A Russian general in the tsarist Russia's occupation of Turkestan: Mikhail Dimitrievich Skobelev

When Tsarist Russia was defeated in the Crimean War (1853-1856) by the Allied Powers of the Ottoman Empire, Britain, France, and Piedmont-Sardinia, she understood that she could not advance to Europe through the Balkans and to the Mediterranean via the Black Sea. For this reason, they turned their faces to Turkistan in order to stand against the mentioned powers especially, England and France. This thesis deals with the life and activities of Mihail Dimitrievic Skobelev, who was active in the region between 1873 and 1882, when the Russians tried to occupy Turkestan with power, after changing their current policy. The issue of the occupation of Turkestan in Turkey has been discussed in many studies, and while the expeditions have been described, Skobelev was mentioned. But it is a decisive factor in choosing him as thesis subject that an independent study has not been carried out on this general, who attended all the expeditions for the occupation of Turkic countries. The aim of this study is to shed light on his role in the occupation of Turkestan by dealing with his life as a whole. In this context, the first chapter focuses on his family, the environment he raised, and his education and put emphases on the causes which prompted him to receive military training. It is explained his admission to the Nikolaevskaya Academy where the generals and officers, who served almost all of the military activities that Tsarist Russia had done during the period from the second half of the 19th century to the time of her collapse, were trained and the trainings he received there and his entry into the General Staff after graduation. In the second chapter, the issues that led the Russians to turn towards Turkestan were emphasized and the political condition at that time in Turkestan was examined. Also the Khiva Expedition carried out in 1873 and the Kokand Expedition carried out in 1875, in which Skobelev served after being charged in Turkestan, was discussed in detail and Skobelev's accomplishments in these two missions and his achievements were mentioned. In the third and final part of our study, the Ahal Teke Campaign, which was regarded as the greatest achievement of Skobelev in Turkestan for Russians, was described and the massacres were mentioned that was done by Russians commanded by Skobelev during the occupation of the Turkmen region. Then it is discussed Skobelev's speeches on Pan-Slavism in Europe and in the Balkans and also mentioned about his mysterious death and opinions that were raised about it. Finally it is discussed his reputation on Russian State and the Slavic people and an answer is sought why the interest shown him is still alive.