Battle of Sinop
Sinop harbour, Black Sea coast, Turkey
What happened
A Russian fleet under Admiral Pavel Nakhimov attacked an Ottoman squadron under Vice Admiral Osman Pasha. At the start of the war that became the Crimean War, an Ottoman squadron sheltered in the harbour of Sinop. Russian ships sailed in and fired explosive shells, which set the wooden Ottoman ships on fire. Nearly the whole squadron was destroyed; only one steamer escaped to carry the news.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It showed that explosive shells could destroy wooden warships, which led navies to adopt shell guns and helped lead to armoured ironclad ships. It also pushed Britain and France to join the war on the Ottoman side.
What came next
Britain and France sent a combined fleet into the Black Sea, and by March 1854 they had entered the war.
Did you know?
Sinop, the ancient Greek city of Sinope, was the birthplace of the philosopher Diogenes.
Timeline
- 4 October 1853The Ottoman Empire declares war on Russia.
- 30 November 1853The Russians destroy the Ottoman squadron at Sinop.
- 2 December 1853The escaped steamer Taif brings the news to Istanbul.
- March 1854Britain and France enter the war.