Throughout the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries, Russia and Turkey waged uninterrupted wars. If Russia was rushing to the coast of the Black Sea, then the Ottoman Empire, for which the Black Sea was an inland lake, did not want to let it go there. The Iasi Peace Treaty, signed by representatives of the two empires at the end of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, helped to resolve this dispute. And the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Rear Admiral Fyodor Ushakov, managed to put a bullet in this conflict, who gave the enemy a decisive battle at Cape Kaliakria on July 31, 1791.

Before and at the beginning of the war

By the beginning of the next Russian-Turkish war (1787–1791), the following situation had developed. In 1783, Russia liquidated the Crimean Khanate and occupied the Crimean peninsula. The newly annexed possessions began to be called Tauris. The favorite of the Empress Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin, the Most Serene Prince of Tauride, had to take care of the settlement of these lands, the development of the economy, the construction of cities, ports and fortresses. The Russians began to create a fleet in the Black Sea, the main base of which was Sevastopol.

On July 24 (August 4, according to the new style), 1783, an agreement was concluded on the patronage and supreme power of Russia with the united Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, according to which Eastern Georgia came under the protectorate of Russia. The treaty sharply weakened the positions of Persia and Turkey in Transcaucasia, formally destroying their claims to Eastern Georgia.

In 1787, Empress Catherine II, accompanied by representatives of foreign courts and her ally, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, made a triumphant trip to the Crimea. This event stirred up public opinion in Istanbul. From scratch, wild rumors arose: they say that the empress wants to destroy the Ottoman Empire and create Byzantium on its ruins, in whose kings Catherine's grandson Constantine was already predicted. On the site of Wallachia, it was allegedly supposed to create the kingdom of Dacia, where Potemkin would rule. In compensation for participation in the war, Austria will be given Bosnia and Dalmatia, and Venice - Morea, Cyprus and Crete.

Revanchist sentiment in Istanbul was fueled by the British ambassador's statement that Britain would support the Ottoman Empire if it started a war against Russia. In the same year, Turkey, with the support of Great Britain, France and Prussia, put forward an ultimatum to the Russian Empire, demanding the restoration of the vassalage of the Crimean Khanate and Georgia. Also, the Ottoman Empire sought permission from Russia to inspect ships passing through the Bosporus and Dardanelles. On August 13, 1787, Türkiye, having received a refusal, declared war on Russia.

The war was unsuccessful for the initiator: the Ottoman landing was repulsed near Kinburn, Russian troops took Ochakov, Bendery and Khotyn, defeated the Muslims at Rymnik and Fokshtany, and in 1790, under the command of Suvorov, they stormed and captured the strongest fortress Izmail. At sea, the Turks were defeated by the sailing and rowing fleets of the Russian Empire at Liman, near Fidonisi, in the Kerch Strait and at Cape Tendra. The Russians seized the initiative and confidently marched to victory.

Ottoman fleet preparing for action

To turn the tide at sea, from the end of April 1790, the Ottoman fleet was increased and a year later it consisted of 19 battleships, 17 frigates and 43 small ships. In 1791 sailors from North Africa arrived here. Russian historians have an opinion that squadrons of ships arrived from Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, etc., but this is fundamentally wrong. The largest fleet in North Africa, the Algerian, in the years 1787-1790 had as many as nine shebeks (the armament of the ships consisted of 10 to 36 light guns) and as many as two rowing galliots. At the same time, in 1790, only four small ships were armed, on which there were 36 guns in total. One frigate was under construction, and two more were promised by the Sultan. The remaining "fleets" of North Africa were smaller than the Algerian. Only in 1792 did a squadron of Algerian ships go to Istanbul. However, two Algerian and one Tunisian xebecs are mentioned in the 1791 fleet.

The sultan was forced to turn to the Africans for help by heavy losses and desertion in the crews of Ottoman ships in 1788-1790. The Turks took this step only because of urgent need: African corsairs were poorly disciplined, acted without permission, often rebelled and killed their officers.

At the beginning of May 1791, the Muslim fleet: 20 ships, 25 frigates, six shebeks, five bombing ships, ten Kirlangichs and 15 transports - went to sea. He was supposed to deliver reinforcements to Anapa, which was surrounded by Russian troops, and not allow this fortress to be blocked from the sea. In June, the Russian Black Sea Fleet received a message from General Gudovich, who was besieging Anapa, that a large Turkish fleet had appeared near the Dniester estuary. On June 10, Rear Admiral Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov launched a squadron into the sea: 16 ships, two frigates, three bombardment ships, nine cruisers, 13 brigantines and three fireships. Well, then the fun begins.

The fact is that our reader is familiar in all details only with the Russian version of further events. Turkish sources in the studies were either ignored completely or were not available. Now there is an opportunity to get acquainted with them. Therefore, below we will give two versions of events. The Turkish one is based on the books of historians Idris Bostan, Tunj Zorlu and Ali Riza Isipek, while the Russian data is based on documents from the MIRF (Materials for the History of the Russian Navy in 17 volumes), books by Vladimir Ovchinnikov, Roger Charles Anderson and articles from the Marine Atlas.

