THE ROLE OF A 19TH CENTURY RUSSIAN GENERAL “ MIHAIL DMITRIEVIC SKOBELEV” IN THE GOKTEPE WAR II. AGAINST THE TEKE TURKMENS (1881)

Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, who lived between 1843-1882, is a Russian General who considerably marked the history of Russia and that of Central Asia. Known to have achieved great success during his battles against Central Asians and Teke Turkmens, he is a Russian Commander who marked the Turkmen history. The 19th century was a century of great wars for Tsarist Russia: the period when the Russians began to expand their borders and search for new lands. The first goal of the Russians was to enter the Ottoman lands and have a say in the Mediterranean. However, the Russians had lost a battle including European states: the Crimean war with the Ottoman Empire in 1856. This loss dealt a major blow to the political policy of the Russians. Nevertheless, the Russians did not give up and directed themselves towards the Central Asian lands. The region which the Russians mostly aspired in the Central Asian lands was the Turkmen lands beyond the Caspian. An occupation of the Turkmens who had lands strategically connecting trade between Caucasus and Central Asia, had become essential to the Russians. After a long strategic organisation in Petersburg against the Turkmens in order to invade them, all the discussions about who would be the commander of the Russian army during this journey were discussed by experts. In the decision taken by the commanders, D. M. Skobelev who had achieved great success in the previous Turkestan expeditions, was deemed appropriate as the commander of this one. Before the invasion of the Turkmens, on January 10, 1879, Tsar Alexander II. called Skobelev to Petersbug in order to meet with him. Czar Alexander II. therefore expanded his capacities as Skobelev came to power leading the Ahal-Teke expedition. To get the necessary aid and support, Skobelev could benefit from Turkestan and Orenburg as much as he wanted and/or needed. Due to previous Russian losses against Turkmens, Skobelev preferred to be more rigorous and cautious, but also because the geography of Central Asia was much different from the lands where the Russians lived. Otherwise, it wasn’t at all easy to invade the Turkmens as compared to other Central Asian khanates. This study particularly gives information on Tsarist Russia's failure in the first war against the Turkmens, the breakout of a second war and what happened between the Russians and Teke Turkmens on January 12, 1881 and the defeat of the Turkmens.