Abstract
As many other states the Russian Empire also saw it was necessary to establish an imperial local administration in order to make the lands included in its borders a part of homeland. However, it had been not easy in practice, especially in regions where non-Russian population was dominant and which had special conditions. One of these regions was Caucasus. By the last quarter of the 18. Century the Russian Empire succeeded in transforming its military occupations in the region. It achieved to establish its first provincial administration in these lands in 1785. The Russian local administration, which continued with various structural and legal changes within the framework of authority-responsibility from 1785 to 1845, was determined by Petersburg due to its inability to adapt to the regional conditions and the strategies and policies followed by the army rulers with different approaches that were appointed to the head of this administration failed to achieve its aims. These failures resulted in the Russian dominance into a deep crisis especially in the second quarter period of 19. Century. All these negativities accelerated the administrative reforms to solve the crisis. Moreover, it was decided to establish the Namestnik administration that meant a great concession from the centralist policies in the region. This decision brought about the selection of the statesman to be appointed with the title of Tsar Namestnik. This study aims to deal with this change in the Russian administration in the Caucasus and the appointment of M.S. Vorontsov. As to improve our claims firsthand sources and the examination works and especially Russian archival documents were used.