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Russo Persian War (1826-1828)
Part of Russo-Persian Wars
Date 1826-1828 Location South Caucasus North Iran Result Russian Victory; Treaty of Turkmenchay Territorial changes Russia loses and then retakes disputed area's
Combatants
Russian Empire	Persian Empire
Commanders
Aleksey Yermolov Valerian Madatov Ivan Paskevich	Fath 'Ali Shah Abbas Mirza
Strength
8,000	35,000

The Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828 was the last major military conflict between the Russian Empire and the Persian Empire.

After the Treaty of Gulistan concluded the previous Russo-Persian War in 1813, peace reigned in the Caucasus for thirteen years. However, Fath 'Ali Shah, constantly in need of foreign subsidies, relied on the advice of British agents, who pressed him to reconquer the territories lost to Russia and pledged their support to military action. The matter was decided upon in spring 1826, when a bellicose party of Abbas Mirza prevailed in Tehran and the Russian minister, Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov, was placed under house arrest.

Although there was no formal declaration of war, the 35,000-strong Persian army, led by Abbas Mirza, crossed the border on 16 July and invaded the Khanate of Talysh and Karabakh. The Khans quickly switched sides and surrendered their principal cities — Lenkoran, Quba, Baku — to the Persians. Aleksey Yermolov, Russia's General Governor of Caucasus, feeling that he did not have sufficient resources to counter the invasion, refused to commit Russian troops to battle and ordered Ganja, the most populous city in the Southern Caucasus, to be abandoned. In Shusha, a small Russian garrison managed to hold out until 5 September when General Madatov's reinforcement arrived to their relief.

Madatov routed the Persians on the banks of the Shamkhor River and retook Ganja on 5 September. On hearing the news, Abbas Mirza lifted the siege of Shusha and marched towards Ganja. A new Russian reinforcement under Ivan Paskevich (Yermolov's replacement) arrived just in time to join their forces with Madatov and to form a 8,000-strong corps under Paskevich's supreme command. Near Ganja they fell upon the Persians and forced them to retreat across the Araks River back to Persia. The aggression was repulsed but the war was to continue for a year and a half.

The onset of winter weather led to the suspension of hostilities until May 1827, when Paskevich advanced towards Erivan, taking Echmiadzin, Nakhichevan and Abbasabad on his way. The principal war theatre was now Eastern Armenia, whose capital, Erivan, was stormed and captured by Paskevich after six days of siege (1 October). Fourteen days later, General Eristov entered Tabriz, forcing the Shah to sue for peace.

The outbreak of the new Russo-Turkish War revived Persian hopes and hindered peace negotiations, which were conducted by Aleksandr Griboyedov, among others. In January 1828, one Russian detachment reached the shores of the Lake Urmia and the Shah started to panic. On his urging, Abbas Mirza speedily signed the Treaty of Turkmenchay (February 2, 1828) which concluded the war.

Main article: Treaty of Turkmenchay

According to the terms of the treaty, the Khanates of Erivan and Nakhichevan and passed to Russia. The Shah promised to pay an indemnity of 20,000,000 silver roubles and allowed his Armenian subjects to migrate to Russia without any hindrance. More importantly, the Shah granted the Russians the exclusive right to maintain a navy in the Caspian and agreed that Russian merchants were free to trade anywhere they please in Persia.

In the short term, the treaty undermined the dominant position of the British Empire in Persia and marked a new stage in the Great Game between the empires. In the long term, the treaty ensured the dependence of the Caucasus on Russia, thus making possible the eventual emergence of the modern states of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the territories conquered from Persia during the war.

• Russo-Persian Wars

• N. Dubrovin. История войны и владычества русских на Кавказе, volumes 4-6. SPb, 1886-88.
• Gen. V.A. Potto. Кавказская война..., volumes 1-5. SPb, 1885-86, reprinted in 2006. ISBN 5-9524-2107-5.