End of the Crimean War. Crimean War

The middle of the 19th century for the Russian Empire was marked by a tense diplomatic struggle for the Black Sea straits. Attempts to resolve the issue through diplomacy failed and led to a conflict altogether. In 1853, the Russian Empire went to war against the Ottoman Empire for dominance in the Black Sea straits. 1853-1856, in short, is a clash of interests of European states in the Middle East and the Balkans. The leading European states formed an anti-Russian coalition, which included Turkey, Sardinia and Great Britain. The Crimean War of 1853-1856 covered large territories and stretched for many kilometers. Active hostilities were carried out in several directions at once. The Russian Empire was forced to fight not only directly in the Crimea, but also in the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Far East. Significant were also clashes on the seas - Black, White and Baltic.

Causes of the conflict

The causes of the Crimean War of 1853-1856 are defined differently by historians. So, British scientists consider the unprecedented increase in the aggressiveness of Nikolaev Russia, which the emperor led to in the Middle East and the Balkans, to be the main reason for the war. Turkish historians, on the other hand, define the main reason for the war as Russia's desire to establish its dominance over the Black Sea straits, which would make the Black Sea an internal reservoir of the empire. The dominant causes of the Crimean War of 1853-1856 are illuminated by Russian historiography, which claims that Russia's desire to improve its shaky position in the international arena prompted the clash. According to most historians, a whole complex of causal events led to the war, and for each of the participating countries, the prerequisites for the war were their own. Therefore, until now, scientists in the current conflict of interest have not come to a single definition of the cause of the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

Conflict of Interest

Having considered the causes of the Crimean War of 1853-1856, let's move on to the beginning of hostilities. The reason for this was the conflict between the Orthodox and Catholics for control over the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which was under the jurisdiction of the Ottoman Empire. Russia's ultimatum demand to give her the keys to the temple provoked a protest from the Ottomans, who were actively supported by France and Great Britain. Russia, not resigned to the failure of its plans in the Middle East, decided to switch to the Balkans and introduced its units into the Danubian principalities.

Course of the Crimean War 1853-1856

It would be appropriate to divide the conflict into two periods. The first stage (November 1953 - April 1854) is directly the Russian-Turkish conflict, during which Russia's hopes for support from Great Britain and Austria did not come true. Two fronts were formed - in Transcaucasia and Crimea. The only significant Russian victory was the Battle of Sinop in November 1853, during which the Black Sea fleet of the Turks was defeated.

and the battle of Inkerman

The second period lasted until February 1856 and was marked by the struggle of the union of European states with Turkey. The landing of the Allied troops in the Crimea forced the Russian troops to withdraw deep into the peninsula. Sevastopol became the only impregnable citadel. In the autumn of 1854, the brave defense of Sevastopol began. The mediocre command of the Russian army hindered rather than helped the defenders of the city. For 11 months, sailors led by Nakhimov P., Istomin V., Kornilov V. fought off enemy attacks. And only after it became impractical to hold the city, the defenders, leaving, blew up the weapons depots and burned everything that could burn, thereby frustrating the plans of the Allied forces to take over the naval base.

Russian troops attempted to divert the attention of the allies from Sevastopol. But they all turned out to be unsuccessful. The clash near Inkerman, the offensive operation on the Evpatoria region, the battle on the Black River did not bring glory to the Russian army, but showed its backwardness, outdated weapons and inability to properly conduct military operations. All these actions brought Russia's defeat in the war closer. But it is worth noting that the allied forces also got it. The forces of England and France were exhausted by the end of 1855, and there was no point in transferring new forces to the Crimea.

Caucasian and Balkan fronts

The Crimean War of 1853-1856, which we tried to briefly describe, also covered the Caucasian front, the events on which developed somewhat differently. The situation there was more favorable for Russia. Attempts to invade Transcaucasia were unsuccessful. And Russian troops were even able to advance deep into the Ottoman Empire and capture the Turkish fortresses of Bayazet in 1854 and Kare in 1855. The actions of the allies in the Baltic and White Seas and in the Far East did not have significant strategic success. And rather, they depleted the military forces of both the allies and the Russian Empire. Therefore, the end of 1855 was marked by the virtual cessation of hostilities on all fronts. The belligerents sat down at the negotiating table to sum up the results of the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

Completion and results

Negotiations between Russia and the allies in Paris ended with the conclusion of a peace treaty. Under the pressure of internal problems, the hostile attitude of Prussia, Austria and Sweden, Russia was forced to accept the demands of the allies to neutralize the Black Sea. The prohibition to justify naval bases and the fleet deprived Russia of all the achievements of previous wars with Turkey. In addition, Russia pledged not to build fortifications on the Aland Islands and was forced to give control of the Danubian principalities into the hands of the allies. Bessarabia was transferred to the Ottoman Empire.

