Caspian (Persian) campaign 1722-1723

Caspian (Persian) campaign of 1722-1723 ( Russian-Persian war of 1722-1723) - the campaign of the Russian army and navy in Northern Azerbaijan and Dagestan, which belonged to Persia, the first in a series of Russian-Persian conflicts.
Peter I wishing to establish direct economic ties with countries Central Asia and with India, paid particular attention to the Caspian Sea. Already in 1693 he was seriously thinking about conquering the Caspian coast. However, the war that began soon with Turkey for access to the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, and then the war with Sweden for access to the Baltic Sea did not allow Peter the Great to begin the implementation of his plan to conquer the Caspian coast until 1721, when the Peace of Nystad was concluded between Russia and Sweden and a favorable environment was created for the campaign in Persia.
After graduation Northern War Peter I decided to make a trip to the western coast of the Caspian Sea, and, having seized the Caspian, to restore the trade route from Central Asia and India to Europe, which would be very useful for Russian merchants and for enrichment Russian Empire... The path was to pass through the territory of India, Persia, Armenia, 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.
Preparations for the war unfolded in the winter of 1721-1722. In the Volga cities (Nizhny Novgorod, Tver, Uglich, Yaroslavl), a hasty construction of military and cargo ships began, and by July 1722, up to 200 island boats and 45 fin vessels had been built and concentrated in Nizhny Novgorod. By this time, the troops necessary for the campaign were also drawn to Nizhny Novgorod, including both guards regiments.
It should be noted that Peter the Great paid great attention to trade and economics. Back in 1716, he sent a detachment of Prince Bekovich-Cherkassky across the Caspian to Khiva and Bukhara.
The expedition was given the task of persuading the Khiva Khan into citizenship, and bukhara Emir to friendship with Russia; explore trade routes to India and gold deposits in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya.

However, this first expedition completely failed - the Khiva khan first persuaded the prince to disperse the forces, and then attacked separate detachments.
The reason for the start of a new campaign was a rebel uprising in the coastal provinces.

Persia. Peter 1 announced to the Persian Shah that the rebels were making forays 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 help the Shah in pacifying the inhabitants of the rebellious provinces.
Even during Northern War there was a preparation of Russian troops for a campaign in Persia. Captain Verdun made up detailed map The Caspian Sea, later sent to The Paris Academy, Russian units were constantly on the border with Persia.
Peter the First planned to set out from Astrakhan, go along the coast of the Caspian Sea, capture Derbent and Baku, reach the Kura River and establish a fortress there, then go to Tiflis, help the Georgians in the fight against Ottoman Empire and from there return to Russia.
Kazan and Astrakhan became centers of the organization of the Persian campaign. For the upcoming campaign, 20 battalions with a total number of 22 thousand people were formed from 80 companies of field troops.
June 15, 1722 Russian Emperor Peter the First arrives in Astrakhan. He decides to transport 22 thousand infantry by sea, and send 7 dragoon regiments with a total number of 9 thousand people under the command of Major General Kropotov by land from Tsaritsyn. By order Peter I and with his direct participation in the Kazan Admiralty, about 200 transport ships were built. Over 30 thousand Tatars also took part in the campaign.

May 15, 1722 - performance Peter 1 from Moscow on a hike "with many noble persons." Peter the Great walked on a plow called "Moskvoretskaya" along the Moscow River, Oka, Volga. Alternating rowers were prepared to speed up the swim along the way. 26 of May Peter 1 was already in Nizhny Novgorod, on June 2 - in Kazan, on June 9 - in Simbirsk, on June 10 - in Samara, on June 13 - in Saratov, on June 15 - in Tsaritsyn, on June 19 - in Astrakhan.

Apraksin F.M.

2 June. Departure of ships with troops and ammunition from Nizhny Novgorod to Astrakhan. The ships were divided into five detachments, one after the other. In all the detachments, there were 45 flipper ships and up to 200 island boats, each of which lifted about 40 people. In the first half of July, all ships and troops arrived in Astrakhan.
On July 18, 1722, the entire flotilla of 274 ships went to sea under the command of General-Admiral Count Apraksin. At the head of the avant-garde was Peter I , which was the junior flagship of 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 Koisu River. A few days later, the cavalry arrived and joined up with the main forces.
“And before this day, the memories of Victoria, who was at Gangut in 1714, where they took a Swedish scutbenacht with one frigate and 6 galleys, also with skerboats, also in Lameland near the island of Grengam, where they took 4 Swedish ships in 1720, On that day, at the funeral hours, they fired from cannons from the gukor, on which General-Admiral Count Apraksin was, and then from all the island boats, soldiers from a small gun with rapid fire once. "
July 28th. Landing from ships of a flotilla of troops on the shore of the Agrakhan Gulf. Upon arrival to the Agrakhan Gulf, 9 thousand regular cavalry, marching from Tsaritsyn by dry route, Peter 1 decided to launch an offensive on Derbent by the coast with the assistance of the ships of the flotilla.
July 31. The beginning of construction at the mouth of the Agrakhan River of a temporary fortification (retrenchment), designed to protect the time the removal of the army of the island boats left here and the sick soldiers.

