The Russian Empire has many opportunities to gain many areas around the world, from Indonesia to Argentina. However, practical considerations often play an important role in Russia's refusal to accept several offers to expand its territory.
The Russian Empire, which dates from 1721 to 1917, stretches from the Pacific to the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. Nevertheless, the empire failed to become the ruler of the colonial maritime.
Compared to Spain, Britain and France, Russia - as a land-based kingdom - has few colonial competitors abroad. Nevertheless, during different periods of tsarist rule, Russia has a number of opportunities to become a colonial maritime ruler.
Mediterranean
During the American Revolutionary War, when the Third Colonies of the British Empire in North America fought for independence, Russia had a chance to acquire Menorca Island in the Balearic Islands, which at that time belonged to England.
Britain offered the island in return for Russian support in the war with the colonies. Russia, at that time, was part of an anti-British alliance formed by European countries to help what would eventually become the United States.
The ruler of the Russian Empire, Yekaterina II, rejected the British offer by saying, "The bride is too dignified to obey." That is to say, Russia (the bride) has too high a self-esteem to be lured by an English offer.
In 1783, Britain handed Menorca to Spain, which still manages the island.
More than a decade and a half later, when France overran Malta, Britain invited Russia to jointly liberate and divide the island.
The island was under French rule when the Order of Saint John, who ruled Malta, surrendered to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798.
The Russian Emperor Pavel I, who was the sovereign ruler of the order's part, considered Napoleon's demise on the island as an insult.
The emperor also approved the request of the British and asked the army of the Russian Empire to prepare for the invasion and annexed the island into the territory of the empire. However, the plan failed and the coalition was falling apart. Pavel I was assassinated by members of Russian nobility in 1801. Meanwhile, the British managed to occupy Malta in the same year without Russian help.
Pacific Ocean
Although brief, the Russian Empire was present in Hawaii. In 1815, Kaumualii, the king of Kauai Island and Niihau in the north of the Hawaiian Islands, asked Russia to grant his kingdom the status of protectorate (land or state under the protection of another country) and help him in the war against Kamehameha I, the king of other islands in the Hawaiian Islands.
Kaumualii promises Russian land for trade posts and settlements. The Russians built three military fortresses and began to explore the Hanalei Valley on Kauai.
However, in 1817, under American pressure, Russian settlers were expelled from the islands. The Fort Elizabeth, whose ruin was declared a US National Historic Site in 1966, is a reminder of Russia's presence in Hawaii.
The Russian American project also ends miserably. Beginning in the 18th century, industrialists and Russian trading companies began to explore the territory of Alaska.
The Russian Empire finally supported the industrialists and these companies who had established settlements and trading posts in the region.
In 1812, Russian explorer Ivan Kuskov also bought some land from Native Americans in California and founded Fort Ross.
Years later, the Russian authorities decided that regional maintenance costs in North America were greater than the profits they earned. Moreover, the empire felt that possessing this area was very impractical.
Fort Ross was then sold to American businessman John Sutter in 1841 and Alaska purchased by the United States in 1867.
In 1861, Russia had an opportunity to have an area around in the Korean Strait. The Japanese feudal princess in Tsushima gave Russia the right to establish settlements and naval base on Tsushima Island. This will obviously give the Russian Navy a very favorable position in a region that is strategically very important.
However, the plan came under pressure from Britain and the central government of Japan.
Aceh
In 1875, renowned Russian scientist and explorer Nikolay Miklukho-Maklay called on the Russian government to grant protectorate status to the northeastern territory of New Guinea (Island of Papua) and the Palau Islands, which he has examined for a long time.
He wants Russia to protect the Papuans from European colonization.
Miklukho-Maklay consistently appealed to the Russian rulers of the time, Aleksandr II and Aleksandr III, to support this initiative. However, they do not support the idea. Finally, in 1885, the eastern region of New Guinea was divided between the United Kingdom and Germany.
In 1879 and 1898, the Russian Empire had a chance to rule Aceh in the north of Sumatra Island in Indonesia. The then Aceh ruler, Muhammad Daud Syah II, asked Russia to grant the protectorate status to the Aceh Sultanate and help him fight the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC).
Unfortunately, the sultan's request was denied. Aceh finally had to surrender to the Dutch in 1904.
Atlantic Ocean
In 1892, the Government of the Argentine Republic offered an opportunity to the Russian Empire to buy or rent Estados Island in the Tierra del Fuego Islands.
The Russian government, after careful consideration, rejected the offer. Russia felt that it would be very difficult for them to supply military equipment to the garrison there if at any time there was a war with the British. In addition, Russia does not want to be involved in the Falkland Islands dispute between Argentina and Britain that are nearby.
In 1907, a Portuguese named Henry Abra offered Russia to buy two uninhabited islands in the Azores. The offer was not accepted because it was impossible for Russia to establish naval bases or even ports in the archipelago.
Africa
In 1889, a group of 150 Russian settlers made up of 150 colonies under the leadership of a Cossack, Nikolay Ashinov, illegally occupied the Zagallo Fortress, an Egyptian building abandoned on the shore of the Bab El-Mandeb Strait (located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa). After naming the area as Novaya Moskva, Ashinov declared the land as a Russian territory. However, the land turned out to belong to the Tadjoura Sultanate which was under French protectorate.
Knowing this, the French Navy immediately drove the Russian settlers out of the fortress. As punishment for his actions, Ashinov was exiled for three years to the Saratov region of Russia.
This post and photograph is quoted from id.rbth.com