How Russia helped Turkey in the war with the French and received the war of 1806-1812 in "gratitude"
The Russian squadron under the command of F. F. Ushakov, going through the Strait of Constantinople. Hood. M. Ivanov
Free passage through the straits
After Petersburg missed the only chance in the XNUMXth century to capture the straits (Russia's Lost Chance: Catherine the Great's Tsargrad Operation), Russia got involved in a war with France. And she began to help her enemy - Turkey.
The French army landed in Egypt, and Sultan Selim III considered it an attack on the Ottoman Empire. Although Egypt ruled autonomous Mamelukes, and Bonaparte repeatedly stated that he was at war not with the Ottomans, but with the Mamelukes. There were also rumors in Istanbul that Bonaparte wanted to restore the Jewish state in Jerusalem and go to Constantinople.
Turkey is asking for help from Russia. Emperor Paul I in August 1798 orders the Chernomorsky the fleet Ushakov, who had previously been prepared to capture the Bosphorus, to go to the aid of the Ottomans. The squadron of the famous Ushak Pasha in the Port came to the Bosphorus.
It is interesting that the population of Constantinople joyfully met "sworn unfaithful enemies." Ushakov wrote to the capital:
On behalf of the Sultan, Ushakov was presented with a snuffbox adorned with diamonds. Also, a declaration was handed over to Turkey "On the free navigation of Russian military and merchant ships through the straits ...".
December 23, 1798 (January 3, 1799) in Constantinople, an allied defensive treaty was concluded between Russia and the Porte. The treaty confirmed the Iasi Agreement of 1791. Russia and Turkey guaranteed each other territorial integrity as of January 1, 1798. In the secret part of the agreement, Russia guaranteed military assistance to Turkey. Istanbul promised to open the straits for our navy. For all other powers, without exception, the entrance to the Black Sea was closed.
Thus, the Black Sea became a closed Russian-Turkish basin. At the same time, the right of Russia to be the guarantor of the navigation regime of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles was fixed. If Turkey had kept this treaty as a key one with Russia, then the Russo-Turkish wars could have been put to rest.
The Russians, under the command of Ushakov, liberated the Ionian Islands from the French. Tsar Paul established a republic there! Then Russian sailors and paratroopers helped liberate Naples from the French. Detachments of Russian sailors and soldiers were solemnly welcomed by the population of Naples and Rome.
Alien game
The victories of the Russian fleet and troops were bright and brilliant. However, geopolitically, strategically, Russia was the loser. We fought for others. Malta, which formally belonged to the Russian emperor, was left to the British. The Austrians, with the help of the Suvorov bogatyrs, regained control of Northern Italy and offered Suvorov's army to go to fight in Switzerland. So our victories led to the general strategic failure of Russia.
The Russian sovereign Pavel Petrovich realized what a trap Russia had fallen into, getting involved in an unnecessary war with France, and tried to slip out. He stopped the war with the French, began negotiations with them about an alliance, began to put together an anti-English coalition in Northern Europe. The British immediately used those who were dissatisfied with the policy of Paul in St. Petersburg, the Russian tsar was killed.
Before the new Russian sovereign, Alexander Pavlovich, the question was: peace with France or participation in another anti-French coalition. The neutrality of Russia, according to the British, meant an alliance between the Russians and the French. For this, the British killed Pavel with the help of Russian conspirators and could wage a “war” against Russia, in fact, spoil it, since there were no common borders.
Peace and agreement with France promised great strategic benefits. Petersburg, taking advantage of the difficult situation of Paris, could bargain for serious concessions. In particular, we could formally cede Malta to France (in fact, the British were there), and in return get the right to Constantinople, the straits. It was also possible to restore under our auspices historical Georgia and Armenia, in the Balkans - Orthodox and Slavic principalities and kingdoms. Significantly expand our lands in the region of the Dniester and the Danube.
However, Alexander did not do this, he preferred to negotiate with the British and Germans. Why?
Perhaps he was afraid to repeat the fate of his father. Adhered to the vicious principle of legitimism. He himself was ambitious, dreaming of a big victory over the "Corsican monster". Personally led our army in Germany. Plus the influence of England and the German party at the Petersburg court. Germanophiles and Russian Germans lobbied for a war against France. Also, England was then the main trading partner of Russia.
