Russian Tsar Alexander I Invades Persia in the Late 1810s

CaliGuy

Banned
What if, fresh off his victory in the Napoleonic Wars, Russian Tsar Alexander I decides to invade Persia a couple of years later (in the late 1810s)?

For the record, the reason for this invasion would be strategic as well as to acquire more glory for both himself and Russia; plus, he wants to have Russian troops be able to wash their boots in the Indian Ocean! ;)

Anyway, how would such a Russian invasion have turned out?
 
So, a continuation of the Russo-Persian War that took place from 1804 through 1813 possibly? Or Persia wanting to get the territory taken from them back earlier than OTL's war with Russia from 1826 through 1828?

Without the distraction of having Napoleon around and the Ottomans gradually weakening, this war may end up being quite one-sided in favor of the Russians. However, I don't expect the British to remain silent on the matter.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
So, a continuation of the Russo-Persian War that took place from 1804 through 1813 possibly?

More like a resumption of this war, no?

Or Persia wanting to get the territory taken from them back earlier than OTL's war with Russia from 1826 through 1828?

I suppose that this could also work.

Without the distraction of having Napoleon around and the Ottomans gradually weakening, this war may end up being quite one-sided in favor of the Russians. However, I don't expect the British to remain silent on the matter.

How much would the British actually be able to do to prevent Russia from conquering all of Persia, though?
 
First, I am not sure of the possibility of Russia completely taking over the whole of Persia. Could Russia cause quite a bit of damage? Absolutely. Secondly, if this invasion were seen as a threat to British holdings in India then I would imagine that the British would not want what was essentially a buffer between them and the Russian Empire disappearing. This might prompt an earlier start to the Great Game. As far as the possibility of military intervention goes, I would have to defer to someone more knowledgeable on the British than I.
 

CaliGuy

Banned
First, I am not sure of the possibility of Russia completely taking over the whole of Persia. Could Russia cause quite a bit of damage? Absolutely.

How much of Persia do you think that Russia can realistically conquer, though?

Secondly, if this invasion were seen as a threat to British holdings in India then I would imagine that the British would not want what was essentially a buffer between them and the Russian Empire disappearing.

Could the British support the creation of an independent Balochistan in such a scenario?

This might prompt an earlier start to the Great Game.

Completely agreed.

As far as the possibility of military intervention goes, I would have to defer to someone more knowledgeable on the British than I.

OK.
 

Skallagrim

Banned
Russia could, if it really wanted to, chop off quite some bits of Persia. Reaching the Indian Ocean, though, seems unlikely. That in itself makes the effort... not really worth all the hassle. It'll also piss off Britain if Russia acts on such ambitions, no doubt, so that's not good. Especially when the major wars in Europe so fresh in the memory! Another thing is that the Russians will have to get the ttomans on board (just so they won't exploit Russia being distracted in Persia). Theoretically, that can be done by offering them part of the spoils in carving up Persia... but the tendency of the period was one of Russian-Ottoman animosity and war.

And that's the big factor, really: if the Tsar was going for such a "southern adeventure", he wouldn't want Persia. He'd want what the Tsars have always wanted, ever since they first took up the mantle of the "third Rome", climing the legacy of the ERE. He'd want Constantinople. "Back to Byzantium" was an almost religious phrase during the various Russian-Ottoman wars. So if Alexander is going for this kind of thing - taking into consideration his religious devotion and his vision of himself as an almost holy saviour figure - he'll be spending his energies on the taking of Constantinople. Not on Persia.
 
Assuming they take and hold it but most other events stay the same, The British will be less concerned about the eventual rise of The German Empire and more very pleased.
 
How much would the British actually be able to do to prevent Russia from conquering all of Persia, though?

The British would do what they always did best (apart from their navy): Organise a coalition of European powers to interfere and threaten Russian interests whether in Persia or elsewhere to make life difficult for them. Besides getting involved in Persia itself, where they would probably enjoy local support, they could ask Austria to mobilise its army along its border with Russia. Request the Ottomans allow the Royal Navy into the Black Sea. Promise the French some concessions somewhere in exchange for its involvement. Britain had enough financial power and leverage to do this. Any lever that causes enough headaches for Russia to realise it isn't worth.

That said, I don't think Russia was capable of conquering all of Persia at that time, they would be getting themselves into a major mess and in OTL probably knew this.
 
Russia had not the forces available to do it in the timeframe considered.
Persia was in a bad shape, yes, but Russia had a lot on her plate at that point. Critically, their only invasion route was through a Caucasian region they only barely and recently controlled at that juncture, with all the supply and manpower issues this entails. They just might manage to take Persian Azebayjan and perhaps some more bits if they wanted to, but I don't think they'd really bother. Chechen and Circassian resistance sucked up a considerable amount of Russian troops that would not be available for operations against Persia without imperiling the same Persian front itself, which would limit the Russian ability to occupy large parts of new territory (it would be largely hostile territory, even is the Azeris weren't particularly restive under Russian rule historically when compared to other Caucasian peoples).
 
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