Mongolia and the “Asian Issue” in British Victorian Foreign Policy

Abstract

Introduction. The article exa­mines Britain’s policy towards Mongolia in the era of Queen Victoria. Mongolia was studied in the British parliament as an object of colonial expansion in the con­­­­­­­text of the “Asian Issue”. These problems were not considered comprehensively in historiography in the context of justifying Mongolia’s expansion and its necessity for Victorian foreign policy. The invasion was not implemented by Britain, as Mongolia did not have access to the sea necessary for naval invasions and the creation of trade centers. All these problems force historians to identify the origins of the centuries-old contradictions between Britain and Mongolia, and the continuity of their foreign policy. The purpose of the study is to identify Mongolia’s place in Victorian foreign policy in the context of the “Asian Issue”. The objectives of the study include consideration of the peculiarities of Mongolia’s development in the context of the formation of British foreign policy, as well as the role of parliament and geographers in expansion plans. Materials and methods. The research is based on parliamentary documents, which are being put into scientific circulation for the first time, as well as documents of personal origin and the British press. Conclusions. Scientific and military intelligence research in Mongolia was coordinated by the parliament and Royal Geographical Society of Britain to strengthen the borders of British India, trade and opposition to Russia in Asia.