See also: Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)

Romanian War of Independence (1877–1878)
The Siege of Plevna
Date 1877–1878 Location Balkans Result Russian victory Territorial changes Congress of Berlin
Belligerents
Russian Empire Romanian Principality Bulgarian volunteers	Ottoman Empire
Commanders
Carol I Grand Duke Nikolai	Ahmed Muhtar Pasha Ghazi Osman Pasha
Casualties and losses
10,000

The Romanian War of Independence was fought in 1877 against the Ottoman Empire. On April 16 O.S. April 4] 1877, Romania and the Russian Empire signed at Bucharest a treaty under which Russian troops were allowed to pass through Romanian territory, with the condition that Russia respect the integrity of Romania. The mobilization began, and about 120,000 soldiers were massed in the south of the country to defend against an eventual attack of the Ottoman forces from south of the Danube. On April 24 O.S. April 12] 1877, Russia declared war to the Ottoman Empire and its troops entered Romania.

Overview

On May 21 O.S. May 9] 1877, in the Romanian parliament, Mihail Kogălniceanu declared the independence of Romania as the will of the Romanian people. A day later, the act was signed by Prince Carol I. The next day, the Romanian government canceled paying tribute to Turkey (914,000 lei), and the sum was given instead to the War Minister.

Initially, Russia did not wish to cooperate with Romania, since they did not wish Romania to participate in the peace treaties after the war, but the Russians encountered a very strong Turkish army of 50,000 soldiers led by Osman Pasha at the Siege of Pleven (Plevna).

War

The battlefield of Plevna and Grivica

Romanian troops taking Grivica Strongpoint

Due to great losses, Nikolai Konstantinovich, Grand Duke of Russia asked Carol I for the Romanian Army to intervene and fuse with the Russian Army.^[1]

Carol I accepted the Duke's proposal, and became the commander of the Romanian and marshal of the Russian troops, of which the combined forces had conquered Plevna after heavy fighting. The Romanian Army won the battles of Griviţa and Rahova, and on 28 November 1877 the Plevna citadel capitulated, and Osman Pasha surrendered the city, the garrison and his sword to the Romanian Colonel Mihail Cerchez. After the occupation of Plevna, the Romanian Army returned to the Danube and won the battles of Vidin and Smârdan. On 19 January 1878, the Ottoman Empire requested an armistice, which was accepted by Russia and Romania. Romania won the war, having suffered about 10,000 casualties. Its independence was finally recognised by the Central Powers on 13 July 1878.

Aftermath

Ottoman losses in the Balkans after the Crimean War, from Literary and Historical Atlas of Europe, by J.G. Bartholomew, 1912

Smârdan battle by Nicolae Grigorescu

The peace treaty between Russia and the Ottoman Empire was signed in San Stefano, on 3rd March 1878. Russia did not keep its promises of the 4 April 1877 treaty (signed by Russian consul Stuart Dimitri and Romanian prime minister Mihail Kogălniceanu) to respect Romania's territorial integrity. However, the treaty was not recognised by the Central Powers and the 1878 peace conference in Berlin decided that Russia would give Romania its independence, the territories of Dobrogea, the Danube Delta, and Snake Island (Insula Şerpilor), but Russia would occupy the southern counties of Bessarabia (Cahul, Bolgrad and Ismail), which by the Treaty of Paris of 1856 (after the Crimean War) were included in Moldavia.

Gallery

Romanian plate commemorating victory at Pleven	Ahmed Pasha's sword: Romanian capture from Pleven	At upper right is Carol I's insignia as a Russian Field Marshal	First Cannon Fire
Crossing the Danube	Carol I is welcomed in Bulgaria	King Carol I at Smârdan	Battle at Skit bridge
Color engraving from 1878	Color engraving from 1878	Color engraving from 1878	Color engraving from 1878
Capturing Pleven	Battle for Pleven	Pleven Diorama	Pleven Diorama

See also

Part of a series on the History of Romania
Prehistory
Dacia
- Dacian wars
- Roman Dacia
- The Eastern Romanity
Early Middle Ages
- Origin of the Romanians
Middle Ages
- Foundation of Wallachia
- Foundation of Moldavia
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- Organic Statute
- 1848 Wallachian Revolution
- War of Independence
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• History of Romania
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External links

• The Plevna Delay by Richard T. Trenk, Sr. (Originally published in Man At Arms magazine, Number Four, August, 1997)
• The Romanian Army of the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78
• Grivitsa Romanian Mausoleum in Bulgaria

Footnotes

1. ^ The telegram of Nikolai to Carol I (in Romanian): "Turcii îngrãmãdind cele mai mari trupe la Plevna ne nimicesc. Rog sã faci fuziune, demonstratiune si dacã-i posibil sã treci Dunãrea cu armatã dupã cum doresti. Între Jiu si Corabia demonstratiunea aceasta este absolut necesarã pentru înlesnirea miscãrilor mele" ("The Turks massed together the greatest troop at Pleven to lay us waste. I ask you to make mergers, demonstrations and if it is possible cross the Danube with the army as you wish. Between Jiu and Corabia, the demonstration is absolutely necessary to facilitate my movements.)