anyway, on July 26, the city capitulated without a fight.

The successes of the Russian troops during the campaign and the invasion of the Ottoman army in Transcaucasia forced Persia to conclude a peace treaty in St. Petersburg on September 12, 1723, according to which Derbent, Baku, Rasht, the provinces of Shirvan, Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad were ceded to Russia.

Russo-Persian War (1796)

In the spring of 1795, the Persians invaded Georgia and Azerbaijan, and on September 12 (23) of the same year they captured and plundered Tbilisi. Albeit belatedly, fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty of St. George in 1783, the Russian government sent the Caspian Corps (12,300 men with 21 guns) from Kizlyar through Dagestan to the Azerbaijani provinces of Iran. Speaking on April 18 (29), 1796, Russian troops besieged May 2 (13), and captured Derbent by storm on May 10 (21). On June 15 (26), 1796, Russian detachments simultaneously entered Cuba and Baku without a fight.

In mid-November, the 35,000-strong Russian corps under the command of Lieutenant General Zubov reached the confluence of the Kura and Araks rivers, preparing for further advance deep into Iran, but after the death of Catherine II in the same year, Paul I came to the throne, the Zubovs fell into disgrace, in Russian policy changed, and in December 1796, Russian troops were withdrawn from Transcaucasia.

Russo-Persian War (1804-1813)

On September 12, 1801, Alexander I (1801-1825) signed the "Manifesto on the establishment of a new government in Georgia", the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom was part of Russia and became the Georgian province of the empire. In 1803 Megrelia and the Kingdom of Imereti joined Russia.

January 3, 1804 - the assault on Ganja, as a result of which the Ganja Khanate was liquidated and became part of the Russian Empire.

June 10 Persian Shah Feth Ali (Baba Khan) (1797-1834), who entered into an alliance with Great Britain, declared war on Russia.

On June 8, the vanguard of the Tsitsianov detachment under the command of Tuchkov set out towards Erivan. On June 10, near the Gyumri tract, Tuchkov's vanguard forced the Persian cavalry to retreat.

On June 20, during the battle of Erivan, the main Russian forces defeated the Persians and forced them to retreat.

On June 30, a detachment of Tsitsianov crossed the Zanga River, where, during a fierce battle, he captured the Persian redoubts.

On July 17, near Erivan, the Persian army under the command of Feth Ali Shah attacked the Russian positions, but did not achieve success.

On August 21, under Karkalis, the Persians, under the command of Sarkhang Mansur and the Georgian prince Alexander, destroyed an ambushed detachment of the Tiflis Musketeer Regiment numbering 124 people, of which 5 officers, 1 artilleryman, 108 musketeers, 10 Armenian militias, under the command of Major Montresor.

On September 4, due to heavy losses, the Russians lifted the siege from the Erivan fortress and retreated to Georgia.

At the beginning of 1805, a detachment of Major General Nesvetaev occupied the Shuragel Sultanate and annexed it to the possessions of the Russian Empire. The ruler of Erivan, Mohammed Khan, with 3,000 horsemen, could not resist and was forced to retreat.

Following this, on May 21, Sheki Khan Selim Khan expressed a desire to enter Russian citizenship, and a similar agreement was signed with him.

On July 15, the main Russian forces released Shusha and the Karyagin detachment. Abbas-Mirza, having learned that the main Russian forces had left Elizavetpol, set out in a detour and laid siege to Elizavetpol. In addition, he opened the way to Tiflis, which was left without cover. On July 27, in the evening, a detachment of 600 bayonets under the command of Karyagin unexpectedly attacked the camp of Abbas Mirza near Shamkhor and utterly defeated the Persians.

Meanwhile, on June 23, the Caspian flotilla under the command of Major General Zavalishin occupied Anzeli and landed troops. However, already on July 20 they had to leave Anzeli and head for Baku. On August 12, 1805, the Caspian flotilla anchored in the Baku Bay. Major General Zavalishin proposed to the Baku Khan Huseingul Khan a draft agreement on the transfer to the citizenship of the Russian Empire. However, the negotiations were not successful, the people of Baku decided to put up serious resistance. All the property of the population was taken out in advance to the mountains. Then, for 11 days, the Caspian flotilla bombarded Baku. By the end of August, the landing detachment had captured the advanced fortifications in front of the city. The Khan's troops that left the fortress were defeated. However, heavy losses from clashes, as well as a lack of ammunition, forced on September 3 to lift the siege from Baku and on September 9 to completely leave the Baku Bay.

In the summer of 1806, I. V. Gudovich, who was appointed to replace Tsitsianov, defeated Abbas-Mirza at Karakapet (Karabakh) and conquered the Derbent, Baku (Baku) and Quba Khanates (Cuba).

The Russian-Turkish war that began in November 1806 forced the Russian command to conclude the Uzun-Kilis truce with the Persians in the winter of 1806-1807. But in May 1807, Feth-Ali entered into an anti-Russian alliance with Napoleonic France, and in 1808 hostilities resumed. The Russians took Etchmiadzin, in October 1808 they defeated Abbas-Mirza at Karababe (south of Lake Sevan) and occupied Nakhichevan. After the unsuccessful siege of Erivan, Gudovich was replaced by A.P. Tormasov, who in 1809 repulsed the offensive of the army led by Feth-Ali in the Gumry-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 Persian-Turkish agreement on joint operations on the Caucasian front. In May 1810, the army of Abbas-Mirza invaded Karabakh, but a small detachment of P. S. Kotlyarevsky defeated it at the Migri fortress (June) and on the Araks River (July), in September the Persians were defeated near Akhalkalaki, and thus the Russian troops prevented the Persians to join the Turks.

