Why Catherine II annexed Crimea
Prince Potemkin accepts the abdication of the last Crimean Khan. painting by Boris Chorikov
Why did Russia need Crimea?
Firstly, the robbery, who lived by selling people into slavery, the Crimean Khanate, even in the XNUMXth century, during its decline and during the rise of the Russian Empire, retained its essence. Crimeans constantly raided Russian lands, took people away for sale into slavery.
In 1740–1768 the Crimean horde continued its raids on Russia. The slave trade was the basis of life, income of the Crimean Khanate. The scale of the raids was associated with the ability of the Russian army to guard the southern borders. So, during the Russian-Prussian war, taking advantage of the fact that the Russian troops were tied up on the western borders, the Crimeans made several major raids. Many thousands of people were taken to the Crimea.
Turkey, on the one hand, dissociated itself from the Crimean raids and even reported that the Russians could beat the Crimeans. On the other hand, the Porte began to threaten Russia when she tried to strengthen her southern borders and began to build fortresses on her own territory.
Also in St. Petersburg, they gradually realized that it was pointless to rely on the “Russian” party among the Crimean feudal lords. No matter how much you feed the wolf, he keeps looking into the forest. The only way to pacify Crimea is to make it Russian, with a Russian administration, cities, army and population. Part of the empire, and not a vassal territory, which at any moment can rebel or spill over to the side of the enemy.
Secondly, it is the military-strategic importance of the Crimean peninsula. It was a strategic foothold of the Ottoman Empire, aimed at Russia. In order to solve the main tasks of protecting the southern borders, to firmly gain a foothold in the Northern Black Sea region, on the shores of the Black (once Russian) Sea, it was necessary to occupy the Crimea. Also, it was here that it was possible to create a full-fledged base of the Russian fleet, the ports of the Sea of Azov were not suitable for this.
Thirdly, this is the sacred meaning of the Crimea for Russian civilization. Crimea was part of the ancient Great Scythia, the direct successor of which is Rus'. Part of the peninsula was under the influence of the Russian state with its capital in Kyiv. The Russian Prince Vladimir was baptized in Korsun-Chersonese. This was followed by the baptism of Rus'. That is, the return of Russians to Crimea is natural, this historical part of Rus'-Russia.
Dolgorukov's campaign
During the Russian-Turkish war, the Russian army under the command of Prince Vasily Dolgorukov, with the support of the Azov flotilla, defeated the Crimean-Turkish forces in 1771 and overcame the Perekop line, took the Arabat fortress. The Crimean Khan Selim Giray fled to Turkey. The remaining Crimean troops settled in the Cafe, hoping for reinforcements from Porta. Kafa capitulated after a short resistance. The Turkish troops remaining on the peninsula were evacuated. The Russians occupied Kerch and Yenikale without a fight. Soon the Russians occupied the eastern and southern coasts of the peninsula.
The success of the Russian army was largely due to the quarrel in the ranks of the enemy. So, even before the start of Dolgorukov's campaign, the hordes that roamed in the Northern Black Sea region went over to the side of the Russians or remained neutral. Not without gold, transferred to the feudal lords, who joined the pro-Russian party. In the Crimea itself, after the flight of the khan, disorder began. Among the Crimean nobility and even the royal relatives, many began to consider themselves supporters of Russia. Therefore, the Crimean feudal lords signed a truce with Russia and left the vassal dependence on the Porte, deciding to independently elect a khan. Khan was elected Sahib Giray.
Dolgorukov demanded the release of Russians and Christian slaves in general. Many slaves themselves fled under the protection of the Russian army. In Cafe and other cities and villages, Greek churches began to be restored. It was planned to leave Russian garrisons in the Crimean cities. Naturally, these innovations were not to the liking of the Crimeans, who could not immediately abandon the age-old traditions of slavery and the “raid economy”. The pro-Turkish party has gained new supporters.
Türkiye was defeated in the war. On July 10 (21), 1774, peace was signed "in the camp near the village of Kyuchuk-Kainardzhi". The Crimean Khanate was recognized as independent. The most important fortresses - Kerch and Yenikale - retreated to Russia. The Russians received the right to keep the navy on the Black Sea.
Accession of Crimea
In general, it is clear that this was an interim treaty. The two great powers did not resolve the dispute over dominance in the Northern Black Sea region and the Black Sea. Russia did not secure Crimea, Constantinople dreamed of revenge. Russia received the right to keep a fleet at sea, but there was no main base. Azov and Taganrog were not suitable for the base of a large fleet.
The Crimean Khanate found itself in an intermediate, unstable position. Formally, the khanate was independent. But the Turkish Sultan was the head of all Muslims and claimed the Crimean Khan. The profile of the Sultan was minted on the Crimean money. Crimean nobility used to focus on Turkey. The Crimean economy was based on the slave trade and robbery. It pulled into the past. On the other hand, Russian garrisons remained on the peninsula. From St. Petersburg to the Crimea there were financial flows, which were mastered by local murzas.
The confrontation between the Russian and Turkish parties began. Sahib Giray was overthrown. In 1774, a Turkish landing was landed on the peninsula near Alushta with the new Khan Devlet Giray. Russian troops defeated the Turkish landing. But Devlet Giray stayed on the throne. In order to strengthen their positions on the peninsula, additional Russian troops were gathered there: in 1776, the corps of General Prozorovsky, including the Moscow division of Suvorov. When Prozorovsky fell ill, in 1777 the corps was headed by Suvorov.
Rumyantsev summoned Shagin-Girey, Devlet-Girey's brother, from Abkhazia. With the help of Russia, he became the Khan of the Kuban Tatars, proclaimed the independence of the Kuban horde from the Crimea. With the help of Russians and Nogays, Shahin occupied the Crimea and became a khan. He tried to modernize the khanate along the lines of Russia. But he met resistance from the nobility and the Muslim clergy. Again swept a wave of conspiracies, rebellions and uprisings.
As a result, Petersburg got tired of it. On April 14, 1783, the last Crimean khan Shakhin signed the abdication of the khan's throne, the foremen were sworn into Russian citizenship. On April 8 (19), 1783, Catherine II issued a manifesto in which she announced the inclusion of the Crimean Khanate, Taman and Kuban into the Russian Empire. The last Crimean Khan received a large pension.
Thus, Catherine the Great completed a great deed. The Tatar raids on Russia were finished, as well as the shameful slave trade on the peninsula. All slaves were freed. Russia received an important outpost, and construction of a base for the Black Sea Fleet began almost immediately. Potemkin made a lot of efforts to create a manufacturing economy on the peninsula. Crimean Tatars were forbidden to turn into serfs. They received the same rights as other inhabitants of the empire, but they had benefits - they were exempted from recruitment duty and from a number of other hardships. No one encroached on their faith, land and livestock. But many did not accept the new life and left for Turkey.
Türkiye was presented with a fait accompli. In Istanbul, they were amazed that the Russians were able to take the Crimea and Kuban so easily and bloodlessly. Khan himself abdicated the throne, the population swore allegiance to Catherine II. In 1784, the incorporation of Crimea into Russia was officially recognized in Constantinople. The vast Wild Steppe, which could fit the whole of France with several neighboring countries, freed from raids and robbery, quickly began to turn into a comfortable land. For ten years now, it has been a prosperous Novorossiysk province.
Manifesto of Catherine II "On the acceptance of the Crimean peninsula, the island of Taman and the entire Kuban side under the Russian state"
- Alexander Samsonov
- https://ru.wikipedia.org/
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