home Tool

Russian Iranian war of 1828. Russian-Persian wars. Sources and notes

What is the reason for the Russo-Persian War?
The reason for the disagreements between the empires of Russia and Persia with 1826 By 1828 year, was the desire of Persia to subjugate the Transcaucasus and the Caspian. Persia could not measure up after losing a large part of Eastern Transcaucasia.

How events developed.
The first war between Russia and Persia, which lasted from 1804 -1813 year ended. Relations between Persia and Great Britain became closer. Agitation was carried out in the Dagestan and Azerbaijani lands against Russia. In the article VII The Gulistan Peace Treaty confirmed that Russia had the right to have warships on the Caspian Sea. These agreements were not directed against Iran, but against the efforts of France and England to use the Caspian Sea with the help of Iran as an opportunity to attack Russia. Great Britain and Persia signed an agreement in writing, Iran does not allow troops of other powers to pass through India. British politicians continued to incite Feth Ali Shah, as well as the heir Abbas Mirza, to oppose Russia. Great Britain did not want to lose power over this region and there was no way to start open war with Russia, they were bound by an agreement from 4 .04.1826. The military conflict between Russia and Persia could weaken Russia and its desire to dominate the Persian Gulf.
The international situation in 1825 year was not stable, the reason for the revolt of the Decembrists in St. Petersburg. It seemed to Persia that this was the right moment to launch an offensive against Russia. Abbas-Mirza, the ruler of Iranian Azerbaijan, thanks to European military consultants, created a new powerful army. He is confident that it is possible to regain the territorial units that he lost in 1813 year under the Gulistan Treaty.
General A.P. Yermolov informed Emperor Nicholas I that Persia is openly preparing for war. It was in the interests of the Tsar of Russia to maintain neutrality with Persia because of the war with Turkey. Petersburg is ready to compromise and give up the Talysh Khanate. The Russian emperor sent A.S. Menshikov. The purpose of the trip was to maintain peaceful relations. The prince could not agree with the Shah of Persia, Feth-Ali, due to the pressure of Abbas-Mirza. The Persian government rejected the proposal of Russia, the prince left the capital of Iran.
16 July 1826 Years, Persian troops crossed the border, occupied Elisavetpol. The Karabakh beks offered to kill the Russians in Shusha and hold it until the Persian army arrived. Most of the border guards took the side of the Persian army. The army was given the task of capturing Transcaucasia, taking Tiflis,
Major General V.G. Madatov was in charge of the Karabakh hinterlands. In the first decade September his units freed Yelisavetpol. Shah Abbas-Mirza had no choice but to leave Shusha and go towards the Russian army. In the middle September Corps I.F. Paskevich broke 35- thousandth Persian army and threw them back to the Araks at the end of October.
Russia continued to advance. In August, Abbas-Mirza makes his last attempt, breaking into the Yerevan Khanate. However, he was defeated and retreated to Iran. The army of General Paskevich entered South Azerbaijan.
The Turkmanchay agreements were concluded on February 10, 1828. Russia received eastern Armenia.

The "Eastern Question" for the Russian Empire has always remained an acute problem. The emperors sought to strengthen their interests in the East, which often led to military conflicts. One of the countries with which interests clashed was Iran.

The second war between Russia and the Persian Empire began in 1826 and lasted almost two years. In February 1828, the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty was concluded between the parties, which put an end to relations between the empires. But the conditions of peace became very difficult for Iran, which subsequently led to the country's economic and political crisis.

Russia's previous war with Iran ended with the signing of the Gulistan Peace Treaty. According to the latter, Northern Azerbaijan and Dagestan departed to the Russian Empire.

In addition, many eastern countries voluntarily applied for Russian protection. This state of affairs did not suit Iran, which strove for independence. In addition, Great Britain intervened in the affairs of countries.

Causes of the conflict

In Iran, in the spring of 1826, an aggressive government headed by Abbas Mirza, supported by Great Britain and the Shah's court, came to power. The Russian Empire did not support the new ruler.

After that, open propaganda of a new war with Russia began. Nicholas I hastened to resolve the conflict peacefully and sent a peace delegation headed by A. Menshikov for negotiations. But the Iranian side refused to receive the ambassadors, and the delegation returned without results.

After that, with the permission of the religious elite of the khanate, fighting against Russia.

The reasons for starting the war were:

revenge for the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813;
return of the lost territories according to the Gulistan peace;
the desire to weaken the influence of the Russian Empire on the world stage;
the desire of England to stop the trade of Russian merchants in the East.

The course of hostilities

Russia did not expect the beginning of an open armed attack and initially was not ready for worthy resistance. In addition, the Persian troops were supported by England. In the first months, the Russian army was forced to retreat.

Aspect ratio and command

Side Plans

Main events

Stage I: July 1826 - September 1826

During the offensive, Abbas-Mirza counted on the help of Armenians and Azerbaijanis living in Russia. But the hopes were not justified, small nations sought to get rid of the oppression of the Iranian khans and shahs. For this reason, Russian troops were actively supported.

