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# Russia After the Crimean War The previous section demonstrates the significant internal political challenges facing the Tsarist regime due to the precarious situation of the peasantry. However, Russia also faced a defensive posture in its foreign policy during the mid-19th century. The loss of t...

# Russia After the Crimean War The previous section demonstrates the significant internal political challenges facing the Tsarist regime due to the precarious situation of the peasantry. However, Russia also faced a defensive posture in its foreign policy during the mid-19th century. The loss of the Crimean War (1856) resulted in a severe loss of prestige for the Tsarist regime, which saw itself as a major international power and the leader of Slavic nations. The significant lagging behind of Russia compared to other European nations became undeniable. At the latest, the pressure for reforms from the Russian elite grew upon Tsar Alexander II. ## Preparation for an Audience with Tsar Alexander II in 1856 **Situation:** The Tsarist regime clung to its existing political and social structures while trying to assert its power in relation to other European great powers. This put immense strain on the Russian Empire and led to its limitations being exposed. This limitation was further highlighted during the Crimean War (1853-1856). Russia demanded control over the orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire. However, the deeper reason for the war was the fracturing Ottoman Empire, which offered Russia a potential opportunity to expand its territory and influence in Europe, specifically the Mediterranean. When Tsar Nicholas I sent troops against the Ottomans, British and French expeditionary forces landed on the Crimean peninsula to support the Ottomans. Russia's forces were unsupported and, without any allies, their offensive against the Ottomans failed. The Russian fortress of Sevastopol surrendered during the first modern positional war, forcing Tsar Alexander II to end the war. This humiliating defeat and surrender demonstrated that Russia was unable to compete economically and militarily with the European powers.