The Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774 : Catherine II and the Ottoman Empire

"The Russo-Turkish War was one of the most decisive conflicts of the 18th century. In this book, Brian Davies offers a thorough survey of the war and explains why it was crucial to the political triumph of Catherine the Great, the southward expansion of the Russian Empire, and the rollback of Ottoman power from southeastern Europe. The war completed the incorporation of Ukraine into the Russian Empire, ended the independence of the great Cossack hosts, removed once and for all the military threat from the Crimean Khanate, began the partitions of Poland, and encouraged Catherine II to plan projects to complete the 'liberation' of the lower Danubian and Balkan Slavs and Greeks. The war legitimated and secured the power of Catherine II, finally made the Pontic steppe safe for agricultural colonization, and won ports enabling Russia to control the Black Sea and become a leading grain exporter. Traditionally historians (Sorel, for example) have treated this war as the beginning of the 'Eastern Question,' the question of how the European powers should manage the decline of the Ottoman Empire. A thorough grasp of the Russo-Turkish War is essential to understanding the complexity and volatility of diplomacy in 18th-century Europe. This book will be an invaluable resource for all scholars and students on European military history and the history of Eastern Europe"--From publisher's website. Cover Contents Preface Map 1 The Russian Empire at a Strategic Crossroads, 1762–1768 Catherine II and the Polish project Haidamak revolt The Balta incident 2 The Ottoman Empire and its Frontier in Pontic Europe “Exhaustion and decline” Decentralization and army organization Decentralization and military finance Ottoman military “obsolescence” Border defenses Moldavia and Wallachia under phanariot rule The Ottoman Balkans, Bucak, and Ochakov The Crimean Khanate The Kuban steppe and the Caucasus The decision for war 3 The Russian Empire and its Black Sea Steppe Frontier Recruit levies and the soul tax Provincial administration and staffing Security, colonization, and economic development in Russia’s Black Soil south The Don Cossack Host Frontier populations and the Black Sea trade Left Bank Ukraine: the fate of the Hetmanate From Sloboda Ukraine to the Khar’kov and New Russian governorates The Zaporozhian Cossack Host Cameralist management of subject nationalities and frontier populations 4 The Russian Army at Midcentury The Russian army in the Seven Years’ War Military reform on the eve of Catherine II’s Turkish War The training ordinances of 1763 Doctrine and innovation 5 The Khotin Campaign, 1769 The Russian war plan The Ottoman war plan The Tatar invasion of New Russia The First Army, April–May 1769 The recovery of Azov and Taganrog Golitsyn’s second attempt on Khotin, July–August 1 The fall of Khotin, August 29–September 10 The First Army in Moldavia, September–December Operations against the Bar Confederates The Caucasus in 1769–1770 6 The Year of Victories, 1770 The winter war in Moldavia and Wallachia The First Army in winter quarters Rumiantsev’s new training ordinances Riabaia Mogila Larga Kagul and Kartal The Second Army and the siege of Bender Ismail, Kiliia, Akkirman, and Ibrail Orlov’s Aegean expedition The Morean revolt Chios and Çeşme Austria alarmed, 1770 7 Stalemate and Break-Out A war of posts Conquest of Crimea Russian naval power in the eastern Mediterranean The defeat of the Bar Confederation The First Partition of Poland The peace talks at Giurgiu and Bucharest The strains of war The Danube Front in 1773 The break-out 8 Peace, Reforms, and Provocations The Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji The reform of provincial government Liquidation of the Don and Zaporozhian Hosts Ukraine New Russia The Black Sea Fleet The army under Potemkin The issue of Russian “protection” of the Christian millets The problem of Poland The last days of the Crimean Khanate The annexation of Crimea Triumphal march Conclusions Notes Bibliography Index The Russo-Turkish War was one of the most decisive conflicts of the 18th century. In this book, Brian Davies offers a thorough survey of the war and explains why it was crucial to the political triumph of Catherine the Great, the southward expansion of the Russian Empire, and the rollback of Ottoman power from southeastern Europe. The Russo-Turkish War was one of the