Kotlyarevsky changed the situation in Karabakh. Having crossed the Araks, on October 19-20 (October 31 - November 1) he defeated the many times superior forces of the Persians at the Aslanduz Ford and on January 1 (13) took Lenkoran by storm. The Shah had to enter into peace negotiations.

On October 12 (24), 1813, the Treaty of Gulistan (Karabakh) was signed, according to which Persia recognized the entry into the Russian Empire of Eastern Georgia and Northern Azerbaijan, Imeretia, Guria, Mengrelia and Abkhazia; Russia received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea. The war was the beginning of the "Great Game" between the British and Russian empires in Asia.

For more information about the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813, see the website: For Advanced - Battles - The Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813.

Russo-Persian War (1826-1828)

On July 16, 1826, the Persian army, without declaring war, crossed the borders in the Mirak region and invaded the borders of Transcaucasia into the territory of the Karabakh and Talysh khanates. The bulk of the border "zemstvo guards", consisting of armed horse and foot Azerbaijani peasants, with rare exceptions, surrendered their positions to the invading Persian troops without much resistance or even joined them.

The main task of the Iranian command was to capture Transcaucasia, capture Tiflis and push back the Russian troops beyond the Terek. The main forces were therefore sent from Tabriz to the Kura region, while the auxiliary forces were sent to the Mugan steppe in order to block the exits from Dagestan. The Iranians also counted on the blow of the Caucasian highlanders from the rear against the Russian troops, who were stretched out in a narrow strip along the border and did not have reserves. The help of the Iranian army was promised by the Karabakh beks and many influential people in neighboring provinces, who maintained constant contacts with the Persian government and even offered to cut the Russians in Shusha and hold it until the Iranian troops approached.

Transcaucasian region at the time of the outbreak of the war (borders are indicated according to the Gulistan Treaty and the Bucharest Peace)

In the Karabakh province, the Russian troops were commanded by Major General Prince V. G. Madatov, a Karabakh Armenian by origin. At the time of the attack, he was replaced by Colonel I. A. Reut, commander of the 42nd Jaeger Regiment, stationed in the area of the Shushi fortress. Yermolov demanded that he keep Shusha with all his might and transfer all the families of influential beks here - thereby it was supposed to ensure the safety of those who supported the Russian side, and those who were hostile to be used as hostages.

The first blow on July 16 on Russian territory was delivered by a 16,000-strong group of the Erivan serdar Hussein Khan Qajar, reinforced by Kurdish cavalry (up to 12,000 people). Russian troops on the border of Georgia, throughout Bombak (Pambak) and Shurageli (Shirak) numbered about 3,000 people and 12 guns - the Don Cossack regiment of Lieutenant Colonel Andreev (about 500 Cossacks scattered in small groups throughout the territory), two battalions of the Tiflis infantry regiment and two companies of carabinieri. The head of the border line was the commander of the Tiflis regiment, Colonel Prince L. Ya. Sevarsemidze.

The Russian units were forced to retreat in battle to Karaklis (modern Vanadzor). Gumry and Karaklis were soon surrounded. The defense of Greater Karaklis, together with the Russian troops, was held by two detachments of the Armenian (100 people) and Tatar (Azerbaijani) Borchali cavalry (50 people). Strong Persian detachments also headed for Balyk-chai, sweeping away small scattered Russian posts on their way.

At the same time, Gassan-aga, brother of the Erivan Sardar, with a 5,000-strong cavalry detachment of Kurds and Karapapahis, crossed into Russian territory between Mount Alagyoz (Aragats) and the Turkish border, robbing and burning Armenian villages on the way to Gumry, capturing livestock and horses, exterminating the resisting local residents - Armenians. Having destroyed the Armenian village of Lesser Karaklis, the Kurds began methodical attacks on the defenders in Greater Karaklis.

On July 18, the forty-thousandth army of Abbas-Mirza crossed the Araks near the Khudoperinsky bridge. Having received news of this, Colonel I.A. Reut ordered that all troops in the Karabakh province be withdrawn to the Shusha fortress. At the same time, three companies of the 42nd regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Nazimka and a hundred Cossacks who joined them failed to break through to Shusha from Geryusy, where they were stationed. The Iranians and the rebellious Azerbaijanis overtook them, and in the course of a stubborn battle, half of the personnel died, after which the rest, by order of the commander, laid down their arms.

The garrison of the Shushi fortress was 1300 people (6 companies of the 42nd Jaeger regiment and Cossacks from the Molchanov 2nd regiment). Cossacks a few days before complete blockade The fortresses were driven behind its walls by the families of the entire local Muslim nobility as hostages. The Azerbaijanis were disarmed, and the khans and the most honored beks were taken into custody. The inhabitants of the Armenian villages of Karabakh and the Azerbaijanis, who remained loyal to Russia, also took refuge in the fortress. With their help, dilapidated fortifications were restored. Colonel Reut armed 1,500 Armenians to strengthen the defense, who, along with Russian soldiers and Cossacks, were on the front line. A certain number of Azerbaijanis also participated in the defense, declaring their loyalty to Russia. However, the fortress did not have stocks of food and ammunition, so the grain and livestock of the Armenian peasants who had taken refuge in the fortress had to be used for the meager food of the soldiers.

