Azov Fortress
 | This article or section is in a state of significant expansion or restructuring. You are welcome to assist in its construction by editing it as well. If this article or section has not been edited in several days, please remove this template. If you are the editor who added this template and you are actively editing, please be sure to replace this template with {{in use}} during the active editing session. Click on the link for template parameters to use.
This article was last edited by Mackavi (talk | contribs) 7 years ago. (Update timer) |
| Azov Fortress | |
|---|---|
| Native name Азовская крепость (Russian) | |
 Alekseyevskie gates of the Azov Fortress | |
| Type | Fortress and Museum |
| Location | Azov, Rostov oblast Russia |
| Coordinates | 47°06′58″N 39°25′18″E / 47.115978°N 39.421607°E |
| Built | 1475 |
  Location of Azov Fortress in Russia | |
The Azov Fortress (Russian: Азовская крепость, romanized: Azovskaya krepost) is fortified complex of Azov, Rostov oblast, Russia, overlooking the Don River and the Port of Azov to the north. It is includes rampart, watchtowers and gates. The Azov fortress (formely know as Azak fortress) was founden by Turks on behalf of the Ottoman Empire in 1475. It guarded the northern approaches to the Empire and access to the Azov Sea[1]. After a series of conflicts, a peace treaty was signed in Constantinople on July 13, 1700 between the Tsardom of Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The sultan recognized Russia's possession of the Azov area[2].
History
Origin
The site has been Venetian and Genoese colonies before the second half of the 15th century. A town named Tana served as major transit point for trafficking between West and East. Tana was occupied by the Ottoman Empire in 1471. Turks founded enormous fortress here. It consisted of a stone wall with 11 towers round a hill. Faubourg was separated by a moat and rampart. The fortress garrison was armed with 200 cannons[1].
Cossack period
The Don and Zaporozhian Cossacks stormed the fortress in June 1637. Cossack cavalry with the strength of 400 horsemen defended the fortress from steppe side. Turkish army attempted to retake Azov in 1641. The fortress sustained heavy shelling by guns that reduced much of the fortress to rubble. Turks spent 700-1000 shells per day[3]. The walls were completely destroyed in parts. Only three towers among 11 were spared during the battle. Forces of Ottoman Empire stormed the fortress, but they sustained heavy losses and retreated. After the gun-fire forces of Ottoman Empire organized a massive attack against the fortress. Outnumbered Turkish Army forced the cossacks to retreat to the Citadel[4]. Siege of Azov ends due to heavy toll (20–70 thousand wounded or killed in three months) problems with turkish army support and supply of the provisions.
The Cossacks proposed the annexation of Azov by the Tsardom of Russia. Russian tsar Michael I and the zemsky sobor refused the offer because it has resulted in next Russo-Turkish war to which Russia was not ready. The cossacks did not have resources to the reсonstruction of the fortress. That is why blasted and desolate fortress was left in the summer of 1642.
References
- ^ a b Тихонов, Ю. А. Азовское сидение. — Москва, 1970. P. 99
- ^ Davies, Brian L. (2007). Warfare, state and society on the Black Sea steppe, 1500-1700. Warfare and history. Routledge. p. 187. ISBN 0-415-23986-9.
- ^ Boeck, Brian J. (2012). The Siege of Azov in 1641: Military Realities and Literary Myth. Warfare in Eastern Europe. Leiden. p. 188.
- ^ Boeck, Brian J. (2012). The Siege of Azov in 1641: Military Realities and Literary Myth. Warfare in Eastern Europe. Leiden. p. 191-2.