Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
{{Infobox military conflict | conflict = Russo-Turkish War | partof = the Great Eastern Crisis and the Russo-Turkish wars | image = Russo-Turkish_War._jpg.png | caption = Clockwise from top left: The Action off Măcin, The Battle of Shipka Pass, The Siege of Plevna, The Battle of Aladzha, The Battle of Tashkessen | date = 24 April 1877 – 3 March 1878() | place = Balkans, Caucasus | territory = * Establishment of the Principality of Bulgaria De jure independence of Romania, Serbia and Montenegro from the Ottoman Empire Kars and Batum Oblasts become part of the Russian Empire, Britain occupies Cyprus, Austria-Hungary occupies Bosnia Russian annexation of Southern Bessarabia from Romania, Romanian annexation of Northern Dobruja | result = Russian coalition victory Official recognition of de facto and de jure independence of the Balkan states. Treaty of San Stefano Treaty of Berlin Treaty of Constantinople | combatant1 = Guard of Finland Principality of Romania Principality of Serbia Principality of Montenegro Bulgarian Legion Serbian rebels | combatant2 = Loyal Kurdish tribes Albanian volunteers Circassian volunteers Chechen rebels Abkhazian rebels Polish volunteers | commander1 = | commander2 = | strength1 = The Russo-Turkish War (, named for the year 1293 in the Islamic calendar; , "Russian–Turkish war") was a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and a coalition led by the Russian Empire which included Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro. Fought in the Balkans and in the Caucasus, it originated in emerging 19th-century Balkan nationalism. Additional factors included the Russian goals of recovering territorial losses endured during the Crimean War of 1853–56, re-establishing itself in the Black Sea and supporting the political movement attempting to free Balkan nations from the Ottoman Empire. The Russian-led coalition won the war, pushing the Ottomans back all the way to the gates of Constantinople, leading to the intervention of the western European great powers. As a result, Russia succeeded in claiming provinces in the Caucasus, namely Kars and Batum, and also annexed the Budjak region. The principalities of Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro, each of which had had de facto sovereignty for some years, formally proclaimed independence from the Ottoman Empire. After almost five centuries of Ottoman domination (1396–1878), the Principality of Bulgaria emerged as an autonomous Bulgarian state with support and military intervention from Russia. Conflict pre-history Treatment of Christians in the Ottoman Empire Article 9 of the 1856 Paris Peace Treaty, concluded at the end of the Crimean War, obliged the Ottoman Empire to grant Christians equal rights with Muslims. Before the treaty was signed, the Ottoman government issued an edict, the Edict of Gülhane, which proclaimed the principle of the equality of Muslims and non-Muslims, and produced some specific reforms to this end. For example, the jizya tax was abolished and non-Muslims were allowed to join the army. Crisis in Lebanon, 1860 In 1858, stirred by their clergy, the Maronite peasants of northern Lebanon revolted against their predominantly Druze feudal overlords and established a peasant republic. In southern Beirut vilayet, where both Maronite and Druze