Causes of the War - The Eastern Question
the still formidable Turkish forces were due partly to the emergence of the immensely talented Russian General Suvorov, and partly due to Catherine's diplomatic skills in maintaining an effective alliance with Austria. Although the Austrians had traditionally shared common ground with Russia in combatting Turkish expansion, the new Russian gains risked undermining the status quo which was always a key equation of the 'Eastern Question'. Catherine exploited the emergence of Prussia under Frederick the Great as a powerful threat to Austria. Catherine was Prussian by birth and had allied with Frederick earlier in her reign.. Austria would go along with Russia against Turkey to avoid the risk of this happening again.
As it was, Russia established herself on the Black Sea, and obtained in the Treaty of Kuchuk Kainardji (1774) certain ill-defined rights of interference in favour of the Christian subjects of the Sultan. These were more to the advantage of Russia than to Turkey and would prove significant in years to come. The 2nd Treaty of Aynali Kavak (1783) effectively gave the Crimea to the Russians.
Until the last years of the 18th century, the Near East had not figured in British foreign policy. Britain was more concerned to keep on friendly terms with Russia than with the protection of Turkey. There were two main reasons for the change in viewpoint now becoming evident; the growth of British interests in India, and the creeping advance of Russia towards the centres of Turkish power. The fact that Napoleon had embarked on a major campaign in Egypt in 1798 had highlighted the importance of the southern overland route to India. The northern route through Asia Minor to the rivers of Mesopotamia and Persia, was nearer and easier. The possession of Constantinople would give a strong military power a good chance of controlling both routes.
For Britain then, the key part of the Eastern Question was how to prevent Russia taking over the ailing Ottoman Empire. The other part of the Question, at that time of more immediate relevance to the Continental Powers was (and incidentally still is) how to deal with the various aggressive Balkan nationalisms, which surfaced as Turkish power receded, especially amongst the Slav people who then saw Russia as their liberator, and then as now, as their close friend and natural ally.
In the next article, we will see how these factors led to the Great Power confrontation of 1854-56 which came to
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