XXXI Международный конгресс ИИСАА. 23–25 июня 2021 г. Т. 1

Россия и Восток. К 100-летию политических и культурных связей новейшего времени. Т. 1 195 Источниковедение и историография Центральной Азии half of the nineteenth century the Russian advancement towards the Straits and the Mediterranean coast gave rise to the unprecedented contest for dominance over the Ottoman lands. There as an opponent Russia met Britain. The decisive strategic point over which the two great powers concentrate was the Straits with its manouvering ground the Balkan Peninsula. The process of disintegration of the Ottoman Euro- pean lands strengthened the demands for establishment of an influence which had to secure the political interests of two Powers in the region. For Great Britain this was the road to India and its defense, for Russia the defense of the Black Sea and the outlet in the Mediterranean. The whole this process included series of events, political issues and collisions which provoked the elaboration of political strategies and mechanism for finding of a solution of the Eastern Question and establishment of a Balance of Power. The developments of the Eastern Question somehow found a response in the emerging of the second battle area for the Russian and British rivalry in the Central Asia. After the Russian defeat in the Crimean War 1853–1856 and the signing the Treaty of Paris which ceased the Russian progress towards the Straits and destroyed its gains in the Balkan Peninsula the Russian Empire was forced to alter her political ambitions in the direction of the Central Asia. In the Central Asia was situated the second decisive point — Afghanistan which pos- sible possession or exercising an influence over these territories would secure a powerful tool against the British Empire. Here as her opponent appeared again the British Empire which already had settled its colonial power in the continent. The British-Russian rivalry from the first half the 19 th century regarding the Easter Question from the second part slowly transferred in Central Asia and turn into Great Game. In 1877–1878 Russia received the chance to restore her prestige and to resume her position at the Balkans and respectively in the European theatre. Russian Empire gained a victory which raised her prestige and power placing her in an immediate proximity of the Straits. This threat induced a campaign against her, and the British authorities managed to impose a revision of Treaty of San Stefano. The “big Bulgaria” was divided and from south part was established the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia. Russian responded to this with action in Afghanistan 1878, the mission of General Stoletov which harmed the British interests in Central Asia and forced Britain to lead a war with Afghanistan (1879–1880). Meanwhile in period on 1878–1879 British and Russians struggled to impose their influence over Eastern Rumelia and respectively to secure their influence in Istanbul. So, the issue of Eastern Rumelia and Afghanistan in the years between 1878 and 1886 were correlated as a part of the larger struggle for dominance in the Near East. Afghanistan was a sensitive issue for the British policy as much as Eastern Rumelia was for the Russian policy. For the British authorities Afghanistan was the defensive line for India, Eastern Rumelia was a