Anglo-Turkish War (1807–1809)

The Anglo-Ottoman War was a conflict that took place during the Napoleonic Wars between 1807 and 1809.

The Anglo-Turkish War of 1807–1809
Part of the Napoleonic Wars
Date1807–1809
Location
Result Treaty of the Dardanelles
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire
Supported by
French Empire		 United Kingdom
Supported by
 Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Selim III
Muhammad Ali		 George III
John Duckworth

In the summer of 1806, during the War of the Third Coalition (of Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden), Napoleon's ambassador General Count Sebastiani managed to convince the Porte to cancel all special privileges granted to Russia in 1805 and to open the Ottoman straits (Dardanelles) exclusively to French warships. In return, Napoleon promised to help the Sultan suppress a rebellion in Serbia and to recover lost Ottoman territories. When the Russian army marched into Moldavia and Wallachia in 1806, the Ottomans declared war on Russia.

During the Dardanelles Operation in September 1806, Britain pressured Sultan Selim III to expel Sebastiani, declare war on France, cede the Danubian Principalities to Russia, and surrender the Ottoman fleet, together with the forts on the Dardanelles, to the Royal Navy. After Selim's rejection of the ultimatum, a British squadron, commanded by Vice-admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth, entered the Dardanelles on 19 February 1807 and destroyed an Ottoman naval force in the Sea of Marmara, and anchored opposite Constantinople. With French assistance the Ottomans erected powerful batteries and strengthened their fortifications. The British warships were cannonaded suffering the loss of two ships. Duckworth made the decision to withdraw to the Mediterranean on 3 March 1807.

Alexandria expedition of 1807
Main article: Alexandria expedition of 1807

On 16 March 1807, 5000 British troops embarked on the Alexandria expedition of 1807 and occupied Alexandria in August, although Khedive Muhammad Ali resisted heavily and a lack of supplies forced them to withdraw. Ottoman Empire had little military support from France in the war with Russia; Napoleon failed to secure Russia's compliance with the armistice agreement of 1807.[1]

On 5 January 1809, the Ottoman government concluded the Treaty of the Dardanelles with Britain, which was now at war with both France and Russia.

Notes
  1. John W. Fortescue, History of British Army from the Expedition to Egypt 1807, to the Battle of Coruna, January, 1809. (Vol. 6. 1940).
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