Meanwhile, the local Muslim population, for the most part, joined the Iranians, and the Armenians, who did not have time to hide in Shusha, fled to mountainous places. Mekhti Kuli Khan, the former ruler of Karabakh, declared himself Khan again and promised to generously reward all who join him. Abbas Mirza, for his part, said that he was fighting only against the Russians, and not against the locals. Foreign officers who were in the service of Abbas Mirza took part in the siege. In order to destroy the walls of the fortress, according to their instructions, mines were brought under the fortress towers. Continuous fire was fired at the fortress from two artillery batteries, but at night the defenders managed to restore the destroyed areas. To create a split among the defenders of the fortress - Russians and Armenians - Abbas Mirza ordered several hundred local Armenian families to be driven under the walls of the fortress and threatened to execute them if the fortress was not surrendered - however, this plan was not successful either.

The defense of Shushi lasted 47 days and had great importance for the course of hostilities. Desperate to capture the fortress, Abbas-Mirza eventually separated 18,000 people from the main forces and sent them to Elizavetpol (modern Ganja) to attack Tiflis from the east.

Having received information that the main Persian forces were pinned down by the siege of Shusha, General Yermolov abandoned the original plan to withdraw all forces deep into the Caucasus. By this time, he managed to concentrate up to 8,000 people in Tiflis. Of these, a detachment was formed under the command of Major General Prince V. G. Madatov (4300 people), who launched an offensive against Elizavetpol in order to stop the advance of the Persian forces to Tiflis and lift the siege from Shushi.

Meanwhile, in the Bombak province, the Russian units, reflecting the raids of the Kurdish cavalry on Greater Karaklis, on August 9 began to retreat north, beyond Bezobdal, and by August 12 concentrated in the camp at Jalal-Ogly. Meanwhile, the Kurdish detachments spread like a wide avalanche over the nearest area, destroying the villages and massacring the Armenian population. On August 14, they attacked the German colony of Ekaterinfeld, just 60 km from Tiflis, after a long battle they burned it and massacred almost all the inhabitants.

After several weeks of calm, on September 2, the 3,000-strong Kurdish detachment of Gassan-aga crossed the Dzhilga River, 10 km above Jalal-Ogly (modern Stepanavan), and attacked Armenian villages, destroying them and stealing cattle. Despite the intervention of Russian units and significant losses, the Kurds managed to steal 1,000 heads of cattle.

Subsequent attacks were carried out only by small detachments. By early September, the situation had changed in favor of Russia. On March 16 (28), 1827, General Paskevich was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian troops and governor in the Caucasus region, replacing General Yermolov.

In June, Paskevich moved to Erivan, on July 5 (17) he defeated Abbas-Mirza at the Jevan-Bulak stream, and on July 7 (19) he forced the Sardar-Abad fortress to surrender.

In early August, Abbas Mirza, trying to prevent the Russian invasion of Azerbaijan, invaded the Erivan Khanate with a 25,000-strong army and, uniting with the troops of the Erivan Sardar Hussein Khan, laid siege to Etchmiadzin on August 15 (27), protected only by a battalion of the Sevastopol Infantry Regiment (up to 500 people) and a hundred cavalry from the Armenian volunteer squad. On August 16 (28), A. I. Krasovsky with a detachment (up to 3000 fighters with 12 guns) came to the aid of the besieged Echmiadzin and the next day was attacked from all sides by the troops of Abbas Mirza and Hussein Khan (total numbering up to 30 thousand infantry and cavalry with 24 guns). However, the Russian detachment, having suffered huge losses (killed, wounded and missing - 1154 people), managed to break through to Etchmiadzin, after which the siege was lifted. The losses of the Persian army amounted to about 3000. This battle went down in history as the Oshakan (or Ashtarak) battle.

Military failures forced the Persians to go to peace negotiations. On February 10 (22), 1828, the Turkmanchay peace treaty was signed (in the village of Turkmanchay near Tabriz), concluded between the Russian and Persian empires, according to which Persia confirmed all the conditions of the Gulistan peace treaty of 1813, recognized the transition to Russia of part of the Caspian coast to the river. Astara, Eastern Armenia (On the territory of Eastern Armenia, a special administrative education- Armenian region, with the resettlement of Armenians from Iran). The Araks became the border between the states.

In addition, the Shah of Persia was obliged to pay Russia an indemnity (10 kururs of fogs - 20 million rubles). As for Iranian Azerbaijan, Russia undertook to withdraw troops from it on payment of indemnity. The Persian Shah also undertook to grant amnesty to all residents of Iranian Azerbaijan who collaborated with the Russian troops.

See more details on the website: For Advanced - Battles - Russian-Persian War of 1826-1828

Russian intervention in Persia 1909-1911

On April 20, 1909, to the governor of the Caucasus and the commander of the troops of the Caucasian Military District, Adjutant General Mr. Raf Illarion Vorontsov-Dashkov secret directive No. 1124 was sent, which stated: “In view of the expected attack on the consulate and European institutions and subjects in Tabriz by the revolutionaries and the population of Tabriz, driven to despair by hunger ... protection of Russian and foreign institutions and subjects, the supply of food to them, as well as to maintain a secure communication between Tavriz and Julfa.

