At the same time, he fought in the east the Russian-Persian War of 1804-1813, a war barely noticeable to contemporaries concerned about world events, nevertheless memorable for posterity and for the valor of Russian weapons and the importance of the consequences. Marked by the exploits of Tsitsianov, Gudovich, Tormasov and Kotlyarevsky, the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813 confirmed Russia's dominance over the Caucasus.

The voluntary allegiance of Kartli, Kakheti and Somkheti, under the common name of Georgia, to Emperor Paul I should have inevitably resulted in the annexation of other small possessions of the Transcaucasus to Russia, already prepared by previous events: the Imeretian kings of the same faith and the Mingrelian princes were looking for the protection of our court during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailov ; Shamkhal Tarkovsky, the khans of Derbent and Baku have shown their devotion to the Russian throne since the time of Peter the Great; and the rulers of Shirvani, Sheki, Ganja and Karabakh, frightened by the victories of Count Zubov, surrendered to the patronage of Catherine II. It remained to finally bring them into Russian citizenship and humble many more independent khans, beks, laughs and sultans who ruled between the Caucasus and the Araks, without which the possession of Georgia could not be either safe or useful for Russia. Alexander entrusted the execution of this important task to General Prince Pyotr Tsitsianov, a Georgian by birth, Russian by heart, passionately in love with Russia, equally a brave commander and a skillful ruler who had a short acquaintance with the Transcaucasian region, where his house belonged to the number of noble families and was related to the latter. Georgian king George XIII, married to Princess Tsitsianova.

Pavel Dmitrievich Tsitsianov

Capture of Ganja by Tsitsianov

Appointed in 1802 by the Russian commander-in-chief of Georgia to replace General Knorring, Tsitsianov with tireless activity took up the internal improvement and external security of the region entrusted to him. For the first purpose, he tried to awaken the people's industry, introduce more order in management and ensure justice. For the second, he was in a hurry to humble the hostile khans who harassed Georgia from the east with a thunderstorm of arms. The most dangerous of all was the powerful ruler of Ganja, Cevat Khan, a treacherous and bloodthirsty despot. Submitting in 1796 to Catherine II, he later betrayed the Russians, turned over to the side of Persia and robbed the merchants of Tiflis. Tsitsianov entered his area, laid siege to Ganja and took it by storm (1804). Khan was killed during the assault; his children died in the battle or fled. The people swore an oath of eternal citizenship to the Russian sovereign. Ganja was renamed Elizavetpol and annexed to Georgia with the entire khanate. From under the walls of Ganja, Tsitsianov dispatched General Gulyakov to humble the recalcitrant Lezghins who disturbed Kakheti. The brave Gulyakov drove them into the mountains, penetrated into the most inaccessible gorges, and although he paid with his life for his courage, for all that he brought such terror to the predatory inhabitants of Lezgistan that they sent deputies to Tiflis asking for mercy. The Avar Khan and the Elisu Sultan followed their example. Soon the princes of Mingrelia and Abkhazia submitted to the Russian sovereign; Imeretian king Solomon also entered into eternal citizenship.

The beginning of the Russian-Persian war 1804-1813

Persia looked with envy and apprehension at the rapid successes of Russian arms beyond the Caucasus. Alarmed by the fall of Ganja, the Persian Shah Feth-Ali sent the Georgian prince Alexander to anger the khans under our control; meanwhile, he ordered his son Abbas Mirza to cross the Araks in order to pacify the rebellious vassal of his sardar of Erivan and to assist Tsarevich Alexander. This is how the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813 began. Tsitsianov, knowing the hostile disposition of Persia and foreseeing the inevitable Russian-Persian war, decided to seize Erivan (Yerevan), dependent on the Persians, which, due to its strongholds, famous in the east, could serve him as a reliable support for military operations. On the banks of the Zanga, at the Echmiadzin monastery, he met Abbas Mirza with an army, four times the strongest of the Russian detachment, and defeated him (1804); after that he struck the Persians a second time under the walls of Erivan; finally defeated the Persian shah himself, who came to the aid of his son, but could not take the fortress and after a grueling siege, from a lack of food and widespread disease, he was forced to return to Georgia. This failure had unfavorable consequences for the further course of the outbreak of the Russian-Persian war.

The revived Persians in the summer of 1805 gathered an army of 40,000 against the Russians. The Persian prince Abbas Mirza moved with her to Georgia. In Karabakh, on the Askeran river, the 20-thousandth Persian vanguard was met by the Russian detachment of Colonel Karyagin of 500 people, which had only two cannons. Despite such an inequality of forces, the Karyagin huntsmen for two weeks - from June 24 to July 8, 1805 - repelled the enemy onslaught, and then managed to secretly retreat. During the fighting in the highlands, the Russian huntsmen had to transport the cannons through the crevice. There was no way to fall asleep. Then Private Gavrila Sidorov proposed to arrange a "living bridge". Several soldiers lay down at the bottom of the pit, and heavy guns drove right over them. Almost none of these brave men survived, but by a feat of self-sacrifice they saved their comrades. The delay of the Persian horde by the Russian detachment of Colonel Karyagin allowed Tsitsianov to gather troops and saved Georgia from bloody ruin.

F.A.Roubaud. Living bridge. Episode of the Russian-Persian War 1804-1813

The Persian Shah, with the assistance of Tsarevich Alexander, managed to outrage the whole of Lezgistan, Ossetia, Kabarda, the khans of Derbent, Baku and Kuba. The military road through the Caucasus was cut off by the mountaineers; Georgia has come under attack by agitated Lezghins and Ossetians. But Tsitsianov managed to extinguish such a dangerous fire. On July 28, 1805, he defeated Abbas Mirza at Zagam. The Persian army retreated, ending the campaign against Georgia. Successful expeditions of Russian troops to the mountains terrified the predatory inhabitants there and restored the communication of the Caucasian line with Georgia, which they had interrupted; the Ossetians were also brought into obedience.

It remained to humble the rebellious khans of Dagestan, whose head was the ruler of Baku, the treacherous Hussein Kuli Khan. Tsitsianov entered his region and, besieging Baku, demanded unconditional obedience. Khan, showing feigned humility, invited the commander-in-chief to take the city keys. The prince with a small retinue went to the fortress and barely approached it, was struck by two bullets fired at the secret order of Hussein (February 1806).

