Domestic history preceding the era of Peter left many unresolved issues, and one of them was the lack of access to the seas, which seriously hindered the development of the Russian state. Muscovite Russia has always waged a stubborn struggle for the right to own the southern expanses. The development of any power depends on the possibility of entering the world trade arena and the ability to conduct a competent foreign policy. The lack of direct access to the sea deprived Russia of enormous opportunities.
Reasons for hiking in Azov
The urgent need for further growth of the state arose at the turn of the century, marked by the reign of the great reformer Peter 1, who set the main task to strengthen the internal unity of the country, strengthen its military power and increase its global significance. The search for ways to enter the world political arena led to the inevitability of the southern military campaign, which was called the Azov campaigns of Peter 1. Briefly describe other reasons for their occurrence.
Historians claim that for many centuries, the raids of the Crimean Tatars from Russian lands, nearly five million people were stolen. The need to resist the barbaric hunt for people was another reason for the beginning of the southern campaigns. The Chigirin campaigns of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and the Crimean expeditions of Prince Golitsyn undertaken in the second half of the 17th century did not bring proper results, leaving the question of strong positions on the Black Sea lands unresolved. Therefore, young Peter could not help but concentrate all his attention on resolving border security issues and opening up opportunities for the country's foreign policy growth with access to the southern seas.
In the war with Turkey and Crimea that began in the 1670s, Russia acted as part of the strongest powers - members of the Christian coalition. In the 1690s, the allies of Russia - Poland and Austria - concluded agreements with Turkey on peace conditions without taking into account Russian interests - this is what history says. Peter the Great put forward demands to stop the raids and the possibility of free sailing of the Russian flotilla in the Azov and Black Seas. They were disputed by the Turks for several years. The negotiations dragged on until 1694. Then Peter 1 decided to achieve the fulfillment of the conditions by force of arms.
The main goal was the fortress of Azov, located at the mouth of the Don and locking the exit to the Black Sea. Her capture opened up access to the sea before Russia, made it possible to build a navy and create an outpost for the implementation of further hostilities. The years of the Azov campaigns of Peter 1 became a turning point in the history of the country.
First trip plans
With the courage and maximalism characteristic of youthful age, in early 1695 the young emperor declared a campaign against Crimea. This was the first Azov campaign of Peter 1. To disorientate and divert the enemy’s attention from Azov, a collection of warriors was announced in Moscow, who were planning a campaign to the lower reaches of the Dnieper under the leadership of B.P. Sheremetev. At the same time, the thirty thousandth Azov army was secretly formed, consisting of the three best divisions under the command of Generals Lefort, Gordon, Golovin, armed with more than 100 mortars and 40 squeaks.
The emperor himself was listed in the army as a scorer Peter Alekseev. Command of the troops was not concentrated in one hand. Important issues were resolved at military councils and approved by Peter 1.
The first trip to Azov
The Azov campaigns of Peter 1 began in 1695. In the spring, the ten thousandth vanguard of the Gordon division, concentrating in Tambov, moved to Azov. He walked the steppe to Cherkassk, where the Don Cossacks joined him. The Azov fortress, located on the left bank of the Don, not far from its mouth, was a stronghold perfectly fortified on all sides.
In late June, Gordon reached his final goal and camped near the fortress. To land the main forces above Azov, he built Mytisheva Marina near the Kaisugi River. At the same time, the main forces reached the Tsaritsyn along the rivers Moscow, Volga and Oka, then by land to Panshin, and then again along the Don to Azov, dispersed at which in early July, they were located south of the fortress, stretching to the Kagalnik river. The siege park and ammunition were temporarily stockpiled at Mytisheva Marina, which became a kind of base from where the delivery of shells to the army was arranged.
The siege by the advanced units of Gordon’s troops in early July began with a heavy bombardment of the fortress, as a result of which its walls were seriously damaged. But the city besieged from land was maintained by the receipt of food and ammunition from the sea. The Russian troops were land forces, did not have a strong fleet and could not prevent the enemy, which is why the siege did not bring the desired effect. The Turks, supported by the cavalry of the Crimean Tatars, who fought outside the walls of the citadel, made frequent attacks.
On the night of July 20, several units of the army of Peter I crossed to the right bank of the main Don and, having built fortifications and armed soldiers with artillery, were given the opportunity to shell the city from the north. As close as possible to the ramparts, Russian troops launched an assault on August 5. Azov survived. The siege lasted a long time, it was decided to re-assault. Having burst into the city through a small landslide from a mine explosion, the soldiers of Gordon were crushed by the Turkish troops. The attack failed again, the Turks forced the Russian troops to a general retreat. The Azov campaigns of Peter 1, in particular, the first of them, revealed errors and misses in the command and siege battle.
