How a failed Ottoman attempt to reclaim Crimea reshaped the map of Eastern Europe
In 1787, the Ottoman Empire launched a war to recover territory lost to Russia. Instead of regaining their footing, they faced a devastating series of defeats that solidified Russian control over the Black Sea, permanently altering the geopolitical landscape and setting the stage for the rise of modern Odesa.
The Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792 was sparked by Ottoman demands that Russia evacuate Crimea and relinquish its Black Sea holdings. Tensions had been simmering due to mutual complaints regarding the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca and Catherine II’s provocative 1787 tour of the region alongside Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. When the Ottomans imprisoned the Russian ambassador, Yakov Bulgakov, Russia declared war on 19 August 1787. The Ottoman position was precarious from the start; their military preparations were inadequate, and they faced a formidable alliance between Russia and Austria.
The conflict saw a string of decisive Russian victories, largely orchestrated by General Alexander Suvorov. After securing the Crimea by repelling attacks at Kinburn, Russian forces captured key strongholds including Chocim, Jassy, and the fortress of Ochakov, where Prince Grigory Potemkin ordered the massacre of all civilians. By 1789, the Ottomans were being pushed back on multiple fronts. Suvorov’s tactical brilliance was on display at Focsani and Rymnik, while the capture of the supposedly impenetrable fortress of Izmail in December 1790 proved a turning point. Despite his military success, Suvorov’s reputation was marred by rumors of drunkenness and the brutality of his campaigns, eventually leading to his relocation to Finland in 1791.
The war concluded with the Treaty of Jassy on 9 January 1792. The Ottoman Empire failed to reclaim the Crimean Khanate, which Russia had annexed in 1783. Furthermore, Russia gained control over Yedisan, including the sites of modern-day Odesa and Ochakov, and established the Dniester River as its European frontier. While the Ottomans found limited success against Austrian forces in Serbia and Transylvania, the overall outcome was a significant strategic loss. Historians note that the Ottoman Empire’s situation might have been even more dire had the French Revolution not distracted European powers, effectively ending the era of Ottoman dominance in the northern Black Sea region.
Source: Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792)
