Several hundred years ago and before the revolution, the Russian Empire regularly expanded its borders. Some territories were annexed as a result of hostilities (most of them were unleashed by the enemy), others - peacefully. For example, the annexation of Central Asia to Russia took place gradually and bloodlessly. Most of the peoples inhabiting these lands themselves turned to the empire with a request to accept them. The main reason for this is protection.
In those days, many warring nomadic tribes lived on the territory of Central Asia. To protect yourself from the raids of a stronger enemy, you need to enlist the support of a powerful state. Thus, the territories gradually joined our country. How did Central Asia join Russia? The reader will be able to learn its features and historical facts from this article.
Historical value
Such an important historical event as the accession of Kazakhstan and Central Asia to Russia can be assessed in different ways. At first glance it wasthe turn of the conquest followed by the establishment of a semi-colonial regime. However, the Central Asian peoples and tribes, in many respects backward compared to the Europeans, received the opportunity to develop socially and economically, and at an accelerated pace. Slavery, patriarchal foundations, general poverty and disunity of these peoples are a thing of the past.
What did joining give Central Asia
Economic and cultural development of the Central Asian part of the Russian Empire was put at the forefront by the Russian government. An industry was created that seemed unthinkable in this poor agricultural region. Agriculture was also reformed and became more efficient. Not to mention the development of social infrastructure in the form of schools, hospitals, libraries. And the local customs of the indigenous peoples were not destroyed or prohibited by anyone, which gave impetus to the further prosperity of a special national culture and the consolidation of society. Gradually, Central Asia entered the Russian trade space and became not a satellite or an isolated area on the map, but a full-fledged part of the strong Russian Empire.
Beginning of development of new territories
What is the history of joining Central Asia to Russia? If you look at old maps, you can see the lands located in the southeast direction from the borders of the territory of Tsarist Russia. This is Central Asia. It stretched from the mountains of Tibet to the Caspian Sea, from the borders of Iran and Afghanistan to the Southern Urals and Siberia. About 5 million people lived therewhich by modern standards is far less than the population of any of the world's major capitals.
From the point of view of economic and social development, the Central Asian peoples were very different from each other. The main differences were in the way of farming. Some gave priority to cattle breeding, others to agriculture, and others to trade and various crafts. There was no industry at all. Patriarchy, slavery and the oppression of their vassals by feudal lords were the pillars of the society of the ethnic groups of Central Asia.
A bit of geography
Before the Central Asian possessions of the Russian Empire became such, they were divided into three separate regions: the Emirate of Bukhara, the Kokand and Khiva khanates. It was there that trade flourished, which made Bukhara and Samarkand the trading centers of the entire region. Now Central Asia consists of five sovereign states. These are Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
Attempts to establish foreign economic relations with these regions remote from Russia were made in the first half of the 19th century. But these actions were not decisive. Everything changed when Great Britain planned an invasion of Central Asia. The interests of the two great powers of the past clashed and the Russian Empire was left with no choice but to prevent the British from penetrating their own borders.
First expeditions
How did joining Russia MiddleAsia? The study of this territory, of course, has long been conducted by military strategists. The first three Russian expeditions to Central Asia pursued peaceful goals. The scientific mission was headed by N. V. Khanykov, the diplomatic one by N. P. Ignatiev, and Ch. Ch. Valikhanov became the head of the trade expedition.
All this was done in order to establish foreign policy contacts with the border region in a peaceful way. Nevertheless, in 1863, the prerequisites for a military invasion arose due to an incident in the Kokand Khanate. In that area torn by turmoil and feudal wars, the confrontation between the peoples was escalated more and more. The result was an order for the Russian troops to advance.
The first Russian military operation in Central Asia was a campaign against Tashkent. He failed. But in just two years, civil strife weakened the enemy, and subsequently the city was surrendered without a fight, although some historians argue that small armed clashes did occur, and Khan Sultan Seyit died in one of them. A year later, Tashkent joined Russia, forming the Turkestan Governor-General.
Further offensive
How did the annexation of Central Asia to Russia go on? From 1867 to 1868, hostilities took place in Bukhara. The local emir, in collusion with the British, declared war on Russia. But the Russian army, after a series of victories, forced the enemy to sign a peace treaty. Before the emergence of the Bukhara Soviet Republic, Bukhara was a vassal of Russia.
The Khanate of Khiva lasted almost exactly the same time, until1920, when not the imperial soldiers, but the Red Army men overthrew the khan. In 1876, the Kokand Khanate became part of Russia. In 1885, the process of joining the Central Asian territories was almost completed. With the events described above, it almost came to a war with Great Britain, which did not start only thanks to the efforts of diplomats.
Kazakhstan joining
When did the accession of Central Asia to Russia begin? Kazakhstan was the first to turn to Russia. The accession of this country began in the 20s of the XVIII century, long before the first expeditions to Central Asia. The state was tormented by conflicts with neighboring tribes such as the Dzungars. This forced some of the Kazakhs to ask Russia for help. In 1731, Empress Anna Ioannovna officially accepted this request of Abulkhair Khan.
I must say that the Khan had his own reasons for turning to the Russian crown, because not everyone wanted him to be at the head of the territory subject to him. At the same time, the danger of an external invasion by nomads remained.
Gradually, other sultans of Kazakhstan accepted Russian citizenship. In 1740, another part of the country joined the Russian Empire. The central and northeastern regions of Kazakhstan were annexed already through military-political intervention, almost simultaneously with the emergence of interest in other parts of the Central Asian region.
The accession of Central Asia to Russia lasted several hundred years. As mentioned above, some territories voluntarily asked to receive them,others were conquered. You can emphasize here the point that, unlike the same Great Britain, Russia sought to help in the development of the annexed territories and built various industrial and administrative facilities everywhere. Thus, the accession of Central Asia to Russia even contributed to the development of this region.