On July 16, Khan of Erivan Hussein Khan Qajar attacks the Russian border territories near Mirak. Here was a small Russian army, which was forced to retreat and leave the territories of the Shirvan and Sheki khanates;

Russian units retreated to Karkalis. The defense of the latter, the Russian troops held together with a detachment of Armenians and the Tatar cavalry.

in mid-July, Abbas-Mirza laid siege to the fortress of Shusha.

The Shah's army numbered about 40 thousand people. There were much fewer Russians, the number of the garrison was 1300 people. Commander of the Russian troops in Karabakh I.A. Reut sent reinforcements to the fortress, but not all reached, 1/3 was killed in local battles. The peoples of Karabakh, loyal to Russia, hid behind the walls. The commander managed to equip another 1500 Armenians. But the army did not have enough food, so they had to rely on the products of civilians.

Abbas Mirza promised to fight only against the Russians, so part of the Armenians and Azerbaijanis nevertheless joined the Iranians.

The defense of the fortress lasted 47 days. The Iranian command used various tactics: even to bring discord between the peoples of the East and the Russians. By order of Abbas Mirza, several Aryamen families were executed in front of the walls of the fortress, and the Russians were accused. But it failed to create discord.

As a result, the siege of Shusha was lifted and the Iranian troops withdrew to Elizavetopol, intending to attack Tiflis from there.

in August, near Tiflis, on the orders of Yermolov, Russian troops began to gather. A detachment of Madatov, numbering 1800 people, was sent towards Abbas-Mirza to contain the Iranian army.

Stage II September 1826 - February 1828 counteroffensive of the Russian army

September 3 - Battle of Shakhmor. The small detachment of Madatov was able to defeat the 18,000-strong enemy army on the way to Tiflis. Thus the commander accomplished his task;
September 13 battle near Elizavetpol. Cossacks under the command of General I.F. Paskichev was defeated by 35,000 Iranians. The Russian army at the same time consisted of a little more than 10 thousand people and 24 guns. After a crushing defeat, the enemy army retreated to Arkas.

March 16, 1827 - Paskevich is appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian army in the Caucasus instead of Yermolov.

in early August, the army of Abbas-Mirza leaves for the Erivan Khanate;

On August 15, the Iranian army, together with Hussein Khan, laid siege to Etchmiadzin, which was defended by 500 people of the Sevastopol infantry regiment and 100 volunteers of the Armenian cavalry.

August 16 Battle of Oshakan. By order of the command, the army of A.I. was sent to help Echmiadzin. Krasovsky in 3000 people. But on the way to the fortress, the army was attacked by the enemy army, the number of which was about 30,000 people. The Russians suffered heavy losses during the battle (1154 people were killed, wounded and missing). But despite this, Krasovsky's army managed to break through to the fortress. As a result, the siege of Etchmiadzan was lifted.

On October 1, the Russian army under the command of Paskevich captured Erivan, after which they entered the territory of Iranian Azerbaijan;

Turkmenchay peace treaty

After a series of crushing defeats, the Persian Empire agreed to peace negotiations with Russia. By February 1928, an agreement had been reached.

On February 10, a peace treaty was signed between the Russian and Persian empires, which went down in history as the Turkmanchay. The well-known Russian writer Alexander Griboyedov participated in the development of the main points of the agreement.

According to the terms of the world:

all the conditions of the Gulistan peace were confirmed;
Russia received Eastern Armenia, the Erivan and Nakhichevan khanates;
Persia took an obligation not to interfere with the voluntary resettlement of the Armenian population;
the losing party must pay an indemnity in the amount of 20 million rubles in silver;
Russia recognized Abbas Mirza as heir to the throne.

In addition to territorial and political decisions, trade decisions were made.

A treaty was concluded, according to which Russian merchants had the right to trade in Iran. Merchant ships were allowed to move freely in the Caspian Sea. All these changes seriously affected trade between Iran and Great Britain. The interests of the latter were strongly affected.

Historical meaning

Russian- Iranian war and the Turkmanchay world had a negative impact on the development of Iran. Historians emphasize that the terms of the peace treaty seriously undermined the economic and political health of the state.

Russian-Iranian relations on the terms of the concluded peace lasted until the October Revolution.

IN early XIX centuries, the Russian Empire and Persia argued for influence in the Transcaucasus and on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Between these powers were such countries as Georgia, Armenia and Dagestan. In 1804, the first Russian-Persian war began. It ended after nine years. According to its results, enshrined in the Gulistan peace agreements, Russia annexed Georgian and partially Armenian lands.

The defeat did not suit the Persians. Revanchist sentiments have become popular in the country. The Shah wanted to regain the lost provinces. Because of this irresolvable conflict of interests, the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828) began. The causes of the conflict and the tense situation in the region made it inevitable.

Diplomatic environment

Preparations for a new war began in Persia immediately after the defeat in 1813. First of all, Feth Ali Shah tried to enlist the support of the European powers. Prior to that, he had relied on Napoleon Bonaparte, who made an alliance with the Persians on the eve of his attack on Russia in 1812. Its terms were stipulated in the Finkestein Treaty.

