User:Kansas Bear/Russo-Turkish War (1787-92)

The Russo–Turkish War of 1787–1792 involved an unsuccessful attempt by the Ottoman Empire to regain lands lost to Russia in the course of the previous Russo-Turkish War (1768–74). It took place concomitantly with the Austro-Turkish War of 1787–91.

Background
In the spring of 1786, Catherine II of Russia made a triumphal procession through New Russia and the annexed Crimea in company with her ally, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. These events, the rumors about Catherine's Greek Plan and the friction caused by the mutual complaints of infringements of the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca, which had ended the previous war, stirred up public opinion in Constantinople, while the British and French ambassadors lent their unconditional support to the Ottoman war party.

War
On 19 August 1787, war was declared and the Russian ambassador to the Ottomans, Yakov Bulgakov, was thrown into prison, but Ottoman preparations were inadequate and the moment was ill-chosen, now that Russia and Austria were in alliance.

The Ottoman Empire opened their offensive with an attack on the two fortresses near Kinburn. Russian General Alexander Suvorov holds off these two Ottoman sea-borne attacks, securing the Crimea. While in Moldavia, Russian troops take the Ottoman cities of Chocim and Jassy. Ochakov, situated at the mouth of the Dnieper, falls on 6 Dec 1788 after a six-month siege by Prince Grigori Potemkin and Suvorov. All civilians in the captured cities are massacred on the orders of Potemkin.

Although, losing ground to the Russians, the Ottoman Empire finds some successes against the Austrians, led by Emperor Joseph II, in Serbia and Transylvania.

By 1789, the Ottoman Empire is being pressed back in Moldavia by Russian and Austrian forces. Furthering this demise, on 1 August the Russians under Suvorov score a victory against the Ottomans at Focsani, followed by a Russian victory at Rimnik on 22 September. The Ottomans suffer more losses when the Austrians under General Gideon E. von Laudon defeat an Ottoman invasion of Bosnia and in their counterattack take Belgrade.

Due to a Greek revolt which draws off Ottoman military resources, the Ottoman Empire and Austria sign a truce which would last from July to September 1790. Suvorov captures the Ottoman fortress of Ismail, located at the entrance of the Danube, in December 1790.

By 1791, Russian concerns about Prussia entering the war, and with Austria already out of the fighting, a peace treaty is signed at Jassy.

Aftermath
Accordingly, the Treaty of Jassy was signed with Russia on 9 January 1792, recognizing Russia's 1783 annexation of the Crimean Khanate. Yedisan (Odessa and Ochakov) was also ceded to Russia, and the Dniester was made the frontier in Europe, while the Asiatic frontier—the Kuban River—remained unchanged.

The young Sultan Selim III was anxious to restore his country's prestige by a victory before making peace, but the condition of his troops made this hope impossible. On 31 January 1790, Prussia signed an offensive treaty with the Ottoman Empire, but instead of directly joining the war with the Turkish side, Prussia pressed Sweden into war against Russia despite opposition from military officers stationed in Finland. Russia in turn pressed Denmark–Norway into war against Sweden.