Trade Relations Between the Russian Empire and the Central Asian Khanates in the Third Quarter of the Nineteenth Century

Abstract

This study examines the nature and evolution of trade relations between the Russian Empire and the Central Asian Khanates (Bukhara, Kokand, and Khiva) from 1850 to 1875. The primary objective is to analyze the influence of economic and commercial factors in shaping Russian foreign policy and its transition from diplomacy to direct military intervention. The research reveals that the global cotton crisis of the 1860s (triggered by the American Civil War) compelled Russia to view Central Asia as a strategic alternative for raw materials. Concurrently, the imposition of exorbitant customs duties by the Khanates on Russian merchants, coupled with the insecurity of trade caravans, prompted Russia to seek new commercial treaties. The failure of these diplomatic efforts provided a pretext for military campaigns, resulting in the conquest of Tashkent in 1865 and the imposition of vassalage treaties on Bukhara in 1868 and Khiva in 1873. The study concludes that trade and economics, alongside geopolitical competition with Great Britain, were the primary drivers of Russian expansionism during this period. Through the descriptive- analytical method, the paper seeks to analyze the dynamics of the development of trade between Russia and the motives and reasons behind Russian occupation in the region. Through the comparative method, an attempt was made to compare the volume of trade between Russia and Central Asia during the periods of the study, as well as compare the trade between Britain and India with Russia and Central Asian pensioners.

This study covers the period between 1850 and 1875, the turning point in Russian politics and commerce. The geographical limits of the study are Russia and the Khanates of Bukhara, Kokand and Khiva in Central Asia.