As a result, Alexander I immediately made peace with England, drew Russia into the anti-French coalition.
mediterranean theater
Since 1803, our garrisons in the Ionian Islands have been reinforced. The supply of Russian forces in the Mediterranean theater passed mainly through the straits. Russian warships were moving in both directions. In 1804, the squadron of Captain-Commander Greig left Kronstadt - 2 ships and 2 frigates. In 1805, Senyavin's squadron left Kronstadt - 5 ships and 1 frigate. Two brigs were bought in England. The base of our squadron in the Mediterranean was the island of Corfu.
In December 1804, negotiations began in Istanbul between our Italian ambassador and the Turkish government on a new union treaty. The central issue was the problem of the straits. In September 1805, a new treaty was signed. It consisted of 15 explicit and 10 secret articles. The agreement was directed against France, on mutual assistance in case of war with the French.
The Turks reaffirmed their obligation to let our ships through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. The right of Russia to the patronage of the Orthodox peoples of the Balkans was confirmed. The Sultan agreed that the Russians occupy the Ionian Islands (4th secret article). The 7th secret article reported that the Black Sea is closed, the appearance of foreign warships is not allowed here. The issue of the regime of the straits concerned only Russia and Turkey. Russia was the guarantor of this regime and joined in the defense of the straits.
At first, in the Mediterranean, Russia and its allies had a complete advantage in forces, means and resources. The sea and land forces of England, Turkey, Russia, Austria and the Kingdom of Naples had a multiple advantage over the French. The Allies controlled all the strategic points of the Mediterranean - Gibraltar, Malta, Naples, Sicily, the Dardanelles, etc.
But in November 1805, in the Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon defeated the Russian-Austrian army. Alexander and the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph fled and were greatly frightened by the pogrom. In December, Austria signs an "obscene" peace with France. The Austrian Empire cedes its lands in Germany to Bavaria, Württemberg and Baden (France's allies). France receives the Venetian region, Istria, Dalmatia and the Bay of Kotor. French troops occupy Naples. Joseph Bonaparte is planted by the Neapolitan monarch.
Russian admiral Dmitry Nikolaevich Senyavin (1763–1831)
Turkey goes to the side of France
Napoleon crushed the enemy coalition with one blow. As a result, the position of the Russian forces in the Mediterranean changed dramatically for the worse. Russia's allies occupy Sicily and Malta, the Turks remain a formal ally, but there was little sense from them. Alexander orders the withdrawal of most of the forces from the Ionian Islands, including the fleet.
At the beginning of 1806, the tsar calmed down and ordered the withdrawal of troops and ships back. The Russian commander Senyavin was given the task of "preventing the implementation of French calculations on the Ottoman Empire" if possible. Senyavin acted decisively. In February 1806, a Russian landing force led by Captain Belli occupied the port of Kotor (Boca di Cattaro). Local residents (Slavs-Montenegrins) enthusiastically greeted the Russians and asked for citizenship of the Russian Tsar.
In the spring and summer of 1806, the Russians waged a struggle against the French for the Dalmatian Islands with varying success. Our troops tried to occupy Dubrovnik, occupied by the enemy, but without success.
Austerlitz struck in the heart not only Vienna, but also Istanbul. Having received news of the battle, Sultan Selim recognized the imperial title of Napoleon, conferred on him the title of padishah and offered to consider Turkey a friend of France. In April 1806, the Turks proposed to the Russian ambassador Italinsky to reduce the number of Russian ships passing through the straits. In the autumn of 1806, the straits were closed to Russian ships. Serious restrictions were imposed on the passage of merchant ships.
The toughening of Turkey's position towards Russia was associated with the new victories of Napoleon. In October 1806, the French utterly defeated the Prussian army at Jena and Auerstedt. Bonaparte's troops entered Berlin and Warsaw. The French army was at the Russian borders. The French General Sebastiani arrived in Constantinople. He sought a military alliance between France and Turkey against Russia. The French seduced the Ottomans with the possibility of returning Ochakov and the Crimea, that is, possessions until 1774.
By agreement with Russia, the Porte could remove the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia only in court with the participation of Russian representatives. In the autumn of 1806, Sultan Selim violated this clause, deposed the rulers Ypsilanti and Muruzi. Russia responds by sending money to Serbian rebels. In November 1806, Russian troops occupied Moldavia and Wallachia.
On December 18, 1806, Turkey declared war on Russia.
- Alexander Samsonov
- https://ru.wikipedia.org/
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