Battle of the Dardanelles (1807) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of the Dardanelles |
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| Part of the Russo-Turkish War (1806-1812) | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Russian Empire |
 Ottoman Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Dmitry Senyavin | Seyid Ali | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 10 ships of the line, 1 frigate | 8 ships of the line, 6 frigates, more than 50 smaller ships | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 26 killed and 56 wounded | Up to 2,000 killed and wounded | ||||||
The Battle of the Dardanelles was a naval battle. It happened on May 22, 1807. This battle was part of the Russo-Turkish War. It was also during the larger Napoleonic Wars. The fight was between the Russian and Ottoman navies. It took place near the Dardanelles Strait.
Why the Battle Happened
In December 1806, the Ottoman Sultan Selim III was worried. He felt threatened by Russia's actions. Russia was involved in the Napoleonic Wars. Because of this, the Sultan closed the Turkish Straits. This stopped Russian ships from passing through. He then declared war on the Russian Empire.
Russia responded in March 1807. They sent a small fleet of ships. Admiral Dmitry Senyavin led this fleet. It had ten battleships and one frigate. Their goal was to block the Dardanelles Strait. This strait was a key waterway. It connected Constantinople, the Ottoman capital, to the Mediterranean Sea. People in Constantinople relied on sea supplies. The Russian blockade caused big problems for them.
On May 19, the Ottoman Grand Admiral, Seyid Ali, made a move. He led his fleet out of the Dardanelles Strait. His fleet included 8 battleships, 6 frigates, and 55 smaller ships. They moved to attack Tenedos island. This island was the main base for the Russian navy.
Admiral Senyavin saw the Ottoman fleet. He moved his ships south of Tenedos. His plan was to block Seyid Ali's fleet. He wanted to stop them from returning to the Dardanelles Strait.
However, the winds were calm on May 20. The Russian ships could not move well. They could not reach the Dardanelles. They also could not return to Tenedos. Seyid Ali took advantage of this. He attacked the Russian base on Tenedos. He used gunboats and land forces. But the Russian soldiers on Tenedos fought back well. They pushed the Ottomans away, causing them heavy losses.
On May 21, there were storms and rain. The winds came from the northeast. Senyavin gave up his plan to block the Ottoman fleet. He returned to Tenedos. The next morning, May 22, Senyavin saw Seyid Ali's fleet. They were anchored nearby to the north.
Neither fleet moved that morning. The winds were not good. But around 2 PM, the winds changed. They started blowing from the southwest. Senyavin ordered his fleet to attack. At the same time, Seyid Ali ordered his ships to flee. He wanted to get back to the safety of the Dardanelles.
Around 6 PM, the Russian ships caught up. They reached the last Ottoman ships. The Russian frigate Venus stayed behind the larger Turkish battleships. It attacked them safely. The Russian battleship Uriil sailed past a Turkish ship. It broke off its front mast. Admiral Senyavin's battleship, the Tverdyi, sailed between two Turkish battleships. It fired its cannons at close range.
As evening came, the two fleets mixed together. They fought at the mouth of the strait. Some Russian ships, including Senyavin's, got close to shore. They were within range of Turkish forts. The battle continued until about 9 PM. Most Turkish ships managed to get deep into the strait. But three Ottoman ships were left outside. They seemed to have run aground. As the day ended, the Russians anchored their fleet. They stayed just outside the strait.
On the morning of May 23, the Russians watched. The Turks were trying to move the three damaged battleships. They were towing two of them with small rowing boats. Senyavin sent four battleships and the frigate Venus. He wanted to stop the Turks from saving them. The Russians fired their guns at the struggling ships. They made sure all three ran aground.
What Happened After
The Russians clearly won this battle. The Ottomans lost many men, up to 2,000. They could not break the Russian blockade. Three of their battleships were badly damaged. They could not be used again. The Russians had 82 casualties. But they did not lose any ships. They continued to block the Dardanelles for another month. They fought the Turks again later at the Battle of Athos.
See also
- Dardanelles Gun
- Dardanelles Operation