The news of the death of the commander, fearless in the slaughter, with one thunderstorm of his name kept the obstinate tribes in obedience, again agitated the entire Transcaucasian region. Of all the khans under our control, one shamkhal Tarkovsky did not raise the banner of rebellion and remained faithful to the oath; even the king of Imereti Solomon entered into relations with the enemies of Russia. The Persians took courage and, continuing the war with the Russians, again crossed the Araks; the Turks, for their part, due to the rupture of Russia with Porto and the Russian-Turkish war that began in 1806, threatened to attack Georgia.

Continuation of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813 by Generals Gudovich and Tormasov

Tsitsianov's successor, Count Gudovich, with repeated expeditions to the mountains on both sides of the Caucasus, bridled the Lezgins, Chechens and their allies; took Baku (1806), humbled the Khan of Derbent; defeated the Turks at the Arpachai River (June 1807) and drove the Persians beyond the Araks. Admiral Pustoshkin, acting from the sea, took and destroyed Anapa. However, the second assault on Erivan, undertaken by Gudovich on November 17, 1808, again ended in failure.

The successor to Gudovich, General Tormasov, successfully continued the Russian-Persian war and the pacification of the Transcaucasian region. With the capture of Poti and the secondary devastation of Anapa, he deprived the Turks of the opportunity to support the uprising in Imeretin and Abkhazia; the king of Imereti renounced the throne; his state became part of Russian possessions; calm in Abkhazia has been restored; and repeated victories over the united Turkish and Persian troops secured Georgia from the invasion of its main enemies.

After Tormasov was recalled to Russia, where his talents were destined for an extensive field in the fight against Napoleon, the command over the Transcaucasian region, after a short management of the Marquis Paulucci, was entrusted to General Rtischev. The Bucharest Peace of 1812, meanwhile, ended the Russo-Turkish war. Persia, frightened by a continuous series of failures in its war with Russia, also expressed its readiness for peace, and Abbas Mirza entered into negotiations with the commander-in-chief on the banks of the Araks with the mediation of the British envoy.

Battle of Aslanduz and capture of Lankaran

The negotiations were, however, unsuccessful and soon ended. Rtishchev returned to Tiflis, leaving on the left bank of the Araks General Kotlyarevsky with 2,000 men and 6 guns to observe the actions of the Persians. The Persian prince Abbas Mirza concentrated his main forces (30 thousand) on the right bank against the Russians and sent several thousand people with fire and sword to destroy the Sheki and Shirvan regions, meanwhile he was preparing for the crossing to destroy our small detachment on the left bank of the Araks.

With a brave and brilliant feat, Kotlyarevsky frustrated the enemy's plans and led the Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813 to a happy outcome. He himself crossed the Araks, swiftly attacked Abbas Mirza, drove him out of the fortified camp, threw his entire army back to the town of Aslanduz and turned it into a disorderly flight (October 19, 1812). The Persians lost 1,200 people killed and more than 500 prisoners, the Russian losses amounted to only 127 people. The consequence of this victory, won by a weak Russian detachment over an enemy ten times strongest, was the cleansing of the entire left bank of the Araks from the Persians. The Persian Shah still persisted in the war, until the new feat of Kotlyarevsky, even more glorious than the first, storming and capturing the fortress of Lankaran (January 1, 1813), persuaded him to peace. Strong Lankaran was defended by 4 thousand Persian soldiers under the command of Sadyk Khan. Kotlyarevsky had only 2 thousand people. Nevertheless, after the Persian stronghold fell to the Russian bayonet after a bloody assault in which Kotlyarevsky lost about half of his fighters, and the Muslim enemy - nine-tenths.

Storming of Lankaran, 1813

Gulistan Peace 1813

Frightened by the formidable movement of the Russians towards the borders of Persia, the Shah agreed to end the war and fulfill all the requirements of the Russian court. The treaty that ended the Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813 was signed in the Gulistan tract, in the Karabakh region and was named the Gulistan Peace. Persia recognized by him the domination of Russia over the khanates of Karabakh, Ganja, Sheki, Shirvan, Derbent, Cuba, Baku, Talyshinsky and renounced any claims to Dagestan, Georgia, Imereti and Abkhazia.

Caucasus in the first half of the 19th century. Map showing the change of borders following the results of the Russo-Persian War of 1804-1813

The Russian emperor promised, for his part, in the Gulistan treaty, help and assistance to that of the sons of the shah who would be appointed heir to the Persian throne.

Yaroslav Vsevolodovich


	North Caucasus Persia
	The cause of the war was the annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia
	Russia's victory; the Gulistan peace treaty was signed
Territorial changes:	Russia takes under its patronage a number of North Persian khanates
Opponents

Commanders
P. D. Tsitsianov	Feth Ali Shah
I. V. Gudovich	Abbas Mirza
A. P. Tormasov
Forces of the parties

Russian-Persian war of 1804-1813; - the cause of the war was the annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia, adopted by Paul I on January 18, 1801.

On September 12, 1801, Alexander I (1801-1825) signed the "Manifesto on the Establishment of a New Government in Georgia", the Kartli-Kakhetian kingdom was part of Russia and became the Georgian province of the empire. Further, the Baku, Cuban, Dagestan and other kingdoms voluntarily joined. In 1803 Mengrelia and the Imeretian kingdom joined.

January 3, 1804; - the storming of Ganja, as a result of which the Ganja Khanate was liquidated and became part of the Russian Empire.

On June 10, the Persian Shah Feth-Ali (Baba Khan) (1797-1834), who entered into an alliance with Great Britain, declared war on Russia.

On June 8, the vanguard of Tsitsianov's detachment, under the command of Tuchkov, set out towards Erivan. On June 10, near the Gyumri tract, Tuchkov's vanguard forced the Persian cavalry to retreat.

On June 19, Tsitsianov's detachment approached Erivan and met with the army of Abbas Mirza. The vanguard of Major General Portnyagin on the same day could not seize the Echmiadzin monastery on the move and was forced to retreat.

On June 20, during the Battle of Erivan, the main Russian forces defeated the Persians and forced them to retreat.

On June 30, Tsitsianov's detachment crossed the Zangu River, where, in the course of a fierce battle, captured the Persian redoubts.

July 17; near Erivan, the Persian army under the command of Feth Ali Shah attacked the Russian positions, but did not achieve success.

On September 4, due to heavy losses, the Russians lifted the siege from the Erivan fortress and retreated to Georgia.

At the beginning of 1805, a detachment of Major General Nesvetaev occupied the Shuragel Sultanate and annexed it to the possession of the Russian Empire. The Erivan ruler Muhammad Khan with 3000 horsemen could not resist and was forced to retreat.

