Battle of Sinope
The Battle of Sinop, by A. Bogolyubov.
Conflict: Crimean War
Date: 30 November 1853
Place: Sinop, northern Turkey
Outcome: Decisive Russian victory
Combatants
Tsarist Russia	Ottoman Empire
Commanders
Unknown	Osman Pasha
Strength
6 battleships 2 frigates 3 steamers	7 frigates 5 corvettes
Casualties
none	7 frigates and 4 corvettes sunk

The naval Battle of Sinope (or Sinop) occurred on 30 November 1853 at Sinop, a sea port in northern Turkey, when Imperial Russian battleships annihiliated a force of Ottoman Empire frigates. It is often considered to be the first battle of the Crimean War (1854–1856). Image File history File links BattleOfSinop. ... The Crimean War lasted from 28 March 1854 until 1856 and was fought between Russia and an alliance of the United Kingdom, France, the Ottoman Empire (to some extent), and Piedmont-Sardinia. ... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining, as the final day of November. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For other meanings of Sinop/Sinope, see Sinope Sinop (also Sinope) is a city with a population of 47,000 on the coast of the Black Sea, in the modern region of Galatia in modern-day northern Turkey, historically known as Sinope. ... Росси́йская Импе́рия, (also Imperial Russia) covers the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great into the Russian Empire stretching from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposition of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start of the Russian Revolution... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Bursa (1335 - 1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (Constantinople) (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40... November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining, as the final day of November. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For other meanings of Sinop/Sinope, see Sinope Sinop (also Sinope) is a city with a population of 47,000 on the coast of the Black Sea, in the modern region of Galatia in modern-day northern Turkey, historically known as Sinope. ... Categories: Stub | Commercial item transport and distribution | Transportation ... Greater Arms of the Russian Empire, adopted in 1882 Flag of Russian Empire 1914-1917 Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean... HMS Victory in 1884 In naval warfare, battleships were the most heavily armed and armored warships afloat. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Bursa (1335 - 1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (Constantinople) (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40... Frigate is a name which has been used for several distinct types of warships at different times. ... The Crimean War lasted from 28 March 1854 until 1856 and was fought between Russia and an alliance of the United Kingdom, France, the Ottoman Empire (to some extent), and Piedmont-Sardinia. ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1856 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Fighting at sea between Imperial Russia and Ottoman Empire had been going on for weeks, and the Ottomans had sent several squadrons into the Black Sea to patrol. One of these, under Osman Pasha, ended up at Sinope, joining the frigate Kaid Zafer which had been part of an earlier patrol, and being joined by Taif (probably), a steam frigate from a smaller squadron. The Ottomans had wanted to send battleships to Sinope, but the British ambassador in Istanbul had cancelled this plan, and only frigates were sent. It is possible that this was done deliberately, to get Russia to attack a weaker fleet. The British and French supported the Ottoman Empire against Imperial Russia, but didn't want a war to start. When it became clear there would be a war, they hoped Russia would give the casus belli. Map of the Black Sea. ... Shows the Location of the Province İstanbul Istanbul (Turkish: İstanbul; a contraction of Greek εις την πολιν into the city, the former Constantinople, Κωνσταντινούπολις) is the largest city in Turkey, and arguably the most important. ... Casus belli is a Latin expression from the international law theory of Jus ad bellum. ...

The Russians sailed into the harbor in two lines of three battleships each and anchored alongside the Ottoman line. The battle itself took about an hour. The Russian used destructive Paixhans shell guns to destroy the fleet, and only Taif managed to escape to Istanbul, pursued by the Russian steamers. It arrived on 2 December. A harbor (AmE), harbour (CwE) or haven is a place where ships may shelter from the weather or are stored. ... Henri-Joseph Paixhans was a French artillery officer of the beginning of the 19th century. ... Fleet can refer to several things: Fleet is the name of several places: Fleet, a village in Dorset, England Fleet, in the county of Hampshire, England the River Fleet, a subterranean river in London, England Fleet Street, named after the river Fleet Prison, named after the river Fleet Marriages, named...

This attack led to France and the United Kingdom declaring war on Russia in early 1854 in support of the Ottoman Empire.

Order of battle

Russian Empire

Russian Navy Ensign File links The following pages link to this file: Russian Navy Imperial Russian Navy ... Imperial Russia is the term used to cover the period of Russian history from the expansion of Russia under Peter the Great, through the expansion of the Russian Empire from the Baltic to the Pacific Ocean, to the deposal of Nicholas II of Russia, the last tsar, at the start...

Battleships

• Veliky Knyaz Konstantin 120 guns
• Tri Sviatitelia 120 guns
• Parizh 120 guns (2nd flag)
• Imperatriitsa Maria 84 guns (flag)
• Chesma 84 guns
• Rostislav 84 guns

Velikiy Knyaz Konstantin (Russian: Великий князь Константин) was a name of the Russian Navy torpedo boat tender named after the Grand Duke (Velikiy Kniaz) Konstantin of Russia, used in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. ...

Frigates

• Kulevtcha 54 guns
• Kagul 44 guns

Steamers

• Odessa 4 guns
• Krym 4 guns
• Khersones 4 guns

Ottoman Empire

Flag of the Ottoman Navy, specifically that of an Ottoman Man-o-war. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Bursa (1335 - 1365), Edirne (1365-1453), İstanbul (Constantinople) (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40...

Sail frigates

• Avni Illah 44 guns
• Fazl Illah 44 guns (formerly Russian Rafail, captured 1829)
• Nizamieh 62 guns
• Nessin Zafer 60 guns
• Navek Bahri 58 guns
• Damiat 56 guns (Egyptian)
• Kaid Zafer 54 guns

Sail corvettes

• Nejm Fishan 24 guns
• Feyz Mabud 24 guns
• Kel Safid 22 guns

Steam frigates/corvettes

• Taif 12 guns
• Erkelye 10 guns

References

• Anderson, R.C., Naval wars in the Levant 1559–1853, ISBN 0878397990