In general, the results of the Crimean War of 1853-1856. were ambiguous. The conflict pushed the European world to the total rearmament of its armies. And this meant that the production of new weapons was being activated and the strategy and tactics of warfare were radically changing.

Having spent millions of pounds sterling on the Crimean War, it led the country's budget to complete bankruptcy. Debts to England forced the Turkish sultan to agree to the freedom of religious worship and the equality of all, regardless of nationality. Great Britain dismissed the Aberdeen cabinet and formed a new one led by Palmerston, who canceled the sale of officer ranks.

The results of the Crimean War of 1853-1856 forced Russia to turn to reforms. Otherwise, it could slide into the abyss of social problems, which, in turn, would lead to a popular revolt, the result of which no one would undertake to predict. The experience of the war was used in the military reform.

The Crimean War (1853-1856), the defense of Sevastopol and other events of this conflict left a significant mark on history, literature and painting. Writers, poets and artists in their works tried to reflect all the heroism of the soldiers who defended the Sevastopol citadel, and the great significance of the war for the Russian Empire.

Causes of the war

The Russian Empire: sought to revise the regime of the Black Sea straits; increasing influence in the Balkan Peninsula.

Ottoman Empire: wanted to suppress the national liberation movement in the Balkans; the return of the Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.

England, France: they hoped to undermine the international authority of Russia, to weaken its position in the Middle East; tear away from Russia the territories of Poland, the Crimea, the Caucasus, Finland; strengthen its position in the Middle East, using it as a sales market.

These factors led the Russian Emperor Nicholas I in the early 1850s to think about separating the Balkan possessions of the Ottoman Empire, inhabited by Orthodox peoples, which was opposed by Great Britain and Austria. Great Britain, in addition, sought to oust Russia from the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and from Transcaucasia. The Emperor of France, Napoleon III, although he did not share the plans of the British to weaken Russia, considering them excessive, supported the war with Russia as a revenge for 1812 and as a means of strengthening personal power.

Russia and France had a diplomatic conflict over the control of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Russia, in order to put pressure on Turkey, occupied Moldavia and Wallachia, which were under the protectorate of Russia under the terms of the Adrianople peace treaty. The refusal of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I to withdraw troops led to the declaration of war on Russia on October 4, 1853 by Turkey, followed by Great Britain and France.

The course of hostilities

October 1853 - Nicholas I signed the Manifesto on the beginning of the war with Turkey.

Nicholas I took an uncompromising position, relying on the power of the army and the support of some European states (England, Austria, etc.). Artillery was also outdated. The Russian fleet was predominantly sailing, while the European navies were dominated by ships with steam engines. The Russian army could successfully fight against the Turkish army, which was similar in state, but it was not able to resist the united forces of Europe.

The Russian-Turkish war was fought with varying success from November 1853 to April 1854. The main event of the first stage was the Battle of Sinop (November 1853). Admiral P.S. Nakhimov defeated the Turkish fleet in Sinop Bay and suppressed coastal batteries.

As a result of the Battle of Sinop, the Russian Black Sea Fleet under the command of Admiral Nakhimov defeated the Turkish squadron. The Turkish fleet was defeated within a few hours.

This activated England and France. They declared war on Russia. The Anglo-French squadron appeared in the Baltic Sea, attacked Kronstadt and Sveaborg.


The second stage of the war (April 1854 - February 1856) - the Anglo-French intervention in the Crimea, the appearance of warships of the Western powers in the Baltic and White Seas and in Kamchatka. The main goal of the combined Anglo-French command was the capture of the Crimea and Sevastopol, the naval base of Russia. On September 2, 1854, the allies began the landing of an expeditionary force in the Evpatoria region. Battle on the river Alma in September 1854, the Russian troops lost. By order of the commander A.S. Menshikov, they passed through Sevastopol and retreated to Bakhchisaray. At the same time, the garrison of Sevastopol, reinforced by the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, was actively preparing for defense. It was headed by V.A. Kornilov and P.S. Nakhimov.

After the battle on the river Alma the enemy laid siege to Sevastopol. Sevastopol was a first-class naval base, impregnable from the sea. The Russian fleet could not resist the enemy, so some of the ships were sunk in front of the entrance to the Sevastopol Bay, which further strengthened the city from the sea.

Defense of Sevastopol

Defense under the leadership of admirals Kornilov V.A., Nakhimov P.S. and Istomin V.I. lasted 349 days with a 30,000-strong garrison and naval crews. During this period, the city was subjected to five massive bombardments, as a result of which part of the city, the Ship Side, was practically destroyed.