Soon, two battalions of the 1st Caucasian Rifle Brigade, four mounted hundreds of Kuban Cossacks, a sapper company and three eight-gun artillery batteries were sent to Persia. This detachment was commanded by the head of the 1st Caucasian Rifle Brigade, Major General Snarsky I.A. The instructions given to him stated:

“All communications between military commanders in cities occupied by Russian troops with local Persian authorities and with the population should be carried out through diplomatic agents of the Russian Imperial Government; joint stay with Russian troops in settlements and the movement along the roads guarded by Russian troops of any armed detachments and parties whose activities were of a robbery nature is not allowed ... The decision on the use of weapons in business depends solely on the military authorities ... Once the decision made must be carried out irrevocably and with full energy."

The Russian troops had to act mainly against the nomads (Kurds and Yomud Turkmens), whom the weak Persian army could not cope with.

For each case of robbery and robbery by the Kurds, the Russian troops collected a sum of money from their tribal leaders in favor of the injured party. The murders of subjects of the Russian Empire were punishable by death sentences issued by the Russian court-martial. The Russian consuls reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "The merchants, together with the entire civilian population of the surrounding villages, bless the arrival of our troops."

After a short period of calm in the fall of 1911, the situation escalated again - there were attacks by numerous armed groups on the Russian detachment in Tabriz, cases of shelling of Russian consular offices and convoys in Rasht became more frequent. Nomads attacked trade caravans. Detachments of pro-Turkish governors of the western provinces, as well as representatives of the revolutionary groups of the Russian Transcaucasus, took part in the sorties against the Russian troops. On October 29 (November 11), 1911, in Tehran, the Russian ambassador delivered an ultimatum to the government of Persia demanding the restoration of order in Persia and ensuring the protection of Russia's economic interests. After the expiration of the ultimatum dated November 11, 1911, Russian troops crossed the Russian-Persian border and occupied the city of Qazvin. On November 10 (23) in Tehran, after the occupation of northern Persia by Russian troops, the Persian government agreed to satisfy all the demands of Russia.

The entry of troops was carried out in three operational directions - from Julfa, Astara and Anzali - to Tehran. The direct operational leadership of the Russian troops in Persia was carried out by the quartermaster general of the headquarters of the Caucasian Military District, Major General Nikolai Yudenich. The contingent of Russian troops included: the 14th Georgian and 16th Mingrelian grenadier regiments of the Caucasian Grenadier Division, regiments from the 21st, 39th and 52nd infantry divisions (81st Apsheron, 84th Shirvan, 156th Elizavetpolsky, 205th Shemakhinsky, 206th Salyansky and 207th Novobayazetsky) with artillery and machine guns. The transportation of troops by sea, their landing in the port of Anzali and its fire cover was carried out by Caspian military flotilla.

Communication support was provided by the 2nd Caucasian railway battalion and the Caucasian automobile team. The railway battalion began the construction of the Julfa-Tehran railway line. Arrangement of temporary headquarters was carried out by the 1st Caucasian sapper battalion. Communication was provided by the Caucasian spark company.

Infantry units with hundreds of Kuban and Terek Cossacks attached to the cavalry were consolidated into detachments. At the same time, two detachments - Meshedsky and Kuchansky formed the troops of the Turkestan military district - two battalions of the 13th and 18th Turkestan rifle regiments, two horse-hunting teams from the same units, two machine-gun platoons and a hundred of the Turkmen cavalry division.

When the Russian troops seized large consignments of weapons in Tabriz and Rasht, riots broke out, which led to civilian casualties. Real battles began around these cities. Turkish troops entered the western border lands of Persia, disputed territories, and took control of the passes in the mountain passes between Khoi and Dilman.

Russian troops began operations to oust Turkish troops from Persian territory. Russian units approached the Turkish bivouacs at dawn and, placing cannons and machine guns on the heights, demanded that they leave Persian territory. The Turks offered no resistance.

The commander of the 11th Turkish corps, Jabir Pasha, in the presence of foreign consuls, said: “Having convinced in practice what the Persian constitution is and what kind of anarchy reigns in Persia, I personally believe that the arrival of Russian troops in Persia is a manifestation of humanity and humanity, and not the result of any aggressive intent. The Russians act in Persia very skillfully and cautiously, and therefore the sympathy of almost the entire population is on their side.

After ensuring stability, most of the Russian troops left Persia, however, individual Russian units were on Persian territory until the outbreak of the First World War.

1941 years

Iranian operation

The Anglo-Soviet operation of World War II to occupy Iran, codenamed " Operation "Consent" "(Eng. Operation Countenance) was held from August 25, 1941 to September 17, 1941.

Its purpose was to protect the Anglo-Iranian oil fields from their possible capture by German troops and their allies, as well as to protect the transport corridor (southern corridor), along which the allies carried out lend-lease supplies to the Soviet Union.

These actions were taken due to the fact that, according to the assessments of the political leadership of both the UK and the USSR, there was a direct threat of involving Iran on the side of Germany as an ally in World War II.

Shah of Iran Reza Pahlavi refused Britain and the Soviet Union their request to station their troops in Iran. Motivating its participation in this military operation against Iran, the Soviet government referred to paragraphs 5 and 6 of the Treaty between Soviet Russia and Iran of 1921, which provided that in the event of a threat to its southern borders, the Soviet Union has the right to send troops to the territory of Iran.

