Russian-Turkmen Struggle Over Ashuradeh Island in the Caspian Sea in 19th Century

Year 2024, , 449 - 475, 08.08.2024

Furkan Külünk

https://doi.org/10.37879/belleten.2024.449

Abstract

From the 19th century onwards, Tsarist Russia began to dominate a wide area in Turkestan through economic and military incursions. While it carried out commercial activities in the coastal cities and peninsulas in the west and east of the Caspian Sea, it also went on to capture these regions, building military bases at strategic points. One place that the Russians considered of vital importance to capture was Ashuradeh Island. Located in the south of the Caspian Sea, this island, which facilitated access to Iran and Turkestan, was close to many trading ports, as well as being of crucial importance militarily. While the Russians were initially engaged in commercial activities there, they soon seized this region and turned it into a base. From 1838 onwards two distinct developments compounded Russian objectives in the area: on the one hand, conflicts between the Russian naval forces and the Yamut Turkmens, the indigenous people of the island; on the other, a diplomatic crisis between the Russian and Iranian governments. This study analyses the process of the occupation of Ashuradeh Island by Tsarist Russia, the conflicts between the Yamut Turkmens and Tsarist Russia from 1836 to 1873, the development of Russian influence on the island vis-à-vis Iran, and the general situation of the Turkmens during this period. Using British archival materials, personal notes of Russian soldiers and ambassadorial reports, this study evaluates the effects of the occupation of Ashuradeh Island, which served as an important base for Tsarist Russia’s military activities in Turkestan, on Russia, Iran, Britain and the Turkmens in the region.

Keywords

Russia, Turkmens, Turkestan, Caspian Sea, Ashuradeh

19. Yüzyılda Hazar Denizi’nde Aşurâde Adası Üzerinden Rus-Türkmen Mücadelesi

Abstract

Çarlık Rusya 19. yüzyıldan itibaren ekonomik ve askeri saldırılarla Türkistan’da geniş bir alana hâkim olmaya başladı. Bir taraftan Hazar Denizi’nin batı ve doğusunda- ki kıyı şehirlerinde ve yarımadalarda ticari faaliyetler yürütürken, diğer taraftan da stratejik noktalarda askerî üsler kurarak bu bölgeleri ele geçirmeye çalıştı. Rusların sahip olmayı mühim olarak gördükleri yerlerden biri de Aşurâde Adası’ydı. Hazar Denizi’nin güneyinde yer alan, İran ve Türkistan’a ulaşımı kolaylaştıran bu ada, bir- çok ticaret limanına yakın olmasının yanı sıra askerî açıdan da büyük önem taşıyordu. Ruslar başlangıçta burada ticari faaliyetlerde bulunurken, kısa süre sonra bu bölgeyi ele geçirerek bir üs haline getirdiler. 1838’den itibaren meydana gelen gelişmeler Rus- ların bölgedeki hedeflerini daha da zorlaştırdı. Bir yandan Rus deniz kuvvetleri ile adanın yerli halkı Yamut Türkmenleri arasında çatışmalar yaşanırken diğer yandan Rus ve İran hükümetleri arasında diplomatik kriz meydana geldi. Bu çalışma, Aşurâde Adası’nın Çarlık Rusya tarafından işgal sürecini, 1836’dan 1873’e kadar Yomut Türk- menleri ile Çarlık Rusyası arasındaki çatışmaları, İran’a karşı adadaki Rus nüfuzunun gelişimini ve bu dönemde Türkmenlerin genel durumunu incelemektedir. İngiliz arşiv materyalleri, Rus askerlerin kişisel notları ve elçi raporları kullanılarak hazırlanan bu çalışmada Çarlık Rusya’nın Türkistan’daki askerî faaliyetlerinde önemli bir üs vazifesi gören Aşurâde Adası’nın işgalinin Rusya, İran, İngiltere ve bölgedeki Türkmenler açı- sından meydana getirdiği etkiler değerlendirilmiştir.

Keywords

Rusya, Türkmenler, Türkistan, Hazar Denizi, Aşurâde

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