However, since then the situation in the world has changed a lot. The Napoleonic Wars ended with the defeat of France and the ambitious emperor, who ended up in exile on the island of St. Helena. The Shah needed a new ally. Before the Russo-Persian war of 1826-1828 began, Great Britain began to show signs of attention to Persia.

This colonial power had its own interests in the Asian region. The kingdom owned India, and the British ambassadors obtained from the Iranians a promise not to let any of London's enemies into this country. At the same time, conflict broke out between Persia and Turkey. The British played the role of peacekeepers in negotiations with the Ottoman Empire, trying to persuade the Shah to go to war with another neighbor - Russia.

On the eve of the war

At this time, the second son of Feth Ali Shah Abbas Mirza was made commander in chief of the Persian army. He was instructed to prepare the army for new trials and carry out all the necessary reforms. The modernization of the army took place with the support of Great Britain. The soldiers received new weapons and uniforms, partly purchased in Europe. Thus, Abbas-Mirza tried to overcome the technical lag of his subordinates from the Russian units. Strategically, these were steps in the right direction, but in their reforms, the Iranian headquarters was in a hurry, trying not to lose time. It played a cruel joke. When the Russian-Persian war began, those who participated in the past conflict could notice changes in the enemy camp. But they were not enough to overcome the abyss that was between the armies and the Shah.

In 1825, the Iranian militarists gladly received the news that Russian emperor Alexander I died unexpectedly in Taganrog. His death led to a short-lived dynastic crisis and (more importantly) an uprising of the Decembrists. Alexander had no children and the throne was to pass to the next brother, Constantine. He refused, and as a result, Nikolai, who had never prepared for this, began to rule. He was a military man by training. The Decembrist uprising infuriated him. When the coup attempt failed, a lengthy trial began in St. Petersburg.

It was in those days that the advisers of the new king began to inform the monarch that the southern neighbor was openly preparing for an armed conflict. The famous general Alexei Yermolov was the commander-in-chief in the Caucasus. The last Russian-Persian war took place before his eyes, and he, like no one else, was aware of the danger of a new conflict. It was this general who more often than others reminded Nicholas of the prospects in the Caucasus.

The emperor answered rather sluggishly, but nevertheless agreed to send Prince Alexander Menshikov to Tehran. The future naval minister did not find a common language with the Persian diplomats. The king gave instructions to his ward, according to which he was ready to cede part of the disputed Talish Khanate in exchange for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. However, Tehran did not accept such proposals. Menshikov was even arrested along with all the ambassadors, although he was released already in 1827.

Persian intervention

The failure of preliminary negotiations led to the fact that the Russo-Persian war still began. On July 16, 1826, the Iranian army crossed the border in the region of modern Azerbaijan, where the Talysh and Karabakh khanates were located. This operation was carried out secretly and treacherously, there was no official declaration of war.

On the border there were only defensive detachments assembled on hastily and consisting of local Azerbaijanis. They could not offer serious resistance to the prepared Persian army. Some residents who professed Islam even joined the interventionists. According to the plans of Abbas Mirza, the Persian army was to move northwest along the valleys of the Kura River. The main target was the provincial city of Tiflis. Ideally, Russian troops should have been thrown to the other side of the Terek.

The war in the Caucasus region has always had several tactical features associated with the specifics of the area. It was possible to cross the ridge by land only through certain passes. Operating in Transcaucasia, the Persians sent auxiliary detachments to the north, hoping to block all routes for the main Russian army.

War in Karabakh

The main grouping under the direct supervision of Abbas Mirza consisted of 40 thousand soldiers. This army crossed the frontier and headed towards the Shushi fortress. Even the day before, the Persian command tried to enlist the support of the local khans, who were the leaders of the Azerbaijanis living in the city. Some of them actually promised support to Abbas-Mirza.

The Orthodox Armenian population also lived in Shusha, which, on the contrary, was loyal to the Russian authorities. The garrison of the fortress consisted of a detachment of Cossacks. The besieged decided to take hostage those Muslim khans who were suspected of betrayal and collaboration with the Persians. A hasty training of the militia, which consisted mainly of Armenians, began. Despite the energetic actions of the Cossacks, Shusha did not have at least a large supply of food and weapons necessary for successful defense during an assault or siege.

At this time, the Karabakh khan, who became a vassal of Russia after the war of 1804-1813, announced his support for the Persian invaders. Abbas Mirza, for his part, promised patronage to all local Muslims. He also announced that he was only fighting the Russians, hoping that this would help him convert the population to his side.

Siege of Shusha

A new Russo-Persian war started from Shusha. The attackers and defenders were separated by fortifications from the walls. To get rid of this obstacle, the Persians planted mines obtained with European assistance. In addition, Abbas-Mirza ordered several demonstrative executions of Karabakh Armenians right under the walls, hoping that this act of intimidation would quarrel the Armenians and Russians who had settled in the fortress. This did not happen.