During the operation, Allied forces invaded Iran, overthrew Shah Reza Pahlavi, and took control of the Trans-Iranian Railway and Iran's oil fields. At the same time, British troops occupied the south of Iran, and the USSR - the north.

Read more about the operation “Consent” on the website: WWII - operation “Consent” “

A good deed is done with effort, but when the effort is repeated several times, the same deed becomes a habit.
L.N. Tolstoy

In 1804 a war broke out between Russia and Persia. Since Persia changed its name in the 20th century, the name of the event also changed - the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813. This was Russia's first war in Central Asia, which was complicated by the war with the Ottoman Empire. As a result of the victory of the army of Alexander 1, the interests of Russia in the East clashed with the interests of the British Empire, which was the beginning of the so-called "Great Game". In this article, we offer an overview of the main causes of the war between Russia and Iran in 1804-1813, a description key battles and its participants, as well as characteristics of the results of the war and its historical significance for Russia.

Situation before the war

In early 1801, Emperor of Russia Pavel 1 signed a decree on the accession Eastern Caucasus. In September of the same year, his son, Alexander 1, as the new emperor, ordered the creation of the Georgian province on the territory of the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom. In 1803, Alexander annexed Mingrelia, thereby the border of Russia reaches the territory of modern Azerbaijan. There were several khanates there, the largest of which was Ganja with its capital in the city of Ganja. This state, like the territory of all modern Azerbaijan, was within the sphere of interests of the Persian Empire.

January 3, 1804 Russian army begins the assault on the Ganja fortress. This significantly violated the plans of Persia. Therefore, she began to look for allies to declare war on Russia. As a result, Shah Feth-Ali of Persia signed an agreement with Great Britain. England, according to tradition, wanted to solve their problems by proxy. The strengthening of Russian influence in Asia was extremely undesirable for the British, who guarded their main pearl - India. Therefore, London gives Persia all guarantees of support for the latter, in the event of the outbreak of hostilities against Russia. On June 10, 1804, the Sheikh of Persia declares war on the Russian Empire. Thus began the Russian-Iranian war (1804-1813), which lasted for a long 9 years.

Causes of the war of 1804-1813

Historians identify the following reasons for the war:

Annexation by Russia of the lands of Georgia. This expanded the influence of the Russians in Asia, which was extremely dissatisfied with the Persians and the British.
The desire of Persia to establish control over Azerbaijan, which was also of interest to Russia.
Russia pursued an active policy of expanding its territory in the Caucasus, which violated the plans of the Persians, moreover, in the future it could create a problem for the integrity and independence of their state.
Hygemony of Great Britain. For many years, England was a country that independently ruled in Asia. Therefore, she tried in every possible way to prevent Russia from reaching the borders of her influence.
The desire of the Ottoman Empire to take revenge on Russia for the lost wars of the second half of the 18th century, especially wanted to return the Crimea and Kuban. This pushed Turkey to help any Russian rivals who were close to its borders.

As a result, an alliance was formed between Persia, the Ottoman Empire and the Ganja Khanate. This union was patronized by England. As for the Russian Empire, it entered the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 without allies.

Fighting 1804-1806

Battle for Erivan

The first serious battle happened already 10 days after the start of the war. On June 20, 1804, the battle of Erivan took place. The Russian army under the command of Tsitsianov completely defeated the enemy, which opened the way into the depths of Iran.

On June 17, the Persian army launched a counteroffensive, pushing the Russian troops back to the same Erivan fortress. However, already on June 20, Russian troops went on the offensive, again forcing the Persians to retreat. Interesting fact- Alexander Bagrationi, the Georgian king of the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom, liquidated by Russia, fought on the side of Persia. Before the war, he was one of the organizers of the reform of the Iranian army. On August 21, 1804, his troops defeated the Tiflis Corps of the Russian Army. This was one of the first failures of the army of Alexander 1. Because of this defeat, the Russian army retreated to the territory of Georgia.

At the end of 1804, the emperor of Russia decided not to rush into hostilities with Persia, but to engage in the annexation of other states on the territory of Azerbaijan. In January 1805, the troops under the command of Nesvetaev annexed the Shuragel Sultanate to Russia, and already in May an agreement was signed with the Karabakh Khanate on voluntary entry into Russia. The Karabakh khan even allocated a large army for the war with Iran.

Map of the Russo-Iranian War

Battles for Karabakh and Shirvan

The Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 moved to the Karabakh region. At that moment, a small army of Major Lisanevich was in the territory of Karabakh. Already at the beginning of June, the news appeared that the 20,000th army of the heir to the throne of Persia, Abbas-Mirza, had entered the territory of Karabakh. As a result, Lisanevich's troops were completely surrounded in the city of Shusha. Not having large military reserves, General Tsitsianov sent a detachment of 493 soldiers led by Colonel Karyagin from Ganja to help. This event went down in history as the Karyagin raid. For 3 days, the troops traveled about 100 kilometers. After that, the battle with the Persians began in the Shahbulag region, near Shushi.

