Mobilization and participation of the Kalmyks at the Initial Stage of the Russo-Turkish War of 1735-1739

The Russo-Turkish War of 1735–1739, despite its controversial outcome, was an important stage in Russia’s consolidation in the Black Sea region. The Kalmyk army played a significant role in the campaign of 1736, ensuring the success of the Russian army in the Kuban direction. However, the process of mobilizing the Kalmyks and their participation in the war remain understudied in historiography. The article examines the process of mobilization and participation of the Kalmyks in the Russo-Turkish War of 1735–1739, specifically the campaign of 1736. Based on documents introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time from the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia (fond I-36) and the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire (fond 119), the mechanisms of engaging the Kalmyk cavalry in combat operations, its role in the operations in the Kuban, and the interaction of Kalmyk rulers with the Russian administration are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the activities of the ruler Donduk-Ombo, under whose leadership the Kalmyk cavalry played a key role in the southern direction. The work publishes new archival materials, including letters from Donduk-Ombo and reports from Cossack elders, which allows for a more detailed chronology of events and the strategy of using Kalmyk troops. It is shown that the Kalmyk army, together with the Don Cossacks, managed to deprive the Azov garrison of support from the Kuban Nogais, thereby strengthening the blockade and accelerating the surrender of the fortress. The key results of the 1736 campaign, achieved largely thanks to the actions of the Kalmyks, were the capture of Azov, the devastation of the Kuban, and the transition of some Nogai tribes to Russian citizenship.