Russian-Turkish war (1828-1829): causes, results, main events (table)

The next Russo-Turkish war (1828–1829) was caused by several key reasons. The main one was a dispute around the straits, which opened the way from the Black to the Mediterranean Sea.

Straits problem

On the Bosphorus stood Istanbul - the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Before it was Constantinople (the Slavs called it Constantinople). Until 1453, the capital of Byzantium was located here. It was this country that became the conductor of Orthodoxy in Russia. Therefore, Moscow (and then St. Petersburg) rulers believed that they had the legal right to own a city that was the main stronghold of Christianity for a millennium.

Of course, in addition to ideological reasons, there were pragmatic motives. Free access to the Mediterranean could facilitate trade for our country. In addition, this would be another reason to confirm the status of one of the main European powers.

Conflict in the Caucasus

At the beginning of the 19th century, Turkey was already noticeably behind its neighbors in its development. Russia won several wars with this country and got access to the Black Sea.

However, any peace made with Turkey was just a truce. The conflict of interest echoed even in the years when there was no war between the rivals. It's about the Caucasus.

In 1818, Russian troops began a war against the highlanders - the indigenous inhabitants of this region. The head of the campaign was Alexey Ermolov. However, our army struggled with the mountaineers with difficulty because it was not adapted to the war in the mountains. In addition, the inhabitants of the Caucasus helped Turkey itself, which sold them weapons. The flow of rifles, guns and money, flowing through the Ottoman Empire, allowed the mountaineers to successfully repel Russian attacks for several decades. Of course, in St. Petersburg they knew about the help of Muslims to Muslims. Therefore, the Russo-Turkish war (1828–1829) was supposed to stop this rival cooperation harmful to the Russian Empire.

Greek question

Finally, the third cause of the conflict between the two countries was the Greek revolution. So in historiography the national movement of this Balkan people is called. For several centuries, the Greeks were ruled by the Turks. Ethnic contradictions were complemented by religious ones. Muslims often oppressed Christians.

In 1821, the Greek uprising began, which turned into a long war of independence. Christians were supported by numerous European countries: Great Britain, France and Russia. The Turkish sultan responded with massive repression against the Greeks. For example, on the island of Crete, the metropolitan and several archbishops were killed during church service.

The war within Turkey hit the Russian economy painfully. Shortly before this, the rapid growth of Odessa began. This new Black Sea port became a free economic zone, where there were no duties. In peacetime, hundreds of ships sailed here. Most of them were Greek and belonged to the Christian subjects of the Ottoman Empire.

Because of this, the Russo-Turkish war (1828–1829) was inevitable. Only with the help of force could the Greeks be helped and an end to the crisis in the economy of the country's southern regions. When the Greek war had just begun, Alexander I ruled Russia. He was not determined to fight. In this pursuit he was supported by Austrian diplomacy. Therefore, before his death, Russia was limited only to symbolic actions against the Turks.

The decision of Nicholas I

However, in 1825, Alexander’s younger brother, Nikolai, was in power. In his youth, he received a military education, since no one expected him to become an heir. After Alexander, another brother should have ruled - Konstantin, but he refused the throne. By the way, this grand duke was named in honor of the great Roman emperor, who founded Byzantium. It was a symbolic gesture of Catherine II - she wanted to put her grandson on the throne in Constantinople (Istanbul).

Nikolai’s military education and habits immediately made themselves felt. The country began to prepare for an escalation of the conflict. In addition, Nicholas wanted to conduct an independent foreign policy, and not look back at the European allies, who often stopped Alexander. The Western powers absolutely did not want the excessive strengthening of Russia. As a rule, they tried to maintain a balance of power in the region, which, of course, Nikolai did not like. The Russian-Turkish war (1828–1829) was supposed to destroy this system of checks and balances. It is also worth considering as a separate episode of the Greek revolution and the struggle for independence (1821-1830).

Battle of Navarino

In 1827, they began to prepare a squadron in the Baltic, which was supposed to go to the southern seas. Emperor Nicholas himself held a solemn inspection of the departing ships in Kronstadt.

In the area of ​​the Ionian Islands, the Russian squadron merged with allied ships from France and England. Together they went to Navarino Bay, where the fleet of Turkey and Egypt was located. This was done in order to force the Ottoman Empire to end its repressive policy against the Greeks and give them autonomy. The head of the Russian squadron was Rear Admiral Login Heyden. He invited the Allies to take the most decisive measures. General leadership was transferred to the British Admiral Edward Codrington.

The Turkish commander was given an ultimatum: to cease hostilities against the Greeks. He (Ibrahim Pasha) left this message unanswered. Then the Russian admiral persuaded the Allies to enter the bay and start the battle against the Turks if they open fire. In the combined flotilla there were dozens of battleships, frigates, brigs (about 1300 guns in total). The enemy had a few more ships (in total there were 22 thousand sailors on them).

At this time, the ships of the Turks were anchored. They were well protected, since the Navarino fortress was nearby, which could open artillery fire on the enemy fleet. The bay itself was on the west coast of the Peloponnese.