The Persian forces greatly outnumbered the Russians. However, the battle lasted more than 5 days, then the Russians took the Shahbulag fortress, however, there was no point in holding it, since the Persians were sent to this area additional army from under Shusha. After that, Karyagin decided to retreat, but it was too late, because the troops were completely surrounded. Then he went to the trick, offering to negotiate for surrender. During the negotiations, an unexpected blow was dealt, and the troops were able to break through the encirclement. The withdrawal of troops began.

According to eyewitnesses, in order to move the carts with weapons and supplies across the ditch, it was pelted with the bodies of the dead. According to another version, they were living volunteers who agreed to lie down in the ditch and give their lives in order to allow the Russian soldiers to get out of the encirclement. Based on this tragic and terrible story, the Russian artist Franz Roubaud painted the painting "Living Bridge". On July 15, 1805, the main Russian army approached Shusha, which helped both the Karyagin troops and the blocked army of Lisanevich, who was in Shusha.

After this success, the army of Tsitsianov conquered the Shirvan Khanate on November 30 and headed for Baku. On February 8, 1806, the Baku Khanate became part of Russia, however, during a meeting with the khan, his brother Ibrahim-bek killed Tsitsianov and Colonel Eristov. The head of the Russian general was sent to the Sheikh of Persia as a demonstration of the devotion of the Baku Khanate to its greatness. The Russian army left Baku.

I. Gudovich was appointed the new commander-in-chief, who immediately conquered the Baku and Quba khanates. However, after these successes, the armies of Russia and Persia took a break. In addition, in November 1806, Turkey attacked the Russian Empire, and another war began between these countries. Therefore, in the winter of 1806-1807, the Uzun-Kilis truce was signed, and the Russian-Persian war was temporarily suspended.

A truce and new participants in the conflict

Both sides of the conflict understood that the agreement of 1806-1807 was not peace, but only a truce. Besides, Ottoman Empire tried to quickly return Persia to the war in order to stretch the Russian troops on several fronts. Sheikh Feth-Ali gave Turkey a promise to start a new war soon, and also, taking advantage of the truce, signed an anti-Russian alliance with Napoleon. However, it did not last long, because already in June Russia and France signed the Peace of Tilsit. The idea to create a bloc of European and Asian states against Russia failed. This was a gigantic success for Russian diplomacy. Britain remained the only European ally of Persia. At the beginning of 1808, Russia, despite the continuation of the war with Turkey, resumed hostilities against Persia.

Battles of 1808-1812

The Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 actively continued in 1808. In this year, the Russian army inflicted a number of defeats on the Persians, the largest of which was at Karababa. However, the state of affairs in the war was ambiguous and victories alternated with defeats. So, in November 1808, the Russian army was defeated near Yerevan. Alexander's reaction was immediate: Gudovich was removed from the post of commander. He was replaced by Alexander Tormasov, a future hero in the war against Napoleon.

In 1810, the troops of Colonel P. Kotlyarevsky defeated the Persians at the Mirga fortress. The main turning point in the war occurred in 1812. At the beginning of the year, Persia offered a truce, but after learning about Napoleon's attack on Russia, they continued hostilities. The Russian Empire found itself in a difficult situation:

Since 1804, a protracted war with Persia has been going on.
In 1806-1812, Russia fought a successful but exhausting war with Turkey.
In 1812, France attacked Russia, thereby complicating the task of defeating Persia.

However, the emperor decided not to give up positions in Asia. In 1812, the troops of Abbas-Mirza invaded Karabakh and inflicted a crushing defeat. Russian troops. The situation seemed catastrophic, but on January 1, 1813, troops under the command of P. Kotlyarevsky stormed the key fortress of Lankaran (Talysh Khanate, near the border with Persia). The Shah understood that it was possible for the Russian army to advance into Persia itself, so he proposed a truce.

Historical reference: the hero of the battle himself, Peter Kotlyarevsky, was seriously wounded in the battle, but survived and received the Order of St. George of the second degree from the Emperor of Russia.

End of the war - Peace of Gulistan

On October 12, 1813, Russia and Persia signed the Gulistan Peace on the territory of Karabakh. Under its terms:

Persia recognized the annexation of Eastern Georgia by Russia, as well as the khanates on the territory of Azerbaijan (Baku, Ganja and others).
Russia received the monopoly right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea.
All goods exported to Baku and Astrakhan were subject to an additional 23% tax.

Thus ended the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813. Surprisingly, today very little is said about the events of those days, since everything is only interested in the war with Napoleon. But it was precisely as a result of the Persian war that Russia strengthened its positions in Asia, thereby weakening the position of Persia and Turkey, which was extremely important. This must be remembered, even though the war with Persia pales against the backdrop of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Historical meaning

The historical significance of the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 was extremely positive for Russia. Modern historians say that the victory gave the Russian Empire several huge advantages at once:

About 10,000 people died on the Russian side in almost 10 years of the conflict.
Despite a large number of victims, Russia increased its influence in the Caucasus, but at the same time found a big problem in this region for many years in the form of the struggle of local peoples for independence.
At the same time, Russia received an additional outlet to the Caspian Sea, which had a positive impact on Russia's trade, as well as its status in the region.

But, perhaps, the main result of the Russian-Iranian war was that it was the first clash of interests between Great Britain and Russia, which became the beginning of the "Great Game" - the largest geopolitical confrontation that lasted until the beginning of the 20th century, when the countries became members of one bloc, the Entente . In addition, the clash of interests continued after the two world wars, but the Soviet Union was already in place of the Russian Empire.

