Battle of Cahul(1770)
Background
The Russian empress Catherine II ordered the invasion of Moldavia and Wallachia, both of which were under Ottoman suzerainty, in September 1769 as a response to the Ottoman sultan Mustafa III's declaration of war against Russia the previous year. Leading the invasion endeavor was Field Marshal Pyotr Rumyantsev. Although the Ottoman forces, joined by Crimean Tatars' forces from the east, had greater numerical superiority over the Russian forces, it was evident that they were buckling under the speed and shock of the Russian invasion, retreating after suffering losses from battles and sieges while their fortresses were falling one by one. The Ottoman sultan did not expect such a calamity to happen, but this shocked the Grand Vizier Ivazzade Halil Pasha even more that he had lost oversight of the overall situation in the theater and thus let the initiative pass to the enemy for the time being.
Campaign: Russo-Turkish War 1768–1774
Forces Engaged
The Battle
Rumyantsev with only 17,000 men attacked and routed a grand Ottoman army of 150,000 on the Cahul river in southern Moldavia. One of the most lopsided victories of the war, it opened the road to the Danube.
The Battle of Kagul or Cahul occurred on 1 August 1770 during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774. It was the decisive and most important land battle of the war and one of the largest battles of the 18th century. It was fought in Moldavia, near the village of Frumoasa, nearly a month after the Russian victory at Larga.
Casualties & Outcome
Approximately 1,000 Russian casualties; over 20,000 Ottoman casualties (dead, wounded, captured)
Russia achieved victory over Ottoman Empire.
In the wake of the victory at Kagul, with the Ottoman military presence in the Danube Delta region rendered null, the Russians overran all major fortresses in the region — Izmail, Kilia, Ackerman, İbrail (now Brăila), İsakça (now Isaccea), and Bender, all taken with minor difficulties. In commemoration of the victory, the empress Catherine II ordered the Cahul Obelisk to be erected in Tsarskoe Selo, while Frederick II of Prussia sent to Rumyantsev a congratulatory letter in which he compared the Russian victory to the deeds of the Ancient Romans. Meanwhile, the Ottoman sultan Mustafa III removed Ivazzade Halil Pasha from his post as the Grand Vizier as a result of this defeat and was replaced by Silahdar Mehmed Pasha. On the same day four years later, the Russian and Ottoman empires signed the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca, ending the war.
Historical Record
Significance & Legacy
Decisive battle of the 1768–1774 War; it led directly to the Russian capture of Ismail, Akkerman, Kilia, and Brăila; it effectively ended Ottoman resistance north of the Danube; Rumyantsev received the title "Zadunaysky" (Beyond the Danube).
Frequently Asked Questions
- When was the Battle of Cahul?
- The Battle of Cahul took place in 1770. 1 Aug 1770.
- Who won the Battle of Cahul?
- The Russia were victorious against the Ottoman Empire.
- What was the significance of the Battle of Cahul?
- Decisive battle of the 1768–1774 War; it led directly to the Russian capture of Ismail, Akkerman, Kilia, and Brăila; it effectively ended Ottoman resistance north of the Danube; Rumyantsev received the title "Zadunaysky" (Beyond the Danube).