Battle of Navarino 1827 • Modern Era
Discovering the battle
20 October 1827 French victory

Battle of Navarino

Greek War of Independence · Bay of Navarino, western Peloponnese (Greece)

Summary

The Battle of Navarino was a naval battle fought on 20 October 1827 in the Bay of Navarino (western Peloponnese) between the Ottoman fleet and a Franco-Russo-British fleet during the intervention of these three powers in the Greek War of Independence. The Ottomans were totally defeated.

Historical context

Under the Treaty of London of 6 July 1827, France, the United Kingdom, and Russia agreed to intervene in the Greek War of Independence to end the bloodshed. A tripartite fleet commanded by Edward Codrington, Henri de Rigny, and Login Van Geiden was sent to the eastern Mediterranean.

Tactics

On 20 October 1827 the Allied admirals engaged the Ottoman fleet anchored in Navarino Bay. Allied victory rested on superior firepower and gunnery; it was the last major naval battle fought essentially under sail, with most ships fighting at anchor.

Consequences

The Ottoman defeat was total. The Battle of Navarino is considered the last major sailing naval battle before steamships, ironclads, and shells, and a decisive step toward Greek independence and one of the first humanitarian interventions in modern history.

Location

Place : Bay of Navarino, western Peloponnese (Greece)
Coordinates : 36.93583333°N, 21.68777778°E

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