Iran seeks French support against Russian expansion at Finkenstein

Russian forces captured Ganja’s citadel and killed its ruler Javad Khan. The assault intensified the struggle over the eastern Caucasus between Russia and Qajar Iran; reported killing of inhabitants...

Napoleon and Alexander I concluded their treaty at Tilsit. Their rapprochement weakened French support for Iran against Russia, showing how European settlements could undercut Iranian diplomacy even...

Iran and Britain signed a preliminary treaty as Iran sought an alternative to unreliable French support against Russia. The diplomatic shift illustrates Iran’s search for military assistance within...

Russian troops defeated Abbas Mirza’s army at Aslanduz. The defeat weakened Iran’s ability to resist Russian territorial demands. British officer Charles Christie, who had remained in Iranian service,...

After the 1804–1813 war, Iran recognized Russian control over major Caucasian territories under the Treaty of Gulistan. Russia also secured exclusive Caspian warship rights, deepening the unequal...

Iran and Britain concluded a definitive treaty offering British troops or a subsidy if a European power attacked Iran. It also constrained Iran’s alliances. The agreement sought protection after...