Accession of the Crimea to Russia under Catherine 2: history

In 1475 the entire coastal and mountainous part of the Crimea was included in the Ottoman Empire. Considering that the rest of the peninsula belonged to the Crimean Khanate, which became its vassal after three years, the historical references to the Black Sea as a "Turkish inner lake", which it was in essence for the next three centuries, are quite justified. In this regard, the accession of Crimea to Russia under Catherine 2 met the most pressing requirements for Russia's foreign policy of that period.

Necessity, dictated by life

After the fall of the Golden Horde, Russia faced with particular urgency the task of restoring access to the Black Sea, which existed during the Kievan Rus period and closed to it with the establishment of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. To do this was necessary primarily in the economic interests, because through the Black Sea were important trade routes to the Mediterranean countries.

In addition, it was necessary to crush the Crimean Khanate, the territory of which for several centuries raided, the purpose of which was to capture slaves and their further sale in Constantinople. According to scientists, for the 300 years preceding the accession of Crimea to Russia under Catherine 2, at least 3 million people were sent to the Turkish slave markets.

The first attempts to solve the Crimean problem

Attempts to master the Crimea were undertaken repeatedly. It is enough to recall the campaigns of Peter I in 1696-1698. Although they ended with the capture of the fortress of Azov, but did not resolve the Black Sea problem as a whole. In the reign of Anna Ioannovna, Russian troops twice triumphed on the peninsula: in 1735 under the command of B.H. Minich, and four years later - General Field Marshal P.P. Lassi. However, both times they were forced to retreat due to a lack of supply and outbreaks of epidemics in the ranks of the troops.

The real possibility to carry out the seizure of the Crimea appeared only after the formation of Novorossia in the second half of the 18th century, which included significant territories of the Northern Black Sea coast, annexed to Russia during the Russo-Turkish wars. It is generally accepted that this was the beginning of the history of the annexation of Crimea to Russia by Catherine II. Using Novorossiia as a springboard for further offensives, the army of the general-anshef V.M. Dolgoruky in 1771 was able to break the resistance of the defenders of the Crimea and gain a foothold in its borders.

Independent Crimean Khanate

However, the accession of Crimea to Russia under Catherine 2, briefly described below, was preceded by another very important stage, the necessity of which was dictated by a number of political and military circumstances of that time. The consequence of the victory of Russian arms in the war with Turkey was the signing in 1772 of the Karasubazar Treaty, which declared Crimea an independent khanate under the auspices of Russia.

The Russian-Turkish war that ended two years later put an end to the Ottoman rule on the peninsula and opened for Russia a long-awaited exit to the Black Sea. Nevertheless, the successes achieved were only half-measures and could not be considered as the final solution to the problem of the Crimea.

Political and military conflict with Turkey

As can be seen from the subsequent actions of Catherine II, having achieved independence of the Crimean Khanate from the Ottoman Empire, she did not abandon the idea of his joining to his possessions. This was in the interests of Russia, since the peninsula had important economic and military-political importance for the whole country. However, Turkey was also extremely interested in restoring its rule in the Crimea. Both opposing sides made considerable efforts to achieve the desired goal, and for this reason the struggle between the Ottoman Empire and Russia at that time did not weaken.

In November 1776 the corps of Lieutenant-General A. A. Prozorovsky entered the Crimea and took defensive positions on Perekop. A division under the command of AV Suvorov arrived to Moscow from Moscow in a hurry. Together they managed to break the resistance of the troops of the Crimean Khan Davlet Girey and force him to take refuge in Bakhchisaray and then escape to Constantinople. In his place was elected a new ruler Shahin-Girey, who became the last in history Crimean khan.

The Tatar khan, who thinks in a European way

The election of this man greatly facilitated the annexation of Crimea to Russia under Catherine 2. Unlike his predecessors, he was a man of a completely European mindset. After completing his studies in Venice and Thessaloniki, Shahin-Giray owned several foreign languages, he did not go into the Tatar customs.

However, attempts to transform the military and administrative economic system of the Khanate into a European way led to discontent among the local population and to an open riot that could only be suppressed with the help of Russian bayonets. The decisive role in the resolution of the conflict was played by the appointment of AV Suvorov as commander of all Crimean troops.

Crimean immigrants

Dividing the entire territory of the peninsula into 4 territorial districts and placing considerable garrisons in the captured fortresses, he deprived both the Turks and their supporters from the local nobility of the last opportunity to exert influence on the internal life of the Crimea. This was a significant step towards the accession of Crimea to Russia under Catherine II.

The first of the inhabitants of the peninsula under the scepter of the Russian Empress, representatives of his Christian part of the population, Georgians, Armenians and Greeks, moved and moved to new places. They were granted gratuitous land in the mouth of the Danube and on the coast of the Azov Sea. During the spring-summer period of 1778, 31 thousand people left the Crimea, which caused a tangible blow to the khan's treasury, since these people were the most economically active part of the population.

Report of Prince GA Potemkin

In 1781, the Turks provoked another uprising of the local population, dissatisfied with the orders introduced by Shahin-Girey, and again the rebels had to be pacified by Russian soldiers, this time under the command of the Most Serene Prince GA Potyomkin.

In his report to the highest name, he wrote that, according to his observations, the overwhelming majority of local residents are extremely hostile to Shahin-Giray and would prefer to be under the Russian protectorate. Undoubtedly, this remark Potemkin played a certain role in the annexation of Crimea to Russia under Catherine.

Memorandum that decided the fate of the Crimea

Being a very far-sighted politician, Potemkin understood the whole need to include the Crimea in the Russian Empire, since otherwise his territory could become a convenient base for future aggressions on the part of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, the economic value of the fertile Crimean lands for the economy of the whole Northern Black Sea Coast was quite obvious. And, finally, this would complete the expansion of Russia to the south to its natural borders. His pride was described in detail in a memorandum sent to them in December 1782 by the highest name.

Having become acquainted with the received document, the empress in her return message gave her favorite the widest powers to implement the project conceived and approved by her. Thus, in the accession of Crimea to Russia under Catherine II (year 1783), the key role belongs to Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin, for which he was granted the title Tavrichesky (Tavria is the ancient name of the Crimea).

Preparation of a historical event

The date of joining the Crimea to Russia Catherine 2 should be considered 8 (19) April 1783, when the autocrat signed the appropriate manifesto. However, at that time, she ordered to keep it secret until the transition of the peninsula with all its population to the Russian scepter would not become a real event.

By that time, significant changes had taken place in the political life of the Crimean Khanate. So shy of the people of Shaheen-Girey was forced to resign from the authority of the supreme ruler, and his place remained vacant. This helped Potemkin through his agents to convince the ruling elite of the khanate of the benefits of the transition to Russia's protectorate.

Following this, urgent measures were taken to settle the harbor in the southwestern part of the peninsula to accommodate the future squadron of the Black Sea Fleet. A year later, there was laid a fortified city, named at the behest of the Empress Sevastopol.

Oath of allegiance to Russia

Finally, June 28 (July 9), 1783, the highest manifest was promulgated. So for the first time (under Catherine II) the annexation of Crimea to Russia became a fait accompli. Many people know about the events of today's time, when this territory has passed to Russia, so we will not dwell on them. As for that time, on that day the most illustrious prince Potemkin, standing on the top of the cliff of Ak-Kaya, took the oath of the new subjects of her Imperial Majesty. The first to swear the top of the local society and the people of the spiritual rank, and behind them - all commoners. Up to now, a historical document has survived ─ The Manifesto on the Accession of the Crimea to Russia under Catherine 2, whose photo is presented in the article.