The “Eastern Question” as a concept arose at the end of the 18th century, however, it began to be used as a diplomatic term from the 30s of the 19th century. He owes his birth to three factors at once: the decline of the once powerful Ottoman state, the growth of the liberation movement against Turkish enslavement, and the aggravation of contradictions between European countries for dominance in the Middle East.
In addition to the great European powers, Egypt, Syria, part of Transcaucasia, etc. were involved in the "Eastern Question".
At the end of the 18th century, the empire of the Ottoman Turks, once terrifying everyone, fell into decay. Most of all, it was beneficial to Austria, which managed to penetrate the Balkans through Hungary, and Russia, which expanded its borders to the Black Sea in the hope of reaching the Mediterranean shores.
It all started with the rebellion of the Greeks in the 20s of the 19th century. It was this event that made the West act. After the refusal of the Turkish sultan to accept Hellenic independence, an alliance of Russian, English and French troops destroyed the Turkish and Egyptian naval flotillas. As a result, Greece freed itself from the Turkish yoke, and Moldova, Serbia and Wallachia - the Balkan provinces of the Ottoman Empire - received autonomy, although in its composition.
In the 30s of the same century, all the Middle East possessions of the Ottoman Turkey were already involved in the already ripening "Eastern question": Egypt recaptured Syria from its overlord, and only the intervention of England helped to return it.
At the same time, another problem arose: this is the right to cross the Dardanelles and Bosphorus, which were controlled by the Turks. According to the Convention, no warship of another state had the right to pass through these narrow passages if Turkey was in a state of peace.
This was contrary to the interests of Russia. The “Eastern Question” in the 19th century took a different turn for Russia after it acted as an ally of the Turks in the war against the Egyptian Pasha. Against the backdrop of the defeat of the Ottoman army, Tsar Nicholas the first introduced his squadron into the Bosphorus and landed a large landing supposedly to protect Istanbul.
As a result, an agreement was concluded under which only Russian warships could enter the Turkish Straits.
Ten years later, in the early forties, the "Eastern question" escalated. Porta, who promised to improve the living conditions of the Christian part of her population, actually did nothing. And for the Balkan peoples there was only one way out: to begin an armed struggle against the Ottoman yoke. And then the Russian Tsar demanded from the Sultan the right to patronage Orthodox citizens, but the Sultan refused. As a result, the Russo-Turkish war began, which ended in the defeat of the tsarist troops.
Despite the fact that Russia lost, the Russo-Turkish war was one of the decisive stages in resolving the "eastern issue". The process of liberation of the South Slavic peoples began. Turkish rule in the Balkans received a mortal blow.
The “Eastern Question”, which occupies an important role in Russia's foreign policy , had two main directions for it: the Caucasus and the Balkans.
Trying to expand his possessions in the Caucasus, the Russian Tsar tried to provide a secure connection with all newly captured territories.
At the same time, in the Balkans, the local population sought to help the Russian soldiers, who were stubbornly opposed by the Ottoman forces.
With the help of Serbian and Bulgarian volunteers, the tsarist troops took the city of Andrianopol, thereby putting an end to the war.
And in the Kara direction, a significant part of western Armenia was liberated , which became a significant event in the military company.
As a result, an agreement was signed which said that Russia receives a fairly large territory from the Black Sea part of the Caucasus, as well as many Armenian regions. The issue of Greek autonomy was also resolved.
Thus, Russia fulfilled its mission in relation to the Armenian and Greek peoples.