Meeting of two fleets

According to the Russian version, on June 11, 1791, Ushakov spotted an enemy fleet at Cape Aya on the southern coast of Crimea. The Turks did not accept the battle and headed south. Ushakov chased them for four days, but did not overtake them. According to the Turkish historian Isipek, both sides began to prepare for battle, but they were prevented by a complete calm that lasted four days. Then the wind blew from the Russian side. Ushakov estimated the enemy forces at 18 battleships, ten heavy and seven light frigates, as well as 22 small ships - a total of 57 units. The rear admiral had the opportunity to get close to the Ottomans, but did not dare. The Russian commander explained his decision by the fact that after a four-day chase he had only ten battleships out of sixteen (six were carried to the sea due to breakdowns in the spars and overgrown bottoms). The Turks believe that the Russian fleet was scattered, while the Ottoman one kept compact, which forced Ushakov to retreat.

On June 16, the Russians returned to Sevastopol. Ushakov unsubscribed to Potemkin about the campaign, saying that in five to seven days he would repair the damage and again go out in search of the enemy. Repair meanwhile dragged on for a month. On July 23, Count Voinovich, commander-in-chief of the Black Sea Fleet and the port of Sevastopol, was dismissed. Ushakov became the sovereign leader of not only the squadron, but the entire fleet. On July 29, he reported to Potemkin that the repair of the ships was completed and he was ready to go to sea. In the morning, 16 ships of the line, two bombardment ships, two frigates, one fireship, one repetitive ship and 17 cruisers left the port and went in search of the Ottoman fleet.

The composition of the Ushakov squadron:

Name	guns	Notes
"Nativity"		Flag of Rear Admiral Ushakov
"John the Baptist"
"Mary Magdalene"		Flag of Brigadier Golenkin
"Saint Vladimir"		Flag of Brigadier Captain Pustoshkin
"Saint Paul"
"Transfiguration"
"Saint George the Victorious"
"Saint Alexander Nevsky"
"Saint Andrew the First-Called"
"Saint John the Evangelist"
"Saint Peter the Apostle"
"King Constantine"
"Theodore Stratilat"
"Saint Leonty the Martyr"
"Navarchia Ascension of the Lord"
"St Nicholas"
"Saint Nestor the Reverend"
"Macroplius of Saint Mark"
One replica ship, two bombardment ships, 17 cruisers

The Turks, after maneuvers in June, withdrew to Cape Kaliakria on the modern Bulgarian Black Sea coast, where they dropped anchor. At noon on July 31, Ushakov discovered the Turkish fleet. The Ottomans were commanded by Kapudan Pasha Giritli Hussein, and the Algerian admiral Seydi-Ali (in Russian sources Said-Ali) was appointed his assistant, the main "patron".

The composition of the Ottoman squadron:

Name	guns(approximate number according to Turkish historians)	Notes
Battleships and lined up
"Mukkaddime-i Nusret"		Flag of Seydi Ali
"Bahr-i Zafer"		Flag of Kapudan Pasha Giritli Hussain
"Anka-yi Bahri"
"Feyz-i Huda"		Flag of the Turkish "patron" (vice admiral)
"Nuwied-i Futtuch"		The flag of the Turkish "riyal" (rear admiral)
"Hilal-i Zafer"
"Fethul-Fettah"
"Messudiyeh"
"Inayat-i Hakk"
"Ukab-i Bahri"
"Bed-i Nusret"
"Burj-i Zafer"		Flag of the "Patron Tunus" (Tunisian Vice Admiral)
"Shehbaz-i Bahri"
"Tevfik-ul Ilah"
"Fatih-i Bahri"		Flag of "Riyale Jezair" (Algerian Rear Admiral)
"Beshir-i Zafer"
"Feda-i Nusret"		chartered ship
"Umman-i Bahri"		chartered ship
"Kelem-Bahri"		Privatir, Flag of the "Patron Jezair" (Algerian Vice Admiral)
"Tunus Ibrahim-kapudan"		Privateer with Tunisian crew
Frigates and privateers
"Bulad-i Bahri"
"Jeyran-i Bahri"
"Dad-i Haqq"
"Mazhar-i Saadet"
"Mazhar-i Hidayet"
"Bais-i Nusret"
"Tevfik-i Khuda"
"Khediye-i Hakimi Fas"
"Rehber-i Nusret"
"Khediye-i Devlet"
"Bidat-ul Futuh"
"Nedjm-i Zafer"
"Sayyad-i Bahri"
"Berid-i Futukh"
"Kaid-i Zafer"
"Kaplan-Bashly"
Peik-i Nusret
"Tujar"		Firkata (frigate; used in the meaning of a privateer or cruising ship, that is, a ship intended for robbery and privateering)
"Eski Moskov Aktarmasi"
"Midilli"
"Yeni Tylsym-Bakhri"		Bombardier ship
"Berk-i Hafiz"		Bombardier ship
"Rad-i Bahri"		Bombardier ship
"Shihab-i Hafiz"		Bombardier ship
"Sagir Kuchuk"		Bombardier ship
Algerian and Tunisian xebek squadrons
Peik-i Zafer
"Hisn-i Ghazat"
"Merich-i Bahri"
"Tunus Riyale"		Tunisian xebec
"Jezair Patrona"		Algerian xebec
"Jezair Riyaleh"		Algerian xebec
Five bombing vessels, ten kirlangichs, 15 small vessels