On May 14, 1805, the Treaty of Kurekchay was signed between Russia and the Karabakh Khanate. Under its terms, the khan, his heirs and the entire population of the khanate passed under the rule of Russia. Not long before that, the Karabakh Khan Ibrahim Khan utterly defeated the Persian army at Dizan.

Following this, on May 21, Sheki Khan Selim Khan expressed a desire to become a citizen of Russia and a similar agreement was signed with him.

In June, Abbas Mirza occupied the Askeran fortress. In response, the Russian detachment of Karyagin drove the Persians out of the Shah-Bulakh castle. Upon learning of this, Abbas Mirza surrounded the castle and began to negotiate its surrender. But the Russian detachment did not think about surrender, their main goal became to detain the Persian detachment of Abbas Mirza. Having learned about the approach of the Shah's army under the command of Feth Ali-Shah, Karyagin's detachment left the castle at night and went to Shusha. Soon, near the Askeran gorge, Karyagin's detachment collided with Abbas-Mirza's detachment, but all of the latter's attempts to break up the Russian camp were unsuccessful.

On July 15, the main forces of the Russians unblocked Shusha and Karyagin's detachment. Abbas Mirza, having learned that the main forces of the Russians had left Elizavetpol, made a roundabout way and laid siege to Elizavetpol. In addition, the way to Tiflis was opened for him, which was left without cover. On the evening of July 27, a detachment of 600 bayonets under the command of Karyagin unexpectedly attacked the camp of Abbas Mirza near Shamkhor and utterly defeated the Persians.

On November 30, 1805, Tsitsianov's detachment crossed the Kura and invaded the Shirvan Khanate, and on December 27, the Shirvan Khan Mustafa Khan signed an agreement on the transfer of citizenship to the Russian Empire.

Meanwhile, on June 23, the Caspian flotilla under the command of Major General Zavalishin occupied Anzeli and landed troops. However, on July 20 they had to leave Anzali and head for Baku. On August 12, 1805, the Caspian flotilla dropped anchor in the Baku bay. Major General Zavalishin proposed to the Baku Khan Huseyngul Khan a draft treaty on the transfer of citizenship to the Russian Empire. However, the negotiations were unsuccessful, and the Bakuvians decided to offer serious resistance. All property of the population was taken out in advance to the mountains. Then, for 11 days, the Caspian flotilla bombarded Baku. By the end of August, the disembarking detachment captured the forward fortifications in front of the city. Khan's troops leaving the fortress were defeated. However, heavy losses from clashes, as well as a lack of ammunition, forced on September 3 to lift the siege from Baku and on September 9 to completely leave the Baku bay.

On January 30, 1806 Tsitsianov with 2000 bayonets approaches Baku. Together with him, the Caspian flotilla approaches Baku and disembarks troops. Tsitsianov demanded the immediate surrender of the city. On February 8, the transfer of the Baku Khanate to the citizenship of the Russian Empire was to take place, however, during a meeting with the khan, General Tsitsianov and Lieutenant Colonel Eristov were killed by the khan's cousin Ibrahim Bek. Tsitsianov's head was sent to Feth Ali Shah. After that, Major General Zavalishin decided to leave Baku.

Appointed instead of I. Tsitsianov; V. ; Gudovich in the summer of 1806 defeated Abbas Mirza at Karakapet (Karabakh) and conquered the Derbent, Baku (Baku) and Cuban khanates (Cuba).

The Russian-Turkish war that began in November 1806 forced the Russian command to conclude the Uzun-Kilis truce with the Persians in the winter of 1806-1807. But in May 1807, Feth-Ali entered into an anti-Russian alliance with Napoleonic France, and in 1808 hostilities resumed. The Russians took Echmiadzin, in October 1808 defeated Abbas Mirza at Karabab (south of Lake Sevan) and occupied Nakhichevan. After the unsuccessful siege of Erivan, Gudovich was replaced by A.; P. ; Tormasov, who in 1809 repulsed the offensive of the army led by Feth-Ali in the Gumry-Artik region and thwarted the attempt of Abbas Mirza to seize Ganja. Persia broke off the treaty with France and restored an alliance with Great Britain, which initiated the conclusion of a Persian-Turkish agreement on joint operations on the Caucasian front. In May 1810, the army of Abbas Mirza invaded Karabakh, but a small detachment of P.; S. ; Kotlyarevsky defeated her at the Migri fortress (June) and on the Araks river (July), in September. the Persians were defeated at Akhalkalaki, and thus the Russian troops prevented the Persians from uniting with the Turks.

After the end of the Russian-Turkish war in January 1812 and the conclusion of a peace treaty, Persia also began to lean toward reconciliation with Russia. But the news of the entry of Napoleon I into Moscow strengthened the military party at the Shah's court; in southern Azerbaijan, an army was formed under the command of Abbas Mirza to attack Georgia. However, Kotlyarevsky, crossing the Araks, on October 19-20 (October 31; - November 1) defeated the many times superior forces of the Persians at the Aslanduz ford and took Lankaran on January 1 (13). Shah had to enter into peace negotiations.

On October 12 (24), 1813, the Peace of Gulistan (Karabakh) was signed, according to which Persia recognized the entry into the Russian Empire of eastern Georgia and North. Azerbaijan, Imeretia, Guria, Mengrelia and Abkhazia; Russia received the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea.

A good deed is done with effort, but when the effort is repeated several times, the same deed becomes a habit.
L.N. Tolstoy

In 1804, a war broke out between Russia and Persia. Since Persia changed its name in the 20th century, the name of the event also changed - the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813. This was the first Russian war in Central Asia, which was complicated by the war with the Ottoman Empire. As a result of the victory of the army of Alexander I, the interests of Russia in the East collided with the interests of the British Empire, which was the beginning of the so-called "Great Game". In this article, we offer an overview of the main reasons for the war between Russia and Iran in 1804-1813, a description of the key battles and its participants, as well as a description of the results of the war and its historical significance for Russia.

The situation before the war

In early 1801, Russian Emperor Paul 1 signed a decree on the annexation of the Eastern Caucasus. In September of the same year, his son, Alexander 1, as the new emperor, gave the order to establish the Georgian province on the territory of the Kartli-Kakhetian kingdom. In 1803, Alexander annexed Mingrelia, thus the border of Russia reaches the territory of modern Azerbaijan. There were several khanates, the largest of which was Ganja with its capital in the city of Ganja. This state, like the territory of all modern Azerbaijan, was included in the sphere of interests of the Persian Empire.