On August 5, 1722, the Russian army continued to move towards Derbent, and on August 8, crossed the Sulak River.
On August 15, troops approached Tarki, the seat of shamkhal (the title of the rulers of the Kumyks in Dagestan (Kazikumukh shamkhalstvo, Tarkovskoe shamkhalstvo) from the end of the XIV century to 1867). Arrival to Derbent under the command of Captain Verdun of a transport flotilla (21 ships) with artillery and provisions.
In a letter to Peter I of August 15, 1722, Captain Verdun reported that “from the city of Derbent, the commandant or naib sent his own man to me (Verdun. - Ed.) to the ship with congratulations on the happy arrival with the fin vessels c. and. in. and zealously at these ships wondered how these went to sea, and said verbally from the naib that they were very glad to see the eyes of V. and. in. and in subjection to their cities under your imperial power. "
On August 19, 1722, the attack of the 10-thousandth detachment of the Otemish Sultan Magmud was repulsed.

covered the coastal route along the Caspian. Residents of the city greeted the Russians friendly and hospitable.
August 30, 1722 Peter I wrote to Cruis from Derbent: “When (Russian troops. - Ed.) to this city, then the naib (governor) of this city met us and brought the key from the gate. It is true that these people did not bring them hypocritically with love, and so they helped us out of the siege for the sake of it. We have such letters from Baku, as we had before the parish from this city, for the sake of this we will send a garrison there, and so in these parts, with the help of God, we received a foot (that is, they were established. - Ed.), than we congratulate you. Although this march is not far off, it is only extremely difficult because of lack of food for horses and great heat. "
On August 28, all the Russian forces, including the flotilla, came to the city. Further progress to the south was halted by a strong storm, which sank all ships with food.
August 29. "There was a general council of what to do, at which everyone agreed in writing that they should go back, after all, food only for a month." They were waiting for the delivery of new provisions on 17 ships sailing from Astrakhan under the command of Captain Vilboa, but on September 4 Peter I received a message from Vilboa that while anchored 30 versts from the island of Chechen, his ships were captured by a storm, a strong leak appeared in the ships from rolling, and in order to prevent them from sinking at depth, he had to chop the ropes and be thrown ashore. At the same time, almost all the goods intended for the army were lost.
Peter I decided to leave the garrison in the city and returned with the main forces to Astrakhan, where he began preparations for the 1723 campaign.

This was the last military campaign in which the emperor Peter the First directly involved.
4-14 October 1722 Return of the flotilla with troops to Astrakhan. Appreciating the campaign to Persia, Peter I wrote to the Senate: “And so we can, thanks to the one above, by sowing

happy to be: for we have now received a solid foundation on the Caspian Sea. "
In November, a landing of five companies was landed in the Persian province of Gilan under the command of Colonel Shipov to occupy the city of Ryashch. Later, in March of the following year, the Ryashch vizier organized an uprising and, with 15 thousand people, tried to knock out Shipov's detachment that occupied Ryashch. All attacks of the Persians were repelled

During the second Persian campaign of 1723, 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 gekbots (a small sailing ship with a transom stern), field and siege artillery and infantry took part in the campaign.
On March 17, 1723 Commander-Lieutenant Soymonov's delight, leaving at the disposal of Colonel Shipov 3 ships under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Zolotarev, went to the mouth of the Kura River, so that, as ordered Peter 1 , choose here a place for the proposed construction of the city, and then return to Astrakhan.
Meanwhile, the Persians, taking advantage of the weakening of the forces of the fleet, attacked the detachment of Colonel Shipov in Rasht and, in order to destroy the ships of Lieutenant-Commander Zolotarev, who were in the Anzeli Gulf, built a strong battery at the exit from the gulf guarded by a 5,000-strong detachment. Simultaneously with repelling the attack on Rasht, the detachment of Lieutenant-Commander Zolotarev with the fire of the ship's artillery brought the Persian battery to silence and dispersed the detachment guarding it.

