The Khanate of Khiva's Russian Conquest of 1873

In 1873, the Russian Empire launched a decisive campaign against the Khanate of Khiva, one of Central Asia's last independent slave-trading states. This episode follows General Konstantin von Kaufman's 4,000-strong force across the Kyzylkum Desert, the khan's last-minute surrender, the abolition of slavery, and the treaty that made Khiva a Russian protectorate. We explore the khanate's brutal slave market — where thousands of Persians and Russians were held — the role of Turkmen tribes in the resistance, and the long-term impact on Khorezm's economy and identity. Along the way, we consider how the campaign fit into the Great Game rivalry with Britain and why Khiva's fate still resonates in modern Uzbekistan.

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