On January 3, 1804, the Russian army begins an assault on the Ganja fortress. This significantly disrupted the plans of Persia. Therefore, she began to look for allies to declare war on Russia. As a result, the Shah of Persia, Feth-Ali, signed an agreement with Great Britain. England, by tradition, wanted to solve its problems with someone else's hands. The strengthening of Russia's influence in Asia was extremely undesirable for the British, who guarded their main pearl - India. Therefore, London gives Persia all guarantees of support for the latter, in the event of the start of military actions against Russia. June 10, 1804, the Sheikh of Persia declares war on the Russian Empire. So the Russian-Iranian war (1804-1813) began, which lasted for 9 long years.

Causes of the war of 1804-1813

Historians identify the following reasons for the war:

The annexation of the lands of Georgia by Russia. This expanded the influence of the Russians in Asia, with which the Persians and the British were extremely unhappy.
Persia's desire to establish control over Azerbaijan, which was also interesting to Russia.
Russia pursued an active policy of expanding its territory in the Caucasus, which violated the plans of the Persians, in addition, in the future, it could create a problem for the integrity and independence of their state.
Hegemony of Great Britain. For many years, England was a country that independently ruled in Asia. Therefore, she tried in every possible way to prevent Russia from reaching the borders of her influence.
The desire of the Ottoman Empire to take revenge on Russia for the lost wars of the second half of the 18th century, especially strongly wanted to return the Crimea and the Kuban. This pushed Turkey to help any rivals of Russia who were near its borders.

As a result, an alliance was formed between Persia, the Ottoman Empire and the Ganja Khanate. This union was patronized by England. As for the Russian Empire, it entered the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 without allies.

Combat actions 1804-1806

Battle of Erivanya

The first serious battle took place within 10 days after the start of the war. On June 20, 1804, the Battle of Erivan took place. The Russian army under the command of Tsitsianov completely defeated the enemy, which opened the way into the depths of Iran.

On June 17, the Persian army launched a counteroffensive, pushing the Russian troops back to the same Erivan fortress. However, on June 20, the Russian troops launched an offensive, again forcing the Persians to retreat. An interesting fact - Alexander Bagrationi, the Georgian king of the Kartli-Kakhetian kingdom, liquidated by Russia, fought on the side of Persia. Before the war, he was one of the organizers of the reform of the Iranian army. On August 21, 1804, his troops defeated the Tiflis corps of the Russian army. This was one of the first failures of the army of Alexander 1. Because of this defeat, the Russian army retreated to the territory of Georgia.

At the end of 1804, the emperor of Russia decided not to rush into hostilities with Persia, but to engage in the annexation of other states on the territory of Azerbaijan. In January 1805, the troops under the command of Nesvetaev annexed the Shuragel Sultanate to Russia, and in May an agreement was signed with the Karabakh Khanate on voluntary entry into Russia. The Karabakh khan even allocated a large army for the war with Iran.

Russian-Iranian War Map

Battles for Karabakh and Shirvan

The Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 moved to the Karabakh region. At that moment, a small army of Major Lisanevich was on the territory of Karabakh. Already in early June, there was news that the 20 thousandth army of the heir to the throne of Persia Abbas-Mirza entered the territory of Karabakh. As a result, Lisanevich's troops were completely surrounded in the city of Shusha. Lacking large military reserves, General Tsitsianov sent from Ganja to help a detachment of 493 military men led by Colonel Karyagin. This event went down in history as the Karyaginsky raid. For 3 days, the troops covered about 100 kilometers. After that, the battle with the Persians began in the Shahbulag region, near Shushi.

The forces of the Persians were significantly superior to those of Russia. However, the battle lasted more than 5 days, then the Russians took the Shahbulag fortress, however, there was no point in holding it, since the Persians were sending an additional army to this area from near Shushi. After that, Karyagin decided to retreat, but it was too late, since the troops were completely surrounded. Then he went to the trick, offering negotiations for surrender. During the negotiations, an unexpected blow was struck, and the troops were able to break through the encirclement. The withdrawal of troops began.

According to the recollections of eyewitnesses, in order to transfer the carts with weapons and supplies across the moat, it was pelted with the bodies of the dead. According to another version, these were living volunteers who agreed to lie down in the ditch and give their lives to allow the Russian soldiers to get out of the encirclement. Based on this tragic and terrible story, the Russian artist Franz Roubaud painted the painting "Living Bridge". On July 15, 1805, the main Russian army approached Shusha, which was able to help both the Karyagin troops and the blocked Lisanevich army located in Shusha.

After this success, Tsitsianov's army conquered the Shirvan Khanate on November 30 and headed for Baku. On February 8, 1806, the Baku Khanate became part of Russia, however, during a meeting with the khan, his brother Ibrahim-bek killed Tsitsianov and Colonel Eristov. The head of the Russian general was sent to the Sheikh of Persia as a demonstration of the Baku Khanate's loyalty to its greatness. The Russian army left Baku.

The new commander-in-chief was appointed I. Gudovich, who immediately conquered the Baku and Cuban khanates. However, after these successes, the armies of Russia and Persia took a break. In addition, in November 1806, Turkey attacked the Russian Empire, and another war began between these countries. Therefore, in the winter of 1806-1807, the Uzun-Kilis truce was signed, and the Russian-Persian war was temporarily suspended.

Truce and new participants in the conflict

Both sides of the conflict understood that the agreement of 1806-1807 was not peace, but just a truce. In addition, the Ottoman Empire tried to quickly return Persia to the war in order to stretch the Russian troops on several fronts. Sheikh Feth-Ali gave Turkey a promise to start a new war soon, and also, using the armistice, signed an agreement with Napoleon, an anti-Russian alliance. However, it did not last long, because in June Russia and France signed the Peace of Tilsit. The idea of creating a bloc of European and Asian states against Russia failed. This was a huge success for Russian diplomacy. Britain remained Persia's only European ally. At the beginning of 1808, Russia, despite the continuation of the war with Turkey, resumed hostilities against Persia.

Battles of 1808-1812

The Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 actively continued in 1808. This year the Russian army inflicted a number of defeats on the Persians, the largest of which was at Karabab. However, the state of affairs in the war was ambiguous and victories alternated with defeats. So, in November 1808, the Russian army was defeated near Yerevan. Alexander's reaction was immediate: Gudovich was removed from the post of commander. He was replaced by Alexander Tormasov, the future hero in the war with Napoleon.

