In the XVII century, the Crimean peninsula was one of the fragments of the old Mongol empire - the Golden Horde. Local khans several times staged bloody invasions of Moscow during the time of Ivan the Terrible. However, every year it became increasingly difficult for them to confront Russia alone.
Therefore, the Crimean Khanate became a vassal of Turkey. The Ottoman Empire at this time reached the peak of its development. It extended to the territory of three continents at once. War with this state was inevitable. The first rulers from the Romanov dynasty looked closely at the Crimea.
Campaign Backgrounds
In the middle of the 17th century, a struggle broke out between Russia and Poland for the Left-Bank Ukraine. The debate over this important region has grown into a long war. In the end, in 1686, a peace treaty was signed. According to it, Russia received vast territories along with Kiev. At the same time, the Romanovs agreed to join the so-called Holy League of European powers against the Ottoman Empire.
It was created by the efforts of Pope Innocent XI. Most of it was made up of Catholic states. The League entered the Venetian Republic, the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the Commonwealth. It was to this union that Russia joined. Christian countries have agreed to work together against the Muslim threat.
Russia in the Holy League
So, in 1683 the Great Turkish War began. The main hostilities took place in Hungary and Austria without the participation of Russia. The Romanovs, for their part, began to develop a plan to attack the Crimean Khan - the vassal of the Sultan. The initiator of the campaign was Queen Sophia, who at that time was the de facto ruler of a vast country. The young princes Peter and Ivan were only formal figures who did not solve anything.
Crimean campaigns began in 1687, when a hundred thousandth army went south, under the command of Prince Vasily Golitsyn. He was the head of the Ambassadorial order, which means that he was responsible for the foreign policy of the kingdom. Under his banners not only Moscow regular regiments, but also free Cossacks from Zaporozhye and the Don came forward. They were led by Ataman Ivan Samoilovich, with whom Russian troops joined in June 1687 on the banks of the Samara River.
The campaign was given great importance. Sophia wanted with the help of military success to consolidate her own sole power in the state. Crimean campaigns were to become one of the great achievements of her reign.
First trip
Russian units first encountered the Tatars after crossing the Konka River (a tributary of the Dnieper). However, opponents prepared for an attack from the north. Tatars burned the entire steppe in this region, because of which the horses of the Russian army had simply nothing to eat. Terrible conditions led to the fact that in the first two days only 12 miles were left behind. So, the Crimean campaigns began with failure. Heat and dust led to the fact that Golitsyn convened a council at which it was decided to return to his homeland.
To somehow explain his failure, the prince began to look for those responsible. At this moment, he was delivered an anonymous denunciation to Samoilovich. Ataman was accused of the fact that it was he and his Cossacks who set fire to the steppe. Sophia became aware of the denunciation. Samoilovich was in disgrace and lost a mace - a symbol of his own power. A Council of Cossacks was convened, where Ivan Mazepa was elected ataman . This figure was also supported by Vasily Golitsyn, under whose leadership the Crimean campaigns took place.
At the same time, hostilities began on the right flank of the struggle between Turkey and Russia. The army, led by General Grigory Kosagov, successfully captured Ochakov, an important fortress on the Black Sea coast. The Turks began to worry. The reasons for the Crimean campaigns forced the queen to give an order to organize a new campaign.
Second trip
The second campaign began in February 1689. The date was not chosen by chance. Prince Golitsyn wanted to get to the peninsula by spring to avoid summer heat and steppe fires. The Russian army included about 110 thousand people. Despite the plans, it progressed rather slowly. The attacks of the Tatars were episodic - there was no general battle.
On May 20, the Russians approached a strategically important fortress - Perekop, which stood on a narrow isthmus leading to the Crimea. A shaft was dug around her. Golitsyn did not dare to risk people and take Perekop by storm. But he explained his action by the fact that in the fortress there were practically no drinking wells with fresh water. After a bloody battle, the army could be left without a livelihood. The parliamentarians were sent to the Crimean Khan. Negotiations dragged on. Meanwhile, the death of horses began in the Russian army. It became clear that the Crimean campaigns 1687-1689. will not lead to anything. Golitsyn decided for the second time to turn the army back.
So ended the Crimean campaigns. Years of effort have not given Russia tangible dividends. Her actions distracted Turkey, which made it easier for European allies to fight with her on the Western Front.
The overthrow of Sophia
At this time in Moscow, Sofia was in a difficult position. Her failures set many boyars against her. She tried to pretend that everything was in order: she congratulated Golitsyn on success. However, in the summer there was a coup. Supporters of young Peter overthrew the queen.
Sophia was tonsured a nun. Golitsyn ended up in exile thanks to the intercession of his cousin. Many supporters of the old regime were executed. Crimean campaigns of 1687 and 1689 led to the fact that Sophia was isolated.
Further policy of Russia in the south
Later, Peter the Great also tried to fight with Turkey. His Azov campaigns led to tactical success. Russia has the first marine fleet. True, it was limited to the internal waters of the Sea of Azov.
This made Peter pay attention to the Baltic, where Sweden hosted. Thus began the Great Northern War, which led to the construction of St. Petersburg and the transformation of Russia into an empire. At the same time, the Turks conquered Azov. Russia returned to the southern shores only in the second half of the 18th century.