most decisive conflicts of the 18th century. In this book, Brian Davies offers a thorough survey of the war and explains why it was crucial to the political triumph of Catherine the Great, the southward expansion of the Russian Empire, and the rollback of Ottoman power from southeastern Europe. The war completed the incorporation of Ukraine into the Russian Empire, ended the independence of the great Cossack hosts, removed once and for all the military threat from the Crimean Khanate, began the partitions of Poland, and encouraged Catherine II to plan projects to complete the "liberation" of the lower Danubian and Balkan Slavs and Greeks. The war legitimated and secured the power of Catherine II, finally made the Pontic steppe safe for agricultural colonization, and won ports enabling Russia to control the Black Sea and become a leading grain exporter. Traditionally historians (Sorel, for example) have treated this war as the beginning of the "Eastern Question," the question of how the European powers should manage the decline of the Ottoman Empire. A thorough grasp of the Russo-Turkish War is essential to understanding the complexity and volatility of diplomacy in 18th-century Europe. This book will be an invaluable resource for all scholars and students on European military history and the history of Eastern Europe Scope and content: "The Russo-Turkish War was one of the most decisive conflicts of the 18th century. In this book, Brian Davies offers a thorough survey of the war and explains why it was crucial to the political triumph of Catherine the Great, the southward expansion of the Russian Empire, and the rollback of Ottoman power from southeastern Europe. The war completed the incorporation of Ukraine into the Russian Empire, ended the independence of the great Cossack hosts, removed once and for all the military threat from the Crimean Khanate, began the partitions of Poland, and encouraged Catherine II to plan projects to complete the 'liberation' of the lower Danubian and Balkan Slavs and Greeks. The war legitimated and secured the power of Catherine II, finally made the Pontic steppe safe for agricultural colonization, and won ports enabling Russia to control the Black Sea and become a leading grain exporter. Traditionally historians (Sorel, for example) have treated this war as the beginning of the 'Eastern Question, ' the question of how the European powers should manage the decline of the Ottoman Empire. A thorough grasp of the Russo-Turkish War is essential to understanding the complexity and volatility of diplomacy in 18th-century Europe. This book will be an invaluable resource for all scholars and students on European military history and the history of Eastern Europe"--Publisher's website "The Russo-Turkish War was one of the most decisive conflicts of the 18th century. In this book, Brian Davies offers a thorough survey of the war and explains why it was crucial to the political triumph of Catherine the Great, the southward expansion of the Russian Empire, and the rollback of Ottoman power from southeastern Europe. The war completed the incorporation of Ukraine into the Russian Empire, ended the independence of the great Cossack hosts, removed once and for all the military threat from the Crimean Khanate, began the partitions of Poland, and encouraged Catherine II to plan projects to complete the "liberation" of the lower Danubian and Balkan Slavs and Greeks. The war legitimated and secured the power of Catherine II, finally made the Pontic steppe safe for agricultural colonization, and won ports enabling Russia to control the Black Sea and become a leading grain exporter. Traditionally historians (Sorel, for example) have treated this war as the beginning of the "Eastern Question," the question of how the European powers should manage the decline of the Ottoman Empire. A thorough grasp of the Russo-Turkish War is essential to understanding the complexity and volatility of diplomacy in 18th-century Europe. This book will be an invaluable resource for all scholars and students on European military history and the history of Eastern Europe."--Bloomsbury Publishing Russia at a strategic crossroads, 1762-1768 The Ottoman Empire and its frontier in Pontic Europe The Russian Empire and its Black Sea steppe frontier The Russian Army at midcentury The Khotin Campaign, 1769 The year of victories, 1770 Stalemate and breakthrough, 1771-1774 Peace, reforms, and provocations, 1774-1787 Conclusions.