In 1810, the troops of Colonel P. Kotlyarevsky defeated the Persians at the Mirgi fortress. The main turning point in the war happened in 1812. At the beginning of the year, Persia proposed an armistice, but after learning about Napoleon's attack on Russia, it continued the hostilities. The Russian empire found itself in a difficult situation:

A protracted war with Persia has been going on since 1804.
In 1806-1812, Russia howled a successful but debilitating war with Turkey.
In 1812, Russia was attacked by France, thereby complicating the task of defeating Persia.

However, the emperor decided not to give up positions in Asia. In 1812, Abbas Mirza's troops invaded Karabakh and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Russian troops. The situation seemed catastrophic, but on January 1, 1813, troops under the command of P. Kotlyarevsky stormed the key fortress Lankaran (Talysh Khanate, near the border with Persia). The Shah understood that the advance of the Russian army into Persia itself was possible, so he proposed an armistice.

Historical note: the hero of the battle himself, Pyotr Kotlyarevsky, was seriously wounded in the battle, but survived and received the Order of St. George of the second degree from the Emperor of Russia.

End of the war - Peace of Gulistan

On October 12, 1813, Russia and Persia signed the Gulistan Peace on the territory of Karabakh. According to its terms:

Persia recognized the annexation of Eastern Georgia by Russia, as well as the khanates on the territory of Azerbaijan (Baku, Ganja and others).
Russia received the monopoly right to maintain a navy in the Caspian Sea.
All goods that were exported to Baku and Astrakhan were subject to an additional 23% tax.

This was the end of the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813. Surprisingly, today very little is said about the events of those days, since everything is only interested in the war with Napoleon. But it was precisely as a result of the Persian war that Russia strengthened its position in Asia, thereby weakening the position of Persia and Turkey, which was extremely important. This must be remembered, even though the war with Persia pales against the background of the Patriotic War of 1812.

Historical meaning

The historical significance of the Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813 was extremely positive for Russia. Modern historians say that the victory gave the Russian Empire several huge advantages at once:

On the part of Russia, over almost 10 years of the conflict, about 10 thousand people have died.
Despite the large number of victims, Russia increased its influence in the Caucasus, but at the same time found itself a big problem in this region for many years in the form of the struggle of local peoples for independence.
At the same time, Russia received an additional outlet to the Caspian Sea, which had a positive impact on Russia's trade, as well as its status in the region.

But perhaps the main result of the Russian-Iranian war was that it was the first clash of interests between Great Britain and Russia, which became the beginning of the "Great Game" - the largest geopolitical confrontation that lasted until the beginning of the 20th century, when the countries became members of one bloc, the Entente ... In addition, the clash of interests continued after the two world wars, but the Soviet Union was already in place of the Russian Empire.

test

2. Russian-Iranian war of 1804-1813

foreign policy military turkey

Iran has long had its own interests in the Caucasus, and in this matter until the second half of the 18th century. vied with Turkey. The victory of the Russian troops in the Russian-Turkish war of 1769-1774. and put Russia among the contenders for the North Caucasus. The transition of Georgia under the patronage of Russia in 1783 and its subsequent annexation to the empire in 1801 allowed Russia to extend its influence to the Transcaucasus.

In the beginning, the Russian administration in the Caucasus acted very cautiously for fear of provoking a war with Iran and Turkey. This policy was carried out from 1783 to the beginning of the 19th century. During this period, under the patronage of Russia came the shamkhalism of Tarkov, the princedoms of Zasulak Kumykia, the khanates of Avar, Derbent, Cuba, the Utsmiya Kaitagskoe, the Mysumism and the Qadis of the Tabasaran. But this was not the entry into Russia, the rulers retained political power over their subjects.

With the appointment in 1802 of Lieutenant General P.D. Tsitsianov, a supporter of vigorous and drastic military measures to extend Russian power in the Caucasus, Russia's actions have become less prudent.

Tsitsianov mainly practiced power methods. So, in 1803, he sent a detachment of General Gulyakov against the Dzhars. The fortified point of Belokany was taken by storm, the inhabitants were sworn in allegiance to Russia and taxed. In early January 1804, Russian troops under the command of Tsitsianov himself, after a month's siege, seized the fortress of Ganja by assault and annexed it to Russia, renaming it Elizavetpol.

By these and other careless actions, Tsitsianov hurt Iran's interests in the Transcaucasus. The Shah in a sharp form demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Azerbaijani khanates, Georgia and Dagestan. Gerasimova, Yu.N. To ensure the fate of the Caucasus and destroy the hopes of the Turks / Yu.N. Gerasimova // Military History Journal. - 2010 - No. 8. - S. 7-8.

The number of tsarist troops in Transcaucasia was about 20 thousand people. The Iranian army was much larger, but the Russian troops outnumbered the Iranian irregular cavalry in training, discipline, weapons and tactics.

The first clashes took place on the territory of the Erivan Khanate. On June 10, the detachments of generals Tuchkov and Leontyev defeated the Iranian forces, led by the heir to the Shah, Abbas Mirza. On June 30, the troops took the Erivan fortress in a siege, which lasted until early September. Repeated ultimatums and assaults yielded no results, the rebels Ossetians closed the Georgian Military Highway. It was necessary to lift the siege on September 2 and retreat to Georgia. The detachment of General Nebolsin was instructed to cover Georgia and the Shuragel region from the side of the Erivan Khanate.

The tsarist administration in the Caucasus under Tsitsianov cruelly treated the local population, but he himself behaved arrogantly with the khans, sent them insulting messages. The uprisings of Ossetians, Kabardians, Georgians were brutally suppressed with the use of artillery.

In July 1805, a detachment under the command of Colonel P.M. Karyagina repulsed the attacks of Abbas Mirza in Shah Bulakh. This gave Tsitsianov time to gather forces and defeat the Iranian troops led by Feth Ali Shah.

In the same month, an expeditionary detachment of I.I. Zavalishin, which was supposed to occupy Rasht and Baku. However, the task was not completed, and Zavalishin took the squadron with a detachment to Lankaran.

At the end of November 1805, Tsitsianov ordered Zavalishin to go to Baku again and wait for his arrival there. In early February 1806, Tsitsianov approached Baku with a detachment of 1600 people. He demanded that the Baku khan surrender the city, promising to leave the khanate behind him. He agreed, and on February 8 arrived at the commander-in-chief with the keys to the city. During the negotiations, one of the nukers (servants) of Huseyn Ali Khan killed Tsitsianov with a pistol shot. Zavalishin spent a month at Baku inactive, and then took the squadron to Kizlyar. Gerasimova, Yu.N. To ensure the fate of the Caucasus and destroy the hopes of the Turks / Yu.N. Gerasimova // Military History Journal. - 2010 - No. 8. - S. 9-11.