At the same time, he waged the Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813 in the east, a war hardly noticeable to contemporaries preoccupied with world events, nevertheless memorable for posterity both for the valor of Russian weapons and for the importance of the consequences. Marked by the exploits of Tsitsianov, Gudovich, Tormasov and Kotlyarevsky, the Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813 established Russia's dominance over the Caucasus.

The voluntary allegiance of Kartli, Kakheti and Somkhetia, under the common name of Georgia, to Emperor Paul I should have inevitably resulted in the accession to Russia and other small possessions of the Transcaucasus, already prepared by previous events: the kings of Imereti and the princes of Mingrelian who were of the same faith to us sought the protection of our court even under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ; shamkhal of Tarkovsky, khans of Derbent and Baku have expressed allegiance to the Russian throne since the time of Peter the Great; and the rulers of Shirvani, Sheki, Ganja and Karabakh, frightened by the victories of Count Zubov, surrendered to the patronage of Catherine II. It remained to finally bring them under Russian citizenship and subdue many more independent khans, beks, usmeys and sultans who dominated between the Caucasus and the Araks, without which the possession of Georgia could not be either safe or useful for Russia. Alexander entrusted the execution of this important task to General Prince Peter Tsitsianov, a Georgian by birth, Russian at heart, who passionately loved Russia, equally brave commander and skillful ruler, briefly familiar with the Transcaucasian region, where his house belonged to the number of noble families and was related to the latter. Georgian king George XIII, married to Princess Tsitsianova.

Pavel Dmitrievich Tsitsianov

The capture of Ganja by the Tsitsianovs

Appointed in 1802 by the Russian commander-in-chief of Georgia in the place of General Knorring, Tsitsianov, with tireless activity, took up the internal improvement and external security of the region entrusted to him. For the first purpose, he tried to awaken the people's industry, introduce more order in government and ensure justice. For the second, he hurried with a thunderstorm of weapons to subdue the hostile khans who were disturbing Georgia from the east. The most dangerous of all was the strong ruler of Ganja, Jevat Khan, a treacherous and bloodthirsty despot. Having submitted to Catherine II in 1796, he subsequently betrayed the Russians, defected to the side of Persia and robbed Tiflis merchants. Tsitsianov entered his region, laid siege to Ganja and took it by storm (1804). Khan was killed during the assault; his children died in the battle or fled. The people swore allegiance to the Russian sovereign. Ganja was renamed Elizavetpol and annexed to Georgia with the entire khanate. From under the walls of Ganja, Tsitsianov ordered General Gulyakov to subdue the recalcitrant Lezgins who were disturbing Kakheti. The brave Gulyakov drove them into the mountains, penetrated the most impregnable gorges, and although he paid for his courage with his life, he instilled such horror in the predatory inhabitants of Lezgistan that they sent deputies to Tiflis asking for mercy. Their example was followed by the Khan of Avar and the Sultan of Elisuy. Soon the princes of Mingrelia and Abkhazia submitted to the Russian sovereign; King Solomon of Imereti also entered into eternal citizenship.

Beginning of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813

Persia looked with envy and fear at the rapid successes of Russian weapons beyond the Caucasus. Alarmed by the fall of Ganja, the Shah of Persia, Feth-Ali, sent the Georgian prince Alexander to revolt the khans subject to us; meanwhile, he ordered his son Abbas-mirza to cross the Araks to pacify the recalcitrant vassal of his sardar of Erivan and to assist prince Alexander. Thus began the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813. Tsitsianov, knowing the hostile disposition of Persia and foreseeing the inevitable Russian-Persian war, decided to seize Erivan (Yerevan), dependent on the Persians, which, due to its strongholds, famous in the east, could serve him as a reliable support for military operations. On the banks of the Zanga, at the monastery of Etchmiadzin, he met Abbas Mirza with an army four times stronger than the Russian detachment, and defeated him (1804); after that he again struck the Persians under the walls of Erivan; finally defeated the Persian shah himself, who came to the aid of his son, but could not take the fortress and after a grueling siege, from a lack of food and epidemic diseases, he was forced to return to Georgia. This failure had unfavorable consequences for the further course of the Russo-Persian war that had begun.

Perked up in the summer of 1805, the Persians gathered a 40,000-strong army against the Russians. The Persian prince Abbas Mirza moved with her to Georgia. In Karabakh, on the river Askeran, the 20,000th Persian avant-garde was met by the Russian detachment of Colonel Karyagin of 500 people, who had only two guns. Despite this disparity of forces, Karyagin's rangers for two weeks - from June 24 to July 8, 1805 - repelled the enemy onslaught, and then managed to secretly withdraw. During the fighting in the mountainous area, the Russian chasseurs needed to transport the guns through the crevice. There was no way for her to fall asleep. Then Private Gavrila Sidorov proposed to arrange a "living bridge". Several soldiers lay down at the bottom of the pit, and heavy guns drove right over them. Almost none of these brave men survived, but by a feat of self-sacrifice they saved their comrades. The delay of the Persian hordes by the Russian detachment of Colonel Karyagin allowed Tsitsianov to gather troops and saved Georgia from bloody devastation.