The Persian army besieged Shusha for seven weeks. Such a delay greatly changed the course of the entire military campaign. The Iranians decided to divide the army and send an 18,000-strong detachment towards Elisavetpol (Ganja). Abbas Mirza hoped that this maneuver would allow him to reach Tiflis from the east, which would come as a complete surprise to the Cossacks.

Shamkhor battle

The commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in the Caucasus, General Yermolov, was in Tiflis at the beginning of the war and gathered regiments. His first plan was to quickly retreat into the depths of the region, luring the Persians away from their own territory. Already in the new positions, the Cossacks would have a noticeable advantage over the Shah's army.

However, by the time a detachment of 8,000 soldiers was assembled in Tiflis, it became clear that the interventionists were stuck under the walls of Shusha for a long time. So, unexpectedly for everyone, the Russian-Persian war began. The year 1826 was in full swing, and Yermolov decided to launch a counterattack before the onset of cold weather. An army led by Major General Madatov was sent towards Elisavetpol to stop the enemy and lift the siege of Shusha.

This detachment collided with the vanguard of the enemy near the village of Shamkir. The ensuing battle in historiography was called the Battle of Shamkhor. It was she who influenced the results of the Russian-Persian war of 1826-1828. Until that moment, the Iranians had been advancing with little or no organized resistance. Now they had to face the real Russian army.

By the time Madatov was in Azerbaijan, the Persians had already laid siege to Elisavetpol. To break through to the blockaded city, the Russian army needed to break the enemy vanguard. On September 3, in the ensuing battle, the Persians lost 2 thousand people killed, while Madatov lost 27 soldiers. Because of the defeat in the Battle of Shamkhor, Abbas-Mirza had to lift the siege of Shusha and move to the rescue of the regiments stationed near Elisavetpol.

Expulsion of the Persians from Russia

Valerian Madatov commanded only 6 thousand people. They were clearly not enough to drive the Persians away from Elizabethpol. Therefore, after the victory near Shamkhor, he made a small maneuver, during which he joined up with fresh reinforcements that had come from Tiflis. The meeting took place on 10 September. The new regiments were commanded by Ivan Paskevich. He also took command of the entire army, marching to liberate Elizavetpol.

September 13 Russian troops were near the city. There were also Persians. The parties began to prepare for a general battle. It began with intense artillery shelling. The first Persian infantry attack bogged down because the regiments ran into a ravine and, being trapped, came under enemy fire.

The decisive role in the offensive of the Russian units was played by the Kherson regiment, which was directly led by Paskevich. Neither the artillery nor the cavalry, which tried to attack the Georgian militias from the flank, could help the Iranians. The Russo-Persian war, the reasons for which were the desire of the Shah to strike at his neighbor, showed once again how the eastern type of army was ineffective against Russian units trained in the European manner. The counterattack of Paskevich's units led to the fact that the Iranians first retreated to their original positions, and by the evening completely surrendered them.

The losses of the parties were again distinguished by surprising disproportion. General Paskevich counted 46 dead and about two hundred wounded. The Iranians killed two thousand people. About the same number of soldiers surrendered. In addition, the Russians got enemy artillery and banners. The victory at Elisavetpol led to Now Russia was deciding what the Russo-Persian war would be like. The results of the battle were announced throughout the country and accepted as a gift to the new emperor, who needed to publicly prove his own competence as a ruler.

Campaign of 1827

Paskevich's success was appreciated. He was appointed commander in chief and viceroy of the king in the Caucasus. By October, Iranian troops were pushed back across the border river Araks. Thus the status quo was restored. The soldiers hibernated, and a temporary calm set in at the front. However, all parties understood that the Russian-Persian war (1826-1828) had not yet ended. In short, Nicholas decided to take advantage of the successes of the army and not only drive out the interventionists, but also complete the annexation of Orthodox Armenia, part of which still belonged to the Shah.

The main goal of Paskevich was the city of Erivan (Yerevan) and the Erivan Khanate, which was a vassal of Iran. The military campaign began in late spring. In the summer, the important fort of Sardar-Abad surrendered to Russian troops. Until August, the army of the king did not meet serious resistance. All this time, Abbas-Mirza was in his homeland, gathering new regiments.

Oshakan battle

In early August, the Persian heir with 25,000 troops entered the Erivan Khanate. His army attacked the city of Etchmiadzin, which had only a small Cossack garrison, as well as an ancient Christian fortified monastery. The fortress had to be rescued by a detachment led by Lieutenant General Afanasy Krasovsky.

August 17 small Russian army number of 3 thousand people attacked the 30 thousandth army of Abbas Mirza. It was one of the brightest episodes that the Russian-Persian war is known for. The date of the Battle of Oshakan (as it is known in historiography) coincided with the unbearable heat of the Caucasus, which equally tormented all the soldiers.

The goal of Krasovsky's detachment was to break through to the besieged city through the dense ranks of the enemy. The Russians were carrying an extensive convoy and provisions needed for the garrison. The path had to be laid with bayonets, because there was not a single road left where there would be no Persians. To contain the enemy attacks, Krasovsky used artillery, which from the very beginning of the operation occupied strategically convenient heights for shelling. The firing of the guns did not allow the Persians to attack the Russians with all their might, which was reflected in the result of the battle.