Turkish squadron

The first thing that catches your eye in the above list is an overly large collection of ships of different ranks and different combat values, spiced with a large number of irregular crews who clashed with regular sailors: the Barbary pirates were Shiites, while the main population of the Ottoman Empire, from which the fleet was completed, adhered to Sunnism. The Turks themselves estimate their squadron at 20 ships, 25 frigates, six shebeks, five bombing ships, ten Kirlangichs and 15 transports, while Ushakov, in a report to Potemkin dated August 5, 1791, reported 18 ships, 17 frigates and many small ships. In principle, there is no particular discrepancy, given that the Turks refer to the Kelem-Bakhri and Tunus Ibrahim-Kapudan as battleships, although, most likely, they were chartered large Turkish private ships.

By far the strongest in the Turkish squadron were the 74-gun Mukkaddime-i Nusret and the 72- or 82-gun Bahr-i Zafer. The first of the mentioned battleships, built by French shipbuilders according to French drawings, was launched in Istanbul in 1787. It was a standard 74-gun, two-decker ship with, most likely, the standard armament of this type of battleship. The second, the Bahr-i Zafer, was a completely new ship launched in 1789. Its dimensions - first of all, the length along the keel, given in Turkish sources as equal to 42 m - for some reason were less than the "Mukkaddime-i Nusret" (length along the keel 45.1 m) and corresponded to the length of the standard Turkish 72-gunner. For example, the 72-gun Feyz-i Huda, built in 1789 in Sinop, and the Anka-yi Bahri had a length of 41.7 m. This suggests that the Bahr-i Zafer was still either 72 -gunner, or it was overloaded with guns, making it an 82-gun flagship.

Of the frigates, only the first six carried standard weapons, while the rest had from 20 to 30 guns. In general, despite the large number of ships, the real strength of the Hussein and Seydi-Ali squadron was small.

But back to the description of the battle. The north wind was blowing. Ushakov went backstay to the west in three marching columns. The Turks stood behind Cape Kaliakria in three columns from the southeast to the northwest.

Battle of Kaliakria: Russian version

Rear Admiral Ushakov did not line up. At 14:45, passing Cape Kaliakria, he led his columns between the Turkish batteries on the coast and the Ottoman fleet still at anchor. This act threw the enemy into a panic. Some Turkish ships began to cut ropes and fall out into the wind, trying to build a line. Seydi-Ali's "Mukkaddime-i Nusret" was the first to follow, Hussein tried to hold on to him, but "Bahr-i Zafer" had a shortage in the crew and soon fell behind. Ushakov on the battleship "Christmas of Christ" passed in front of the nose of the Algerian, fired a longitudinal salvo, damaged the enemy's bowsprit, went astern and smashed his rudder to smithereens. The two ships following the Mukkaddime-i Nusret covered their admiral and helped Seydi-Ali to go downwind.

Soon several more Ottoman ships approached, and the Nativity of Christ had to fight on both sides with four battleships. Gradually, other Russian ships entered the battle: "Saint Alexander Nevsky", "John the Baptist" and "Theodore Stratilat". "Navarchia Ascension of the Lord" under the command of Dmitry Senyavin kept a little distance, but hit three enemy frigates with full volleys. The 66-gunner "Mary Magdalene" fought with two Turkish ships.

At about 15:15 Ushakov again attacked Mukkaddime-i Nusret, but he was able to leave. The Turks still lined up. By 16:30, the Russians also reorganized into a wake column, and the battle flared up with renewed vigor. During this time, the "Christmas" tried to knock out of the line and sink the "Mukkaddime-i Nusret" - the most powerful ship of the Turkish fleet, which Ushakov considered the flagship ("kapudaniye"). By 20:30, they managed to shoot down the fore-topmast and the main-rai. The Seydi-Ali ship fell out of the line, went under the protection of two frigates and began to move away from the battlefield, thereby giving a signal to the rest of the Turkish ships to flee. The Algerian admiral himself was seriously wounded.

