Straits in 19th century Ottoman-Russian Diplomacy: Strategic Gain and Power Struggle

Ferhat Veske

Article Details

Straits in 19th century Ottoman-Russian Diplomacy: Strategic Gain and Power Struggle

Authors:

Ferhat Veske

Publisher:

Hakan YILMAZ

Main Topics:

Modern Türk Tarihi

Journal:

Akademik Tarih ve Düşünce Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 3, pp.1667-1681

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001319033

pISSN:

2148-2292

Keywords:

Abstract:

 In the 19th century, Ottoman-Russian diplomatic relations were shaped around the strategic gains and power struggle, especially over the Straits. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Russia increased its interest in the Black Sea and made various diplomatic attempts to gain control over the Straits. The Ottoman Empire, on the other hand, endeavoured to maintain its dominance over the Straits by using international balance policies. This process reached its climax with the Treaty of London of 1841. The Treaty brought together the representatives of Britain, Russia, France, Austria, Prussia and the Ottoman Empire and regulated the status of the Straits. With this treaty, while the closure of the Straits continued, the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire was strengthened and Russias expansionist endeavours were restricted. The Black Sea and the straits have come to the fore as an important strategic region among the great powers. With the weakening of the Ottoman Empire, the strategic importance of the region increased even more and this situation triggered the desire of other great powers to be effective in the region. As a result, the strategic gains and power struggle in the Straits region in the Ottoman-Russian Diplomacy in the 19th century led to significant changes in international relations, and the Straits became the focal point of the rivalry between the great powers. In this study, the development and interactions of the events in the Ottoman-Russian diplomacy in the 19th century were tried to be explained, and the effects of the Ottoman-Russian Wars and treaties were discussed.

 In the 19th century, Ottoman-Russian diplomatic relations were shaped around the strategic gains and power struggle, especially over the Straits. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Russia increased its interest in the Black Sea and made various diplomatic attempts to gain control over the Straits. The Ottoman Empire, on the other hand, endeavoured to maintain its dominance over the Straits by using international balance policies. This process reached its climax with the Treaty of London of 1841. The Treaty brought together the representatives of Britain, Russia, France, Austria, Prussia and the Ottoman Empire and regulated the status of the Straits. With this treaty, while the closure of the Straits continued, the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire was strengthened and Russias expansionist endeavours were restricted. The Black Sea and the straits have come to the fore as an important strategic region among the great powers. With the weakening of the Ottoman Empire, the strategic importance of the region increased even more and this situation triggered the desire of other great powers to be effective in the region. As a result, the strategic gains and power struggle in the Straits region in the Ottoman-Russian Diplomacy in the 19th century led to significant changes in international relations, and the Straits became the focal point of the rivalry between the great powers. In this study, the development and interactions of the events in the Ottoman-Russian diplomacy in the 19th century were tried to be explained, and the effects of the Ottoman-Russian Wars and treaties were discussed.

 In the 19th century, Ottoman-Russian diplomatic relations were shaped around the strategic gains and power struggle, especially over the Straits. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Russia increased its interest in the Black Sea and made various diplomatic attempts to gain control over the Straits. The Ottoman Empire, on the other hand, endeavoured to maintain its dominance over the Straits by using international balance policies. This process reached its climax with the Treaty of London of 1841. The Treaty brought together the representatives of Britain, Russia, France, Austria, Prussia and the Ottoman Empire and regulated the status of the Straits. With this treaty, while the closure of the Straits continued, the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire was strengthened and Russias expansionist endeavours were restricted. The Black Sea and the straits have come to the fore as an important strategic region among the great powers. With the weakening of the Ottoman Empire, the strategic importance of the region increased even more and this situation triggered the desire of other great powers to be effective in the region. As a result, the strategic gains and power struggle in the Straits region in the Ottoman-Russian Diplomacy in the 19th century led to significant changes in international relations, and the Straits became the focal point of the rivalry between the great powers. In this study, the development and interactions of the events in the Ottoman-Russian diplomacy in the 19th century were tried to be explained, and the effects of the Ottoman-Russian Wars and treaties were discussed.

 19. yüzyılda, Osmanlı-Rus diplomatik ilişkileri, özellikle Boğazlar üzerindeki stratejik kazanım ve güç mücadelesi etrafında şekillenmiştir. Rusya, 19. yüzyılın başlarından itibaren Karadenize olan ilgisini artırarak, Boğazlar üzerinde kontrol sağlamak amacıyla çeşitli diplomatik girişimlerde bulunmuştur. Osmanlı Devleti ise uluslararası denge politikalarını kullanarak Boğazlar üzerindeki hâkimiyetini sürdürmek için çaba harcamıştır. Bu süreç, 1841 Londra Antlaşması ile doruk noktasına ulaşmıştır. Antlaşma, İngiltere, Rusya, Fransa, Avusturya, Prusya ve Osmanlı temsilcilerini bir araya getirerek Boğazların statüsünü düzenlemiştir. Bu anlaşma ile Boğazların kapalılığı devam ederken, Osmanlı Devletinin egemenliği güçlendirilmiş ve Rusyanın genişleme çabalarına sınırlamalar getirilmiştir. Karadeniz ve boğazlar, büyük güçler arasında önemli bir stratejik bölge olarak öne çıkmıştır. Osmanlı Devletinin zayıflamasıyla birlikte bölgede ki stratejik önem daha da artmış ve bu durum, diğer büyük güçlerin de bölge üzerinde etkili olma isteğini tetiklemiştir. Sonuç olarak, 19. yüzyılda Osmanlı-Rus Diplomasisinde Boğazlar bölgesindeki stratejik kazanım ve güç mücadelesi, uluslararası ilişkilerde önemli değişimlere yol açmış, Boğazlar, büyük güçler arasında yaşanan rekabetin odak noktası olmuştur. Bu çalışma ile 19. yüzyılda Osmanlı-Rus diplomasisinde yaşanan olayların gelişimini ve etkileşimleri anlatılmaya çalışılmış, Osmanlı-Rus Savaşları ve antlaşmalarının etkileri ele alınmıştır.

Article Details

Straits in 19th century Ottoman-Russian Diplomacy: Strategic Gain and Power Struggle

Authors:

Ferhat Veske

Publisher:

Hakan YILMAZ

Main Topics:

Modern Türk Tarihi

Journal:

Akademik Tarih ve Düşünce Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 3, pp.1667-1681

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001319033

pISSN:

2148-2292

Ottoman-Russian Relations

Tsarist Russia

Straits

Ottoman Empire

DiplomacyOsmanlı-Rus İlişkileri

Çarlık Rusya

Boğazlar

Osmanlı Devleti

Diplomasi

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Ferhat Veske

Publisher: Hakan YILMAZ

Main Topics: Modern Türk Tarihi

Journal: Akademik Tarih ve Düşünce Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 3, pp.1667-1681

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2024

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001319033

pISSN: 2148-2292

Issues

Authors:

Ferhat Veske

Publisher:

Hakan YILMAZ

Main Topics:

Modern Türk Tarihi

Journal:

Akademik Tarih ve Düşünce Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 3, pp.1667-1681

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2024

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001319033

pISSN:

2148-2292