On October 5, 1854, the first bombardment of the city began. It was attended by the army and navy. The artillery duel lasted five hours. Despite the huge superiority in artillery, the allied fleet was badly damaged and was forced to retreat. After that, the Allies abandoned the use of the fleet in the bombing of the city. The defenders of the city could celebrate a very important not only military, but also a moral victory. Their joy was overshadowed by the death during the shelling of Vice Admiral Kornilov. The defense of the city was headed by Nakhimov, who, for his distinction in the defense of Sevastopol, was promoted to admiral on March 27, 1855. F. Roubaud. In July 1855, Admiral Nakhimov was mortally wounded. The attempts of the Russian army under the command of Prince Menshikov A.S. to pull back the forces of the besiegers ended in failure (the battle of Inkerman, Yevpatoriya and Chernaya Rechka). Around the city, the enemy's ring was gradually shrinking. Russian troops were forced to leave the city. The offensive of the enemy ended there. Subsequent military operations in the Crimea, as well as in other parts of the country, were not of decisive importance for the Allies. Things were somewhat better in the Caucasus, where Russian troops not only stopped the Turkish offensive, but also occupied the fortress of Kars. On August 27, 1855, French troops stormed the southern part of the city and captured the height that dominated the city - Malakhov Kurgan.

The loss of Malakhov Kurgan decided the fate of Sevastopol. On the evening of August 27, 1855, by order of General M.D. Gorchakov, the Sevastopol residents left the southern part of the city and crossed the bridge to the northern part. The battles for Sevastopol ended.

Military operations in the Caucasus

Turkey invaded Transcaucasia, but suffered a major defeat, after which Russian troops began to operate on its territory. In November 1855, the Turkish fortress Kare fell.

The extreme exhaustion of the allied forces in the Crimea and the Russian successes in the Caucasus led to the cessation of hostilities. Negotiations between the parties began.

Parisian world

At the end of March 1856, the Treaty of Paris was signed, under the terms of which the Black Sea was declared neutral, a ban on having naval forces, military arsenals and fortresses on the Black Sea. Similar demands were made to Turkey. In addition, Russia was deprived of the mouth of the Danube and the southern part of Bessarabia, had to return the fortress of Kars. The defeat in the Crimean War had a significant impact on the alignment of international forces and on the internal situation of Russia.

Heroes of the Crimean War

Kornilov Vladimir Alekseevich

(1806 - October 17, 1854, Sevastopol), Russian Vice Admiral. Since 1849 the chief of staff, since 1851 the actual commander of the Black Sea Fleet. During the Crimean War, one of the leaders of the heroic defense of Sevastopol.

On October 5, the enemy undertook the first massive bombardment of the city from land and sea. On this day, when bypassing the defensive orders, V.A. Kornilov was mortally wounded in the head on Malakhov Hill. “Defend Sevastopol,” were his last words.

Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov

In early November, Nakhimov learned that the Turkish squadron under the command of Osman Pasha, heading for the shores of the Caucasus, left the Bosporus and, on the occasion of a storm, entered the Sinop Bay. Without waiting for the steam frigates that Vice Admiral Kornilov led to reinforce the Russian squadron, Nakhimov decided to attack the enemy, relying primarily on the combat and moral qualities of Russian sailors. For the victory, Nicholas I awarded Nakhimov the Order of St. George 2nd degree.

In the spring of 1855, the second and third assaults on Sevastopol were heroically repulsed. In March, Nicholas I granted Nakhimov for military distinctions with the rank of admiral. In July, an enemy bullet hit him in the temple. Without regaining consciousness, Pavel Stepanovich died two days later.

Admiral Nakhimov was buried in Sevastopol in the Cathedral of St. Vladimir, next to the graves of Lazarev, Kornilov and Istomin. With a large gathering of people, admirals and generals carried his coffin, seventeen in a row stood a guard of honor from army battalions and all the crews of the Black Sea Fleet, drums sounded and a solemn prayer service sounded, a cannon salute thundered. In the coffin of Pavel Stepanovich were hung two admiral's flags and a third, priceless one - the stern flag of the battleship Empress Maria, the flagship of the Sinop victory, tattered by cannonballs.

Reasons for the defeat of Russia

· Economic backwardness of Russia;

· Political isolation of Russia;

· Lack of a steam fleet in Russia;

· Poor supply of the army;

Lack of railroads.

Russia lost the mouth of the Danube and the southern part of Bessarabia, had to return the fortress of Kars, and also lost the right to patronize Serbia, Moldavia and Wallachia.


