Ottoman Crimean War (1853-1856)

Candan Badem, Ph.D. (2007) in Ottoman History, Sabancı University, is an assistant professor at the History department of Tunceli University, Turkey. He has written many articles and presented papers at various international symposia and conferences on the Crimean War.

“What makes this study so valuable is not just the inclusion of Ottoman sources but also the author's close examination of non-Ottoman, especially Russian, sources. Badem makes a major contribution to the study of the Crimean War.[…] Highly recommended.” R. W. Zens, Choice, October 2010'Seeking to “reconstruct the narrative of the war as experienced by the Ottomans,” Badem examines the “conduct of the war itself … its implications, results, and impact upon the Ottoman state and society” (1). Badem’s book is the first monograph on the subject in any language that combines Russian and Ottoman sources and addresses Ottoman failures as well as successes.11 He devotes nearly onehalf of The Ottoman Crimean War to an analysis of major Ottoman battles, particularly the disastrous naval battle of Sinope in November 1853 and the extended campaign in the Caucasus. The book incorporates material from Ottoman Historical Archives (BOA), British National Archives (TNA), and RGVIA, as well as an impressive body of published primary and secondary sources'.-- Mara Kozelsky, University of South Alabama, in Kritika, Fall 2012

• CONTENTS List of Illustrations and Maps ... vii List of Abbreviations ... ix List of Geographical Names ... xi A Note on Transliteration and Dates ... xiii Acknowledgements ... xv I. Introduction and Review of the Sources ... 1 Introduction ... 1 Ottoman and Turkish Sources ... 5 Turkish Official Military History ... 19 Dissertations and Theses in Turkish ... 22 Sources in Russian ... 25 Sources in Other Languages ... 34 II. The Origins of the War ... 46 Overview of the Ottoman Empire on the Eve of the War 46 Relations with Britain ... 58 Russia between Expansionism and Legitimism ... 60 Dispute over the Holy Places ... 64 Positions of France, Austria and Other States ... 65 The "Sick Man of Europe" ... 68 The Mission of Prince Menshikov ... 71 The Vienna Note and the "Turkish Ultimatum" ... 82 European and Ottoman Public Opinion before the War ... 87 III. Battles and Diplomacy during the War ... 99 The Declaration of War ... 99 The Danubian Front in 1853 ... 101 The Battle of Sinop and European Public Opinion ... 109 The Caucasian Front in 1853 ... 143 Relations with Imam Shamil and the Circassians in 1853 ... 149 The Battle of Sekvetil ... 154 The Battles of Ahisha, Bayindir and Basgedikler ... 156 The Danubian Front in 1854 and the Declaration of War by France and Britain ... 177 The Caucasian Front in 1854-1855 ... 190 Relations with Shamil and the Circassians in 1854-1855 ... 195 The Campaign of Summer 1854 and the Battle of Kurekdere ... 212 The Siege and Fall of Kars and Omer Pasha's Caucasian Campaign in 1855 ... 238 Battles in the Crimea and the Siege of Sevastopol ... 268 The End of the War and the Treaty of Paris ... 285 IV. Financing the War ... 289 Ottoman Financial Crisis before the War ... 289 The Abortive Loan of 1852 ... 294 Ottoman War Expenses ... 295 Conspicuous Consumption by Palace Women ... 300 The Mission of Namik Pasha ... 301 The Mission of Black and Durand and the First Foreign Loan of 1854 ... 316 The Iane-i Harbiye ... 319 The Guaranteed Loan of 1855 ... 322 The Loan Control Commission of 1855 ... 324 V. The Impact of the War on Ottoman Social and Political Life ... 329 Contacts with the Europeans ... 329 The Islahat Fermani and the Question of the Equality of Muslims and Non-Muslims ... 335 The Prohibition of the Black Sea White Slave Trade ... 348 Law and Order in the Provinces ... 359 The Revolt of Yezdanser ... 360 British Interference and the Suppression of the Rebellion ... 370 Desertions and the Basibozuk Troops as a Source of Disorder ... 377 Public Opinion and Patriotism ... 394 Corruption and its Treatment ... 398 Conclusion ... 403 Bibliography ... 413 Index ... 427