After assuming the post of commander-in-chief in the Caucasus, General I.V. Gudovich in 1806, tsarist troops occupied Derbent, Baku, Cuba. Derbent was annexed to Russia. Gudovich managed to mend spoiled relations with the feudal lords of the North Caucasus. At the end of December 1806, Turkey also declared war on Russia. Gudovich's attempt to seize Erivan by storm in 1808 was unsuccessful. He returned to Georgia and submitted his resignation letter.

General A.P. Tormasov replaced him in the post of commander-in-chief, who continued the course of his predecessor and did a lot to develop trade with the North Caucasian peoples. Abbas Mirza's attempt to occupy Elizavetpol was unsuccessful, but on October 8, 1809 he managed to occupy Lankaran. In the summer of 1810 Abbas Mirza invaded Karabakh, but was defeated by Kotlyarevsky's detachment near Migri. Hasanaliev, Magomed (Candidate of Historical Sciences). Russian-Iranian war 1804-1813 / M. Gasanaliev // Questions of history. - 2009 - No. 9 - P. 152.

Iran's attempt to act against Russia together with Turkey also failed. Turkish troops were defeated on September 5, 1810 near Akhalkalaki. At the same time, the Iranian detachment standing nearby did not enter the battle. In the years 1811-1812. the Cuban and Kyurin khanates of Dagestan were annexed to Russia.

In early 1811, with the help of the British, Iran reorganized its army. The new commander-in-chief in the Caucasus, General N.F. Rtishchev made an attempt to establish peace negotiations with Iran, but the Shah put forward impossible conditions: to withdraw the Russian troops across the Terek.

On October 17, 1812, General Kotlyarevsky, without the permission of Rtishchev, with one and a half thousand infantry, 500 Cossacks with 6 guns crossed the river. Arak and defeated the forces of Abbas Mirza. Pursuing him, Kotlyarevsky defeated the detachment of the Shah's heir at Aslanduz. At the same time, he took 500 prisoners and captured 11 guns. On January 1, 1813, Kotlyarevsky took Lankaran by storm. In the course of a continuous 3-hour battle, Kotlyarevsky lost 950 people, and Abbas-Mirza lost 2.5 thousand. The tsar generously awarded Kotlyarevsky: he received the rank of lieutenant general, the Order of St. George of the 3rd and 2nd degrees and 6 thousand rubles. Rtishchev was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky. In this battle, Kotlyarevsky was seriously wounded, and his military career ended.

In early April 1813, after the defeat at Kara-Benyuk, the shah was forced to negotiate peace. He instructed the British envoy to Iran, Auzli, to lead them. He tried to negotiate with minimal concessions from Iran or conclude a truce for one year. Rtishchev did not agree with this. Auzli advised the Shah to accept the conditions of Russia. In his report, Rtishchev indicated that Auzli had greatly contributed to the conclusion of peace. Ibragimova, Isbaniyat Ilyasovna. Relations of Russia with Iran and Turkey in the first half of the 19th century. / I.I. Ibragimova // Questions of history. - 2008 - No. 11 - P. 152 - 153.

On October 1, hostilities were stopped for fifty days. On October 12 (24), 1813, in the town of Gulistan in Karabakh, the commander of the tsarist troops in the Caucasus Rtischev and the authorized representative of the Iranian shah Mirza-Abdul-Hasan signed a peace treaty between the two countries.

The exchange of instruments of ratification took place on September 15 (27), 1814. The agreement contained a clause (secret article) that later the ownership of the disputed lands could be revised. However, it was omitted by the Russian side when the treaty was ratified.

Large territorial acquisitions, obtained by Russia on the basis of this document, led to the complication of its relations with England. A year later, Iran and England signed a treaty against Russia. England pledged to help Iran achieve a revision of certain articles of the Gulistan Treaty.

The Russian side was very pleased with the outcome of the war and the signing of the treaty. Peace with Persia has protected the eastern borders of Russia with tranquility and security.

Feth-Ali-Shah was also pleased that he was able to settle accounts with the winner in foreign territories. He released Rtishchev 500 Tavrizian batman silk, and also awarded the insignia of the Order of the Lion and the Sun, on a gold enamel chain, to be worn around the neck.

For the Peace of Gulistan, Rtishchev received the rank of general from infantry and the right to wear the diamond order of the Lion and the Sun of the 1st degree, which he received from the Persian Shah. Hasanaliev, Magomed (Candidate of Historical Sciences). Russian-Iranian war 1804-1813 / M. Gasanaliev // Questions of history. - 2009 - No. 9 - P. 153

Article three of the Gulistan Treaty reads: “E. sh. v. as proof of his sincere affection for the e. century, the emperor of all Russia, he solemnly recognizes both for himself and for the high successors of the Persian throne as belonging to the property of the Russian Empire, the khanates of Karabagh and Ganzhinsky, now turned into a province called Elisavetpolskaya; as well as the Sheki, Shirvan, Derbent, Kuba, Baku and Talyshen khanates, with those lands of this khanate, which are now in the power of the Russian Empire; moreover, the whole of Dagestan, Georgia with the Shuragel province, Imeretia, Guria, Mingrelia and Abkhazia, as well as all possessions and lands located between the now set border and the Caucasian line, with lands and peoples touching this last and the Caspian Sea. "

Historians have different assessments of the consequences of this treaty for Dagestan. Dagestan at that time was not a single and integral country, but was fragmented into a number of feudal possessions and more than 60 free societies. Part of its territory by the time of the signing of the Gulistan peace treaty had already been annexed to Russia (the Kuba, Derbent and Kyurin khanates). The first two of them are named separately in the contract. This agreement legally formalized their accession.

Another part of the Dagestan feudal lords and some free societies swore an oath of allegiance to Russia, they were not annexed to Russia, but passed under its patronage (shamkhalstvo Tarkovskoe, Avar Khanate, Utsmiyskoe Kaitagskoe, Mysumism and Qadisstvo Tabasaran, princedoms of Zasulakskaya Kumykskyi free societies and the federation of donations some others). But there remained in Dagestan territories that did not enter into citizenship or under the patronage of Russia (the Mehtulinskoye and Kazikumukhskoye khanates and many free Avar societies). So, it is impossible to talk about Dagestan as a single entity.

