The Russian Annexation of the Crimea, 1772-1783 essays

The Russian Annexation of the Crimea, 1772-1783 essays The Russian Annexation of the Crimea 1772-1783 by Alan W. Fisher is a text that contains detailed research based on Russian and Ottoman archival documents, as well as primary and secondary sources relating to the subject. The study covers the political events from 1772 to 1783, and is an objective source for understanding not only the Crimean Tatars, but also the rivalry between the Russian and Ottoman empires. A rivalry which not only deeply affected the people of the Crimean peninsula, but also affected its surrounding areas. The grave importance of the Crimea was illustrated because of its access to the Black Sea. As a result, its coastal areas have played an important role throughout the history of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. As an economic area it served its importance through its trade, its grazing lands and also as an entrance into Eastern Europe. As a political zone the Black Sea area was of prime importance to the power of those states which controlled it and its loss to a rival state was always a significant one. (Fisher, 2) As a result Byzantium, Kiev Rus, the Golden Horde, Lithuania, Poland, the Ottoman Empire and Muscovy have all tried throughout various periods of history to control the whole or individual parts of the Crimean Peninsula. The text explained how firm political control around the Black Sea was first gained in the mid-thirteenth century with the Mongol-Tatar conquest. Before this Turkic nomads had passed through the area, but no political or economic unity had existed. As settlements grew the Mongol-Tatar aligned itself with the Ottoman Empire for security. Acting as an independent province with its own political control, the Crimea was still ultimately under Ottoman control. From the Ottoman point of view, the Crimea was of utmost military significance. It acted as a strong northern defense and allowed the supply of soldiers for campaigns in the east against Persia and in...