F. A. Roubaud. Living bridge. Episode of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813

Persian Shah, with the assistance of Tsarevich Alexander, managed to anger all of Lezgistan, Ossetia, Kabarda, the khans of Derbent, Baku and Cuba. The military road laid through the Caucasus was stopped by the highlanders; Georgia was attacked by agitated Lezgins and Ossetians. But Tsitsianov managed to put out such a dangerous fire. On July 28, 1805, he defeated Abbas Mirza at Zagama. The Persian army retreated, stopping the campaign against Georgia. The successful expeditions of the Russian troops into the mountains terrified the predatory inhabitants there and restored the communication of the Caucasian line with Georgia interrupted by them; the Ossetians were also brought into obedience.

It remained to subdue the rebellious khans of Dagestan, whose head was the ruler of Baku, the insidious Hussein-Kuli-khan. Tsitsianov entered his region and, besieging Baku, demanded unconditional obedience. Khan, expressing feigned humility, suggested that the commander-in-chief accept the city keys. The prince with a small retinue went to the fortress and barely approached it, was hit by two bullets fired on the secret orders of Hussein (February 1806).

The news of the death of the commander, fearless in battles, who with one thunderstorm of his name kept the obstinate tribes in obedience, again excited the entire Transcaucasian region. Of all the khans subject to us, only Shamkhal Tarkovsky did not raise the banner of rebellion and remained faithful to the oath; even the king of Imereti Solomon entered into relations with the enemies of Russia. The Persians cheered up and, continuing the war with the Russians, again crossed over the Araks; the Turks, for their part, as a result of Russia's break with Porto and the Russo-Turkish war that began in 1806, threatened to attack Georgia.

Continuation of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813 by Generals Gudovich and Tormasov

The successor of Tsitsianov, Count Gudovich, by repeated expeditions to the mountains, on both sides of the Caucasus, curbed the Lezgins, Chechens and their allies; took Baku (1806), humbled the Khan of Derbent; defeated the Turks at the Arpachay River (June 1807) and drove the Persians beyond the Araks. Admiral Pustoshkin, acting from the sea, took and ruined Anapa. However, the second assault on Erivan undertaken by Gudovich on November 17, 1808 again ended in failure.

Gudovich's successor, General Tormasov, successfully continued the Russian-Persian war and pacified the Transcaucasian region. With the capture of Poti and the secondary ruin of Anapa, he deprived the Turks of the opportunity to support the uprising in Imeretin and Abkhazia; the king of Imereti renounced the throne; his state became part of Russian possessions; calm has been restored in Abkhazia; and repeated victories over the united Turkish and Persian troops secured Georgia from the invasion of its main enemies.

After Tormasov was recalled to Russia, where his talents were assigned the most extensive field in the fight against Napoleon, the leadership of the Transcaucasian region, after a brief administration of the Marquis Paulucci, was entrusted to General Rtishchev. The peace of Bucharest in 1812, meanwhile, ended the Russo-Turkish war. Persia, frightened by the continuous series of failures in its war with Russia, also expressed readiness for peace, and Abbas Mirza entered into negotiations with the commander-in-chief on the banks of the Araks through the mediation of the English envoy.

Battle of Aslanduz and the capture of Lankaran

The negotiations were, however, unsuccessful and soon ended. Rtishchev returned to Tiflis, leaving General Kotlyarevsky with 2,000 men and 6 guns on the left bank of the Araks to monitor the actions of the Persians. The Persian prince Abbas Mirza concentrated his main forces (30 thousand) on the right bank against the Russians and sent several thousand people with fire and sword to ravage the Sheki and Shirvan regions, meanwhile he was preparing for the crossing to exterminate our small detachment on the left bank of the Araks.

Kotlyarevsky, with a brave and brilliant feat, frustrated the plans of the enemy and led the Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813 to a happy outcome. He himself crossed the Araks, swiftly attacked Abbas Mirza, drove him out of the fortified camp, threw back his entire army to the town of Aslanduz and turned it into a disorderly flight (October 19, 1812). The Persians lost 1,200 killed and over 500 captured, while the Russians lost only 127. The consequence of this victory, won by a weak Russian detachment over an enemy ten times stronger, was the cleansing of the Persians from the entire left bank of the Araks. The Shah of Persia still persisted in the war, until the new feat of Kotlyarevsky, even more glorious than the first, the assault and capture of the Lankaran fortress (January 1, 1813), persuaded him to peace. Strong Lankaran was defended by 4 thousand Persian soldiers under the command of Sadyk Khan. Kotlyarevsky had only 2 thousand people. However, after the Persian stronghold fell before the Russian bayonet after a bloody assault, in which Kotlyarevsky lost about half of his fighters, and the Muslim enemy nine-tenths.

Storming of Lankaran, 1813

Peace of Gulistan 1813

Frightened by the formidable movement of the Russians to the borders of Persia, the shah agreed to stop the war and fulfill all the requirements of the Russian court. The agreement that ended the Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813 was signed in the Gulistan tract, in the Karabakh region and was called the Gulistan peace. According to it, Persia recognized Russia's dominance over the khanates of Karabakh, Ganja, Sheki, Shirvan, Derbent, Cuban, Baku, Talyshinsky and renounced any claims to Dagestan, Georgia, Imeretia and Abkhazia.

Caucasus in the first half of the 19th century. Map showing the change of borders following the results of the Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813

The Russian emperor, for his part, promised in the Treaty of Gulistan assistance and assistance to that of the sons of the Shah, who would be appointed heir to the Persian throne.