In the 18th-19th centuries, the internal and international situation of Azerbaijan was very difficult. The territory of Azerbaijan was divided into the small feudal states. The internal situation in Azerbaijan was characterized by incessant wars between khans for the seizure of neighboring territories, increased class conflicts between feudal lords and peasants, and economic decline. Russian incursions into the South Caucasus and the devastating campaigns of the Iranian conquerors further aggravated the situation.

During this period, one of the main directions of Russian foreign policy was the invasion of the South Caucasus. Tsarism sought to transform the South Caucasus into an additional source of income, achieve Russian dominance in the Caspian Sea basin and turn the Caspian Sea into an inland sea of Russia. The natural resources of Azerbaijan, especially mineral deposits, were already known to Russian science. Catherine II linked Russia's invasion of the South Caucasus with the appropriation of these resources.

The political and military-strategic importance of Transcaucasia was especially great. The occupation of this land could resolve the balance of power in favor of Russia in the traditional Russian-Turkish rivalry. An invasion of the South Caucasus could create favorable conditions for encircling the territories of the mountaineers from the north and south. Finally, Russian-British rivalry increased the importance of the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan.

Russia's occupation of these places could seriously affect British influence in the East and the monopoly of the East India Company.

The difficult situation in the South Caucasus objectively contributed to the implementation of Russia's plans to invade this region. Feudal interim wars and invasions by foreign invaders brought great problems to the South Caucasus. Due to the lack of necessary initial socio-economic conditions and mature political forces, attempts by individual khans to unite Azerbaijan under their leadership were unsuccessful.

Western European countries, especially England and France, had plans to invade the South Caucasus.  They closely monitored Russia's actions in this area and tried to interfere with the plans of tsarism.

At the end of 1800, the British representative Malcolm arrived in Iran to conclude a treaty. By concluding political and trade agreements, Great Britain was able to intervene in Iran's internal affairs. Great Britain, in the event of any attack on Iran, pledged to provide the Shah with the necessary amount of military assistance and support personnel for this.

The trade agreement gave merchants of the contracting parties the right to freely transport their goods into the territory of both states. British merchants were allowed to settle in any city or port in Iran, and their goods were exempt from all taxes.

The agreements expanded the country's market for British merchants, made Iran an instrument of Great Britain's anti-Russian policy in the struggle to expand its colonial possessions, protected its colony - India from foreign aggression, and implemented its far-reaching plans for the Transcaucasus.

The tsarist government believed that this treaty was directed primarily against Russia, so it was preparing to implement its own plans. However, after the assassination of Paul I and the ascension to the throne of Alexander I, the balance of power between the rivals changed. Alexander I broke ties with France and moved closer to England. During this period, Great Britain, which valued rapprochement with Russia, in the presence of aggressive Napoleonic France, could no longer openly defend Iran. France did not miss the opportunity to take advantage of this situation and invited the Shah of Iran to conclude an agreement against Russia.

Despite the rapprochement with England, Alexander I decided to implement his plan in the South Caucasus. First of all, in 1799, using troops, he tried to re-establish contact with Georgia through Astrakhan-Derbend-Baku.

On September 12, 1801, the royal manifesto on the annexation of the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom to Russia was announced. The Tiflis province was created, which was governed by the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops and a civil judge. This province included part of the territory of Azerbaijan - the sultanates of Gazakh, Borchaly, Shamseddin, which were in vassal dependence on the Kartli-Kakheti kingdom and were united with it. So, with the annexation of Georgia to Russia, Russia’s invasion of Azerbaijani lands began.

Considering that some khans were already forced to accept Russian patronage, Alexander I decided to seize other khanates, as well as the Caspian provinces of Azerbaijan. On the initiative of General Knorring, in September-December 1802 in the North Caucasus, in the city of Georgievsk, he held a meeting with representatives of the royal command of the khans of Northern Azerbaijan and other rulers of the Caucasus to discuss political and trade issues. On the Russian side, the negotiations were attended by the commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in the Caucasus, General Knorring, representatives of the Guba and Talysh khans, as well as Tarki Shamkhali, Garagaitakh Usmisi, Tabasaran Hakim and other Dagestan feudal lords. Representatives of the other khanates were not present at the meeting.

Despite obstacles from Iran, four months of negotiations at Georgievsky ended successfully, and a treaty was signed on December 26, 1802. According to the preface and 12 articles, the khans of Guba and Talysh, accepted “at their request... under the patronage... of Russia,” as well as the feudal lords of Dagestan agreed to cooperate with Russia in the event of an Iranian attack, expand trade in the South Caucasus and pledged to create conditions for the development of shipping in the Caspian Sea. Also, one of the points was not to attack each other, to be in alliance and friendship. Thus, the Georgievsk Agreement created the conditions for strengthening Russia’s influence in Azerbaijan and Dagestan.

However, after the signing of the Peace of St. George, the tsarist government ignored the agreement and began preparations for the occupation of the territories of the Azerbaijani khanates.

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycan tarixi : uzaq keçmişdən 1870-ci ilə qədər / S. S. Əliyarlı, F. Mahmudov, İ. Babayev [et al.] ; red. S. S. Əliyarlı ; Bakı Dövlət Universiteti. - Bakı : Azərbaycan nəşriyyatı, 1996. - 872 s.
2. Qocayev, Əkbər Ədilxan oğlu. Azərbaycan tarixi : ən mühüm hadisələrin xronoloji xülasəsi: ən qədim zamanlardan müasir dövrədək olan dövrü əhatə edir / Ə. Ə. Qocayev, S. A. Əliyeva, A. H. Hacıyeva. - Bakı : Maarif, 2002. - 160 s.
3. Şükürov, Kərim Kərəm oğlu. Azərbaycan tarixi : 3 hissədə / K. K. Şükürov. II hissə : Ən qədim zamanlardan bizim günlərədək: dövrlər, hadisələr, sinxronlaşdırılmış cədvəllər. - Əlavələr və dəyişikliklər edilmiş III nəşri. - Bakı : Bakı Universiteti Nəşriyyatı, 2004. - 379 s.
4. Азәрбајҹан тарихи : 7 ҹилддә / АМЕА А.А. Бакыханов адына Тарих Институту. IV ҹилд : ΧΙΧ әср / мәс’ул ред. М. Ә. Исмајылов [et al.]. - Бакы : Елм, 2000. - 508 с.