Ushakov, carried away by the battle, found himself with his ship in the middle of the Turkish fleet. On the left side, he fought off two large frigates, and from the stern and starboard side he was attacked by two Turkish battleships. But soon the lagging forward ships St. Alexander Nevsky, John the Baptist and Theodore Stratilat came to the rear admiral's rescue. At 20:00, in the thickening darkness and smoke, the defeated Turkish squadron hastily left the battlefield. At 20:30, smoke enveloped the battlefield. The fight has stopped.

Battle of Kaliakria: Turkish version

When Ushakov discovered the Ottoman fleet, a north-north-east wind was blowing, unfavorable for the Turks. Hussein ordered the ropes to be cut. However, Seydi-Ali with Tunisian and Algerian ships, not listening to the orders of Kapudan Pasha, drifted south and thereby split the fleet into two groups. Hussein immediately gave the corsair a signal, ordering him to return and attack the enemy together. However, Seydi-Ali, most likely following the favorite tactics of the corsairs, decided to attack Ushakov's vanguard and cut it off. But it turned out that the Russian avant-garde consisted of the strongest ships, and soon Seydi-Ali himself was surrounded and cut off from the main forces. Part of the Turkish ships came to the aid of the Algerian and were able to save him, however, due to the rash act of Hussein's "patron", the Ottoman fleet broke the battle formation.

By 15:00, the Turks were able to build some semblance of a line. Although Ushakov, with the help of Seydi-Ali, cut the Ottoman squadron in two, none of the Turkish ships left the battlefield. They repulsed the Russian attack, albeit with heavy losses for themselves. Twilight parted the fleets. Hussein ordered to repair and continue the battle the next day, but Seydi-Ali played a destructive role here too.

"Mukkaddime-i Nusret" was heavily damaged, Seydi himself was seriously wounded, the loss of killed and wounded in the crew amounted to a third of the team. The captain of the ship, an Algerian, arbitrarily headed for Constantinople. The example of the "patron" was followed by seven or eight Ottoman ships. Hussein's attempts to stop them with signals and return them to the squadron were simply ignored. Nevertheless, Kapudan Pasha planned to attack the Russians with the remaining ships on August 1, believing that they were also badly damaged after the battle. However, the onset of a storm interfered with these plans. The Turkish squadron headed for Constantinople.

Sultan Selim III, having learned the results of the battle, became furious. In response to Hussein's request to once again put the ships out to sea, he replied:

“My fleet commander and the captains of my ships simply insulted me. I did not expect such behavior from them. Woe to my respect that I had for them!”

Potemkin, having received news of this victory, tore up the already signed treaty and dictated to the Turks a new one, more beneficial for Russia.

After the battle at Kaliakria, the Ottoman Empire realized that the war was lost. Couriers were urgently sent to the Turkish representatives at the peace talks in Iasi with an order to sign a truce with Russia on any terms. The Ottomans, seriously fearing Russian landings, frantically began to strengthen the approaches to the Bosphorus and the fortresses of the Straits.

Turkish naval power was finally broken.

Russo-Turkish War 1787–1791 was unleashed by Turkey in order to return the Crimea. Russian troops acted as part of two armies, united under the general command of G.A. Potemkin. Victory A.V. Suvorov near Kinburn (1787), Focsani and on the Rymnik River (1789), the capture of Izmail (1790), as well as the naval victories of F.F. Ushakov in the battle of Kerch and near Tendra Island (1790) weakened the Turkish army and navy. Defeats in the battle of Machin and the naval battle of Kaliakria in 1791 forced Turkey to make peace. He confirmed the annexation of Crimea to Russia, established a new Russian-Turkish border - along the Dniester River, and in the Caucasus - along the Kuban River.

Battle on the Rymnik River (1789)

The period of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787–1791 marked by a number of battles on land and sea. One of them was the battle on the Rymnik River on September 11, 1789 between the 100,000th Turkish army and the allied army (7,000th Russian and 18,000th Austrian detachments). Turkish troops occupied three fortified camps, located at a distance of 6-7 km from one another. A.V. Suvorov, who commanded the Russian detachment, decided to defeat the enemy piecemeal. To this end, he used battalion squares in 2 lines, behind which the cavalry advanced. During a stubborn battle that lasted 12 hours, the Turkish army was completely defeated. Russians and Austrians lost 1 thousand people killed and wounded, and the Turks - 10 thousand.

The battle near the island of Tendra August 29 (September 11), 1790 - Day of military glory (victory day) of Russia

The naval battle near the island of Tendra took place during the Russian-Turkish war of 1787–1791. between the Russian Black Sea Fleet (37 ships, frigates and other vessels) under the command of Rear Admiral F.F. Ushakov and the Turkish fleet (45 ships, frigates and other vessels). On August 28 (September 8), 1790, the Russian squadron suddenly attacked the enemy on the move. During a fierce battle that ended on August 29 (September 9), the Turkish fleet suffered a serious defeat. As a result of this victory, the dominant position of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea was secured.

