{{Infobox historic site | name = Azov Fortress | native_name = Азовская крепость | native_language = ru | image = Azov Alexeyevsky Gate 2.JPG | caption = Alekseyevskie gates of the Azov Fortress | type = Fortress and museum | locmapin = Russia | coordinates = {{coord|47.117|39.422|type:landmark_region:RU|display=inline,title}} | location = [[Azov]], [[Rostov oblast]] Russia | area = | built = 1475 | architect = | architecture = | governing_body = | owner = }} The '''Azov Fortress''' ({{langx|ru|Азовская крепость|Azovskaya krepost}}) is a fortified complex in [[Azov]], [[Rostov Oblast]], Russia, overlooking the [[Don River (Russia)|Don River]] and the Port of Azov to the north. It includes a rampart, watchtowers and gates.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://amtg-rus.ru/azov/sightseeing/obj_43.html|title = Крепостные валы с Алексеевскими воротами|publisher = Ассоциация малых туристских городов|access-date = 2017-10-01|language = ru|archive-date = 2017-08-10|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170810132057/http://amtg-rus.ru/azov/sightseeing/obj_43.html|url-status = dead}}</ref> The Azov Fortress (formerly known as Azak Fortress) was founded by [[Turkish people|Turks]] on behalf of the [[Ottoman Empire]] in 1475. It guarded the northern approaches to the Empire and access to the [[Azov Sea]].<ref name="Turk">Тихонов, Ю. А. Азовское сидение. — Москва, 1970. P. 99</ref> After a series of conflicts, a [[Treaty of Constantinople (1700)|peace treaty]] was signed in [[Istanbul|Constantinople]] on July 13, 1700 between the [[Tsardom of Russia]] and the [[Ottoman Empire]]. The sultan recognized Russia's possession of the Azov area.<ref>{{cite book|title=Warfare, state and society on the Black Sea steppe, 1500-1700|url=https://archive.org/details/warfarestatesoci00davi|url-access=limited|series=Warfare and history|first=Brian L.|last=Davies|publisher=Routledge|year=2007|isbn=978-0-415-23986-8|page=[https://archive.org/details/warfarestatesoci00davi/page/n203 187]}}</ref>
==History== === Origin === The site had been [[Republic of Venice|Venetian]] and [[Genoese colonies]] before the second half of the 15th century. A town named [[Tanais|Tana]] served as major transit point for trafficking between West and East. Tana became a part of the [[Ottoman Empire]] in 1471. The Ottomans founded an enormous fortress there. It consisted of a stone wall with 11 towers around a hill. The [[Faubourg]] was separated by a moat and ramparts. The fortress' garrison was armed with 200 cannons.<ref name="Turk"/>
=== Cossack period === {{Main|Azov Campaigns (1637–1642)}} [[File:Ramparts-azov-fortress.jpg|left|230px|thumb|The rampart]] The [[Don Cossacks|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{{ndash}}1,000 [[Shell (projectile)|shells]] per day.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Siege of Azov in 1641: Military Realities and Literary Myth|series= Warfare in Eastern Europe|first=Brian J.|last=Boeck|publisher= Leiden|year=2012|page=188}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Siege of Azov in 1641: Military Realities and Literary Myth|series= Warfare in Eastern Europe|first=Brian J.|last=Boeck|publisher= Leiden|year=2012|pages=191–2}}</ref> 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.
=== Russian period === [[File:План осады и покорения Азова русской армией в 1695 и 1696 гг.jpg|right|230px|thumb|Azov campaigns of 1695–96]] [[Peter the Great]] led the [[Azov campaigns (1695–96)|Azov campaigns]] of 1695–96.<ref>''Доценко В. Д.'' Флот Петра Великого. Азовский флот. Великое посольство. Керченский поход. // Морской альманах. № 1. Гл. 1. История Российского флота.: Saint-Petersburg 1992. С. 15</ref> The military expedition advanced by land and water (the rivers of [[Voronezh River|Voronezh]], [[Volga River|Volga]] and [[Don River (Russia)|Don]]). The first attempt to storm the Azov Fortress under the command of general admiral [[Franz Lefort]] was undertaken on 5 August 1695. It was not successful. The Russian Army succeeded in occupying the watchtowers only. The number of dead and wounded Russian soldiers reached over 1,500 during the storming.<ref>{{cite book|title=Хронологический указатель военных действий русской армии и флота|series=Береждивость|year=1909|pages=1–4}}</ref> The second storming of the Azov fortress was undertaken on 25 September. The [[Preobrazhensky Regiment|Lifeguard Preobrazhensky Regiment]] and [[Semyonovsky Regiment]] under [[Fyodor Apraksin]] occupied most of the fortifications and were able to enter the town. However Turks had time to regroup and Apraksin's advance failed without support of other army units. The siege was lifted on 2 October.<ref>{{cite book|author=Шефов Н. А.|title=Битвы России|series=АСТ|location=Moscow|year=2006|page=699}}</ref>
The second Azov campaign was held in July 1696. The garrison of the fortress surrendered on 19 July during a long period of shelling. In 1700, by concluding the [[Treaty of Constantinople (1700)|Treaty of Constantinople]] the Ottoman Empire reaffirmed recognition of Russia's possession of the Azov fortress. The [[Treaty of the Pruth]] of 1711 stipulated the return of Azov to the Ottoman Empire. The Tsardom of Russia was forced to sign the treaty because of severe situation of its army on the banks of the river [[Pruth River|Pruth]] at the end of the [[Russo-Ottoman War of 1710–11]]. [[File:Surrender of Azov (1736).jpg|right|230px|thumb|The surrender of Azov in 1736]]
The Don army (28,000 strong) under the command of imperial commander [[Peter Lacy]] besieged the fortress [[Siege of Azov (1736)|in 1736]]. Forces of Russia opened continuous artillery fire on the fortress on 11 June. Lacy gave an order to begin the storming in the night of 28/29 June. During the battle the Russian Army encountered unexpected resistance. The total Russian losses in the battle for the Azov fortress were 7 killed and 38 wounded. After the night attack Azov [[Pasha]] Mustafa Agha was invited to surrender the fortress to the Russians. Per the terms of the [[Treaty of Belgrade]] the city became part of the [[Russian Empire]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Баионов А. К.|title=Русская армия в царствование императрицы Анны Иоанновны. Война России с Турцией в 1736-1739 гг.|location=Saint-Petersburg|year=1906|page=225}}</ref>
==See also== *[[Alekseevsky Gate]]
== References == {{reflist}}
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Rostov Oblast]] [[Category:Russo-Turkish wars]] [[Category:Coastal fortifications]] [[Category:Cultural heritage monuments of federal significance in Rostov Oblast]]