Battle of Navarino

Long ago, the people of Greece wanted to be free.

They fought for a long time. It was very hard for them.

Three big lands sent help to Greece. These lands were Britain, France, and Russia. They sent many ships to a big bay.

These ships fought a large fleet. The ships used sails to move. It was the last big fight with sailing ships. The help from the three lands won.

This win helped Greece become its own land. It was a very big change for the people. The new country was safe.

For a long time, the Ottoman Empire ruled Greece. In 1821, Greek people fought to be free. This was called the Greek War of Independence.

The Greeks faced a very hard time. The Ottoman and Egyptian forces were much stronger. By 1827, the Greek cause was in danger.

Three big powers decided to help the Greeks. These were Britain, France, and Russia. They signed the Treaty of London. This treaty asked the Ottomans to stop fighting.

On October 20, 1827, a big sea battle began. It happened in Navarino Bay.

The Allied ships fought the Ottoman and Egyptian fleet. This was the last major battle fought only with sailing ships. The Allied ships used better guns to win. The Ottoman fleet was destroyed. This win helped Greece become its own country. It saved the new Greek Republic from failing.

The Battle of Navarino was a very important sea battle. It took place on October 20, 1827. This fight happened during the Greek War of Independence. This was a long struggle for freedom. For hundreds of years, the Ottoman Empire had ruled over Greek lands.

The Greeks wanted to be their own nation. This battle changed the course of their history. It helped make Greece an independent country.

The battle happened in Navarino Bay. This bay is on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula. It is located in the Ionian Sea. The fight was between two different groups of ships. One group was made of Allied ships from Britain, France, and Russia. The other group was the Ottoman and Egyptian fleet.

Most of the ships in this fight were at anchor. This means they were held in place by their anchors. It was the last major battle fought only with sailing ships. The Allied ships won because they had better guns and firepower.

Before the battle, the situation for the Greeks was very difficult. In 1821, the Greeks began their revolt. By 1825, the fighting had reached a stalemate. This means neither side was winning clearly. The Ottoman Sultan sent his powerful leader from Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, to help. Ibrahim Pasha led 16,000 soldiers into the Peloponnese.

The Greek forces were much smaller than the Ottoman and Egyptian armies. The Greek government was also almost out of money. It looked like the Greeks might lose everything.

Three powerful nations decided to step in to help. These were Great Britain, France, and Russia. They signed the Treaty of London on July 6, 1827. This treaty asked the Ottomans to stop fighting the Greeks. The Allies sent their naval fleets to the Mediterranean Sea.

Admiral Edward Codrington led the Allied ships. He was a famous British naval hero. The battle actually happened somewhat by accident. Codrington was trying to make the Ottoman commander follow the treaty rules. This led to the massive fight in the bay.

Many ships were involved in this huge event. The Allied fleet had ships from three different countries. The Ottoman and Egyptian fleet was also very large. Some reports say the Ottoman fleet had 60 warships. Others say they had as many as 1,134 guns.

The victory at Navarino saved the new Greek Republic. It stopped the Greek cause from failing completely. However, it took more help to finish the job. Russia and France had to send more troops later. This finally helped Greece become a free and independent nation.

The Battle of Navarino was a major naval engagement fought on October 20, 1827.

It took place in Navarino Bay, located on the west coast of the Peloponnese peninsula. This bay is part of the Ionian Sea. The battle occurred during the Greek War of Independence, which lasted from 1821 to 1829. This conflict was a struggle to liberate ethnic Greeks from Ottoman rule. The Ottoman Empire had controlled Greek lands since the 15th century.

This battle is famous because it was the last major naval battle fought entirely with sailing ships.

The conflict began when Greek nationalists revolted against the Ottoman Empire in 1821. By 1825, the war had reached a stalemate. Neither the Greeks nor the Ottomans could achieve a decisive victory. To break this deadlock, the Ottoman Sultan asked his powerful vassal, Muhammad Ali Pasha, for help. The Pasha sent his son, Ibrahim Pasha, to lead an expeditionary force. In February 1825, Ibrahim led 16,000 soldiers into the Peloponnese.

While Ibrahim overran the western part of the peninsula, he could not take the eastern section. This area was where the Greek rebel government was based at Nafplion. Despite their bravery, the Greek forces were struggling. By 1827, the Greeks had fewer than 5,000 regular troops. In contrast, the Ottomans had 25,000 soldiers in central Greece and 15,000 Egyptians in the Peloponnese. The Greek government was also nearly bankrupt.

International politics changed the course of the war. For years, Great Britain and Austria tried to keep other powers out of the fight. They wanted to prevent the Russian Empire from expanding into the Mediterranean. However, the death of Tsar Alexander in 1825 changed things. His brother, Nicholas I, took the throne and was more nationalistic. This led Britain, France, and Russia to sign the Treaty of London on July 6, 1827. The treaty demanded an armistice, or a stop to the fighting. It also required the Ottomans to grant the Greeks a degree of autonomy.

The Allied powers sent naval squadrons to enforce the treaty. The British commander was Admiral Edward Codrington. He was a famous veteran of the Battle of Trafalgar. The French were led by Rear Admiral Henri de Rigny. The Russian squadron was led by Rear Admiral Lodewijk van Heiden. The battle itself happened almost by accident. Codrington was attempting a maneuver to force the Ottoman commander to obey the treaty. This movement led to a massive clash in the bay.

The battle involved a huge number of warships. The Ottoman-Egyptian fleet was very large. Some reports suggest they had 60 warships. Other estimates say they carried as many as 1,134 guns. The Allied fleet used superior firepower and gunnery to win. Most of the ships in the battle fought while they were at anchor.

The destruction of the Ottoman Mediterranean fleet was a decisive moment. It prevented the total collapse of the fledgling Greek Republic.

Specific details about the ships show the scale of the fight. The British squadron included ships like the HMS *Asia*, which was a second-rate ship with 84 guns. The French flagship was a first-rank frigate with 60 guns. The Russian flagship was a third-rate ship with 80 guns. The Ottoman fleet included several large ships of the line. The flagship *Ghiuh Rewan* carried about 84 guns. The battle was a chaotic and intense event for the sailors involved.

Although the battle was a massive victory, it did not end the war immediately. The Greek cause still needed more support to achieve full independence. Russia had to fight the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–29. France also sent an expeditionary force to the Peloponnese. These additional actions were necessary to force Ottoman troops out of southern Greece. Eventually, these efforts helped establish the modern Greek state.