THE PEOPLES OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS IN THE RELATIONS OF RUSSIA AND TURKEY IN THE 1770-1790 s

Abstract

The Küçük Kaynardzha Peace Treaty of 1774, which sanctioned joining of Kabardia and Ossetia to Russia and formal independence of the Kuban Nogais, once again confirmed that the solution of the question of the international legal status of the North Caucasus was the prerogative right of great powers and did not belong to the sphere of Russian-Caucasian relations. Since the 1770s, military lines in the form of fortification chains and some Cossack settlements were built in the region. Access to the Black Sea at the end of the 18th century and joining of the Crimea to Russia became important events in international life and politics. They raised the authority of Russia in Europe and at the same time heightened tensions with the Turkish Empire. The people’s liberation movement under Sheikh Mansur’s command caused a massive public outcry in the North Caucasus due to common goals of the local peoples in the liberation struggle. The Treaty of Jassy of 1791 only confirmed the terms of the peace treaty of 1774 without any new territorial changes in the region. During the period under consideration, the Russian authorities hardly took any actions in regards to the local peoples. The actions of the Russian administration in the region did not go beyond external control and encouragement of trade and economic ties between the local population and immigrants from the central provinces of Russia. The control was carried out by the military authorities actively introduced into the geographical area of the region (construction of fortresses, creation of new garrisons and places of deployment of Russian troops). The creation of the civil administration of the region (vicarious authority, government, police force) was also started.