As a result, Krasovsky's detachment managed to break through to Echmiadzin, despite the fact that every second soldier from this army died, repulsing the Muslim attacks. The failure had an extremely strong demoralizing effect on the entire Persian leadership. Abbas Mirza still tried to besiege the city for some time, but soon prudently retreated.

The main forces of the empire under the leadership of Paskevich at that time planned to invade Azerbaijan and go to Tabriz. But at the end of August, the commander-in-chief received news of the events in Etchmiadzin, because of which the Russian-Persian war (1826-1828) moved to another stage. The reasons why Paskevich sent a small detachment to the west were simple - he believed that Abbas Mirza was in a completely different region. Realizing that the main Iranian army was behind him, the commander-in-chief refused to march on Tabriz and advanced towards the Erivan Khanate.

Capture of Yerevan

On September 7, Paskevich and Krasovsky met in Etchmiadzin, from which the siege was lifted the day before. At the council, it was decided to take the Armenian Erivan. If the army managed to capture this city, then the Russo-Persian war would end. The year 1828 was already approaching, so Paskevich immediately set off, hoping to complete the operation before the onset of winter.

The Russian-Persian war, the years of which fell on a period of turbulence in Russian state, nevertheless showed that, in spite of everything, the tsarist army can solve operational problems in the most difficult conditions. Nicholas I, not without reason, believed that he needed to establish a protectorate over the whole of Armenia. The indigenous people of this country were also Orthodox Christians and for centuries suffered from Muslim dominance.

The first attempts of Armenians to establish contact with St. Petersburg took place in Russian army liberated province after province in Transcaucasia. Paskevich, once in eastern Armenia, was greeted with enthusiasm by the locals. Most of the men joined the general as militias.

The Russian-Persian war of 1828 was a chance for Armenians to start living again in a Christian country. There were many of them in Erivan. Realizing this, the Persian commandant of the fortress expelled from the city members of influential Armenian families who could incite the townspeople to revolt. But the precautionary measures did not help the Iranians. The city was taken by Russian troops on October 1, 1827 after a short assault.

Negotiation

Two weeks after this victory, the headquarters learned that another royal detachment had captured Tabriz. This army was commanded by Georgy Eristov, sent by Paskevich to the southeast after the commander-in-chief left for Erivan. This victory was the last front-line event for which the Russian-Persian war (1826-1828) is known. The Shah needed a peace treaty. His army lost all the strategically important battles. In addition, now the royal regiments occupied part of its territory.

Therefore, with the onset of winter, both states began to exchange diplomats and parliamentarians. They met in Turkmanchay, a small village not far from captured Tabriz. The treaties signed in this place on February 10, 1828 summed up the results of the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828). All the conquests that the tsarist army had made in the previous conflict were recognized for Russia. In addition, the imperial crown received new territorial acquisitions. It was eastern Armenia with its main city Yerevan, as well as the Nakhichevan Khanate. The Iranians agreed to pay a large indemnity (20 million rubles in silver). They also guaranteed their non-interference in the process of resettlement of Orthodox Armenians to their homeland.

End of the conflict

It is curious that the diplomat and writer Alexander Griboyedov was a member of the royal embassy. He took part in the discussion of the conditions under which the Russo-Persian War (1826-1828) ended. In short, the treaty did not sit well with the Iranians. A few months later, a new one began and the Persians tried to violate the terms of the peace.

In order to settle the conflict, an embassy was sent to Tehran, headed by Griboyedov. In 1829, this delegation was brutally murdered by Islamic fanatics. Dozens of diplomats were killed. The Shah sent rich gifts to St. Petersburg to make amends for the scandal. Nikolai did not go for a confrontation, and since then there has been a long peace between the neighbors.

The mutilated body of Griboyedov was buried in Tiflis. While in Yerevan, which had just been liberated from the Iranians, for the first time he staged his most famous performance, Woe from Wit, on stage. Thus ended the Russian-Persian war. The peace treaty allowed the creation of several new provinces, and since then the Transcaucasus remained a part of the empire until the fall of the monarchy.

Russian empire Persia Commanders A. P. Ermolov
V. G. Madatov
I. F. Paskevich Feth Ali Shah
Abbas Mirza Side forces 8 thousand 35 thousand

Russo-Persian Wars

Previous events

The tense international situation in 1825 and the Decembrist uprising were perceived in Persia as the most favorable moment for speaking out against Russia. The heir to the throne and ruler of Iranian Azerbaijan, Abbas-Mirza, who created a new army with the help of European instructors and considered himself capable of returning the lands lost in 1813, decided to take advantage of such a convenient opportunity, as it seemed to him.

The commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in the Caucasus, General A.P. Yermolov, warned Emperor Nicholas I that Persia was openly preparing for war. Nicholas I, in view of the escalating conflict with Turkey, was ready to cede the southern part of the Talysh Khanate to Persia for the neutrality of Persia. However, Prince A. S. Menshikov, whom Nicholas I sent to Tehran with instructions to ensure peace at any cost, could not achieve anything and left the Iranian capital.

