When Russia became truly great
The history of the military confrontation between Russia and Turkey dates back many centuries. However, the two wars that took place between our states during the reign of Catherine the Great can be considered the ones that made our country truly great.
Russia became an Empire under Peter the Great. Under him, industry and science were actively developing, the navy was built, the Russian army defeated the Swedes and Prussians. And at the same time, raids of the Crimean Tatars continued to regularly take place from the south, which plundered, burned and taken away for sale into slavery a large Russian full. However, it was difficult to solve the Crimean problem of that time by force because of the considerable remoteness of the Khanate, the path to which lay through arid steppes that could be easily set on fire, and a large horse-drawn army was easy to lose even before the battle on a campaign.
On the plain, the Tatar light cavalry confronted the Russian troops very effectively. The task of the total defeat of the Krymchaks was even more complicated because the Khanate was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, which could intervene at the right time. In addition to the need to stop the threat from the south, the Russian Empire was faced with the task of obtaining full access to the Black Sea. For its part, the Ottoman Empire also wanted to expand its possessions in the Caucasus, the Northern Black Sea region and even take the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth under the protectorate.
Sultan Mustafa III declared war on Russia in 1768. The war was difficult and lasted until 1774. During it, the talent of many Russian commanders brilliantly manifested. Under the command of Pyotr Rumyantsev and Alexander Suvorov, our troops defeated the superior Turkish army in several battles at the Ryaboy Graves, Larga and Cahul. Alexei Orlov’s Mediterranean squadron defeated the Turkish fleet in the battles of Chesme and Chios. In this war, the future hero of the war of 1812 Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov was gaining combat experience. The army of Prince Dolgoruky provided Russia with the first territorial acquisitions in the Crimea - Kerch, Enikale, Azov, Kabarda and Kinburn.
The war ended with the signing of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi peace treaty, in which the new lands officially became part of the Russian Empire, and it was able to gain a foothold in the Black Sea, and Crimea itself ceased to be a vassal of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish sultan tried to take revenge in 1787. The war lasted until 1791 and ended in victory for Russia. According to its results, Crimea was officially annexed to the Russian Empire. On August 19, 2016 in the capital of the Republic of Crimea, a monument to Empress Catherine the Great was unveiled by grateful descendants.
The results of these two wars are difficult to overestimate:
At first, the final point was put in the centuries-old problem with the raids of the Krymchaks.
Secondly, was won a series of convincing victories over one of the leading powers of that time. It was under Catherine that the names of Suvorov, Ushakov and others flashed. The victories of Russian weapons were no longer considered an “accident” in the West.
Thirdly, proved its worth and Russian diplomacy of that time, which allowed skillfully play on the contradictions of the "Western partners."
Russia then proved to the whole world that it had achieved the status of a truly great power.
Russia became an Empire under Peter the Great. Under him, industry and science were actively developing, the navy was built, the Russian army defeated the Swedes and Prussians. And at the same time, raids of the Crimean Tatars continued to regularly take place from the south, which plundered, burned and taken away for sale into slavery a large Russian full. However, it was difficult to solve the Crimean problem of that time by force because of the considerable remoteness of the Khanate, the path to which lay through arid steppes that could be easily set on fire, and a large horse-drawn army was easy to lose even before the battle on a campaign.
On the plain, the Tatar light cavalry confronted the Russian troops very effectively. The task of the total defeat of the Krymchaks was even more complicated because the Khanate was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, which could intervene at the right time. In addition to the need to stop the threat from the south, the Russian Empire was faced with the task of obtaining full access to the Black Sea. For its part, the Ottoman Empire also wanted to expand its possessions in the Caucasus, the Northern Black Sea region and even take the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth under the protectorate.
Sultan Mustafa III declared war on Russia in 1768. The war was difficult and lasted until 1774. During it, the talent of many Russian commanders brilliantly manifested. Under the command of Pyotr Rumyantsev and Alexander Suvorov, our troops defeated the superior Turkish army in several battles at the Ryaboy Graves, Larga and Cahul. Alexei Orlov’s Mediterranean squadron defeated the Turkish fleet in the battles of Chesme and Chios. In this war, the future hero of the war of 1812 Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov was gaining combat experience. The army of Prince Dolgoruky provided Russia with the first territorial acquisitions in the Crimea - Kerch, Enikale, Azov, Kabarda and Kinburn.
The war ended with the signing of the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi peace treaty, in which the new lands officially became part of the Russian Empire, and it was able to gain a foothold in the Black Sea, and Crimea itself ceased to be a vassal of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish sultan tried to take revenge in 1787. The war lasted until 1791 and ended in victory for Russia. According to its results, Crimea was officially annexed to the Russian Empire. On August 19, 2016 in the capital of the Republic of Crimea, a monument to Empress Catherine the Great was unveiled by grateful descendants.
The results of these two wars are difficult to overestimate:
At first, the final point was put in the centuries-old problem with the raids of the Krymchaks.
Secondly, was won a series of convincing victories over one of the leading powers of that time. It was under Catherine that the names of Suvorov, Ushakov and others flashed. The victories of Russian weapons were no longer considered an “accident” in the West.
Thirdly, proved its worth and Russian diplomacy of that time, which allowed skillfully play on the contradictions of the "Western partners."
Russia then proved to the whole world that it had achieved the status of a truly great power.
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