THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN STRUGGLE FOR INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE SACRIFICE OF TURKESTAN IN THE 1873 AGREEMENT

İlker Türkmen

Article Details

THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN STRUGGLE FOR INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE SACRIFICE OF TURKESTAN IN THE 1873 AGREEMENT

Authors:

İlker Türkmen

Publisher:

Ayla KAŞOĞLU

Main Topics:

Orta Asya Tarihi | Türk Bozkır Kültürü | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal:

Avrasya Uluslararası Araştırmalar Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 44, pp.496-516

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358112

pISSN:

2147-2610

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The systematic conquest of Turkestan, a region historically inhabited by Turks and closely associated with Turkish identity, by the Russian Empire is a subject that warrants careful examination. Britains opposition to Russias invasion of Turkestan, driven by its desire to colonize and protect India, reflects a fundamental conflict of interests between the two empires. The internal conflicts among the khanates of Turkestan facilitated Russias military advances in the region. In response, Britain sought to safeguard its interests in India by strengthening its relations with the khanates. During this period, numerous British officers, explorers, diplomats, and adventurers traveled to Turkestan to collect strategic information from the field. This study analyzes the geopolitical rivalry between Britain and Russia in 19th-century Turkestan, with a particular focus on its repercussions for Afghanistan. Within the framework of the Great Game, Britain aimed to establish Afghanistan as a buffer zone to protect its colonial possessions in India, while Russia pursued a strategy of advancing southward through Turkestan to ultimately reach India. The study explores Britains diplomatic and military maneuvers toward Afghanistan, its attempts to influence Afghan domestic politics, and efforts to delineate borders in the region. Likewise, it examines Russias expansionist policy in Turkestan and the strategic leverage it sought to gain through this territory. The geopolitical position of Afghanistan compelled it to serve as a balancing ground between these two imperial powers. Consequently, the foreign policy of the Afghan Emirate evolved in line with this precarious balance. Drawing upon archival documents, travel accounts, and diplomatic correspondence from the period, this study demonstrates that Afghanistan was not merely a battleground but a central arena of imperial contestation between Britain and Russia in Asia.

 The systematic conquest of Turkestan, a region historically inhabited by Turks and closely associated with Turkish identity, by the Russian Empire is a subject that warrants careful examination. Britains opposition to Russias invasion of Turkestan, driven by its desire to colonize and protect India, reflects a fundamental conflict of interests between the two empires. The internal conflicts among the khanates of Turkestan facilitated Russias military advances in the region. In response, Britain sought to safeguard its interests in India by strengthening its relations with the khanates. During this period, numerous British officers, explorers, diplomats, and adventurers traveled to Turkestan to collect strategic information from the field. This study analyzes the geopolitical rivalry between Britain and Russia in 19th-century Turkestan, with a particular focus on its repercussions for Afghanistan. Within the framework of the Great Game, Britain aimed to establish Afghanistan as a buffer zone to protect its colonial possessions in India, while Russia pursued a strategy of advancing southward through Turkestan to ultimately reach India. The study explores Britains diplomatic and military maneuvers toward Afghanistan, its attempts to influence Afghan domestic politics, and efforts to delineate borders in the region. Likewise, it examines Russias expansionist policy in Turkestan and the strategic leverage it sought to gain through this territory. The geopolitical position of Afghanistan compelled it to serve as a balancing ground between these two imperial powers. Consequently, the foreign policy of the Afghan Emirate evolved in line with this precarious balance. Drawing upon archival documents, travel accounts, and diplomatic correspondence from the period, this study demonstrates that Afghanistan was not merely a battleground but a central arena of imperial contestation between Britain and Russia in Asia.

 The systematic conquest of Turkestan, a region historically inhabited by Turks and closely associated with Turkish identity, by the Russian Empire is a subject that warrants careful examination. Britains opposition to Russias invasion of Turkestan, driven by its desire to colonize and protect India, reflects a fundamental conflict of interests between the two empires. The internal conflicts among the khanates of Turkestan facilitated Russias military advances in the region. In response, Britain sought to safeguard its interests in India by strengthening its relations with the khanates. During this period, numerous British officers, explorers, diplomats, and adventurers traveled to Turkestan to collect strategic information from the field. This study analyzes the geopolitical rivalry between Britain and Russia in 19th-century Turkestan, with a particular focus on its repercussions for Afghanistan. Within the framework of the Great Game, Britain aimed to establish Afghanistan as a buffer zone to protect its colonial possessions in India, while Russia pursued a strategy of advancing southward through Turkestan to ultimately reach India. The study explores Britains diplomatic and military maneuvers toward Afghanistan, its attempts to influence Afghan domestic politics, and efforts to delineate borders in the region. Likewise, it examines Russias expansionist policy in Turkestan and the strategic leverage it sought to gain through this territory. The geopolitical position of Afghanistan compelled it to serve as a balancing ground between these two imperial powers. Consequently, the foreign policy of the Afghan Emirate evolved in line with this precarious balance. Drawing upon archival documents, travel accounts, and diplomatic correspondence from the period, this study demonstrates that Afghanistan was not merely a battleground but a central arena of imperial contestation between Britain and Russia in Asia.