June 20. Exit by order Peter I Caspian flotilla from Astrakhan at sea for operations against Baku. On the ships there was a landing in the composition of four regiments. The expedition was headed by Major General M. A. Matyushkin. On the passage by sea, the flotilla was divided into three detachments, each of which had a land and naval commander: on the first - Major General Matyushkin and Lieutenant-Commander Prince Urusov, on the second - Major General Prince Trubetskoy and Lieutenant-Commander Pushkin, on the third - Brigadier Prince Baryatinsky and Lieutenant-Commander Soimonov.
July 6. Arrival of the Caspian Flotilla with a landing party to Baku. In view of the refusal of the Persians to surrender the city, preparations began voluntarily for the assault.

On July 21, 1723, the Russians repulsed the sally of the besieged with four battalions and two field guns. Meanwhile, 7 heckbots anchored near the city wall and began to fire heavy fire on it, thereby destroying the fortress artillery and partially destroying the wall.
On July 25, 1723, an assault was planned from 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, having repaired all the gaps in the wall, but still on July 26, the city surrendered 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 on September 12, 1723 in St. Petersburg, according to which Derbent, Baku, Rasht, Shirvan, Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad provinces were ceded to Russia.
From penetration into the central regions of the Caucasus Peter I had to be abandoned, since in the summer of 1723 the Ottomans invaded there, devastating Georgia, Armenia and western part Azerbaijan.

In 1724, the Treaty of Constantinople was concluded with the Porte, according to which the Sultan recognized Russia's acquisitions in the Caspian region, and Russia recognized the Sultan's rights to Western Transcaucasia.
Later, in connection with the aggravation of Russian-Turkish relations, russian government, in order to avoid a new war with the Ottoman Empire and interested in an alliance with Persia, according to the Rasht Treaty (1732) and the Ganja Treaty (1735), returned all the Caspian regions to Persia.

Sources of information:
1. Combat chronicle of the Russian fleet: Chronicle of the most important events military history Russian fleet from the IX century. to 1917

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Caspian campaign of Peter I

The Caspian or Persian military campaign of Peter the Great lasted a year from 1722 to 1723. The main tasks of this operation were to strengthen Russian influence in the East, to seize rich trade routes, most of which at that time passed through the territory of Persia. At the same time, the king personally led the campaign. But first things first.

Reasons for the Caspian campaign of Peter I

In 1721, the Russian Empire triumphantly ends the Northern War with Sweden, which lasted for twenty-one years. Due to the absence of serious external enemies on the horizon, the sovereign decides to implement a plan to annex lands located next to the Caspian Sea. Modern historians identify the following factors as the main reasons for the Caspian campaign:

• protection of the Orthodox inhabitants of the Caucasus;
• the desire to exercise control over the trade routes of Asia and India, passing through the Caspian;
• desire to weaken the power positions of the Ottoman Empire in the East by all means.

The beginning of the Caspian campaign

The beginning of the Persian Petrine campaign falls on the eighteenth of July 1722. It was on this day that two hundred and seventy-four ships descend into the Caspian Sea down the Volga. The tsar entrusted the command of the fleet to Admiral Apraksin, who showed excellent results in naval battles against Sweden in the Northern War. On the twentieth, the Russian fleet goes to sea and continues to move along the coastline.

The city of Derbent was chosen by Peter as the first target, where the infantry and ships moved. In total, the infantry numbered twenty-two thousand people, based on the regular Russian army, as well as Tatars, Kabardians, Cossacks and Kalmyks.

The first battle takes place a month later. On August 19, near the town of Utemysh, Russian troops repulsed the pressure of Sultan Magmud. In the same period, the Kumyk shah Adil-Girey, acting in alliance with Russia, captured the cities of Baku and Derbent. Peter's troops enter this city on August 23rd without fighting or loss.

However, the further movement to the south of the army was stopped, because the Russian fleet carrying out its supply was defeated as a result of the storm. Peter the First leaves his army and leaves urgently for Astrakhan, where he begins preparations for a military campaign, which will begin in 1723. Thus, the first stage of the campaign ends.

