Why Did Tsar Nicholas Win The Russian War

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After the near downfall of Constantinople to Russian troops, Tsar Nicholas culminated the war with a peace agreement in accordance with the change in Russian foreign policy about the Ottomans. The war culminated with the Treaty of Adrianople, which allowed for Russia’s acquisition of some land near the Danube and Caucasian coast, but most important of all the “guarantee that the Straits would be open to commercial shipping of all states at peace with Turkey.” Fides comments on the Western Power’s mistrust of the Russians, especially following the peace: “the treaty’s silence on warship movements through the Straits led them to believe that Russia must have gained exclusive control of [the] … waterway [connecting] the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.” …show more content…

In 1833, the Egyptian leader, Mehmet Ali, challenged the Sultan’s power by demanding the hereditary title to Egypt and Syria. The Sultan looked to the British, French, and Austria for aid when the Egyptian army crushed Turkish troops, but none of the European powers offered their support. Instead, Tsar Nicholas sent his fleet and troops to counter the Egyptian advance because he considered Mehmet Ali a “significant danger to Russian interests in the Near East.” This “Russian rescue” only further indicated the Ottoman’s increasing dependency on the Russians, as the Sultan could not put down the Egyptian uprising without aid. This carefully constructed reliance on the Russians worked in their favour because a Russian envoy was able to convince the Sultan to sign the Treaty of Unkair-Skelessi on July 8, 1833, which pledged peace, friendship, and cooperation. This second treaty strengthened the gains established in the Treaty of Adrianople and greatly worried the British and the French, who had mobilized their fleet upon being notified of Russia’s intervention in Turkish affairs. The treaty also contained a secret article that guaranteed “Russia’s military protection of Turkey in exchange for a Turkish promise to close the Straits to foreign warships when demanded by Russia.” This meant that Russia could control the entrance to the Black Sea for their benefit. However, this was also a source of great stress for the Western powers, when it was leaked out by Turkish officials indicating their great disdain of being pressured into such an agreement because there was no telling how and when Russia would choose to utilize this privilege. Over the course of course of the first half of the nineteenth century, Russia utilised war, a shift to a more protectionist foreign policy, and series of treaties to suppress the Ottomans to succumb to Russian interests. All while antagonising the West, by threatening to

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