The Crimean War

The Crimean War was fought from 1853 to 1856 between Russian forces and the allied armies of Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire (present-day Turkey) and Sardinia (part of present-day Italy). It was sparked by a religious dispute between the declining Ottoman Empire and Russia over whether the Roman Catholic Church or the Russian Orthodox Church was the supreme Christian authority in the Holy Land. When Russia scored a significant naval victory several other countries stepped into the dispute because of their serious concerns about the strategic and commercial advantages Russia would gain if it succeeded in expanding its power southwards. The Crimean Peninsula, which juts out into the Black Sea and is today part of the Ukraine, was the setting for most of the battles. Russia was unable to muster the strength it needed to combat the powerful alliance but and estimated 250,000 men were lost by each side during the war. After Sevastopol was taken by the allies after a year-long siege and Austria threatened to join with Russia’s enemies, a peace agreement was negotiated. This agreement was formalized with the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which required Russia to surrender lands it had taken from the Ottoman Empire and abolish its navy and military presence in the Black Sea region.