Long ago, two big groups fought.
One was in Russia. One was in Turkey. They fought many times for a long time. This changed how the world looked. It was a very big part of history. Do you like learning about the past?
Long ago, two big lands fought many times.
One land was Russia. The other was the Ottoman Empire. They fought twelve wars in total.
These wars lasted a very long time. They started in 1568. They did not end until 1918. This was a very long series of fights.
Russia grew much stronger over the years. A leader named Peter the Great helped. He worked to make Russia a big power.
The Ottoman Empire became weaker. They lost many of their wars. This changed how the lands looked.
In the end, both groups changed. New lands were formed. It is a very big part of history.
The Russo-Turkish wars were a long series of fights. They lasted from 1568 to 1918. In total, there were twelve wars.
At first, the Ottoman Empire was very strong. But over time, it began to decline. Russia grew much stronger instead. A leader named Peter the Great helped Russia change. He made it a big power in Europe.
One early fight happened in 1569. The Ottoman army tried to take land near the Volga River. This plan failed. Later, Russia and the Ottoman Empire fought over land in Ukraine.
In the 1700s, many more wars broke out. Russia won many of these fights. For example, the Russian fleet destroyed the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Chesma.
Russia also took control of the Crimean Khanate. This was a land that once served the Ottoman Empire. By the 1800s, the Ottoman Empire was losing even more power. The wars finally ended when both empires fell apart. This happened because of World War I. New nations were formed from the old lands.
The Russo-Turkish wars were a very long series of conflicts. They began in 1568 and lasted until 1918. There were twelve different wars in total. This makes them one of the longest series of wars in European history.
Most of these wars ended with losses for the Ottoman Empire. At this time, the Ottoman Empire was starting to decline. Meanwhile, the Russian Empire was becoming a major power in Europe. This change happened after Peter the Great led many modernization efforts in the early 1700s.
Early fights often happened over specific lands and rivers. In 1569, the Ottoman Sultan Selim II sent an army to the Volga River. This mission was a disaster for the Ottoman forces. Many soldiers died in the steppes, and their fleet was wrecked by a storm.
Later, the two sides fought over territory in Ukraine. In 1676, Russian troops captured Chigirin from a leader named Petro Doroshenko. By 1681, the Treaty of Bakhchisarai set a new border on the Dnieper River. These early battles helped decide who would control the land.
As time passed, Russia worked hard to gain more power. Peter the Great wanted to reach the sea. In 1696, his troops captured the city of Azov.
This gave Russia access to the Sea of Azov. However, things were not always easy for Russia. In 1710, the Prut campaign was not successful. The Russian army was surrounded by a larger Turkish-Tatar army. Because of this, Peter the Great had to agree to a peace treaty that gave Azov back to the Ottoman Empire.
In the late 1700s, Russia saw even more success under Catherine the Great. One major event was the Battle of Chesma in 1771. During this fight, the Russian fleet destroyed the Ottoman Navy.
After this, the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca was signed in 1774. This treaty gave the Crimean Khanate its independence. However, the Khanate became dependent on Russia. By 1783, Russia took full control of the Crimea. Later, leaders like Alexander Suvorov won important battles, such as the Battle of Rymnik.
These wars changed the map of the world forever. In the 1800s, the Ottoman Empire continued to lose power. One reason was that groups like the Janissaries blocked new reforms. Eventually, both the Russian and Ottoman Empires reached their end. This happened because of World War I. The Russian Empire collapsed in 1917 and became the Soviet Union in 1922. The Ottoman Empire was divided up between 1918 and 1922. Finally, the Republic of Turkey was formed in 1923.
The Russo-Turkish wars were a long series of twelve major conflicts. They began in 1568 and continued until 1918. This makes them one of the longest series of wars in European history. Most of these wars resulted in losses for the Ottoman Empire. During this era, the Ottoman Empire entered a period of stagnation and decline. In contrast, the Russian Empire grew into a significant European power. This rise followed modernization efforts led by Peter the Great in the early 18th century.
Early conflicts often focused on controlling specific regions and waterways. In 1569, Ottoman Sultan Selim II sent a military expedition to the Volga River. The goal was to push Russian influence out of the lower Volga. This mission ended in disaster for the Ottoman army. Many soldiers perished in the steppes. Additionally, an Ottoman fleet was wrecked by a storm in the Sea of Azov. A peace treaty eventually cemented Russian rule on the Volga.
Control over Ukraine became a major cause of fighting later on. In the late 1600s, the Ottoman Empire expanded into right-bank Ukraine. They supported a leader named Petro Doroshenko. However, many Ukrainian Cossacks disapproved of his pro-Ottoman policies. They instead elected Ivan Samoilovich as the Hetman of all Ukraine in 1674. Russian troops captured Chigirin in 1676 and overthrew Doroshenko. After more fighting, the Treaty of Bakhchisarai was signed in 1681. This treaty established a new border on the Dnieper River.
Peter the Great sought to expand Russian access to the sea. In 1696, his troops successfully captured the city of Azov.
This gave Russia direct access to the Sea of Azov. However, the Prut campaign in 1710 was a failure for Russia. The Russian army was surrounded by a larger Turkish-Tatar force. Peter the Great was forced to sign an unfavorable peace treaty. This agreement required Russia to return Azov to the Ottoman Empire. Later, Russia and the Ottoman Empire both conquered parts of Safavid Iran. These gains were confirmed by the Treaty of Constantinople in 1724.
Russia saw significant military success during the reign of Catherine the Great. A major turning point occurred during the war of 1768–1774. In 1771, the Russian fleet destroyed the Ottoman Navy at the Battle of Chesma.
Following this, the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca was signed in 1774. This treaty granted independence to the Crimean Khanate. In reality, the Khanate became dependent on Russia. Russia also received 4.5 million rubles and key seaports on the Black Sea. By 1783, Russia officially annexed the Crimean Khanate.
Further victories occurred during the late 18th century. The Russian army, led by Alexander Suvorov, won major battles like the Battle of Rymnik.
Suvorov also captured the city of Izmail. Meanwhile, the Russian Black Sea Fleet seized control of the sea. Admiral Ushakov led the fleet to several defeats of the Turkish Navy. These successes led to the Treaty of Jassy in 1792. This treaty established the Dniester River as the new frontier in Europe.
In the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire struggled with internal issues. A group called the Janissaries often blocked military and financial reforms. These soldiers even staged a coup against Sultan Selim III. It was not until the 1830s that Mahmud II successfully destroyed the Janissaries. The wars finally ended due to the collapse of both empires. World War I caused the Russian Empire to fall in 1917. The Ottoman Empire was partitioned between 1918 and 1922. The Russian Empire was succeeded by the Soviet Union in 1922. The Ottoman Empire was succeeded by the Republic of Turkey in 1923.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (12)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🔬 Go deeper
More advanced topics to explore
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.