Diplomatic training, course of hostilities, results.

Causes of the Crimean War.

Each side that took part in the war had its own claims and reasons for the military conflict.
The Russian Empire: sought to revise the regime of the Black Sea straits; increasing influence in the Balkan Peninsula.
Ottoman Empire: wanted to suppress the national liberation movement in the Balkans; the return of the Crimea and the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.
England, France: they hoped to undermine the international authority of Russia, to weaken its position in the Middle East; tear away from Russia the territories of Poland, the Crimea, the Caucasus, Finland; strengthen its position in the Middle East, using it as a sales market.
By the middle of the 19th century, the Ottoman Empire was in a state of decline, in addition, the struggle of the Orthodox peoples for liberation from the Ottoman yoke continued.
These factors led the Russian Emperor Nicholas I in the early 1850s to think about separating the Balkan possessions of the Ottoman Empire, inhabited by Orthodox peoples, which was opposed by Great Britain and Austria. Great Britain, in addition, sought to oust Russia from the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and from Transcaucasia. The Emperor of France, Napoleon III, although he did not share the plans of the British to weaken Russia, considering them excessive, supported the war with Russia as a revenge for 1812 and as a means of strengthening personal power.
Russia and France had a diplomatic conflict over the control of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Russia, in order to put pressure on Turkey, occupied Moldavia and Wallachia, which were under the protectorate of Russia under the terms of the Adrianople peace treaty. The refusal of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I to withdraw troops led to the declaration of war on Russia on October 4 (16), 1853 by Turkey, followed by Great Britain and France.

The course of hostilities.

October 20, 1853 - Nicholas I signed the Manifesto on the beginning of the war with Turkey.
The first stage of the war (November 1853 - April 1854) is Russian-Turkish military operations.
Nicholas I took an irreconcilable position, hoping for the power of the army and the support of some European states (England, Austria, etc.). But he miscalculated. The Russian army numbered over 1 million people. At the same time, as it turned out during the war, it was imperfect, primarily in technical terms. Its armament (smooth-bore guns) was inferior to the rifled weapons of the Western European armies.
The artillery is outdated. The Russian fleet was predominantly sailing, while the European navies were dominated by ships with steam engines. There were no good communications. This did not allow to provide the place of hostilities with a sufficient amount of ammunition and food, as well as human replacements. The Russian army could successfully fight against the Turkish army, which was similar in state, but it was not able to resist the united forces of Europe.
The Russian-Turkish war was fought with varying success from November 1853 to April 1854. The main event of the first stage was the Battle of Sinop (November 1853). Admiral P.S. Nakhimov defeated the Turkish fleet in Sinop Bay and suppressed coastal batteries.
As a result of the Battle of Sinop, the Russian Black Sea Fleet under the command of Admiral Nakhimov defeated the Turkish squadron. The Turkish fleet was defeated within a few hours.
During a four-hour battle in the Sinop Bay (Turkish naval base), the enemy lost a dozen and a half ships and over 3 thousand people were killed, all coastal fortifications were destroyed. Only the 20-gun high-speed steamer Taif with an English adviser on board was able to escape from the bay. The commander of the Turkish fleet was taken prisoner. The losses of the Nakhimov squadron amounted to 37 people killed and 216 wounded. Some ships came out of the battle with heavy damage, but not one was sunk. The Sinop battle is inscribed in golden letters in the history of the Russian fleet.
This activated England and France. They declared war on Russia. The Anglo-French squadron appeared in the Baltic Sea, attacked Kronstadt and Sveaborg. English ships entered the White Sea and bombarded the Solovetsky Monastery. A military demonstration was also held in Kamchatka.
The second stage of the war (April 1854 - February 1856) - the Anglo-French intervention in the Crimea, the appearance of warships of the Western powers in the Baltic and White Seas and in Kamchatka.
The main goal of the joint Anglo-French command was the capture of the Crimea and Sevastopol - the naval base of Russia. On September 2, 1854, the Allies began the landing of an expeditionary force in the Evpatoria region. Battle on the river Alma in September 1854, the Russian troops lost. By order of the commander A.S. Menshikov, they passed through Sevastopol and retreated to Bakhchisaray. At the same time, the garrison of Sevastopol, reinforced by the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet, was actively preparing for defense. It was headed by V.A. Kornilov and P.S. Nakhimov.
After the battle on the river Alma the enemy laid siege to Sevastopol. Sevastopol was a first-class naval base, impregnable from the sea. In front of the entrance to the raid - on the peninsulas and capes - there were powerful forts. The Russian fleet could not resist the enemy, so some of the ships were sunk in front of the entrance to the Sevastopol Bay, which further strengthened the city from the sea. More than 20,000 sailors went ashore and lined up along with the soldiers. 2 thousand ship guns were also transported here. Eight bastions and many other fortifications were built around the city. Earth, boards, household utensils were used - everything that could delay bullets.
But for the work there were not enough ordinary shovels and picks. Theft flourished in the army. During the war years, this turned into a disaster. In this regard, a well-known episode comes to mind. Nicholas I, outraged by all sorts of abuses and theft found almost everywhere, in a conversation with the heir to the throne (the future Emperor Alexander II) shared what he had made and shocked him with the discovery: “It seems that in all of Russia only two people do not steal - you and me” .