Assault on Ishmael December 11 (24), 1790 - Day of military glory (victory day) of Russia

Of particular importance during the Russian-Turkish war of 1787–1791. had the capture of Ishmael - the citadel of Turkish rule on the Danube.

Izmail, called by the Turks "Ordu-kalessi" ("army fortress"), was rebuilt by Western engineers in accordance with the requirements of modern fortification. From the south, the fortress was protected by the Danube. A ditch 12 m wide and up to 10 m deep was dug around the fortress walls. There were many stone buildings inside the city that were convenient for defense. The garrison of the fortress consisted of 35 thousand people with 265 guns.

Russian troops approached Izmail in November 1790 and began to besiege it. However, the autumn bad weather hampered the fighting. Diseases began among the soldiers. And then the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, Field Marshal G.A. Potemkin decided to entrust the capture of Ishmael to A.V. Suvorov, who arrived in the troops on December 2 (13). Suvorov was subordinate to 31 thousand people and 500 guns.

Suvorov immediately began preparing for the assault. The troops were trained to overcome obstacles with the help of fascines and assault ladders. Much attention was paid to raising the morale of Russian soldiers. The idea of ​​assaulting Ishmael consisted in a sudden night attack of the fortress from three sides at once with the support of a river flotilla.

After completing the preparations for the assault, A.V. On December 7 (18), Suvorov sent a letter to the commandant of the fortress Aidos-Mehmet Pasha demanding surrender. The envoy of the commandant conveyed the answer that "the Danube will soon stop in its course, the sky will fall to the ground, than Ishmael will surrender."

On December 10 (21), Russian artillery opened fire on the fortress and fired on it all day. On December 11 (22), at 3 o'clock in the morning, at the signal of a rocket, columns of Russian troops began to advance towards the walls of Izmail. At 5:30 the assault began. The Turks opened strong rifle and cannon fire, but he did not hold back the impulse of the attackers. After a 10-hour assault and street fighting, Ishmael was taken. During the capture of Ishmael, Major General M.I. Kutuzov, who was appointed commandant of the fortress.

Enemy losses amounted to 26 thousand killed and about 9 thousand captured. The Russian army lost 4,000 killed and 6,000 wounded.

Ishmael was taken by an army that was inferior in number to the garrison of the fortress - an extremely rare case in the history of military art. The advantage of an open assault on fortresses was also revealed in comparison with the then prevailing methods in the West of mastering them by means of a long siege. The new method made it possible to take fortresses in a shorter time and with small losses.

The thunder of cannons near Izmail heralded one of the most brilliant victories of Russian weapons. The legendary feat of Suvorov's miraculous heroes, who crushed the strongholds of an impregnable fortress, has become a symbol of Russian military glory.

Battle of Cape Kaliakria (1791)

After the defeat at Izmail in December 1790, Türkiye did not lay down its arms. In the final stage of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791. the Turkish army, having been defeated near Machin and Anapa, pinned its last hopes on the fleet.

July 29 (August 9) Rear Admiral F.F. Ushakov led the Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol to the sea, consisting of 16 battleships, 2 frigates, 2 bombardment ships, 17 cruisers, 1 fireship and a rehearsal ship (980 guns in total) in order to search for and destroy the Turkish fleet. On July 31 (August 11), on the way to Cape Kaliakria, he discovered the anchored Turkish fleet of Kapudan Pasha Hussein, consisting of 18 battleships, 17 frigates and 43 smaller ships (a total of 1800 guns). The Russian flagship, assessing the position of the enemy, decided to win the wind and cut off the Turkish ships from the coastal batteries covering it in order to give a general battle on the high seas in favorable conditions.

The rapid approach of the Russian fleet took the enemy by surprise. Despite the powerful fire from the coastal batteries, the Russian fleet, having rebuilt in the course of approaching the enemy in battle formation, passed between the coast and the Turkish ships, and then attacked the enemy from a short distance. The Turks desperately resisted, but could not withstand the fire of the Russians and began to randomly retreat to the Bosphorus. The entire Turkish fleet was scattered across the sea. Of its composition, 28 ships did not return to their ports, including 1 battleship, 4 frigates, 3 brigantines and 21 gunboats. All surviving battleships and frigates were seriously damaged. Most of the crews of the Turkish fleet were destroyed, while 17 people were killed and 28 people were wounded on Russian ships. The Black Sea Fleet had no losses in the ship composition.

Since the time of the Chesme fire (1770), the Turkish fleet has not known such a crushing defeat. As a result of the victory, the Russian fleet gained complete dominance in the Black Sea, and Russia finally established itself as an influential Black Sea power. The defeat of the Turkish fleet in the battle at Cape Kaliakria largely contributed to the final defeat of Turkey in the war with Russia. On December 29, 1791 (January 9, 1792), a peace treaty was signed in Iasi, according to which Russia secured the Crimea, the entire northern coast of the Black Sea and freedom of passage through the Black Sea straits.