Start of hostilities

The main task of the Iranian command was to capture the Transcaucasus, capture Tiflis and push back the Russian troops beyond the Terek. The main forces were therefore sent from Tabriz to the Kura region, and the auxiliary forces were sent to the Mugan steppe in order to block the exits from Dagestan. The Iranians also counted on the blow of the Caucasian highlanders from the rear against the Russian troops, who were stretched out in a narrow strip along the border and did not have reserves. The help of the Iranian army was promised by the Karabakh beks and many influential people in neighboring provinces, who maintained constant contacts with the Persian government and even offered to cut out the Russians in Shusha and hold it until the Iranian troops approached.

The garrison of the Shushi fortress was 1300 people. (6 companies of the 42nd Jaeger Regiment and Cossacks from the Molchanov 2nd Regiment). A few days before the complete blockade of the fortress, the Cossacks drove the families of all the local Muslim nobility behind its walls as hostages. The Azerbaijanis were disarmed, and the khans and the most honored beks were taken into custody. The inhabitants of the Armenian villages of Karabakh and the Azerbaijanis, who remained loyal to Russia, also took refuge in the fortress. With their help, dilapidated fortifications were restored. Colonel Reut armed 1.5 thousand Armenians to strengthen the defense, who, along with Russian soldiers and Cossacks, were on the front line. A certain number of Azerbaijanis also participated in the defense, declaring their loyalty to Russia. However, the fortress did not have stocks of food and ammunition, so the grain and livestock of the Armenian peasants who had taken refuge in the fortress had to be used for the meager food of the soldiers.

Meanwhile, the local Muslim population, for the most part, joined the Iranians, and the Armenians, who did not have time to hide in Shusha, fled to mountainous places. Mekhti Kuli Khan - former ruler Karabakh - again declared himself a khan and promised to generously reward everyone who joins him. Abbas Mirza, for his part, said that he was fighting only against the Russians, and not against the locals. Foreign officers who were in the service of Abbas Mirza took part in the siege. In order to destroy the walls of the fortress, according to their instructions, mines were brought under the fortress towers. Continuous fire was fired at the fortress from two artillery batteries, but at night the defenders managed to restore the destroyed areas. To create a split among the defenders of the fortress - Russians and Armenians - Abbas-Mirza ordered several hundred local Armenian families to be driven under the walls of the fortress and threatened to execute them if the fortress was not surrendered - however, this plan was not successful either.

The defense of Shushi lasted 47 days and had great importance for the course of hostilities. Desperate to capture the fortress, Abbas-Mirza eventually separated 18 thousand people from the main forces and sent them to Elizavetpol (modern Ganja) in order to strike at Tiflis from the east.

Having received information that the main Persian forces were pinned down by the siege of Shusha, General Yermolov abandoned the original plan to withdraw all forces deep into the Caucasus. By this time, he managed to concentrate up to 8 thousand people in Tiflis. Of these, a detachment was formed under the command of Major General Prince V. G. Madatov (4.3 thousand people), who launched an attack on Elizavetpol in order to stop the advance of the Persian forces to Tiflis and lift the siege from Shushi.

Counteroffensive of Russian troops

On September 3 (15), 1826, the Battle of Shamkhor took place. The Russian detachment under the command of V. G. Madatov defeated the 18,000th vanguard of the Iranian army, heading for Tiflis.

On September 5 (17), Madatov's detachment liberated Yelizavetpol. Abbas-Mirza was forced to lift the siege from Shusha and move towards the Russian troops.

On October 1 (13), Paskevich took Erivan and entered Iranian Azerbaijan; On October 14 (26), a detachment of K. E. Eristov captured Tabriz.

Peace treaty

Military failures forced the Persians to go to peace negotiations. On February 10 (22), 1828, the Turkmanchay peace treaty was signed (in the village of Turkmanchay near Tabriz), concluded between Russian Empire and Persia, according to which Persia confirmed all the conditions of the Gulistan peace (1813), recognized the transition to Russia of part of the Caspian coast to the river. Astra, Eastern Armenia (On the territory of Eastern Armenia, a special administrative entity was created - the Armenian region, with the resettlement of Armenians from Iran there.). The Araks became the border between the states.

In addition, the Shah of Persia was obliged to pay Russia an indemnity (10 tuman kururs - 20 million rubles). As for Iranian Azerbaijan, Russia undertook to withdraw troops from it on payment of indemnity. The Persian Shah also undertook to grant amnesty to all residents of Iranian Azerbaijan who collaborated with the Russian troops.