Grieved by the setbacks and heavy losses, Peter gave the decision to end the siege: on September 28, the batteries began to be disarmed, and on October 2 all the troops went to Moscow.
Success Sheremetev
Sheremetyev’s actions taken on the Dnieper somewhat compensated for the bitterness of defeat in the Azov campaign. He took possession of two fortresses, ruined the citadels abandoned by the Turks. And although failure in the main direction of hostilities forced the young emperor to pull the army of Sheremetyev to the borders, his contribution to the Azov campaigns of Peter 1 was considerable.
Preparing for a new trip
Understanding the importance of achieving set goals and analyzing the causes of failures, Peter 1 began preparations for the next southern campaign. He realized that the lack of a fleet was the basis for the failure of this campaign, and the successful conduct of hostilities is possible only in a single interaction between the land army and the military flotilla, which can block approaches to Azov from the sea, thereby depriving it of replenishing supplies from outside. Peter the Great, whose years of rule were saturated with great events, having ordered the construction of ships in Preobrazhensky and Voronezh, began to lead the construction.
In parallel, the regiments of the new Azov army were being formed, partially reinforced by the forces of Sheremetev’s troops, a set of civilians and a call to the Cossacks. To fill the shortage of army engineering personnel, Peter turned to the heads of the allied states, Poland and Austria.
Second southern hike
The Azov campaigns of Peter 1 continued. In the spring of 1696, an army under the command of Generalissimo A.S.Shein, consisting of divisions of generals Gordon, Golovin and Regeman with a total number of 75 thousand people, was prepared for the Second Azov campaign. During the winter, a fleet was built, which Lefort began to command. It consisted of 2 ships, 23 galleys and 4 firewalls. Peter 1 appointed Voronezh's army collection point, from where it was planned to send the bulk of the troops to Azov by land, and transport artillery and the remaining formations by water. The infantry left Moscow on March 8, and by the end of the month, concentrating in Voronezh, began loading ships, after which the head units of the army went to the fortress.
On May 19th, the advanced units of Gordon’s division landed near Novosergievsk, slightly higher than Azov. The main echelon of Russian ships controlled the movement of the Turkish fleet on the roads. After several minor clashes, the Turks did not dare to make an assault to reinforce the city. Their squadron went to sea, taking nothing to save the citadel. The garrison of the fortress did not expect another siege. Using this omission, the Russian troops who approached the beginning of June strengthened the camps, occupied the well-preserved approaches and proceeded to install artillery.
Siege of the fortress
The second siege of Azov by Peter I was carried out much more successfully. And although the Tatars, dispersed across the steppe, periodically attacked the besiegers, the Azov garrison, isolated from the outside world, was not very active in defense. He supervised the siege work of Generalissimo Shein. The ships of Peter the Great were on the roadstead; he himself was at sea and only occasionally went ashore to control the course of hostilities.
Development of events
The two-week bombardment of the citadel, begun in mid-June, did not bring the desired results - the ramparts and walls did not receive serious damage. Then an extraordinary, but effective solution was found: to erect a shaft higher than the rampart, push it against the wall and, after filling the moat, start the assault. It was a gigantic job. Every day, 15 thousand people were engaged in it: two shafts were being built at the same time, the external one being intended for installing artillery. Austrian specialists who arrived in the army — engineers, miners, and artillerymen — supervised the work using the latest methods of military engineering of the time.
The capture of Azov by Peter 1 in 1696
The capture of Azov took place quickly: in mid-July, the Cossacks, tired of a long siege, together with the Don Cossacks made a sudden attack on the citadel and, having immediately captured a part of the earthen rampart, forced the Turks to retreat. This success decided the final outcome of the war. Thus ended the Azov campaigns of Peter 1. Briefly and powerfully repulsing several unsuccessful counterattacks, the Russian formations offered to surrender. The besieged Turks began negotiations on the terms of surrender. On July 19, Peter's army entered Azov.
It is difficult to overestimate the significance of this victory for Russia and the youngest tsar, who began to rule the country with the triumphal victory brought by the Azov campaigns of Peter 1. A table comparing the historical events of both campaigns shows how quickly the emperor analyzed and evaluated errors, how brilliantly they were corrected.