Defense of Sevastopol.

Defense under the leadership of admirals Kornilov V.A., Nakhimov P.S. and Istomin V.I. lasted 349 days with a 30,000-strong garrison and naval crews. During this period, the city was subjected to five massive bombardments, as a result of which part of the city, the Ship Side, was practically destroyed.
On October 5, 1854, the first bombardment of the city began. It was attended by the army and navy. From land, 120 guns fired at the city, from the sea - 1340 guns of ships. During the shelling, over 50 thousand shells were fired at the city. This fiery whirlwind was supposed to destroy the fortifications and crush the will of their defenders to resist. At the same time, the Russians responded with accurate fire from 268 guns. The artillery duel lasted five hours. Despite the huge superiority in artillery, the allied fleet was badly damaged (8 ships were sent for repairs) and was forced to retreat. After that, the Allies abandoned the use of the fleet in the bombing of the city. The fortifications of the city were not seriously damaged. The decisive and skillful rebuff of the Russians came as a complete surprise to the allied command, which expected to take the city with little bloodshed. The defenders of the city could celebrate a very important not only military, but also a moral victory. Their joy was overshadowed by the death during the shelling of Vice Admiral Kornilov. The defense of the city was headed by Nakhimov, who, for his distinction in the defense of Sevastopol, was promoted to admiral on March 27, 1855.
In July 1855, Admiral Nakhimov was mortally wounded. The attempts of the Russian army under the command of Prince Menshikov A.S. to pull back the forces of the besiegers ended in failure (the battle of Inkerman, Yevpatoriya and Chernaya Rechka). The actions of the field army in the Crimea did little to help the heroic defenders of Sevastopol. Around the city, the enemy's ring was gradually shrinking. Russian troops were forced to leave the city. The offensive of the enemy ended there. Subsequent military operations in the Crimea, as well as in other parts of the country, were not of decisive importance for the Allies. Things were somewhat better in the Caucasus, where Russian troops not only stopped the Turkish offensive, but also occupied the fortress of Kars. During the Crimean War, the forces of both sides were undermined. But the selfless courage of the Sevastopol people could not compensate for the shortcomings in armament and provision.
On August 27, 1855, French troops stormed the southern part of the city and captured the height that dominated the city - Malakhov Kurgan. Hosted on ref.rf
The loss of Malakhov Kurgan decided the fate of Sevastopol. On this day, the defenders of the city lost about 13 thousand people, or more than a quarter of the entire garrison. On the evening of August 27, 1855, by order of General M.D. Gorchakov, the Sevastopol residents left the southern part of the city and crossed the bridge to the northern part. The battles for Sevastopol ended. The Allies did not achieve his surrender. The Russian armed forces in Crimea survived and were ready for further fighting. They numbered 115 thousand people. against 150 thousand people. Anglo-French-Sardinians. The defense of Sevastopol was the culmination of the Crimean War.
Military operations in the Caucasus.
In the Caucasian theater, hostilities developed more successfully for Russia. Turkey invaded Transcaucasia, but suffered a major defeat, after which Russian troops began to operate on its territory. In November 1855, the Turkish fortress Kare fell.
The extreme exhaustion of the allied forces in the Crimea and the Russian successes in the Caucasus led to the cessation of hostilities. Negotiations between the parties began.
Parisian world.
At the end of March 1856, the Treaty of Paris was signed. Russia did not suffer significant territorial losses. Only the southern part of Bessarabia was torn away from her. At the same time, she lost the right to patronize the Danubian principalities and Serbia. The most difficult and humiliating was the condition of the so-called "neutralization" of the Black Sea. Russia was forbidden to have naval forces, military arsenals and fortresses on the Black Sea. This dealt a significant blow to the security of the southern borders. The role of Russia in the Balkans and the Middle East was reduced to nothing: Serbia, Moldavia and Wallachia passed under the supreme authority of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.
The defeat in the Crimean War had a significant impact on the alignment of international forces and on the internal situation of Russia. The war, on the one hand, exposed its weakness, but on the other, it demonstrated the heroism and unshakable spirit of the Russian people. The defeat summed up the sad end of Nikolaev's rule, stirred up the entire Russian public and forced the government to come to grips with reforms state.
Reasons for the defeat of Russia:
.Economic backwardness of Russia;
.Political isolation of Russia;
.Lack of a steam fleet in Russia;
.Poor supply of the army;
.Lack of railways.
In three years, Russia lost 500 thousand people in killed, wounded and captured. The allies also suffered great damage: about 250 thousand killed, wounded and died of disease. As a result of the war, Russia lost its positions in the Middle East to France and England. Its prestige in the international arena was severely undermined. On March 13, 1856, a peace treaty was signed in Paris, according to which the Black Sea was declared neutral, the Russian fleet was reduced to a minimum and the fortifications were destroyed. Similar demands were made to Turkey. In addition, Russia was deprived of the mouth of the Danube and the southern part of Bessarabia, had to return the Kars fortress, and also lost the right to patronize Serbia, Moldavia and Wallachia.

