Treaty of Bucharest (1812)

The Treaty of Bucharest (1812) ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1806–1812. It was signed on May 28, 1812 (on the Russian side – by M. Kutuzov, on the Ottoman side – by Ahmed Pasha). Peace negotiations began in October 1811, after the Russians had destroyed and surrounded the main Turkish military forces. The Turks tried to delay the negotiations, but Kutuzov managed to conclude a more favorable truce for Russia a month before Napoleon's invasion. The treaty ensured the security of Russia's southern borders and freed the Russian Army of the Danube to fight Napoleon.

The Treaty of Bucharest contained 16 public and 2 secret articles. According to the treaty, Bessarabia was transferred to Russia, and Ottoman rights in the Danubian Principalities were sharply limited. Article 6 concerned the Caucasus and Georgia. Russia had to return to the Ottomans the territories and fortresses (Anapa, Poti, and Akhalkalaki) captured by force of arms, but in return, it retained Imereti, Samegrelo, Guria, and Abkhazia. Thus, the Treaty of Bucharest legally formalized the annexation of Western Georgia to Russia. The main points of the Treaty of Bucharest were confirmed by the Convention of Akkerman (1826).

Literature: ქორთუა ნ., საქართველო 1806–1812 წლების რუსეთ-თურქეთის ომში, თბ., 1964; Фадеев А. В., Россия и Кавказ первой трети XIX в., [M., 1960].

 

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