In 1787, the next, seventh in a row, began. Porta planned to take revenge for the previous armed conflict and the loss of Crimea. But luck did not accompany the Turks. On land, they were smashed by A. V. Suvorov (suffice it to recall the legendary assault on Izmail). The star of F. F. Ushakov shone on the sea. Fidonisi, Kerch, Cape Tendra and his last victory in this campaign - at Kaliakria.

Battle of Cape Kaliakria happened on July 31 (August 11, according to a new style), 1791, the Turkish fleet was anchored at Cape Kaliakra in Bulgaria. The Turks were celebrating Ramadan, and the appearance of the Russian squadron led by Ushakov took them by surprise.

The Ottomans had a significant advantage in ships (18 linear and 17 frigates against, respectively, 15 and 2 for the Russians), in artillery they outnumbered the enemy by more than one and a half times. But Ushakov brilliantly played the element of surprise. As it walked, in three wakes, the Russian fleet swept past the Turkish coastal batteries and attacked the ships, already in the process turning into a battle line.

Ushakov's sailors maneuvered, preventing the enemy from catching the wind and leaving the parking lot, where large ships felt like herring in a barrel. After five hours of fire confrontation, when the Turks nevertheless fell into the wind, they could no longer even think of any resistance - they simply fled.

Paradoxically, Ushakov, having brilliantly played the opening and the middlegame, still failed to finish off his opponent in the endgame. And this is not the fault of the naval commander: the reason was the poor condition of the wood supplied by Russian shipbuilders. The Turks, even on heavily damaged ships, turned out to be faster ...

Nevertheless, the nearly accomplished total defeat had a painful effect on Porto. Running away quickly is one thing, but the Turks understood that in battle the Russian commander would definitely defeat them. And then there were rumors that Ushakov was going to lead ships to Constantinople. The Ottomans lost their nerve, and at the end of the same 1791, the Yassy peace treaty was signed, which ended the war.

Behind battle of Kaliakria Fedor Ushakov received the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky.

This day in history:

Fedor Fedorovich Ushakov about the naval battle at Cape Kaliakria.

July, 1791 ... July 29 with the fleet entrusted to me, I went to sea and among the sixteen ships, two bombardment, two frigates ... and seventeen cruisers, to search for the enemy fleet ... On the 31st I saw it anchored in line at Kaliakria * against Cape Kalerah-Burnu under the cover of a coastal battery made on it. I, with the fleet under the shots of it, passed near the very coast and, cutting it off from the coast, being in the wind, hastened to attack.

The enemy, frightened by the unexpected arrival of our fleet, having lost the wind, cut off the anchors, lay down on the sails, and, being in confusion, some ships converged with each other in a fairly strong wind and at two the same hour there was damage ... The enemy fleet was among eighteen large ships ..., ten large linear frigates, seven small and numerous small ships of various kinds ....

Our leading ships, which were behind me, "Alexander", "Forerunner" and "Fedor Stratilat", following my command, went down from the wind, surrounded the leading enemy ships and with great vivacity fired on them and along the entire fleet, uninterrupted fire, and between meanwhile, the ship "Christmas of Christ", descending behind the stern of the "Fyodor Stratilat", hurried to approach the ship Sait-Ali * running into the middle of the fleet, so as not to let it go, and fired heavily on it and along the entire enemy fleet. who, from following our entire line behind the advanced ones, was very beaten, mixed up and so constrained. that the enemy ships themselves beat each other with their shots. Our fleet, with its entire line of forward and rear ships, completely surrounded it and fired fierce fire with such excellent vivacity that ... forced many ships to take cover one after another, and the enemy fleet at the beginning of night darkness was already completely defeated to the extreme ..., and our fleet, having closed the distance, drove and beat him with continuous fire with bow guns ...

According to the reports of the commanders, during the battle, non-commissioned officers 1, privates 16, wounded captain-lieutenant Ganzer, lieutenant Golovachev, navigator warrant officer rank Zhmukhin, non-commissioned officers 2, privates 23, only 28 people were killed during the battle ...

The Battle of Kaliakria is the last naval battle of the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791 between the fleets of Russia and the Ottoman Empire, which took place on July 31 (August 11), 1791 in the Black Sea near Cape Kaliakra (northern Bulgaria). The Russian fleet under the command of Rear Admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov, consisting of 15 battleships, 2 frigates and 19 smaller ships (990 guns) met with the combined Turkish-Algerian fleet (Kapudan Pasha Hussein and Algerian Pasha Said-Ali) consisting of 18 battleships , 17 frigates (1500-1600 guns) and a large number of smaller vessels. The Ottoman fleet, after a short cruising in the Black Sea, concentrated near Varna in early July, and then moved on to Kaliakria, where it anchored. July 31 was the holiday of Ramadan, and part of the ship's crews were released ashore. Suddenly, quite unexpectedly, the Russian fleet appeared on the horizon (left Sevastopol on July 28 (August 8)), under full sail, rapidly descending (under the north wind) on the Turks.