The course of hostilities

In the second stage of the Caspian campaign, Perth the First entrusted the command of the army to Matyushkin. Ruchka troops left in the direction of Baku on June 20 and reached their goal on July 6. The siege of the city immediately begins, because the townspeople rejected the offer of the commander to surrender and open the gates. The plan for the siege of the city prepared by the sovereign was simple, but very effective:

• The infantry took up positions and was ready at the first order to repel the enemy sallies. The first such sortie took place the day after the start of the siege.
• The Russian fleet anchored near the fortress and began its regular shelling, which completely brought out the enemy artillery and partially destroyed the fortress wall.
• As soon as the enemy's positions were weakened, the Russian troops begin the assault.

Thanks to strict adherence to each point of the plan, the Persian campaign had a fairly high chance of success. The commander appoints the beginning of the assault on Baku for the twenty-fifth of July, making the main key figure of the fleet, which was to deliver the main blow to the fortress. However, the plan was interrupted by strong winds and the operation was canceled. On July 26, 1723, the fortress surrenders without a fight.

Results of the Caspian campaign

This victory was a huge success for Russia and no less a huge setback for its adversary Persia, which, given the current situation, had to look for a reason to conclude an amicable agreement with Peter the Great.

Peter's Persian or Caspian campaign officially ends on September 12, 1723, when a peace treaty between Russia and Persia is signed in St. Petersburg, which will go down in history as the Persian Peace of 1723. According to the text of the terms of this document, Rasht, Derbent, Baku, as well as other settlements located along the southern coastline of the Caspian Sea withdrew to the Russian Empire. The ruler of Russia was able to implement only one of the many undertakings and was not going to stop there.

As we mentioned at the beginning, historians agree that Emperor Peter the First did a very important job by deciding to annex the Eastern territories to the Russian Empire. However, unfortunately, his successors, who ascended the Russian throne, could not keep these positions. According to the treaties of 1732 and 1735, the ruler of Russia, Empress Anna, returns all the Caspian lands to Persia, thus canceling out all the efforts and efforts spent by Peter.

So the history of the Caspian campaign of Peter the Great was completed.

Scheme: goals and results of the Caspian campaign of Peter I

Historical table: Caspian campaign of Peter I

Video lecture: The Caspian campaign of Peter I

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Persian campaign 1722 - 1723
	caspian Sea coast
	Seize territories, persuade the Persian khans to friendship with Russia, explore gold deposits, find trade routes to India
	Russia's victory
Territorial changes:	The cities of Derbent, Baku, Rasht and the provinces of Shirvan, Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad went to Russia
	Otemysh sultanate
	Kaitag utsmiystvo
	Principality of Andirey
Kalmyk Khanate	Kazikumukh Khanate
Shamkhalstvo Tarkovskoe	Lezgi rebels
Tabasaran mystery
Commanders
	Shah Tahmasp II
F. M. Apraksin
Mikhail Matyushkin	Sultan Mahmud
I. M. Krasnoshchekov	Otemishsky
Daniel the Apostle	Akhmet Khan
Vakhtang VI	Prince Aydemir
David-Beck	Prince Chopalav
Isaiah Hasan-Jalalyan	Surkhay Khan I
Murza Cherkassky	Haji Dawud Bek
Aslan-Bek	Myushkyurskiy
Adil-Girey
Rustam-kadi
Forces of the parties
22 thousand infantry 9 thousand regular cavalry 196 artillery pieces 6 thousand sailors 10 thousand Ukrainian Cossacks 7 thousand Kalmyks 1 thousand Don Cossacks 30 thousand Tatars Georgian-Armenian army: 40-52 thousand people Kabardian cavalry

Persian campaign of 1722-1723 (Russian-Persian war of 1722-1723) - the campaign of the Russian army and navy in Northern Azerbaijan and Dagestan, which belonged to Persia.

Prerequisites

After the end of the Northern War, Peter I decided to make a trip to the western coast of the Caspian Sea, and, having seized the Caspian, to restore the trade route from Central Asia and India to Europe, which would be very useful for Russian merchants and for the enrichment of the Russian Empire. The path was 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.

It should be noted that Peter I paid great attention to trade and economics. Back in 1716, he sent a detachment of Prince Bekovich-Cherkassky across the Caspian to Khiva and Bukhara.

The expedition was tasked with persuading the Khiva khan to become citizens, and the Bukhara emir to friendship with Russia; explore trade routes to India and gold deposits in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya. However, this first expedition completely failed - the Khiva khan first persuaded the prince to disperse the forces, and then attacked separate detachments.

Also, the embassy of Israel Ori played a big role, through which a message from the Syunik meliks was conveyed to Peter, in which they asked for help and protection from the Russian tsar. Peter also promised to provide assistance to the Armenians after the end of the war with Sweden.

