Storming of Derbent

The Storming of Derbent (Russian: Штурм Дербента) - happened on 10 May 1796 with the assault on Derbent's eponymous fortress (Naryn-Kala) during the Russian-Persian war of 1796. Derbent, an ancient city with thick walls has a favorable geopolitical position, which locks the coastal passage between the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian.

Background

Entrance to the shah's palace. Fortress of Naryn-Kala.

Derbents Sasanian fortress in winter.

In the spring of 1795, the Persians, led by the new ruler and founder of the Qajar dynasty, Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, invaded Kartli-Kakheti and the khanates of the region, as well as capturing and sacking Tiflis. In carrying out its obligations under the Treaty of Georgievsk of 1783, the Russian government sent a large army (about 13 thousand) from Kizlyar and towards the Iranian possessions in the Caucasus, from Dagestan towards the Azerbaijan province of Iran.

For the subsequent hike in 1796, in Kizlyar a strong Russian corps of two infantry and two cavalry battalions had been formed, in which command was given to Prince Pavel Tsitsianov, Bulgakov, Alexander Korsakov, Baron Levin August, Count Stepan Apraksin, and Matvei Platov, while the commander in chief was Lieutenant-General Count Valerian Zubov. Soon Zubov entrusted the army to move deeper into parts of Dagestan in the wake of the vanguard of General I. D. Saveliev, and they moved out from Kizlyar in April 1796. Saveliev came into the possession of Sheik Ali Khan Derbent, the Iranian governor of the town, and immediately offered him to sign a defensive and offensive alliance against Persia. But the young eighteen year old Khan left the letter unanswered, and therefore the city met a barrage of Russian cannon shots.

While General Saveliev was in the position under the walls of Derbent, Zubov ordered Saveliev away from the city and wait for the main forces to arrive somewhere in a strong position. On the 2nd of May 1796 already the commander-in-chief Zubov came to Derbent with the main forces. Near the town skirmishes commenced. After a three-hour firefight, the Iranians were pushed back and locked themselves in its fortress, while the Russian troops surrounded the town and opened their cannonfire.

Storming

The capture of Derbent by Zuvov was glorified by the Russian court poet Derzhavin in his poem "Na Pokorenie Derbenta" (on the conquest of Derbent).

Aftermath

After the capture of Derbent, the Russians had now gained one of the most pivotal towns of the Caucasus region, gaining an important passage of the Caucasus. Empress Catherine waxed jubilant at his rapid progress, which in two months had exceeded the gains of Peter the Great's costly Persian campaign in two years. The capture of Sheikh Ali Khan, the governor of Derbent who was taken prisoner, broke the spirit of resistance of the inhabitants of those places that has allowed the Russian army in a short time (by mid-June) to capture the Iranian towns of Baku, Quba, and Shamakhi. But despite this success, with the accession to the throne Paul I and the change of the foreign policy, the Russian troops were withdrawn from the Caucasus (in December 1796), and all the conquered areas were returned to Qajar Iran.