Facts : 1 In the 19th century, Russian interest in the area increased greatly, sparked by nominal concern over British designs on Central Asia; by anger over the situation of Russian citizens held as slaves; and by the desire to control the trade in the region and to establish a secure source of cotton for Russiabr Facts : 2 When the United States Civil War prevented cotton delivery from Russia s primary supplier, the southern United States, Central Asian cotton assumed much greater importance for Russiabr Facts : 3 As soon as the Russian conquest of the Caucasus was completed in the late 1850s, the Russian Ministry of War began to send military forces against the Central Asian khanatesbr Facts : 4 In 1868 the Khanate of Bukhoro signed a treaty with Russia making Bukhoro a Russian protectoratebr Facts : 5 Khiva became a Russian protectorate in 1873, and the Quqon Khanate finally was incorporated into the Russian Empire, also as a protectorate, in 1876