The reason for the start of the new campaign was the insurrection of the rebels in the coastal provinces of Persia. Peter I announced to the Persian Shah that the rebels were making forays 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 help the Shah in pacifying the inhabitants of the rebellious provinces.

Training

Even during the Northern War, the Russian troops were preparing for the campaign in Persia. Captain Verdun made a detailed map of the Caspian Sea, later sent to the Paris Academy, Russian units were constantly on the border with Persia. Peter I planned to set out from Astrakhan, go along the coast of the Caspian Sea, capture Derbent and Baku, reach the Kura River and establish a fortress there, then go to Tiflis, help the Georgians in the fight against the Ottoman Empire, and from there return to Russia. In case of coming war contact was established both with the Kartlian king Vakhtang VI and the Armenian Catholicos, Asdvadzur. Kazan and Astrakhan became centers of the organization of the Persian campaign. For the upcoming campaign, 20 separate battalions with a total strength of 22 thousand people and 196 artillery pieces were formed from 80 companies of field troops. Also, on the way to Astrakhan, Peter enlisted the support of the Kalmyk khan Ayuki, so 7 thousand Kalmyk cavalry detachments took part in the campaign. On June 15, 1722, the Russian emperor arrives in Astrakhan. He decides to transport 22 thousand infantry by sea, and 7 dragoon regiments with a total number of 9 thousand men under the command of Major General Kropotov to send by land from Tsaritsyn, Ukrainian and Don Cossack units also went by land. 30,000 Tatars were also hired.

By order of Peter I and with his direct participation in the Kazan Admiralty, about 200 transport ships were built (including: 3 shnyavs, 2 geckots, 1 hooker, 9 shuyt, 17 tyalak, 1 yacht, 7 evers, 12 gallots, 1 plow, 34 fin vessels), which were supplied with 6 thousand sailors.

On June 15, 1722, Peter issued a manifesto, in which he stated that “the Shah's subjects - the Lezghin owner Daud-bek and the Kazykum owner Surkhay - rebelled against their sovereign, took the city of Shemakha by storm and carried out a robbery attack on Russian merchants. In view of Daud-bek's refusal to give satisfaction, we are forced ... to lead an army against the predicted rebels and all-evil robbers. "

Fighting

Campaign of 1722

On July 18, the entire flotilla of 274 ships went to sea under the command of Admiral-General Count Apraksin. At the head of the vanguard was Peter I. 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 Koisu River. A few days later, the cavalry arrived and joined up with the main forces. On August 5, the Russian army continued its movement towards Derbent. On August 6, on the Sulak River, the Kabardian princes Murza Cherkassky and Aslan-Bek joined the army with their detachments. On August 8 she crossed the Sulak River. On August 15, the troops approached Tarki, the seat of Shamkhal. On August 19, an attack by a 10-thousandth detachment of the Otemish Sultan Magmud and a 6-thousandth detachment of the Haitak Akhmet Khan was repulsed. Peter's ally was the Kumyk shamkhal Adil-Girey, who captured Derbent and Baku before the approach of the Russian army. On August 23, Russian troops entered Derbent. Derbent was a strategically important city, as it covered the coastal route along the Caspian Sea. On August 28, all the Russian forces, including the flotilla, came to the city. Further progress to the south was halted by a strong storm, which sank all 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 1723 campaign. This was the last military campaign in which he took part directly.

In September, Vakhtang VI entered Karabakh with an army, where he led military operations against the insurgent Lezghins. After the capture of Ganja, the Georgians were joined by the Armenian troops led by the Gandzasar Catholicos Isaia. Near Ganja, waiting for Peter, the Georgian-Armenian army stood for two months, however, having learned about the departure of the Russian army from the Caucasus, Vakhtang and Isaiah returned with troops to their possessions.

In November, a landing of five companies was landed in the Persian province of Gilan under the command of Colonel Shipov to occupy the city of Ryashch. Later, in March of the following year, the Ryashch vizier organized an uprising and, with 15 thousand people, tried to dislodge the Shipov detachment that occupied Ryashch. All attacks of the Persians were repelled.

Campaign of 1723

During the second Persian campaign, a much smaller detachment under the command of Matyushkin was sent to Persia, and Peter I only led the actions of Matyushkin from the Russian Empire. The campaign was attended by 15 heckbots, field and siege artillery and infantry. On June 20, the detachment moved south, followed by a fleet of heckbots from Kazan. 6 july ground troops 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 sally of the besieged. Meanwhile, 7 heckbots anchored next to the city wall and began to fire heavy fire on it, thereby destroying the fortress artillery and partially destroying the wall. On July 25, an assault was scheduled from 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, filling up all the gaps in the wall, but still, on July 26, the city capitulated without a fight.

