Crimean War Timeline

April 19: Russia claims protectorate over Christians in Turkey.
May 21: Turkey rejects Russian ultimatum.
June 4: Anglo-French fleet assembled off Dardanelles.
July 2: Russian army crosses the Pruth.
October 4: Turkey declares war on Russia.
November 30: Turkish fleet destroyed off Sinope.
December: Anglo-French fleet enters Black Sea.

1854

March 12: Alliance between Britain, France and Turkey.
March 27 and 28: Britain and France declare war on Russia.
April 20: Austro-Prussian defensive alliance against Russia.
May 18: Western Powers declare blockade of Greece for having attacked Turkey; Greece promises neutrality.
June: Austria occupies Danubian principalities.
June: Colonial Secretaryship (British) separated from War Secretaryship.
September 14: Allied armies land in Crimea.
September 20: Battle of Alma.
October 25: Battle of Inkerman.
November 5: Battle of Inkerman.
October 17: Siege of Sebastopol begins.

1855

January 26: Piedmont (Sardinia) joins in Crimean War.
September 11: Sebastopol capitulates to Allies.
November 28: Kars surrenders to Russians.(?)

1856

February 25-March 30: Peace Congress of Paris; Black Sea declared neutral, Danube declared free, integrity of Turkey guaranteed, Russia cedes Bessarabia, Danubian principalities guaranteed by the Great Powers.
April 15: Britain, France and Austria guarantee integrity and independence of Turkey.
April 16: Declaration of Paris abolishes privateering, defines nature of contraband and blockade,

Another site with Crimean War information.

Greek-Turkish relations are a controversial subject. A reader, Mike Zeuss, wishes to make these points:

1. Throughout the timeline the Ottoman Empire is referred to as Turkey. The Ottoman Empire did not become Turkey until 1923 i.e. the name Turkey was not used during the timeline shown.

2. The statement "May 18: Western Powers declare blockade of Greece for having attacked Turkey; Greece promises neutrality" is not correct since Greece did not attack the Ottoman Empire. Greece was in the middle of a War of Independence (from the Ottoman Empire) and much of Greece was not freed until 1912, 1913 and 1922 during that War of Independence. To say that "Greece attacked the Ottoman Empire" is completely wrong. If you have an opportunity to read about the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire you will realize that the Ottoman Turks were always far stronger militarily than the Greeks were and they were allied with Egypt and the Greeks were the underdogs of the whole situation. Without help from the British and the French the Greeks could not have achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire.

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