Morkva, Valeriy2022-03-072022-03-072021Morkva, V. (2021). İmparatorluk için Kafkasya’nın Kilidini Açmak: Doğu Gürcü krallığı Kartli-Kakheti’nin Rusya tarafından ilhakının kökenleri, nedenleri ve sonuçları, 1801. Cappadocia Journal of Area Studies, 3(2), 152–172.2717-7254https://doi.org/10.38154/cjas.15https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12695/1509The Russian annexation of the Eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti at the outset of the 19th century ushered in a new stage in the history of theRussian expansion in the Caucasus. The growing Russian influence in the region depended on Russia’s ability to find allies from among the local Caucasian peoples. In this respect, the Orthodox Georgians could be counted on by the Tsarist authorities as a potential ally in the area traditionally influenced by the Ottoman Empire and Persia. Gaining control over the Georgian lands lying to the south of the Greater Caucasus ridge was instrumental in providing the Russians unfettered access across the mountainstowards the south. Obtaining such a foothold as Kartli-Kakheti in the Southern Caucasus would eventually help Russia to gain the upper hand over the mountaineers of the Northern Caucasus, as well as to advance its interests in the area between the Black and the Caspian seas. This article analyses the circumstances of the Russian penetration into the Southern Caucasus throughout the 18th century and assesses the Russian policies towards the Eastern Georgia at the time in question.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessGeorgiaCaucasusRussiaGeorgievsk TreatOttoman-Russian warsArticle32152172