Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
Plevna Monument near the walls of Kitai-gorod
Date April 24 1877 – March 3 1878 Location Balkans, Caucasus Result Russian Victory, Treaty of Berlin Territorial changes Reestablishment of the Bulgarian state; full independence of Romania, Serbia and Montenegro from Ottoman Empire
Belligerents
Russian Empire Serbia Romania Bulgarian volunteers Montenegro	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Mikhail Skobelev Mikhail Loris-Melikov Joseph Gourko Ivan Lazarev Carol I of Romania Kosta Protić	Ahmed Muhtar Pasha Osman Pasha Suleiman Pasha Mehemet Ali Veisel Pasha

The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 was a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and the Eastern Orthodox coalition led by the Russian Empire and composed of Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro. Fought in the Balkans and in the Caucasus, it originated in emerging 19th-century Balkan nationalism. Additional factors included Russian goals of recovering territorial losses endured during the Crimean War of 1853–56, re-establishing itself in the Black Sea and supporting the political movement attempting to free Balkan nations from the Ottoman Empire.

The Russian-led coalition won the war. As a result, Russia succeeded in claiming provinces in the Caucasus, namely Kars and Batum, and also annexed the Budjak region. The principalities of Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro, each of which had had de facto sovereignty for some time, formally proclaimed independence from the Ottoman Empire. After almost five centuries of Ottoman domination (1396–1878), a Bulgarian state re-emerged: the Principality of Bulgaria, covering the land between the Danube River and the Balkan Mountains (except Northern Dobrudja which was given to Romania), as well as the region of Sofia, which became the new state's capital. The Congress of Berlin in 1878 also allowed Austria-Hungary to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland to take over Cyprus.

The initial Treaty of San Stefano, signed on 3 March 1878, is today celebrated on Liberation Day in Bulgaria, although the occasion somewhat fell out of favour during years of Socialist rule.

Related pages

• Constantinople Conference

Images for kids

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  The Moni Arkadiou monastery

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  Alexander Gorchakov

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  Serio-comic war map for 1877. Anti-Russian cartoon depicting Russia as a vicious octopus.

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  Russia preparing to release the Balkan dogs of war, while Britain warns him to take care. Punch cartoon from June 17, 1876

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  Dragoons of Nizhny Novgorod pursuing the Turks near Kars, 1877.Painting by Aleksey Kivshenko.

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  Russian crossing of the Danube, June 1877. (Painting by Nikolai Dmitriev-Orenburgsky, 1883.)

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  Fighting near Ivanovo-Chiflik

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  Russian, Romanian and Ottoman troop movements at Plevna.

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  Map of the Balkan Theater.

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  Gazi Osman Pasha

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  The Ottoman capitulation at Niğbolu (Nicopolis, modern Nikopol) in 1877 was significant, as it was the site of an important Ottoman victory in 1396 which marked the expansion of the Ottoman Empire into the Balkans.

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  Taking of the Grivitsa redoubt by the Russians – a few hours later the redoubt was recaptured by the Ottomans and fell to the Romanians on 30 August 1877 in what became known as the "Third Battle of Grivitsa".

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  Battle at bridge Skit, November 1877

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  Turkish refugees fleeing from Tarnovo towards Shumen

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  Bones of massacred Bulgarians at Stara Zagora

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  Circassian horseman, during the Russo-Turkish War

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  Emigration of Armenians into Georgia during the Russo-Turkish war

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  The Red Cross and the Red Crescent emblems

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  Bashibazouks held captive by the Bulgarian and Russian army.

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  Bashi-Bazouks, returning with the spoils from the Romanian shore of the Danube.

See also

In Spanish: Guerra ruso-turca (1877-1878) para niños