Notes

Modern Iran (handbook). M., Main edition of oriental literature of the Nauka publishing house, 1975, p. 136.
Zakharevich A.V. Don Cossacks and the Armenian population in the defense of Russian borders from Persian troops in the initial period of the campaign of 1826. Center for Pontic-Caucasian Studies. Krasnodar, 1995
V. A. Potto in his book “The Caucasian War” described the region in which hostilities unfolded and the disposition of Russian troops as follows:

The Russian border from the side of the Erivan Khanate before the war, in the twenties of our century, passed only a hundred and fifty miles from Tiflis. From the northern end of Lake Gokchi (Sevan), it stretched westward in a broken line along the Bombak mountain range and then, deviating from it, through Mount Alagyoz (Aragats), rested at a right angle on the Turkish border, which ran along the Arpachay (Akhuryan) river directly to the north , to the Triolet mountains.
In this space, for eighty miles in length and deepening inland, to Tiflis, for fifty miles, lay two border Russian provinces: Shuragel and Bombak. The country is filled with ramifications of those huge heights, located in the depths of Asiatic Turkey, which give rise to significant rivers: the Euphrates, the Araks and others. One of these branches, the Bombak ridge, descending to the southwest, towards the side of Arpachay, forms an inclined plain, broken only on the border with Persia by Mount Alagez. Here lies Shuragel with the main city of Gumry. To the northeast of it is the Bombak province, in a valley delineated by two high and steep ridges Bombaksky and Bezobdal. In the center of the country, the Bombak Range, descending ten versts to the north, meets the slopes of Bezobdal, again raising the surface of the earth to transcendental limits. The distance between the ridges does not exceed twenty miles. The valley gradually narrows to the east, as it approaches Greater Karaklis, where its width is already only two versts, and another five versts further - the gorge begins. The river Bombak flows through this valley, which, having connected with the Stone (Jalal-Oglu-chay), receives the name Borchaly and flows, at the confluence with the Temple, into the Kura. To the east of Bombak, behind the Allaverdy ridge, lies the Kazakh distance.
To the north, behind the silvery, cloudy Bezobdal, the luxurious Lori steppe spreads, bordered in the distance by the gloomy, bare Akzabiyuk mountains. Behind those mountains lies already Iberia.
A free, beautiful place - this Lori steppe, surrounded on all sides by forest, outlined high mountains: Bezobdal - in the south, Akzabiyuk with its branches - in the north, east and west. Those mountains that separate the steppe from Shuragel are called the Wet Mountains, and the shortest road from Gumr to Bashkechet and on to Tiflis passes through them. In the east, the Allaverdy Ridge closes it, and the steppe ends where the Stone River flows into Borchala ...
The Lori steppe was administratively subordinate to the Bombak province; but that was already part of ancient Georgia, and one of the Tatar distances - Borchalinskaya - is located on it. When Shuragel and Bombaki belonged to Persia, the Lori steppe was a place where Georgia put up barriers to enemy invasions. Gergers and Jalal-Ogly, who defended the entrance to it, therefore became important strategic points.
In the summer of 1826, all these border regions with Persia, open from the flank, in the west, to Turkey, were guarded by only two Russian battalions. In Gumry, the main village of Shuragel, there were two companies of the Tiflis regiment with two guns, and a company of carabinieri, which sent posts from itself to Bekant and Amamly, where they also had one gun each.
In the Big Karaklis, the most important point of the Bombak province, there were three companies of the Tiflis regiment, with three guns. From here, two strong posts advanced to the Lori steppe: one, with a gun, to cover the crossing over the Kamennaya River near Jalal-Ogly, the other to the Bezobdal Pass, and the third was already in Bombaki itself, on the Gamzachevanka River, about eighteen versts from Karaklis, where the regimental herd of the Tiflis regiment grazed. A married company guarded the Gergers behind Bezobdal. The Don Cossacks of Andreev were still scattered in small units throughout Bombak and Shuragel.
Finally, advanced detachments were advanced to the very border: to Mirak, which lay on the eastern slopes of Alagez, two companies of Tiflis and a company of carabinieri with two guns; in Balyk-chai, covering the only pack road to Erivan from the Kazakh distance, along the Delizhan Gorge along the Akstafa River - a company of Tiflis, with a force of three hundred bayonets and also with two guns. Both Mirak and Balyk-chai were engaged in Russian troops only in the summer, in order to prevent Persian gangs from entering Russian borders and to keep the Kazakh and Shamshadil Tatars roaming near these places in obedience.
In the autumn, when the Tatars returned from wanderings, the posts were removed, because in winter, due to deep snow, the paths became insurmountable there. Thus, total number troops guarding the entire region, consisted of a Cossack regiment, with a strength of about five hundred horses, two battalions of the Tiflis regiment (its third battalion was on the Caucasian line) and two companies of carabinieri temporarily moved here from Manglis - a total of about three thousand bayonets, with twelve guns light company of the Caucasian Grenadier Artillery Brigade (V. A. Potto, “Caucasian War”, v. 3. Persian War of 1826-1828).
Kersnovsky A. A. Chapter 8. The Conquest of the Caucasus // History of the Russian Army // in 4 volumes / ed. Kuptsova V. - Moscow: Voice, 1993. - T. 2. - S. 99. - 336 p. - 100,000 copies. - ISBN 5-7055-0864-6
Shishkevich M.I. Chapter 7 - The Persian War of 1826. Yermolov and Paskevich (Essay on the General Staff of Major General Shishkevich M.I.) // History of the Russian Army and Navy / ed. Grishinsky A.S. and Nikolsky V.P. - Moscow: Education, 1911. - V. 6 - Conquest of the Caucasus. Persian and caucasian wars. - S. 66-67. - 197 p.
Grigoryan Z. T. Chapter 3 // Accession of Eastern Armenia to Russia in the beginning. XIX century / ed. Lazarevich L .. - Moscow: Sotsekgiz, 1959. - S. 111-112. - 187 p. - 8000 copies.
Nersisyan M. G.

