Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 22:44, 27 November 2024

Seige of Tashkent
Part of The Russian conquest of Central Asia
The Capture of Tashkent by General Chernyayev, 1890, painting by Nikolay Karazin
Date May 9 – June 15 1865 Location Tashkent Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Russian Empire	Khanate of Kokand
Commanders and leaders
Mikhail Chernyayev	Alimqul † Syzdyk Sultan
Strength
1,951	30,000
Casualties and losses
41 dead 179 wounded	Extremely heavy

The siege of Tashkent was the last major clash in the Russo-Kokand war [ru], fought between the Khanate of Kokand and the Russian Empire. The battle would cause the death of the then de-facto leader of Kokand Alimqul, and the weakening of the khanate as a whole. The Russian Empire would annex the city, strengthening its position in Central Asia, and facilitating it's later conquest of Bukhara.

Background

Conflict within Kokand allowed Russia to conquer Kokand's subjects in the Kazakh Steppe in 1864. Further division was present, as the clergy were willing to ally with the Khanate of Bukhara, and merchants were willing to accept Russian rule due to heavy taxation from Kokand.

During the 1800s, Tashkent was the most prosperous city in Central Asia. Over the past decades, much of Russian foreign policy in the region had been centered on eventually capturing the city. While the city was highly valued by the Russian Empire, Tsar Alexander II held off on ordering an attack of the city, fearing possible reprisal from the British and doubting the capability of regional commander Mikhail Chernyayev's small army.

As for Tashkent, I beg your Excellency vigilantly and closely to observe everything that occurs in this town, and to assist the moral party that wishes to separate from hostile Khoqand and through your actions to direct the formation from Tashkent of a polity, independent from Khoqand and Bukhara, but a vassal of Russia.

However, on February 2 1865 Governor-General of Orenburg Province Nikolai Kryzhanovsky sent a letter Chernyayev, containing a summary of document by Foreign Minister Alexander Gorchakov and a set of instructions. While Gorchakov's section was clear that Tashkent was not to be annexed by Russia, and an independent city-state was desired, Nikolai Kryzhanovsky's notes were vague, and granted Chernyayev reasonable powers to attack the city. Kryzhanovsky additionally stated that he would be visiting the region in summer, which possibly motivated Chernyayev to attack faster, not wanting to share credit for the battle.

Prelude

In May 1865, Chernyayev began the march to Tashkent after receiving news that Bukharan forces were 15 miles away from Tashkent, and preparing to launch an assault. On April 29, Chernyayev's forces reached Fort Niazbek, a garrison of 7,000 Kokand soldiers just south of Tashkent. Chernyayev would launch an attack on the city, successfully capturing it at a loss of only seven men wounded. Niazbek lay upstream of Tashkent on the Chirchik River, which served as Tashkent's primary water source. Chernyayev ordered his engineer company to divert the river, cutting off water supply to Tashkent. While in Niazbek, reinforcements called by Chernyayev arrived, bolstering his numbers to 1,900.

Upon hearing of Niazbek's capture several days later, Alimqul sent riders to inform provincial leaders, and immediately rode to Tashkent accompanied by 6,000 soldiers and 12 guns from the Ferghana valley.

Siege

Clash with Alimqul

On May 8 Chernyayev reached Tashkent, and began to study the defenses and contact allies within the city. Chernyayev came to the conclusion that his comparatively small numbers would render a siege impossible, and that the city could only be captured through a sudden assault. This was enabled by the length of the wall, which caused defenses to be spread extremely thin.

On May 9, Alimqul arrived near Shur-Tepa, a location outside of Tashkent's walls where Chenyaev's troops were stationed, and at 6:00 a.m. began shelling the Russian camp. Russian forces soon prepared a counterattack, with the 4th companies splitting to initiate a frontal assault hitting the center and a flanking maneuver. Alimqul's troops offered very weak resistance. At some point during the battle Alimquil was shot and killed, leading to a mass retreat of forces. The guard retreated first, followed by the infantry. Much of the infantry was overrun by Russian forces, and the artillery were abandoned. In total, approximatly 300 Kokandi soldiers were killed, and 10 Russian soldiers were wounded. Those remaining in Alimqul's army would not stay for the final defense of Tashkent.

While Chernyayev hoped that the power vacuum would empower the pro-Russian faction within the city, residents focused on other option. One group attempted to form an independent state led by Sultan Sayyid Khan, and elders asked Muzaffar bin Nasrullah for support, which he expressed interest in.

Chernyayev's expedition lacked the numbers to fully siege the city. Instead, he dispatched patrols to harass citizens attempting to gather food from gardens outside the walls or graze their animals, enforcing a general blockade. The city was additionally bombarded by a light battery under the leadership of Colonel Kraevsky. Most residents of Tashkent were aware of a possible assault, but much less were ready to actively resist a Russian invasion. Tashkentis were likely growing increasingly frustrated due to the Russian blockade and raiding.

