Solidifying the Russian Presence in Georgia (1806–12)

Abstract

Tsitsianov was succeeded in turn by Ivan V. Gudovich, previous commander of the Line (1806–9), Alexander P. Tormasov (1809–11), the Marquis Filip Palucci (1811–12), Nikolai F. Rtishchev (1812–16) and Alexei P. Ermolov (1816–27). He bequeathed two principal tasks to his successors. The first was to secure the new Imperial possessions against external invasion and internal subversion; the second was to continue the process of integrating the Georgian lands into the Russian Empire. The only imperative guiding the Imperial commander for the region was to keep Transcaucasia within the Russian fold by whatever means necessary.¹ His only limitation: due to the unsettled condition of Europe and the threat posed to Russia by Napoleon, he could not expect further reinforcements from the Russian heartland. Tsitsianov’s successors had in the Caucasian Corps a force of only 20,000 men, including garrison troops and Cossacks, with which to pacify, police and protect the entire Caucasus and fend off the challenges posed by internal rebellions, North Caucasian raiders and the Ottoman and Persian armies