The Persian representative, realizing this, did not want to sign the document in such a formulation. He stated that "... he does not dare to even think that, in the name of his shah, decide to renounce any rights about peoples they do not know at all, fearing to give the right case to his ill-wishers ...".

With the signing of the Gulistan Treaty, all the possessions of Dagestan (annexed, accepted citizenship and did not accept it) were included in Russia.

A different interpretation of article 3 of this treaty could lead to negative consequences. However, until 1816 the tsarist government skillfully maintained patronizing relations with the Dagestani feudal lords.

The Dagestani rulers expressed their pro-Russian orientation by taking oaths, which testified to the consolidation of the patronizing relations that existed earlier. At that time there was practically no other type of "citizenship" of Russia for the peoples of the Caucasus. Magomedova, Laila Abduivagitovna. Kabarda and Dagestan in Russia's eastern policy in the last quarter of the 18th - early 19th centuries. / L.A. Magomedova // Questions of history. - 2010 - No. 10 - S. 157-160.

The feudal possessions of the North Caucasus were state associations with which the rulers of Russia, Iran and Turkey maintained constant communication and correspondence. Persia could abandon further claims to Dagestan, but could not dispose of other people's possessions. At the same time, the recognition of Iran did not give the tsarist autocracy the right to declare the Dagestan lands annexed to itself, except for the three indicated feudal possessions, which had already been annexed by that time. Not a single Dagestan or North Caucasian feudal lord took part in either the preparation or the signing of this document. They were not even informed about their expected fate. For more than two years the tsarist authorities hid the content of Art. 3 contracts.

Undoubtedly, as a positive fact, it should be noted that the Gulistan peace treaty created the preconditions for the elimination of the feudal fragmentation of Dagestan and other North Caucasian possessions in the future, their inclusion in the European market, and introduction to advanced Russian culture and the Russian liberation movement. Hasanaliev, Magomed (Candidate of Historical Sciences). Russian-Iranian war 1804-1813 / M. Gasanaliev // Questions of history. - 2009 - No. 9 - P.154-155.

"Golden Age" of Russian-Japanese relations

Foreign and domestic policy of Nicholas I

Russia's relations with Iran have also remained tense all this time. Iran wanted to return the territories it had lost under the Gulistan Peace Treaty of 1813. At the same time, Britain was actively pushing it to war with Russia. In 1826 ...

Foreign policy of Russia in the XIX century

At the end of 1811 Napoleon began to concentrate his troops in Poland, and by March 1812 he had completed preparations for the invasion of Russia. Against her, he put up 640 thousand soldiers, of which the French were 356 thousand, the rest were Germans, Austrians, Swiss, Italians ...

Russian foreign policy at the beginning of the 20th century

The military forces of Russia as a whole were much more powerful than that of Japan. By 1904. it had an army of 1,135,000 and 3.5 million people. spare and militias. The tsarist government did not believe that "little" Japan would be the first to attack Russia ...

Russian Foreign Policy: A Historical Analysis of the Beginning of the 20th Century

The initiative in unleashing the war with Russia belonged to Japan. However, this war was also objectively wanted by some of the highest dignitaries of Russia. A few months before its start, the Minister of the Interior V.K ...

Foreign policy of the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries

The Russian strategic plan for the war proceeded from the fact that Japan would dare to attack the huge Russian empire only in alliance with other states - Russia's western neighbors A. Utkin. The War of Two Emperors // Around the World No. 1 (2772) ...

Wars with Persia and Turkey in the 1st half of the 19th century

The most important problem of Russian foreign policy during the reign of Nicholas I was the Eastern question, inexorably posed by life itself in the second half of the 18th century. The gigantic Ottoman Empire was close to collapse ...

Higher education in Russia in the 19th century

The impetus given in relation to educational activities in 1803 - 1804. was very strong and fruitful. In 1804, the government, undoubtedly, took the correct point of view for that time ...

In the 18th century, during the reign of Catherine, Russian troops stopped in front of such regions of Turkey that either could not be annexed to the empire without arousing a terrible alarm in the west ...

History of Russian-Turkish relations

War between the Russian Empire and its allied Balkan states on the one hand and the Ottoman Empire on the other. It was caused by the rise of the national liberation movement in the Balkans and the aggravation of international relations. Cruelty...

M.I. Kutuzov: historical personality and hero of the epic L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace"

In 1768 Turkey, incited by France, declared war on Russia. To conduct hostilities in the south of the country, two armies were created - the first of General P.A. Rumyantsev and the second General Panin. In 1770 Kutuzov was transferred to the army of Rumyantsev ...

Place A.V. Kolchak in Russian history

Upon completion of the polar expedition and returning to the mainland, Kolchak in Yakutsk received a notice of the beginning of the Russo-Japanese War. As an officer in the Russian navy, he believed that his place in the war ...

The political life of V.I. Vernadsky

In February 1917, a revolution took place, on the 26th the State Council met for the last time, its last action was a telegram to the tsar at Headquarters. The members of the Council suggested that Nicholas abdicate the throne ...

Russian revolution 1905-1907

In conditions when the revolution was brewing, the autocracy got involved in the Russian-Japanese war (1904-1905). She was one of the links in the wars that took place during that period between the great powers for the sphere of influence in the world ...

Socio-economic and political development of Russia in the late XIX - early XX centuries.

In March 1902, an agreement was signed between Russia and China on the phased withdrawal of troops from Manchuria, where they had been stationed since 1902 after participating in the suppression of the Yihetuan uprising. The first stage of the evacuation was completed on time ...