Outcome

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, Shirvan, Gilan, Mazandaran and Astrabad provinces were ceded to Russia.

Peter I had to abandon penetration into the central regions of Transcaucasia, since in the summer of 1723 the Ottomans invaded there, devastating Georgia, Armenia and the western part of modern Azerbaijan. In 1724, the Treaty of Constantinople was concluded with the Porte, according to which the Sultan recognized the acquisitions of Russia in the Caspian region, and Russia - the rights of the Sultan to the Western Transcaucasia.

Later, in connection with the aggravation of Russian-Turkish relations, the Russian government, in order to avoid a new war with the Ottoman Empire and was interested in an alliance with Persia, under the Rasht Treaty (1732) and the Ganja Treaty (1735) returned all the Caspian regions to Persia.

The Persian campaign of Peter 1 was completed in 1722-1723. Its main tasks were to strengthen Russia's influence in the East, as well as to take control of the rich trade routes, many of which passed through the territory of Persia. The Russian tsar personally commanded the army. This initiative, like most others, was brilliantly carried out by Peter, although his successors managed to lose the territories that Peter annexed through the victory over Persia. But first things first.

Reasons for the Persian Approach

IN national history The Persian campaign is often called the Caspian campaign of Peter 1, or simply russo-Persian War... Whichever of these definitions you come across, remember that they are talking about the same thing.

In 1721, Russia triumphantly ended its 21-year war with Sweden. Since there were no more serious external enemies, Peter decided to carry out his old idea - to annex the territories adjacent to the Caspian Sea by declaring war on Persia. The main reasons for the Persian campaign of Peter 1 are as follows:

• The desire to control trade routes from India and Asia, most of which passed through the Caspian. Amazing fact, about which many historians for some reason forget to talk, but Peter 1 was extremely supportive of the representatives of trade, and much was done in the country for their benefit. The plans were to create a trade route "Baltika - Volga - Caspian".
• Protection of the Orthodox in the Caucasus. This was the reason that justified the reasons for the start of the war.
• Desire to weaken the position of the Ottoman Empire in the East. I want to note right away that this was not done. Further, we will consider why it failed.

The course of hostilities

Events of 1722

The Persian campaign of Peter 1 began on July 18, 1722. On this day, 274 ships began to descend down the Volga into the Caspian Sea. The fleet was commanded by Admiral Apraksin, who showed himself well in naval battles against Sweden. The exit to the sea was carried out on July 20, after which the fleet continued to move along the coast.

The main goal at the beginning of the campaign was the city of Derbent. It was there that the ships moved, as well as the infantry. In total, there were about 22 thousand infantrymen, the basis of which was the regular army, as well as Kalmyks, Cossacks, Kabardians, Tatars. The first battle took place on August 19 near the town of Utemysh. Russian troops managed to repel the attack of the Sultan Magmud. At the same time, Adil-Girey the Kumyk Shah, who came out in alliance with Peter, captured the cities of Derbent and Baku. Russian troops entered Derbent on August 23 without significant losses and virtually no fighting. The further advance of the army to the south was stopped, since the fleet, which carried out the delivery of provisions, died as a result of the storm. The tsar leaves the army and goes to Astrakhan, where he directs the preparations for hostilities in 1723. This is how the first stage of the Persian campaign of Peter 1 was completed.

Events of 1723

In the company of 1723, Peter 1 did not take an active part. The army was commanded by Matyushkin. Peter himself was in Russia. The troops began to advance on June 20 in the direction of Baku and reached the city on July 6. The siege of the city began, since the townspeople rejected Matyushkin's demand to surrender. The siege plan was simple enough, but very effective:

• The infantry takes up its positions, preparing at any moment to repel the foray of the enemy. The first sortie was on July 21, 1723.
• The fleet had to anchor near the fortress to begin shelling it. As a result of these actions, it was possible to completely disable the enemy's artillery, and also partially destroy the fortress wall.
• After weakening the positions of the fortress, start its assault.

The plan was good, and as a result, the Persian campaign of Peter 1 had a high chance of success. The assault on Baku was scheduled for July 25. It was assumed that the main blow should be delivered from the sea, since there were holes in the wall, and this could be successfully used. A strong wind prevented, due to which the assault was canceled. Nevertheless, on July 26, 1723, Baku surrendered without a fight. It was a great success for Russia and a gigantic blow to Persia, which began to look for opportunities to conclude peace.

