Revisiting the great game : the 19th century Anglo Russian rivalry in central Asia

Abstract EN

The British loss of the thirteen colonies and the American independence in 1883 moved Britain to concentrate her efforts on India in which the English East India Company had established its foothold from the beginning of the seventeenth century up to the Indian Mutiny (1857).

Upon this latter historical event, the British Government took the overall control of India due to the dysfunction of the East India Company.

However, the British direct rule of India was problematic, for it was challenged by the Russian southwards expansion, thus culminating in an Anglo-Russian rivalry for power and influence in the region.

Historians named this type of Cold War between the two empires, 'the Great Game.

' The result of such a game was that coterminous regions with both powers' spheres of influence were submitted to military and political dominance.