Lecture, abstract. Crimean War 1853-1856 - concept and types. Classification, essence and features.


In 1854, in Vienna, with the mediation of Austria, diplomatic negotiations were held between the warring parties. Britain and France demanded, as peace terms, that Russia be banned from maintaining a navy on the Black Sea, that Russia renounce its protectorate over Moldavia and Wallachia and claim patronage of the Sultan’s Orthodox subjects, and also “freedom of navigation” on the Danube (that is, depriving Russia of access to its mouth).

On December 2 (14), Austria announced an alliance with England and France. December 28, 1854 (January 9, 1855) opened a conference of ambassadors of England, France, Austria and Russia, but the negotiations did not produce results and in April 1855 were interrupted.

On January 14 (26), 1855, the Kingdom of Sardinia joined the allies, which concluded an agreement with France, after which 15 thousand Piedmontese soldiers went to Sevastopol. According to Palmerston's plan, Venice and Lombardy, taken from Austria, were to go to Sardinia for participation in the coalition. After the war, France concluded an agreement with Sardinia, in which it officially assumed the corresponding obligations (which, however, were never fulfilled).

On February 18 (March 2), 1855, the Russian Emperor Nicholas I died suddenly. The Russian throne was inherited by his son, Alexander II. After the fall of Sevastopol, disagreements appeared in the coalition. Palmerston wanted to continue the war, Napoleon III did not. The French emperor began secret (separate) negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, Austria declared its readiness to join the Allies. In mid-December, she presented an ultimatum to Russia:

Replacement of the Russian protectorate over Wallachia and Serbia by a protectorate of all the great powers;
the establishment of freedom of navigation in the mouths of the Danube;
preventing the passage of someone's squadrons through the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus to the Black Sea, the prohibition of Russia and Turkey to keep a navy on the Black Sea and have arsenals and military fortifications on the shores of this sea;
Russia's refusal to patronize Orthodox subjects of the Sultan;
concession by Russia in favor of Moldova of the section of Bessarabia adjacent to the Danube.


A few days later, Alexander II received a letter from Friedrich Wilhelm IV, who urged the Russian emperor to accept the Austrian terms, hinting that otherwise Prussia might join the anti-Russian coalition. Thus, Russia found itself in complete diplomatic isolation, which, in the face of depleted resources and defeats inflicted by the allies, put it in an extremely difficult position.

On the evening of December 20, 1855 (January 1, 1856), a meeting convened by him took place in the tsar's office. It was decided to invite Austria to delete the 5th paragraph. Austria rejected this proposal. Then Alexander II convened a secondary meeting on January 15 (27), 1855. The assembly unanimously decided to accept the ultimatum as preconditions for peace.

On February 13 (25), 1856, the Paris Congress began, and on March 18 (30) a peace treaty was signed.

Russia returned the city of Kars with a fortress to the Ottomans, receiving in exchange Sevastopol, Balaklava and other Crimean cities captured from it.
The Black Sea was declared neutral (that is, open to commercial and closed to military ships in peacetime), with the prohibition of Russia and the Ottoman Empire to have navies and arsenals there.
Navigation along the Danube was declared free, for which the Russian borders were moved away from the river and part of Russian Bessarabia with the mouth of the Danube was annexed to Moldavia.
Russia was deprived of the protectorate over Moldavia and Wallachia granted to it by the Kyuchuk-Kaynardzhysky peace of 1774 and the exclusive protection of Russia over the Christian subjects of the Ottoman Empire.
Russia pledged not to build fortifications on the Aland Islands.

