The Place of the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Circassian War (1830-1864)

Abstract

In this work, the Ottoman policy regarding the Circassians, the indigenous inhabitants of the North-western Caucasus, and in that respect the Russo-Ottoman relations will be analyzed. This study will cover the period from 1830 to 1864 when a sanguinary war between Russia and the Circassian tribes took place, ending with the expulsion of the overwhelming majority of the local population and the establishment of the complete Russian control over Circassia. At that time, the Sublime Porte aimed to preserve the peaceful relations with Russia. Various internal problems of the Ottoman Empire resulted in a somewhat passive policy of the Porte towards the Caucasus, with the only exception of the Crimean War period. However, the deep-rooted Ottoman-Circassian relations, especially the slave trade, never stopped throughout the Russo-Circassian war despite all the preventive attempts of the Russian Empire. Besides, the activities of the Circassians, the English and the Poles in favor of Circassian resistance were conducted mainly through the Ottoman territories, which meant that the Ottoman Empire had a more important place for the Circassian resistance when compared with its own policies concerning Circassia.