 Yüzyıllar boyunca Türklere ev sahipliği yapan ve Türklerle özdeşleşen Türkistan coğrafyasının Rusya tarafından sistemli bir şekilde istila edilmesi dikkatle incelenmesi gereken bir konudur. Hindistanı sömürgeleştirmek ve korumak isteyen İngilterenin Türkistanın istilasına karşı Rusyaya cephe alması çıkar çatışmasının göstergesidir. Türkistan hanlıkları arasındaki çatışma ortamı, Rusyanın bölgedeki askeri ilerleyişini kolaylaştırmış ve bu durum karşısında Hindistanın güvenliğini korumak isteyen İngiltere, hanlıklarla olan münasebetleri artırmıştır. Bu süreçte birçok İngiliz subay, gezgin, devlet adamı ve kâşif Türkistan coğrafyasına gitmiş ve saha ile ilgili stratejik bilgiler toplamıştır. Bu çalışma, 19. yüzyılda İngiltere ve Rusya arasında Türkistanda yaşanan jeopolitik rekabetin Afganistan üzerindeki yansımalarını incelemektedir. Büyük Oyun The Great Game olarak adlandırılan bu süreçte, İngiltere Hindistandaki çıkarlarını korumak amacıyla Afganistanı bir tampon bölge olarak konumlandırırken, Rusya ise Türkistan üzerinden güneye doğru ilerleyerek Hindistana ulaşmayı hedeflemiştir. Çalışmada, İngilterenin Afganistana yönelik diplomatik ve askerî hamleleri, Afgan iç siyasetine müdahale çabaları ve sınır belirleme girişimleri detaylı biçimde ele alınmıştır. Aynı şekilde Rusyanın Türkistandaki yayılmacı siyaseti ve bu bölge üzerinden kurduğu stratejik üstünlük analiz edilmiştir. Afganistanın jeopolitik konumu, bu iki emperyal güç arasında bir denge unsuru olmaya zorlanmış, Afgan Emirliğinin denge politikası da bu bağlamda şekillenmiştir. Arşiv belgeleri, dönemin seyyah raporları ve diplomatik yazışmalar ışığında hazırlanan bu çalışma, Afganistanın yalnızca bir mücadele sahası değil, aynı zamanda İngiltere ve Rusyanın Asyadaki politik rekabetlerinin merkezi hâline geldiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Article Details

THE ANGLO-RUSSIAN STRUGGLE FOR INFLUENCE IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE SACRIFICE OF TURKESTAN IN THE 1873 AGREEMENT

Authors:

İlker Türkmen

Publisher:

Ayla KAŞOĞLU

Main Topics:

Orta Asya Tarihi | Türk Bozkır Kültürü | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal:

Avrasya Uluslararası Araştırmalar Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 44, pp.496-516

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358112

pISSN:

2147-2610

The Great Game

Afghanistan

Turkestan

Britain

Russia

Imperialism

Geopolitical Rivalry.Büyük Oyun

Afganistan

Türkistan

İngiltere

Rusya

Sömürgecilik

Jeopolitik Rekabet.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: İlker Türkmen

Publisher: Ayla KAŞOĞLU

Main Topics: Orta Asya Tarihi | Türk Bozkır Kültürü | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal: Avrasya Uluslararası Araştırmalar Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 44, pp.496-516

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 8/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001358112

pISSN: 2147-2610

Issues

Authors:

İlker Türkmen

Publisher:

Ayla KAŞOĞLU

Main Topics:

Orta Asya Tarihi | Türk Bozkır Kültürü | Türk Halkları ve Toplulukları | Türk Kültür Tarihi

Journal:

Avrasya Uluslararası Araştırmalar Dergisi Vol.13 Issue 44, pp.496-516

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358112

pISSN:

2147-2610