Ushakov had 15 battleships, 2 frigates and 2 bombardment ships (about 1000 guns) in the line; the fleet was in the march formation of 3 wake columns; seeing the Turks, Ushakov did not even give himself time to reorganize into the battle line, thus retreating from the traditionally sanctified receptions, passed around 14:45, from the northeast between the Ottoman fleet and the cape, despite the fact that Turkish batteries were located on the cape , under the fire of these batteries and swiftly attacked the Turks. Signals fluttered on the admiral's ship: "add sails", and then "carry all kinds of sails."

The Turks (18 battleships, 10 battleships and 7 small frigates), who did not expect an attack at all and lost, thanks to Ushakov's maneuver, the wind, hastily cut the ropes and tried to build a battle line on the left tack; at the same time, some ships piled on top of each other, and on one ship the mizzen mast collapsed, and the other tore off its bowsprit.

Meanwhile, the Russian fleet also reorganized into a battle line on the port tack. The advanced Turkish ships and ahead of all the Algerian Admiral Said-Ali, having the best move, deviated somewhat to the left, apparently intending to go to the wind. Ushakov guessed this maneuver, on his flagship "Christmas Christ" (the best walker) left the line, overtook the head of his squadron and attacked Said-Ali from a distance of about half a cable; at the same time, the signal was given to the fleet to "go down to the enemy", and the battle began at the closest distances. At this time it was about 17 hours.

Said-Ali's ship soon lost the fore-topmast, main topsail, sails were knocked down on it, and he was forced to go down the line. Ushakov, carried away by the attack, found himself in the middle of the Turkish fleet; on the left side, he fought off 2 large frigates, and from the stern and from the starboard side he was attacked by 2 ships; Ushakov's position was very dangerous for some time, but soon the lagging advanced ships, Alexander, Forerunner and Fedor Stratilat, came to his rescue. By 20 o'clock the Turks were already completely defeated and, without any order, according to their ability, they fled with the wind. By 8:30 p.m., smoke covered the entire battlefield; the wind gradually died down, and the battle ceased.

After about 2 hours, the wind blew from the north-north-west, the Russian fleet lay on a course to the north-east and at midnight turned to another tack, hoping to go to the enemy's wind. They carried all possible sails, but at dawn on August 1, the enemy, retreating to Constantinople, was visible only from the Salings. All the shortcomings in the construction of Russian ships affected here, from which the Turks, badly beaten, nevertheless left without difficulty (the French engineers built the ships for the Turks). Having no hope of catching up with the enemy, Ushakov approached the shore and set about repairing the damage; after 2 days, he was already reporting to Potemkin that “the broken yardarms, topmasts, saddings were replaced with new ones, the holes were patched up, and the fleet is again in good condition.” On August 8, approaching Varna, Ushakov received a notice of a ceasefire and on August 12 returned to the Sevastopol raid.

In the battle, 17 lower ranks were killed on the Russian side, 3 officers and 25 lower ranks were wounded; the losses of the Turks are unknown, but the marksmanship of the Russian ships (Ushakov specially trained them for this) and the large number of landing troops planted on the ships of the Turkish fleet to rescue Anapa, allow us to conclude that these losses must be very high (on the ship Said-Ali - 450 people killed and wounded). Part of the Turkish fleet scattered along the Anatolian and Rumeli coasts; one Algerian squadron was able to reach Constantinople and entered there at night: at the same time, the flagship Said-Ali began to sink and demanded help with cannon shots. The fate of Kapudan Pasha was unknown for a long time. Rumors spread about Ushakov's readiness to attack Constantinople. All this made a very painful impression on the Ottoman government and hastened the end of the Russian-Turkish war, which ended with the signing of the Iasi peace treaty.

Sevastopol squadron under the command of F.F. Ushakov, which consisted of 16 battleships "Christmas of Christ" (Ushakov's flag, captain 1st rank M.M. Elchaninov), "Mary Magdalene" (captain 2nd rank A. Ishin), "St. Vladimir" (captain brigadier P.V., Pustoshkin), “The Transfiguration of the Lord” (Captain 1st Rank N.P. Kumani), “St. Pavel" (captain 1st rank K.A. Shapilov), "Leonty Martyr" (captain 1st rank A.A. Obolyaninov), "Alexander Nevsky" (captain 1st rank N.L. Yazykov), "George the Victorious" (captain 1st rank M. I. Cefaliano), “Apostle Andrew” (captain 2nd rank E. Sarandinaki), “Peter the Apostle” (captain 1st rank F.Ya. Zaostrovtsev), “John the Theologian” (captain 2nd rank F.V. Shishmarev), “Tsar Konstantin” (Captain 2nd rank I.I. Oznobishin), “Fedor Stratilat” (Captain 1st rank I.A. Selivachev), “Navarchia” (Captain 2nd rank D.N. Senyavin), “St. Nikolay” (Captain 2nd rank M. Lvov), “John the Baptist” (Captain 1st rank A.G. Baranov), 2 frigates “St. Mark" (Captain 2nd rank V. Velikoshapkin), "Nestor Reverend" (Captain 2nd rank A. Larionov), 2 scorer "St. Jerome ”(Captain 2nd Rank F.I. Demor),“ The Nativity of the Virgin ”(G. Candioti) and 19 small ships, went to sea on July 29 and headed for the shores of Rumelia.

