I . Scan the text and explain the words and word combinations in bold, use them in your own sentences.

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 445.

Foreign policy

Text 2

In foreign policy, Nikolay I acted as the protector of ruling legitimism and guardian against revolution. His offers to suppress revolution on the European continent, trying to follow the trends of his eldest brother, Tsar Alexander I, earned him the label of gendarme of Europe. In 1825 Nikolay I was crowned and began to limit the liberties of constitutional monarchy in Congress Poland. In return, after the November Uprising broke out, in 1831 the Polish parliament deposed Nikolay as king of Poland in response to his repeated curtailment of its constitutional rights. The Tsar reacted by sending Russian troops into Poland. Nikolay crushed the rebellion, abrogated the Polish constitution, and reduced Poland to the status of a province, Privislinsky Krai, and embarked on a policy of repression towards Catholics.

In 1848, when a series of revolutions convulsed Europe, Nikolay was in the forefront of reaction. In 1849 he intervened on behalf of the Habsburgs to suppress the uprising in Hungary, and he also urged Prussia not to accept a liberal constitution.

While Nikolay was attempting to maintain the status quo in Europe, he adopted an aggressive policy toward the Ottoman Empire. Nikolay I was following the traditional Russian policy of resolving the so-called Eastern Question by seeking to partition the Ottoman Empire and establish a protectorate over the Orthodox population of the Balkans, still largely under Ottoman control in the 1820s.

Russia fought a successful war with the Ottomans in 1828 and 1829. In 1833 Russia negotiated the Treaty of Unkiar-Skelessi with the Ottoman Empire. The major European parties mistakenly believed that the treaty contained a secret clause granting Russia the right to send warships through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. By the London Straits Convention of 1841, they affirmed Ottoman control over the straits and forbade any power, including Russia, to send warships through the straits. Based on his role in suppressing the revolutions of 1848 and his mistaken belief that he had British diplomatic support, Nikolay moved against the Ottomans, who declared war on Russia in 1853.

Fearing the results of an Ottoman defeat by Russia, in 1854 Britain, France, the Kingdom of Sardinia and also then Duchy of Savoy (which would be absorbed into Italy in 1861), and the Ottoman Empire on the other joined forces in the conflict known what became known as the Crimean War on the Ottoman side and in Western Europe, but known in Russia as the Eastern War (March 1854–February 1856).

Austria offered the Ottomans diplomatic support, and Prussia remained neutral, leaving thus Russia without possible allies on the continent. The European allies landed in Crimea and laid siege to the well-fortified Russian base at Sevastopol. After a year's siege the base fell, exposing Russia's inability to defend a major fortification on its own soil.

Nikolay I died before the fall of Sevastopol.

The French seizure of Malakhov Tower heavily protected military complexes at Sevastopol in the Crimea, concluded the siege of this important, even today, naval base.

It is said, but careful metallographic researches do not avail this always, that its guns were melted down to make the Victoria Cross, instituted by Queen Victoria in January 1856.

II. Insert the prepositions where necessary:

1. ____ return, ____ 1831 the Polish parliament deposed Nikolay as king of Poland ____ response to his repeated curtailment ____ its constitutional rights. The Tsar reacted ____ sending Russian troops into Poland, reduced Poland ____ the status of a province and embarked ____ a policy of repression towards Catholics.

2. ____ 1848 Nikolay was ____ the forefront of reaction, ____ 1849 he intervened ____ behalf of the Habsburgs to suppress ____the uprising in Hungary.

3. Nikolay adopted an aggressive policy ____ the Ottoman Empire ____ seeking ____ partition the Ottoman Empire and establish a protectorate ____ the Orthodox population of the Balkans.

4. ____ the London Straits Convention of 1841, the major European parties affirmed Ottoman control ____ the straits and forbade any power to send warships ____ the straits.

5. The European allies landed ____ Crimea and laid siege ____ the well-fortified Russian base at Sevastopol.