Results of the war with Persia

On September 12, 1723, the Persian campaign of Peter 1 was officially completed. On this day in St. Petersburg, representatives of Persia signed a peace treaty with Russia. In history, this document is called the Persian World of 1723, and according to its results, Russia went to: Baku, Derbent, Rasht and other settlements along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. Peter realized his idea, but was not going to stop there, because he wanted to move deeper in order to prevent the Ottoman Empire from expanding.

The Ottomans worked "ahead of the curve" and in the summer of 1723 captured almost the entire territory of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. In 1724, the Ottomans concluded the Peace of Constantinople with the Porta, retaining the right to the conquered lands. Russia recognized this treaty, and in response, the Ottoman Empire recognized the 1723 treaty between Russia and Persia.

At the beginning of the article, I already said that Peter 1 did a great job by annexing these important Eastern lands. Nevertheless, his successors on the Russian throne did not keep these territories. As a result of the treaties of 1732 and 1735, Empress Anna 1 returned all territories in the Caspian to Persia. This is how the Persian campaign of Peter 1 (1722 - 1723) was completed, in which Russia achieved a beneficial peace with Persia.

North War.

The Northern War between Russia and Sweden lasted 21 long years from 1700 to 1721. Its results were very positive for our country, because as a result of the war, Peter managed to "cut a window to Europe." Russia has achieved its main goal - to gain a foothold in the Baltic Sea. However, the course of the war was very ambiguous and the country had a hard time, but the result was worth all the suffering.

The desire to reduce the influence of Sweden, which had one of the strongest armies in Europe, and was also the leading state in Western Europe... With the accession to the throne of the young and inexperienced Charles II, such an opportunity arose.

Each state of the Northern Union had its own separate interests: Denmark wanted domination in the Baltic Sea, Russia just needed access to the Baltic Sea along with the lands of Karelia and Ingria, and Saxony wanted to return Livonia.

The pride of Peter I was hurt in Riga (it was the second most important city in the Kingdom of Sweden after Stockholm) - he received a cold welcome and took it as a personal insult.

Preparations for war were started by Peter I after returning from the Great Embassy. The northern alliance of Russia, Denmark, Saxony and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was formed by 1699. In the same year, Russia concluded a sea with the Ottoman Empire, which made it possible to avoid a war on 2 fronts. Great Northern War 1700 - 1721 began the day after this event.

Narva confusion

The Great Northern War for Russia began on August 19, 1700, but the beginning of it for the allies was simply terrible. Taking into account that Sweden was still ruled by a child Karl 12, who was barely 18 years old, it was expected that the Swedish army did not pose a threat and would be easily defeated. In fact, it turned out that Charles 12 was a strong enough commander. Realizing the absurdity of a war on 3 fronts, he decides to defeat the opponents one by one. Within a few days, he inflicted a crushing defeat on Denmark, which effectively withdrew from the war. After that, it was the turn of Saxony. August 2 at this time besieged Riga, which belonged to Sweden. Charles II inflicted a terrible defeat on his opponent, forcing him to retreat.

Russia actually remained in the war one on one with the enemy. Peter 1 decided to defeat the enemy on his territory, but in no way took into account that Charles 12 became not only a talented, but also an experienced commander. Peter sends troops to Narva, a Swedish fortress. The total number of Russian troops is 32 thousand people and 145 artillery pieces. Charles 12 sent an additional 18,000 soldiers to help his garrison. The battle turned out to be fleeting. The Swedes hit the joints between the Russian units and broke through the defenses. Moreover, many foreigners, whom Peter valued so much in russian army... Modern historians call this defeat "Narva confusion".

As a result of the Narva battle, Russia lost 8 thousand people killed and all the artillery. It was a nightmare result of the confrontation. At this moment, Karl 12 showed nobility, or made a mistake. He did not pursue the retreating Russians, believing that without artillery and with such losses, the war for Peter's army was over. But he was wrong. The Russian tsar announced a new recruitment into the army and began to restore the artillery at a hasty pace. For this, the bells of churches were even melted down. Also, Peter began to reorganize the army, because he clearly saw that at the current moment his soldiers could not fight on equal terms with the opponents of the country.