Codrington hoped to avoid battle and persuade Ibrahim the Pasha without using weapons. However, when the Russian ship Azov entered the bay, fire was opened on it from the Turkish battery located on Sfakteria Island. In addition, at the same time, the Turks killed two parliamentarians from England. Despite the open fire, the Allied ships did not respond until they occupied the dispositions that were prescribed to them, according to the plan of the ally. Admirals wanted to completely close the Turkish fleet in the bay. This was facilitated by the fact that the bay was closed by land on three sides (the mainland and Sfaktoria island). It remained to close the narrow strait, where the European ships went.

Only when the Allied squadron anchored did they return fire. The battle lasted more than four hours. The greatest contribution to the victory was made by the Russians and the British (the French admiral lost control of his ships during the battle).

“Azov” was especially distinguished in our fleet. It was served by Lieutenant Nakhimov and warrant officer Kornilov - future heroes and symbols of the Crimean War. With the onset of night, the bay was lit by numerous fires. The Turks destroyed the wrecked ships so that they would not go to the enemy. The Allies did not lose a single vessel, although, for example, the Russian Gangut received fifty holes.

It is the battle in Navarino Bay that is considered the prologue that marked the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829. (although it started a few months later). After Istanbul learned of the defeat, Sultan Mahmoud II appealed to his subjects. He ordered all Muslims to prepare for jihad against Europeans, including Russians. Thus began the Russo-Turkish war of 1828–1829.

War at sea

Our government was silent for some time. This was due to the fact that the war with Persia continued at the same time, and in St. Petersburg no one wanted a war on two fronts. Finally, in February, a peace treaty was signed with the Iranians. On April 14, 1828, Nicholas I signed a manifesto on the war with Turkey.

At this time, the Russian squadron participating in the Battle of Navarino was being repaired in the port of Malta. This island was the property of Great Britain. The British did not support Russia in its war against Turkey (again, the peculiarities of European diplomacy affected). Great Britain declared its neutrality. At the same time, her government favored Turkey more, not wanting to strengthen Russia. Therefore, our squadron left Malta to avoid unnecessary conflicts. She relocated to the island of Paros in the Aegean Sea, which in Russian sources was called the Archipelago until the 20th century.

It was her ships that took upon themselves the first blow of the Turks in an open war. On April 21, a naval battle took place between the Egyptian corvette and the Russian battleship Ezikil. Victory was the last. With the start of the war in the Baltic, several more fresh ships were urgently prepared, which went to the rescue to the Mediterranean Sea (the straits from the Black Sea, of course, were closed). This complicated the Russo-Turkish war (1828–1829). The reasons for the need for reinforcements were the lack of ships to block the Dardanelles.

The blockade of the dardanelles

This task was set before the fleet in the very first year of the war. This was necessary in order to cut off Istanbul from the supply of food and other important resources. If the blockade had been established, the Russo-Turkish War (1828-1829), the main events of which were still ahead, went to a completely different level. Our country could take the strategic initiative into its own hands.

The Russian-Turkish war (1828-1829), the table shows this well, was conducted approximately in equal conditions. Therefore, it was urgently necessary to acquire such a blockade advantage. Frigates and other vessels headed for the strait. The Dardanelles were blocked on November 2. The Russian ships participating in the operation were based on the three nearest islands (Mauritius, Tasso and Tenedos).

The blockade was complicated by the steady winter weather (by local standards). Storms began, and a strong wind blew. Despite this, the Russian sailors brilliantly performed all the tasks that were assigned to them. Istanbul was cut off from supplies coming from the Mediterranean.

In Smyrna alone there were about 150 merchant ships, whose bread spoiled as unnecessary. Until the end of hostilities, not a single Turkish vessel could pass through the Dardanelles. Until August 1829, the blockade was led by Admiral Geyden. When Russian soldiers entered Adrianople, the squadron was subordinated to Johann Dibich, a commander of Prussian origin. The fleet was preparing to break through the Dardanelles. All that was needed was an order from St. Petersburg. Russian troops won victory over land, which guaranteed the success of the operation. However, there was no order. Soon, peace was signed, and the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829) ended. The reasons for this delay were hidden in the fact that the European powers, as always, did not want the final victory of Russia. The capture of Istanbul could lead to a war with the whole West (in the first place, with England).

In 1830, all ships that fought in the Mediterranean returned to the Baltic. The exception was Emmanuel, which was donated to the Greeks, who became independent.

Balkans

The main force of Russia in the region was the Danube Army (95 thousand people). Turkey had a contingent that was about one and a half times more.

The Danube army was supposed to occupy the principalities located in the basin of this river: Moldova, Dobrudja and Wallachia. The troops were commanded by Peter Wittgenstein. He headed to Bessarabia. So the Russo-Turkish War (1828–1829) began on the mainland. The table shows the aspect ratio in this region.

The first was the important Brailov fortress. The siege of Varna and Shumla began. While the Turkish garrisons were waiting for support, an important battle took place in Wallachia, in which the Russian units won. Because of this, the besieged enemy army was left without hope for help from compatriots. Then the city was commissioned.