Chernyayev's exact reasoning for ordering an assault of Tashkent is unknown. While he would state after the battle that he wanted to prevent the Emirate of Bukhara from capturing the city, other factors were likely in play. His failed siege of the city one year before would have severely damaged his career if left unrectified, and this second expedition would likely be lauded by the government if successful. Additionally, one uncorroborated account states Chernyayev feared any possible retreat would be attacked and overrun by "Asian hoards".

Assault

Before the main assault, Chernyayev visited the troops where he talked with them to build morale. On June 15 at 2:00 a.m, the Russians began the assault of Taskent, with priest Andrei Malov at the head of the columns encouraging the attackers. The Russians easily climbed the walls of the city from different sides, but immediately began to suffer losses while fighting for the towers. Russian Captain Wulfred was wounded during one of these attacks, although he successfully captured one weapon. Another Russian detachment under Abramov fought across a bridgehead to capture and open a key gate. The advance was successful despite heavy artillery fire, and the detachment eventually reached the gate. In the gate, Russian soldiers discovered their lost licorne, which Kokandi forces had captured in the battle of Ican. After the gates were opened, a systematic offensive towards the city center began, with Russian soldiers meeting strong resistance. Shots were fired from every point into troops, including houses, corners and roofs. Russian forces would use artillery to destroy these positions and discourage attacks, carving a clear path for the troops. During this march through the city, 5,000 Kokani guards attempted to evacuate the city, but wer intercepted by Russian forces, who captured the guards banners. By evening, all resistance in the city had been crushed, and they would officially surrender on June 17.

Aftermath

On August 1866, the city was officially annexed after a year of deliberation.

Allworth argued that the importance of the idea of Tashkent may have encouraged the entire conquest of Central Asia.

The capture of the city became a mythologized event in Russian history, and would be marked by increasingly elaborate anniversary celebrations. On the 50th anniversary in 1915, a swath of public buildings and the city of Shymkent, which Chernyayev had captured a year before Tashkent, were renamed in honor of Chernyayev.

Notes

References

1. ^ Levi 2017, p. 194.
2. ^ Hopkirk 1994, p. 306.
3. ^ Allworth 1999, p. 59.
4. ^ Levi 2017, p. 195.
5. Morrison 2014, p. 184-188.
6. Morrison 2014, p. 189.
7. Pierce 1960, p. 24.
8. ^ Hopkirk 1994, p. 307.
9. ^ Morrison 2021, p. 245.
10. Hopkirk 1994, p. 307-308.
11. ^ Terentyev 2022, p. 331.
12. ^ Levi 2017, p. 196.
13. ^ Morrison 2021, p. 244-245.
14. Morrison 2021, p. 247.
15. ^ Egorshina & Petrova 2023, p. 541.
16. Terentyev 2022, p. 337.
17. Terentyev 2022, p. 339.
18. Terentyev 2022, p. 340.
19. Morrison 2014, p. 216.

Citations

• Terentyev, Mihail (2022) . История завоевания Средней Азии [The history of the conquest of Central Asia] (in Russian). Vol. 1. Moscow: Sekachev V.Yu. ISBN 978-5-4481-1325-3.

• Pierce, Richard (1960). Russian Central Asia 1867-1917: A Study in Colonial Rule. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-52031-774-1.

• MacKenzie, David (1974). The Lion of Tashkent: the career of General M. G. Cherniaev. Athens: University of Georgia Press. ISBN 978-0-8203-0322-2.

• Hopkirk, Peter (1994). The Great Game: the struggle for empire in central Asia. New York: Kodansha. ISBN 978-1-56836-022-5.

• Allworth, Edward (1999). Central Asia, 130 years of Russian dominance: a historical overview. Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-1521-6.

• Ploskikh, Vladimir (2014). Киргизы и Кокандское Ханство [The Kyrgyz people and the Kokand Khanate] (in Russian). Bishkek: Neo Print. ISBN 978-9967-19-187-7.

• Morrison, Alexander (2014). "Russia, Khoqand, and the Search for a "Natural" Frontier, 1863–1865". Ab Imperio. 2014 (2): 166–192.

• Levi, Scott Cameron (2017). The rise and fall of Khoqand, 1709-1876: Central Asia in the global age. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN 978-0-8229-6506-0.

• Morrison, Alexander (2021). The Russian conquest of Central Asia: a study in imperial expansion, 1814-1914. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-107-03030-5.

• Egorshina, O.; Petrova, A. (2023). "Завоевание Кокандского ханства" [The conquest of the Kokand Khanate]. История русской армии [The history of the Russian Army] (in Russian). Vol. 19. Moscow: Edition of the Russian Imperial Library. ISBN 978-5-699-42397-2.