Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
Küçük Kaynarca (today Kaynardzha), Silistra Province, Bulgaria
What happened
The Russian Empire, represented by Field Marshal Pyotr Rumyantsev, and the Ottoman Empire, represented by Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha. The Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774 ended in an Ottoman defeat. In a village in Dobruja, the two sides signed a peace in which the Ottomans recognised the Crimean Tatars as independent and Russia gained land on the Black Sea. Russia also won the right for its merchant ships to sail through the Dardanelles and to speak up for Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It is seen as an early milestone in the Ottoman Empire's decline.
What came next
Russia annexed Crimea in 1783, and a new Russo-Turkish war began in 1787. Russian claims to protect Orthodox Christians helped lead to the Crimean War in 1853.
Did you know?
One clause about a church in Constantinople was probably mistranslated, and the mistake later helped Russia claim a wider right to protect Orthodox Christians.
Timeline
- 1768The Russo-Turkish War begins.
- 21 July 1774The treaty is signed at Küçük Kaynarca.
- 1783Russia annexes the Crimean Khanate.
- 1853The Crimean War breaks out.