On July 31, a Turkish squadron was discovered anchored at Cape Kaliakria under the command of Kapudan Pasha Hussein, consisting of 18 ships, 10 large and 7 small frigates and 43 small ships. In addition to the Turkish ones proper, there were ships from Tunisian, Algerian, Tripoli and the Albanian city of Dulcinho. The Turks were anchored under the cover of coastal batteries off the Rumelian coast near Kaliakria, opposite Cape Calerach-Burnu.

Despite the significant superiority of the enemy forces, F.F. Ushakov attacked him using a new tactic: passing between the coast and the Turkish ships, the Russian squadron went to the wind and suddenly attacked the Turks in the march formation of three columns. Having no time to raise the anchor, the enemy ships cut the ropes and, with a rather strong wind, in disorder, entering under the sails, collided with each other and broke the mast. On one of them the mizzen-mast collapsed, the other broke his bowsprit.

Around 15.15 Kapudan Pasha Hussein began to build a line of battle on the port tack. The Algerian Pasha Said-Ali, who commanded the vanguard, seeing the indecision of the commander of the fleet, led part of the ships and built a battle line on the left tack. Hussein followed him.

F.F. Ushakov, pursuing the Turks in three columns, around 15.30 rebuilt the fleet in the line of battle on the same tack and, closing the distances between the ships, attacked the enemy. The ship "Christmas", under the flag of F.F. Ushakov, at 16.15 he left the battle line and, approaching the distance of half a cable to the bow of the ship of the Algerian flagship Said-Ali, knocked down his fore-mast and main-mars-rai and inflicted such damage that forced him to retreat behind other ships.

It should be noted that before his departure to the Black Sea, Said-Ali swore to the Sultan to bring Ushakov as a prisoner to Constantinople. This greatly angered Ushakov, who decided to personally teach the boastful pasha a lesson. Without letting her come to her senses, the admiral passed under her stern, and a new salvo broke the stern and knocked down the mizzen mast with all the sails. Passing under the stern, Ushakov shouted: “Said is a loafer! I will wean you from making such promises.” His enemy, stunned and mangled, retired to the wind and was saved from a new blow only by the two ships following him, shielding him from the Russian flagship.

The rest of the Russian ships, by order, closed the line and continued to approach the enemy, trying to disable the flagships with artillery fire.

At 17:00 Russian ships opened fire from a short distance. 17.45 Turkish ships, unable to withstand the fire, withdrew from the battle, pursued by the Russian squadron. Turkish ships, crowding each other, formed a mixed heap. Our fleet surrounded the Turks and hit the dense forest of masts and sails without a miss. Shooting at random and hitting for the most part their neighbors, the Turkish ships thought only of leaving this massacre as soon as possible. In an hour of battle, the complete defeat of the enemy was achieved. Many Turkish ships were damaged.

The fierce battle, which lasted more than three hours, ended in the complete defeat of the Turks. Fleeing in disarray, terribly battered enemy ships were again covered by the saving night for the vanquished, and the wind that had died down made it possible to repair more dangerous damage. But, despite this, on the way to the Bosphorus, with a stronger wind, some of the ships most affected in the battle sank, while others were forced to take refuge off the coast of Rumelia and Anatolia. Only the Algerian squadron reached the Bosphorus, and when the defeated F.F. Ushakov, the flagship Said-Ali, which had more than 450 people killed and wounded, began to sink in the middle of the night, then, demanding help with cannon shots, he terribly alarmed the Sultan and the entire capital. The miserable appearance of the returning ships clearly indicated what the outcome of the battle was. The panic fear that gripped the inhabitants of Constantinople was increased by the spreading rumor about the imminent appearance in the Bosphorus of "Ushak Pasha", as the Turks called F.F. Ushakov. The glorious victory at Kaliakria cost us only 17 men killed and 27 wounded; and the damage received by the ships turned out to be so insignificant that they were corrected within three days.

Meanwhile, the victories of our army on the Danube, the storming of the fortress of Anapa and the occupation of Sudzhuk-Kale (now Novorossiysk) by General I.V. Gudovich forced the Turks to start concluding peace, the preliminary conditions of which were signed by Prince N.V. Repnin and the Grand Vizier on July 31, the day of the Battle of Kaliakria. If the Porte still hesitated between peace and war, the victory of F.F. Ushakova, who threatened the security of the capital itself, made the Turks convinced of the need for an early conclusion of peace.