Ambassadorship of Envoy P.A. Tolstoy and his Impressions on the Ottoman Empire

Abstract

After Romanovs came to power in the 17th century, Tsarist Russia took a more decisive character in foreign policy. In a way, the invasion policy that Ivan the Terrible initiated to be realised in the second half of 17th century. In addition to the power conflicts in the court, Tsarina Sophia carried out the invasion policy towards the Crimean Peninsula and Tsar Peter the Great had expansionist plans in regard to the Sea of Azov. The retreat of the Ottoman Empire due to the attacks of the Western powers (The Republic of Venice, Austria-Hungary, Poland) paved the way for Tsarist Russia. In this context, Peter the Great who wanted to expand his sovereignty in the North and South, first aimed to defuse Swedish Kingdom in the Baltic Sea and second tried to stop the Ottoman Empire in the South. Therefore it was necessary to get information about the internal situation and politics of the Ottoman Empire. In this respect, Tsarist Russia that had the right to appoint a permanent ambassador according to the Treaty of Istanbul signed with the Ottoman Empire in 1700 sent Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy to Edirne as an ambassador in 1702. Tolstoy's observations and impressions on the Ottoman Empire's military system, sea power, life in the palace and Turkish people are studied in this paper.