During the war, the members of the anti-Russian coalition failed to achieve all their goals, but managed to prevent the strengthening of Russia in the Balkans and deprive it of the Black Sea Fleet for 15 years.

Consequences of the war

The war led to the breakdown of the financial system of the Russian Empire (Russia spent 800 million rubles on the war, Britain - 76 million pounds): to finance military spending, the government had to resort to printing unsecured credit notes, which led to a decrease in their silver coverage from 45% in 1853 to 19% in 1858, that is, in fact, to more than a twofold depreciation of the ruble.
Again, Russia was able to reach a deficit-free state budget only in 1870, that is, 14 years after the end of the war. It was possible to establish a stable exchange rate of the ruble against gold and restore its international conversion in 1897, during the monetary reform of Witte.
The war became the impetus for economic reforms and, in the future, for the abolition of serfdom.
The experience of the Crimean War partly formed the basis for the military reforms of the 1860s and 1870s in Russia (the replacement of the obsolete 25-year military service, etc.).

In 1871, Russia achieved the abolition of the ban on keeping the navy in the Black Sea under the London Convention. In 1878, Russia was able to return the lost territories under the Berlin Treaty, signed as part of the Berlin Congress, which took place following the results of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878.

The government of the Russian Empire begins to reconsider its policy in the field of railway construction, which previously manifested itself in the repeated blocking of private projects for the construction of railways, including those to Kremenchug, Kharkov and Odessa, and upholding the unprofitability and uselessness of building railways south of Moscow. In September 1854, an order was issued to begin research on the line Moscow - Kharkov - Kremenchug - Elizavetgrad - Olviopol - Odessa. In October 1854, an order was received to start surveys on the Kharkov-Feodosia line, in February 1855 - on a branch from the Kharkov-Feodosia line to the Donbass, in June 1855 - on the Genichesk-Simferopol-Bakhchisarai-Sevastopol line. On January 26, 1857, the Supreme Decree was issued on the creation of the first railway network.

... railways, the need for which many had doubts for another ten years, are now recognized by all estates as a necessity for the Empire and have become a need of the people, a common desire, urgent. In this deep conviction, following the first cessation of hostilities, we ordered the means to better satisfy this urgent need ... to turn to private industry, both domestic and foreign ... in order to take advantage of the considerable experience acquired in the construction of many thousands of miles of railways in Western Europe .

Britannia

Military setbacks led to the resignation of the British government of Aberdeen, who was replaced in his post by Palmerston. The viciousness of the official system of selling officer ranks for money, which has been preserved in the British army since medieval times, was revealed.

Ottoman Empire

During the Eastern Campaign, the Ottoman Empire made £7 million in England. In 1858, the bankruptcy of the Sultan's treasury was declared.

In February 1856, Sultan Abdulmejid I was forced to issue a hatt-i-sherif (decree), which proclaimed freedom of religion and equality of the subjects of the empire, regardless of nationality.

The Crimean War gave impetus to the development of the armed forces, military and naval art of the states. In many countries, a transition began from smooth-bore weapons to rifled ones, from a sailing wooden fleet to a steam-powered armored one, and positional forms of warfare were born.

In the ground forces, the role of small arms and, accordingly, fire preparation of an attack increased, a new battle formation appeared - a small arms chain, which was also the result of a sharply increased capabilities of small arms. Over time, she completely replaced the columns and the loose system.

Sea barrage mines were invented and used for the first time.
The use of the telegraph for military purposes began.
Florence Nightingale laid the foundation for modern sanitation and care of the wounded in hospitals - in less than six months after her arrival in Turkey, the death rate in hospitals fell from 42 to 2.2%.
For the first time in the history of wars, sisters of mercy were involved in caring for the wounded.
Nikolai Pirogov, for the first time in Russian field medicine, used a plaster cast, which made it possible to speed up the healing process of fractures and saved the wounded from ugly curvature of the limbs.

