Uzbekistan General Information - History - The Russian conquest

The Russian conquest

In this regard, at first Russia paid a significant attention to capturing vitally strategic targets of the Kokand khanate. Despite fierce and brave opposition on the part of the local population, in 1853 Russian troops captured the fortress olOkmachit, the so-called gates leading to Uzbek khanates. In 1860 the fortresses of Tukmak and Pishpak, in 1864 -Avliyoota, Turkiston, and Cbimkent, and in 1865 - Tashkent, were captured. Later on, Tashkent has been made a capital of then newly established Turkestan oblast (province, region), and further in 1867 - the center of the Turkestan General Governance.

In 1866 Russian troops moved further deep into the territory of the Central Asia towards the premises of the Bukhara khanate. The tsarist Russian army invaded Jizzakh, Uratepa, and Yangikurgon. Following the fierce battles that took place in 1868 at Zirabulok and Chuponota, the troops of the khanate were totally crashed leading to the capture of Samarkand, the once prosperous center of Amir Temur's vast empire and one of the ancient capitals of Central Asia. As an outcome of the unfairly signed agreement between the parties, the Bukhara khanate paid huge reparations to tsarist Russia and turned into its protectorate.

Russian military campaign of 1873 to Khiva has also ended with enormous success for the Russian army. As a result, the Khiva khanate has lost its sovereignty, as well. In the captured area of the khanate, Russians are said to have established the Amudarya unit of the local rule.

In 1875 and 1876 the Russian government took advantage of the local revolt in the Kokand khanate. With a trick of assisting the then ruler of the khanate- Khudoyarkhan - in crashing the revolt, it sent its troops to the khanate. Thus, following such tricky campaign, the khanate had totally lost its sovereignty to Russia, and the Ferghana province, that joined the Turkestan General Governance, has been established in the area.

Henceforth, the territory of the contemporary Uzbekistan had been turned into the colony of tsarist Russia. Colonial administrative apparatus has been well put in place in the region. Issues of local agriculture and proprietorship are said to have been "tackled" first.

In the sphere of agriculture, the Russian government envisaged two main goals: first - to consolidate its rule in Central Asia, and then - exploit its economic potentials for the benefit of the ruling class in Russia.

Following the "Charter" of 1886 that came into force as a law in Turkestan, Russians began arriving in the area from central Russia. History reveals, they are said to have taken over the lands that belonged to local people. Besides, the Russian government paid a special attention in establishing Russian villages and settlements. This served as a part of long-term policy of importing Russian language, culture, and way of life, in general, into the area.

The cotton grown in Turkestan was significant for the Russian textile industry. Hence, the cotton cultivation had been specially taken care of, and a cotton-plant itself stayed as a main agricultural crop for the years to come. Furthermore, the cotton imported from Turkestan had been fully exempted from custom duties. But starting from 1879, 40-50 copecks were charged as a custom duty from each 16 kg of imported cotton. And the cotton-growers were offered certain privileges in taxation. The Finance Ministry has firmly supported the Russian bourgeoisie in its policy of extending the cotton cultivation in Turkestan.

The economic policy conducted by the empire in Turkestan was aimed at turning it into a raw base, keep it as a market for realization of Russian goods, and finally, to exploit mineral resources of the area. Soviet rulers have continued such policy, respectively.

The Caspian, Siberian, and Orenburg railway lines, which mainly linked the center of the empire with its colonies in the area, played enormous role in terms of ruthless exploitation of the mineral resources of Turkestan.

Capitalism began extending in the region with arriving on the scene of numerous industrial enterprises. Local cotton served as a basis for the industrial sphere in the area. Putting their personal ambitions and economic interests ahead, Russian capitalists did not want to develop the local processing industry, but, otherwise, they have put all of the financial resources in expansion of trade.

The history of peoples of Central Asia, scientific research, press, reforms in education totally served the needs of colonialists. The way of life of population kept seeing its downfall.

Due to the rise of import of Russian industrial goods into the region at the beginning of the second half of the 19th century, many local craftsmen began losing their share in the market.