page_title: Russian conquest of the Caucasus
section_title: From sea to sea: Tsitsianov (1803-1806)
hierarchical_section_title: Russian conquest of the Caucasus / South of the mountains / From sea to sea: Tsitsianov (1803-1806)
caption_attribution_description: English: Pavel Tsitsianov, Georgia.
context_page_description: The Russian conquest of the Caucasus mainly occurred between 1800 and 1864. In that era the Russian Empire expanded to control the region between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, the territory that is modern Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Iran and Turkey, as well as the North Caucasus region of modern Russia. Multiple wars were fought against the local rulers of the regions, as well as the dominant powers, the Ottoman Empire and Persian Empire, for control. By 1864 the last regions were brought under Russian control.
context_section_description: In September 1802 Pavel Tsitsianov was appointed commander-in-chief of Georgia and Inspector of the Line and Governor-General of Astrakhan. He was descended from Georgian nobles (Tsitsishvili) who had fled to Russia with Vakhtang VI in 1724.  He could see himself both a servant of the Czar and Georgian patriot, holding that only Russian power could protect Georgia from Persians, Turks, mountain raiders and internal disunity. He arrived in early 1803. His first concern was to remove the remaining members of the royal family. Prince Aleksandre of Georgia had already gone over to the Persians.  When General Lazarev went to arrest the late king's widow she stabbed him to death. (She was confined in a convent for 8 years and died in 1850.)
  Unification of Georgia: In December 1803 the western Principality of Mingrelia became a Russian vassal. The Kingdom of Imereti now had Russians on both sides. After some military pressure, in April 1804 it became a Russian protectorate. Much of Georgia was now reunited after 400 years.  The coastal forts like Poti remained Turkish. In March 1805 an expedition captured the Turkish fort of Anaklia on the Abkhaz border.  Under Ottoman threat, Tsitsianov withdrew, calling it the unauthorised action of a subordinate. In 1810, Russia put its client of the throne of the Principality of Abkhazia.
  Push east and south: In the spring of 1803, he subdued the Djaro-Belokani area and the Elisu Sultanate. Later General Gulyakov was killed fighting the Djaro-Belikanis. In January 1804 the Ganja Khanate (southeast of Georgia) was bloodily conquered.  In the summer of 1804, Tsitsianov led 10000 men against the Yerevan Khanate (south of Georgia). He besieged Yerevan; the Persians (30000 men under Abbas Mirza) got behind him and after some fighting he made a difficult withdrawal.  This was the start of the Russo-Persian War (1804-1813). In May 1805 the Karabakh Khanate(south of Ganja) submitted.  Abbas Mirza and 20000 men arrived, the garrison held out for three weeks until the 100 survivors cut their way out. Fath-Ali Shah Qajar with 40000 men approached, thought better of it and retired. In 1805 Tsitsianov took over the Shuragel Sultanate,  Shaki Khanate (May) and Shirvan Khanate (December).  The Caspian Flotilla under General Zavalivshin laid siege to Baku but was driven off by the Khan of Quba. Tsitsianov went east with 1600 men and 10 guns. He crossed the Shirvan Khanate, which he annexed on the way, and arrived before Baku before 8 February 1806. The town elders delivered him the keys to the city. He returned the keys asking to receive them from the khan in person. The khan rode out with an escort, Tsitsianov advanced with two other men and was shot dead. The guns of Baku opened up on the Russian army and Zavalivshin again chose to withdraw.
  The disaster of Tsitsianov's death and Zavalivshin's apparent cowardice was retrieved by General Glazenap, who commanded the Line. He crossed the Aktash country to Tarki where the Shamkhal joined him.  Knowing that the khan of Derbent was unpopular, the Shamkhal sent agents to stir up trouble.  When the Russians crossed the border the khan was expelled by his own subjects and Derbent was occupied for the fourth and last time (22 June 1806).  The campaign was interrupted by the new commander-in-chief Gudovich, who was perhaps growing incompetent. Glazenap was placed under General Bulgakov and it was Bulgakov who received the surrender of Quba and Baku.
  Russia now held the area between the Black and Caspian Seas and had provoked a war with Persia.
caption: Tsitsianov who unified Georgia and won most of Transcaucasia for Russia.
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