History of the Russo-Turkish wars

The Russo-Turkish wars were a series of wars fought between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire during the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. It was one of the longest conflicts in European history.

Stagnation (1699–1827)

Ottoman Empire periods infobox|Main=Stagnation of the Ottoman Empire
years=133
Sultans=11
Soc-Econ=
Timeline=Timeline of Stagnation of the Ottoman Empire

After having captured the region of Podolia in the course of the Polish-Ottoman War (1672–1676), the Ottoman government strived to spread its rule over all of the Right-bank Ukraine with the support of its vassal, Petro Doroshenko (1665–1672). The latter's pro-Ottoman policy caused discontent among many Ukrainian Cossacks, which would elect Ivan Samoilovich as a sole Hetman of all Ukraine in 1674.

In 1679–1680, the Russians repelled the attacks of the Crimean Tatars and signed the Bakhchisaray Peace Treaty on January 3, 1681, which would establish the Russo-Turkish border by the Dnieper river. Russia had joined the European Holy League (Austria, Poland, Venice) in 1686. During the war, the Russian army organized the Crimean campaigns of 1687–1689 and the Azov campaigns of 1695–1696. The Russian involvement marked the beginning of the Russo-Turkish Wars.In light of Russia's preparations for the war with Sweden and other countries' signing the Treaty of Karlowitz with Turkey in 1699, the Russian government signed the Treaty of Constantinople with the Ottoman Empire in 1700.

Dissolution (1908–1922)

Ottoman Empire periods infobox
Main= Dissolution of the Ottoman Empire
years=14
Sultans=2
Soc-Econ=Reformation
Timeline=Timeline of dissolution of the Ottoman Empire

During the early months of the WWI The Kars was a key military objective for Turkey. Ismail Enver who pushed the Ottoman Empire into WWI, needed a victory against the Russians to defend his position. He collected an army on the eastern border. The army was badly defeated under Enver's command at the Battle of Sarikamis January 2 1915 against Nikolai Nikolaevich Yudenich.

This defeat was due more to the winter weather and bad planning, given the fact that Russians were actually preparing to evacuate Kars. With the loss of the eastern army, Ottoman defenses crumbled with further small battles, given the Armenian revolt during that time, Russian forces succeeded in advancing as far west as Erzincan.

The collapse of the Russian army after the 1917 revolution left only thinly spread Armenian units to resist the inevitable Turkish counter-attack. Before the end of the WWI by 1918 the Turkish army reformed with what was left from the middle-east branch and tried to build a line between whatever seems to be left on their east border. The newly declared Republic of Armenia, capturing Kars in April 1918 and reaching Baku on the Caspian sea. Defeat on other fronts caused Turkey to surrender and withdraw to the pre-war borders. However, Turks wanted to get their lands back with the command of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk; Turkish Independence War has begun and Ottoman Empire has gained Kars and some other cities back.

See also

* Ottoman wars in Europe
* Crimean Khanate
*Caucasian War
* History of the Serbian-Turkish wars

References

* ISBN 0-89839-296-9, Caucasian Battlefields: A History Of The Wars On The Turco-Caucasian Border 1828-1921

External links