The Napoleonic Wars that tormented Europe, the invasion of 1812, the subsequent victorious raid of the Russian army across Europe, eclipsed the great battles of the Russian-Iranian war, which erupted in 1804, when the Russian Empire alone waged two long-term wars in Asia. And from both came out the winner.
In the early 19th century, the empire's increased military power made Russian citizenship attractive to small Asian khanates and kingdoms. Voluntary accession to Russia of Eastern Georgia, several Azerbaijani khanates and sultanates led to complications in relations with the geopolitical neighbors of the Russian Empire - Iran and Turkey.
In May 1804, irritated by the Russian expansion in Transcaucasia, the Iranian Shah, through his ambassador, presented the commander-in-chief of the Russian army in Georgia, General Tsitsianov, an ultimatum, which contained a demand for the withdrawal of troops from Transcaucasia. A month later, Abbas-Mirza, the warlike heir of the khan, led the Iranian troops gathered in the vicinity of Yerevan to storm Tiflis (present-day Tbilisi). The number of the Russian army in the Transcaucasus was three times inferior to the Iranians. However, in several oncoming battles, she managed to push the enemy back to Yerevan and laid siege to the city. In September, due to a lack of ammunition and food, the siege had to be lifted.
The army returned to Tiflis. Despite the not entirely successful campaign, his moral effect was very strong. During the year, several more khanates, including the Karabakh one, voluntarily joined Russia. Russian garrisons were stationed on their territories.
The flared up conflict in Europe led to a rapprochement between Napoleonic France, which seeks to weaken Russia, and Iran. The Shah hoped, using the support of an influential European state, to oust the Russian neighbor, weakened by the bloody war in the West, from eastern Georgia.
Fighting resumed in the summer of 1805. The Shah's army invaded Karabakh and the outskirts of Yerevan. Tsitsianov, realizing the multiple numerical superiority of the enemy, decided to act on the defensive, distracting the enemy by landing amphibious assault forces with the involvement of the Caspian Flotilla.
Successful raids of the Caspian flotilla and the staunch defense of Colonel Koryagin's detachment in Karabakh thwarted the Iranian invasion of Georgia and enabled the Russian command to regroup its troops. Managing to gather a strong army grouping and intercepting the strategic initiative, Tsitsianov laid siege to the fortress of Baku. During negotiations on the surrender of the fortress with the head of the Baku garrison, Mustafa Khan, in February 1806, the Russian general was treacherously killed.
The new commander-in-chief, General Gudovich, had an even harder time than his predecessor. 1806 was overshadowed by the beginning of the next Russian-Turkish war. Previously irreconcilable neighbors Iran and Turkey, thanks to the strongest diplomatic pressure from France, concluded a peace treaty. A small Russian army in Transcaucasia had to fight on two fronts.
In June 1806, Russian regiments, together with allied mountain detachments, captured Derbent without a fight. By the end of the year, the Russian army occupied Baku, the Cuban Khanate and the entire territory of Dagestan.
Under the terms of the Tilsit Peace Treaty, Russia and France were nominally allies.However, Napoleon continued to provide assistance to Iran, sending military advisers to the Shah to create a regular army of a new model with units of infantrymen-Sarbaz. With the active support of France, Iran launched the production of artillery pieces and the reconstruction of fortresses.
When, in September 1808, after the breakdown of the negotiation process, Russian troops tried to storm the fortress Yerevan, modernized by the Europeans, they suffered serious losses and retreated to Georgia.
Disillusioned with Napoleon, the Iranian Shah went for rapprochement with Great Britain. England, having become an enemy of Russia, took advantage of the chance to weaken the empire by a long war in Asia and provided Iran with all-round support.
In 1810, the restless Abbas Mirza began gathering troops in Nakhchivan to seize Karabakh. The Russian command played ahead of the curve. Colonel Kotlyarovsky's jaeger detachment took by storm the impregnable mountain fortress of Migri, repulsed all the attacks of Abbas Mirza, who came to the aid of the garrison, and then with a counterattack turned the outnumbered enemy troops into a panicky flight.
Abbas Mirza, together with the detachments of the Erivan Khan and the Akhaltsikhe Pasha, tried to take revenge at Akhalkhalaki, but was again defeated.
Fighting resumed in September 1811. The Iranian Shah's army was reinforced by British supplies. She received 20 thousand new guns and 32 guns.
General Paulucci, who replaced Gudovich, decided to finally drive out the Turkish troops from the Transcaucasus, capturing the last Turkish fortress in this region - the city of Akhalkalaki. The consolidated detachment under the command of the brilliant commander Kotlyarovsky, in the course of an hour and a half assault, took possession of the citadel, capturing its commandant, Izmail Khan. This victory helped M.I. Kutuzov successfully complete his diplomatic mission in Asia. In 1812, a month before the French invasion, peace was concluded between Russia and Turkey in Bucharest.
The Iranian Shah continued the war alone. In the fall of 1812, Abbas-Mirza's army captured the Lankaran fortress in the Talysh Khanate. An Iranian army of over 30,000 trained soldiers camped on the banks of the Araks River. In the early morning of October 19, she was attacked from the rear by a small detachment (about 2,000 gamekeepers and Cossacks) of Major General Kotlyarovsky, who had bypassed her along the mountain passes the day before. The Iranians retreated in panic, losing about 10,000 people. The Russian trophies were cannons and several Iranian banners with the dedication of the English monarch - From the king over kings, to the shah over the shahs. Building on this success, in December 1812, General Kotlyarovsky led his combined detachment to the offensive on Lankaran. The authority of the Russian commander was so high that the Iranian garrison of the Arkevan fortress, equal in number, standing in the way of his detachment, did not offer him any resistance and fled, leaving guns and ammunition. At the end of December, Kotlyarovsky's detachment joined the Russian naval garrison unblocked by him in the town of Gamushevan. On January 1, 1813, General Kotlyarovsky led his soldiers to storm the fortress of Lankaran. The fortress was protected by an earthen rampart, massive stone walls. The Lankaran garrison numbered 4,000 people and more than 60 cannons. The assault began at five o'clock in the morning in complete silence without drumming. Before the assault, the soldiers were warned that there would be no teams to retreat under any circumstances. It was not possible to secretly approach the fortress - the garrison opened a hurricane of artillery fire on the advancing columns, preventing them from climbing the walls along the assault stairs. Fighting in the front ranks, Kotlyarovsky was wounded in the leg and face. The bullet knocked out the general's right eye. Nevertheless, the Iranians failed to defend the fortress. When the Russian huntsmen broke into the walls, the garrison wavered and fled. All the defenders of the fortress, enraged by the wound of their respected commander, were destroyed by the soldiers. The thirty-year-old lieutenant-general, who was three seriously wounded, survived, having withstood an almost three-hundred-kilometer evacuation along mountain paths. However, this was the end of his military career. He retired with the rank of General of Infantry.
In the spring of 1813, Colonel Pestel's infantrymen staged a pogrom of Iranian troops near Yerevan. The Iranian Shah hastened to start negotiations for peace. The Gulistan peace treaty between Russia and Iran, concluded in October 1813, secured the annexation of several new khanates to Russia, including the Baku one. The Shah recognized the territories of Dagestan and Eastern Georgia as Russian. The exclusive right of the Russian Empire to maintain a military flotilla in the Caspian was also stipulated.