The Romanovs and the Great Game in Central Asia

The Romanov Dynasty: Rise, Power, and Bloody End — Fexingo History · Oct 25, 2026 · 8m · transcript

While the fall of the Romanovs is well-documented, their expansion into Central Asia remains a shadowy chapter of imperial ambition. This episode explores the late 19th-century rivalry between Russia and Britain, known as the Great Game, focusing on the strategic acquisition of Khiva, Bukhara, and Kokand. We examine the role of General Konstantin von Kaufman, the first Governor-General of Turkestan, and his military campaigns that solidified Russian control over the Silk Road’s southern routes. Through the lens of maps, treaties, and local resistance, we uncover how these conquests reshaped…