Khiva Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Khiva (alternative names include Khorasam, Khoresm, Khwarezm, Khwarizm, Khwarazm, Chiwa and Chorezm) is a city in present day Uzbekistan, in the Province of Khorezm. It is the former capital of Khwarezmia.
Khiva area is one of the old pillars of the Iranian cultural activities and Iranian architecture. Inhabitants of the area were for the most of history from the Iranian stock belonging to the Khwarazmian branch. They spoke an eastern Iranian language called Khwarezmian. As a consequent of the constant Turkic attack and migration, the Khiva area received a mixed population and lost its Iranian language.
Later in history Khiva became a Turkoman Khanate, laying on a strategic overland route to India from Europe. The discovery of gold on the banks of the Oxus during the reign of Peter the Great of Russia prompted an armed trade expedition to the region, led by Prince Alexander Bekovich, and consisting of 4,000 men.
Upon receiving the men the Khan set up camp under the pretense of goodwill, then ambushed and slaughtered the envoys, leaving ten alive to send back. Peter the Great, indebted after wars with Turkey and Sweden, did nothing
Tsar Paul I aka Paul of Russia also attempted to conquer the city, but his expedition was woefully undermanned and undersupplied, and was recalled en route due to his assassination. Tsar Alexander I had no such ambitions, and it is under Tsar Alexander II and Tsar Alexander III that serious efforts to annex the city started.
True annexation did not happen until after the Bolsheviks took power after the revolution.
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