Battle of Poltava

In this material, we will not dwell in detail on the course of the Poltava battle. since this historical event is detailed in the corresponding article. It should only be noted that the Swedes were stuck for a long time in the war with Saxony and Poland. In 1708, the young Swedish king actually won this war, inflicting a defeat on August 2, after which there was no doubt that the war was over for the latter.

These events sent Karl back to Russia, since it was necessary to finish off the last enemy. Here he met worthy resistance, which resulted in the Battle of Poltava. There Karl 12 was literally defeated and fled to Turkey, hoping to persuade her to war with Russia. These events have made a turning point in the situation of countries.

Prut campaign

After Poltava, the Northern Union was again relevant. After all, Peter inflicted a defeat that gave a chance for overall success. As a result, the Northern War continued with the fact that Russian troops captured the cities of Riga, Revel, Korel, Pernov and Vyborg. Thus, Russia actually conquered the entire eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.

Charles 12, who was in Turkey, even more actively began to persuade the Sultan to oppose Russia, since he understood that a great danger was hanging over his country. As a result, Turkey entered the war in 1711, which forced Peter's army to loosen its grip in the North, since now the Northern War forced him to fight on two fronts.

Peter personally decided to carry out a Prut campaign in order to defeat the enemy. Not far from the Prut River, the army of Peter (28 thousand people) was surrounded by the Turkish army (180 thousand people). The situation was simply disastrous. The king himself was surrounded, as well as all his entourage and russian army in full force. Turkey could have ended the Northern War, but did not do it ... This should not be considered as a miscalculation of the Sultan. In the murky waters of political life, everyone catches soybeans. To smash Russia meant to strengthen Sweden, and to strengthen it very strongly, creating from it the strongest power on the continent. For Turkey, it was more profitable for Russia and Sweden to continue fighting, weakening each other.

Let's go back to the events that the Prut campaign brought. Peter was so shocked by what was happening that when sending his ambassador to negotiate for peace, he told him to agree to any conditions except the loss of Petrograd. A huge ransom was also collected. As a result, the sultan agreed to peace, under which Turkey received Azov back, Russia destroys black Sea Fleet and does not interfere with the return of King Charles 12 to Sweden. In response, Turkey completely released the Russian troops, in full gear and with banners.

As a result, the Northern War, the outcome of which seemed a foregone conclusion after the Battle of Poltava, received a new round. This made the war more difficult and took much longer to win.

Caspian campaign of Peter 1 (briefly)

Caspian campaign of Peter 1 (briefly)

Hike of 1722

On the eighteenth of July, the Russian flotilla in full strength (two hundred seventy-four ships) sets out to the open sea under the command of Count Apraksin. On July 20, the fleet enters the Caspian, after which it goes on for a week, adhering to the western coast. Already on the twenty-seventh of July, the infantry landed at the Agrakhar Cape, and a few days later the cavalry that arrived unites with the main forces. On August 5, the army continues to move towards Derbent and a day later the detachments of the Kabardian princes Aslan-Bek and Murza Cherkassky join it.

After the twenty-eighth of August, the further advance of the troops to the south was stopped by a powerful storm, which sank all the ships with provisions. However, Peter the Great decides to leave the garrison in the city and return with the main forces to Astrakhan, where he begins to plan the preparation of the 1723 campaign.

In early autumn, Vakhtang the Fourth with his army enters Karabakh, where he leads fighting against the rebellious Dagestanis. After Ganja was captured, Armenian troops, led by Isaia, join the ranks of the Georgians. They stood waiting for Peter for about two months, but having received news of the withdrawal of the Russian troops from the Caucasus, Isaiah and Vakhtang returned to their possessions with an army.

In November, in the Persian province of Gilan, an assault force of five companies landed to occupy the city of Rasht. Colonel Shipov commanded the landing. Later, in early spring of next year, the vizier organizes an uprising and, having collected fifteen thousand people, tries to knock out the detachment. However, all Persian attacks were repelled.

Hike of 1723

During the second campaign, Peter sent a much smaller detachment to Persia than the last time. It was commanded by Matyushkin. At the same time, Peter the First acted only as the head of Matyushkin himself from Russia.

So, fifteen heckbots, infantry, as well as siege and field artillery took part in this campaign. On June 20, the army moved south, and after them Kazan left the fleet of the Heckbots. On July 6, ground forces approach Baku. Locals refuse to surrender peacefully the city.

On the twenty-first, with two field guns and four battalions, the Russians were fighting off the sally of the besieged. Along with this, seven hekbots open powerful fire on the city wall, destroying its integrity and knocking down the artillery of the fortress.

On July 26, the city of Baku capitulated.