One of the early manifestations of the information war is documented, when immediately after the battle of Sinop, English newspapers wrote in reports about the battle that the Russians were shooting the wounded Turks swimming in the sea.
On March 1, 1854, a new asteroid was discovered by the German astronomer Robert Luther at the Düsseldorf Observatory, Germany. This asteroid was named (28) Bellona in honor of Bellona, ​​the ancient Roman goddess of war, part of the retinue of Mars. The name was proposed by the German astronomer Johann Encke and symbolized the beginning of the Crimean War.
On March 31, 1856, the German astronomer Hermann Goldschmidt discovered an asteroid named (40) Harmony. The name was chosen to commemorate the end of the Crimean War.
For the first time photography is widely used to cover the course of the war. In particular, a collection of photographs taken by Roger Fenton and numbering 363 images was purchased by the US Library of Congress.
The practice of continuous weather forecasting emerges, first in Europe and then around the world. The storm on November 14, 1854, which inflicted heavy losses on the Allied fleet, as well as the fact that these losses could have been prevented, forced the Emperor of France, Napoleon III, to personally instruct the leading astronomer of his country, W. Le Verrier, to create an effective weather forecast service. Already on February 19, 1855, just three months after the storm in Balaclava, the first forecast map was created, a prototype of those that we see in the weather news, and in 1856, 13 weather stations were already operating in France.
Cigarettes are invented: the habit of wrapping tobacco crumbs in old newspapers was copied by the British and French troops in the Crimea from Turkish comrades.
All-Russian fame is gained by the young author Leo Tolstoy with the Sevastopol Stories published in the press from the scene. Here he also created a song criticizing the actions of the command in the battle on the Black River.

According to estimates of military losses, the total number of those killed in battle, as well as those who died from wounds and diseases in the Allied army amounted to 160-170 thousand people, in the Russian army - 100-110 thousand people. According to other estimates, the total number of deaths in the war, including non-combat losses, was approximately 250 thousand on the part of Russia and the Allies.

In the UK, the Crimean Medal was established to reward distinguished soldiers, and the Baltic Medal was established to reward those who distinguished themselves in the Baltic in the Royal Navy and Marine Corps. In 1856, to reward those who distinguished themselves during the Crimean War, the Victoria Cross medal was established, which to this day is the highest military award in Great Britain.

In the Russian Empire, on November 26, 1856, Emperor Alexander II established the medal "In Memory of the War of 1853-1856", as well as the medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol" and ordered the Mint to produce 100,000 copies of the medal.
On August 26, 1856 Alexander II granted the population of Taurida a “Letter of Gratitude”.

The Crimean War answered the old dream of Nicholas I to take possession of the Bosporus and Dardanelles. The military potential of Russia was quite realizable in the conditions of the war with the Ottoman Empire, however, Russia could not wage war against the leading world powers. Let's talk briefly about the results of the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

The course of the war

The main part of the battles took place on the Crimean peninsula, where success accompanied the allies. However, there were other theaters of military operations, where success accompanied the Russian army. So, in the Caucasus, the large fortress of Kars was taken by Russian troops and part of Anatolia was occupied. On Kamchatka and the White Sea, British landing forces were repulsed by the forces of garrisons and local residents.

During the defense of the Solovetsky Monastery, the monks fired at the Allied fleet from guns made during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

The conclusion of this historic event was the conclusion of the Peace of Paris, the results of which are reflected in the table. The date of signing was March 18, 1856.

The Allies did not achieve all their goals in the war, but they stopped the growth of Russian influence in the Balkans. There were other results of the Crimean War of 1853-1856.

The war destroyed the financial system of the Russian Empire. So, if England spent 78 million pounds on the war, then Russia's costs amounted to 800 million rubles. This forced Nicholas I to sign a decree on the printing of unsecured credit notes.

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Also, Alexander II revised the policy regarding railway construction.

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Consequences of the war

The authorities began to encourage the creation of a railway network in the country, which was not the case before the Crimean War. The experience of combat operations did not go unnoticed. It was used during the military reforms of the 1860s and 1870s, where the 25-year military service was replaced. But the main reason for Russia was the impetus for the Great Reforms, including the abolition of serfdom.

For Britain, an unsuccessful military campaign led to the resignation of the government of Aberdeen. The war became a litmus test that showed the venality of the English officers.

In the Ottoman Empire, the main result was the bankruptcy of the state treasury in 1858, as well as the publication of a treatise on freedom of religion and equality of subjects of all nationalities.

For peace, the war gave impetus to the development of the armed forces. The result of the war was an attempt to use the telegraph for military purposes, the beginning of military medicine Pirogov and the involvement of sisters of mercy in caring for the wounded, barrage mines were invented.

After the Battle of Sinop, the manifestation of the "information war" is documented.

Rice. 3. Battle of Sinop.

The British wrote in the newspapers that the Russians finished off the wounded Turks swimming in the sea, which was not the case. After the Allied fleet was caught in an avoidable storm, Emperor Napoleon III of France issued a decree to monitor the weather and draw up daily reports, which was the beginning of weather forecasting.

What have we learned?

The Crimean War, like any major military clash of world powers, brought about many changes both in the military and in the socio-political life of all countries participating in the conflict.

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