In the twenties of our century, it passed only some one and a half miles from Tiflis. From the northern end of Lake Gokchi (Sevan), it stretched westward in a broken line along the Bombak mountain range and then, deviating from it, through Mount Alagyoz (Aragats), rested at a right angle on the Turkish border, which ran along the Arpachay (Akhuryan) river directly to the north , to the Triolet mountains.
In this space, for eighty miles in length and deepening inland, to Tiflis, for fifty miles, lay two border Russian provinces: Shuragel and Bombak. The country is filled with ramifications of those huge heights, located in the depths of Asiatic Turkey, which give rise to significant rivers: the Euphrates, the Araks and others. One of these branches, the Bombak ridge, descending to the southwest, towards the side of Arpachay, forms an inclined plain, broken only on the border with Persia by Mount Alagez. Here lies Shuragel with the main city of Gumry. To the northeast of it is the Bombak province, in a valley delineated by two high and steep ridges Bombaksky and Bezobdal. In the center of the country, the Bombak Range, descending ten versts to the north, meets the slopes of Bezobdal, again raising the surface of the earth to transcendental limits. The distance between the ridges does not exceed twenty miles. The valley gradually narrows to the east, as it approaches Greater Karaklis, where its width is already only two versts, and another five versts further - the gorge begins. The river Bombak flows through this valley, which, having connected with Stone (Jalal-Oglu-chay), receives the name Borchaly and flows, at the confluence with the Temple, into the Kura. To the east of Bombak, behind the Allaverdy ridge, lies the Kazakh distance.
To the north, behind the silvery, cloudy Bezobdal, the luxurious Lori steppe spreads, bordered in the distance by the gloomy, bare Akzabiyuk mountains. Behind those mountains lies already Iberia.
A free, beautiful place is this Lori steppe, surrounded on all sides by forest, outlined by high mountains: Bezobdal - in the south, Akzabiyuk with its branches - in the north, east and west. Those mountains that separate the steppe from Shuragel are called the Wet Mountains, and the shortest road from Gumr to Bashkechet and on to Tiflis passes through them. In the east, the Allaverdy Ridge closes it, and the steppe ends where the Stone River flows into Borchala ...
The Lori steppe was administratively subordinate to the Bombak province; but that was already part of ancient Georgia, and one of the Tatar distances - Borchalinskaya - is located on it. When Shuragel and Bombaki belonged to Persia, the Lori steppe was a place where Georgia put up barriers to enemy invasions. Gergers and Jalal-Ogly, who defended the entrance to it, therefore became important strategic points.
In the summer of 1826, all these border regions with Persia, open from the flank, in the west, to Turkey, were guarded by only two Russian battalions. In Gumry, the main village of Shuragel, there were two companies of the Tiflis regiment with two guns, and a company of carabinieri, which sent posts from itself to Bekant and Amamly, where they also had one gun each.
In the Big Karaklis, the most important point of the Bombak province, there were three companies of the Tiflis regiment, with three guns. From here, two strong posts advanced to the Lori steppe: one, with a gun, to cover the crossing over the Kamennaya River near Jalal-Ogly, the other to the Bezobdal Pass, and the third was already in Bombaki itself, on the Gamzachevanka River, about eighteen versts from Karaklis, where the regimental herd of the Tiflis regiment grazed. A married company guarded the Gergers behind Bezobdal. The Don Cossacks of Andreev were still scattered in small units throughout Bombak and Shuragel.
Finally, advanced detachments were advanced to the very border: to Mirak, which lay on the eastern slopes of Alagez, two companies of Tiflis and a company of carabinieri with two guns; in Balyk-chai, covering the only pack road to Erivan from the Kazakh distance, along the Delizhan Gorge along the Akstafa River - a company of Tiflis, with a force of three hundred bayonets and also with two guns. Both Mirak and Balyk-chai were engaged in Russian troops only in the summer, in order to prevent Persian gangs from entering Russian borders and to keep the Kazakh and Shamshadil Tatars roaming near these places in obedience.
In the autumn, when the Tatars returned from wanderings, the posts were removed, because in winter, due to deep snow, the paths became insurmountable there. Thus, the total number of troops guarding the entire region consisted of a Cossack regiment, with a strength of about five hundred horses, two battalions of the Tiflis regiment (its third battalion was on the Caucasian line) and two companies of carabinieri temporarily moved here from Manglis - a total of about three thousand bayonets, with twelve guns of a light company of the Caucasian Grenadier Artillery Brigade (