1829 Campaign

In the new 1829, Johann Dibich was replaced by Wittgenstein. He was tasked with crossing the Balkans and reaching the Turkish capital. Despite the outbreak of illness in the army, the soldiers completed their mission. Adrianople was the first to be besieged (they approached him on August 7). The reasons for the Russo-Turkish war of 1828-1829 were control of the straits, and they were already very close.

The garrison did not expect that Dibich’s army would go so far within the Ottoman Empire. Due to the unpreparedness for confrontation, the commandant agreed to surrender the city. In Adrianople, the Russian army discovered a huge amount of weapons and other important resources in order to gain a foothold in the region.

This rapid success stunned everyone. Turkey agreed to negotiations, but deliberately delayed them, hoping that England or Austria would help her.

In the meantime, the Albanian Pasha went to Bulgaria with a 40,000th army. With his maneuver, he could cut off the army of Dibich, who was standing in Adrianople. General Kiselev, who at that time was guarding the Danube principalities, moved towards the enemy. He was the first to occupy Sofia - the capital of Bulgaria. Because of this, Mustafa was left with nothing and had to fight with significant forces in order to gain a foothold in Bulgaria. He did not dare to do this and retreated back to Albania. The Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829, in short, became increasingly successful for Russia.

Caucasian front

In parallel with the events in the sea and the Balkans, the war unfolded in the Caucasus. The Russian corps in this region was supposed to invade Turkey from the rear. In June 1828, he managed to take the fortress of Kars. The course of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828–1829 it also took shape in favor of Russia.

The further campaign of the army of Ivan Paskevich was complicated by numerous mountain trails and inaccessible crossings. Finally, on July 22, she found herself at the walls of the fortress of Akhalkalaki. The detachment that defended it consisted of only a thousand people. In addition, the walls and fortifications of the fort were in disrepair. Despite all this, the garrison refused to give up.

In response to this, Russian guns launched intensive artillery shelling. The fortress fell in just three hours. The infantry under cover of artillery quickly took possession of all the fortifications and the main citadel. This was another success that remembered the Russian-Turkish war (1828–1829). The main battles at this time took place in the Balkans. In the Caucasus, the Russian army so far fought with small units, overcoming natural barriers.

On August 5, she forced Kura. An important fortress of Akhaltsykh stood on its tributary. On the 8th, artillery fire was opened on it. This was done in order to deceive the 30,000th enemy army, standing nearby. And so it happened. The Turks decided that Paskevich was preparing to storm the fortress.

Meanwhile, the Russian army quietly approached the enemy and unexpectedly attacked. Paskevich lost 80 people dead, while the Turks left two thousand corpses on the battlefield. The remnants fled. There was no noticeable resistance in Georgia in the future.

In Transcaucasia, the Russo-Turkish War (1828-1829), in short, ended in a complete fiasco for the Ottoman Empire. Paskevich occupied all of modern Georgia.

It is curious that the great poet Alexander Pushkin traveled around this country at that time. He witnessed the fall of Erzurum. This episode was described by the writer in his work Journey to Arzerum.

A few years earlier, Paskevich successfully campaigned against Persia, for which he became a count. After victories over the Turks, he received the Order of St. George of the first degree.

World and Results

When negotiations were already underway with the Turks, in St. Petersburg there was a sharp debate about whether to end the war, or still get to Istanbul. Nikolai, who had recently occupied the throne, hesitated. He did not want to conflict with Austria, which opposed the strengthening of Russia.

In order to solve this problem, the emperor established a special committee. It included numerous bureaucrats who were incompetent in the issues that confronted them. It was they who adopted the resolution, according to which it was decided to forget about Constantinople.

The parties to the conflict made peace on September 2, 1829. The signing of the document took place in Adrianople. Russia has received many cities on the east coast of the Black Sea. In addition, the Danube Delta crossed to it. The results of the Russo-Turkish war of 1828–1829 also consisted in the fact that the Port recognized the transition to Russia of several states in the Caucasus. These were Georgian kingdoms and principalities. The Ottoman Empire also confirmed that it would respect autonomy for Serbia.

The same fate awaited the Danube principalities - Moldova and Wallachia. On their territory remained Russian troops. This was necessary to carry out reforms in them. These were important results of the Russo-Turkish war of 1828–1829. Greece gained autonomy (and a year later - independence). Finally, Porta had to pay a significant contribution.

The straits became free for Russian merchant ships. However, the agreement did not stipulate their status during the hostilities. This caused uncertainty in the future.

The Russian-Turkish war (1828-1829), the reasons, results and main events of which are described in this material, did not reach its main goal. The empire still wanted to take over Constantinople, which was opposed in Europe. Despite this, our country continued its expansion in the south.

Russian-Turkish wars 1806–1812, 1828–1829 confirmed this trend. Everything turned upside down after a few decades. Shortly before the death of Nicholas I, the Crimean War began, in which European countries openly supported Turkey and attacked Russia. After her, Alexander II had to make concessions in this region and engage in reforms within the state.