with Russia were more important after the two countries signed the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807. The turning point of the war came on 31 October 1812 during the Battle of Aslanduz, in which the Persian army suffered a decisive defeat. Following the battle, Fath Ali Shah had no option but to sign the Treaty of Gulistan. According to Cambridge History of Iran: Terms "Russia by this instrument was confirmed in possession of all the khanates -- Karabagh, Ganja, Shekeen, Shirvan, Derbend, Kouba, and Baku, together with part of Talish and the fortress of Lenkoran. Persia further abandoned all pretensions to Daghestan, Georgia, Mingrelia, Imeretia, and Abkhazia." The lands include: All the cities, towns, and villages of Georgia, including all the villages and towns on the coast of the Black Sea, such as: Megrelia, Abkhazia, Imeretia, Guria; Almost all cities, towns, and villages of the khanates in the South Caucasus and partly North Caucasus: Baku khanate, Shirvan Khanate, Derbent Khanate, Karabakh khanate, Ganja khanate, Shaki Khanate, Quba Khanate, part of the Talysh Khanate; Iran loses all rights to navigate the Caspian Sea, and Russia is granted exclusive rights to station its military fleet in the Caspian Sea. Both countries agree on the establishment of free trade, with Russians having free access to conduct business anywhere in Iran. Iran is also given complete and free access to Russia, but both must pay a 5% ad valorem tax on any items imported into each respective country, thus being seen as a light import/export duty tax. Russia, in return, promises to support Abbas Mirza as heir to the Persian throne after the death of Fath Ali Shah. Assessment Even today, Iran officially sees it and the later Treaty of Turkmenchay as some of its most humiliating treaties ever signed. The treaty is also regarded by Iranians as the main reason why Fath Ali Shah is seen as one of Iran's most incompetent rulers in memory. Scholars in Azerbaijan point out that the Karabakh Khanate, where the treaty was signed, had pursued an independent foreign policy as early as 1795, when "Ibrahim Khalil Khan, the wali of Qarabagh, fearing for his independence, warned Sultan Selim III of Agha Muhammad Khan Qajar's ambitions to subdue Azerbaijan and later Qarabagh, Erivan and Georgia. In the same year Muhammad Khan, the hakim of Erivan, also wrote a letter to Selim III, alerting him to Agha Muhammad's 'aggression,