Russo-Turkish War (1568–1570).html



Russo-Turkish War (1568–1570)
Part of the Russo-Turkish Wars
Date 1568–1570 Location Astrakhan and Azov Result Russian victory Territorial changes Treaty of Constantinople
Belligerents
Russia	Ottoman Empire Crimean Khanate
Commanders
Prince Serebianov	Sokollu Mehmet Paşa Devlet I Giray khan Kasim Paşa
Strength
15,000 men	2000 spakh 15,000 janissary few thousand irregular 50,000 tatar

The Russo–Turkish War (1568–1570) a war between the Russian and Ottoman Empires. The casus belli was the Astrakhan Khanate

In 1556, the khanate was conquered by Ivan the Terrible, who had a new fortress built on a steep hill overlooking the Volga.
In 1568 Selim initiated the first encounter between the Ottoman Empire and her future northern rival. The results presaged the many disasters to come. A plan to unite the Volga and Don by a canal was detailed in Constantinople and in the summer of 1569 a large force under Kasim Paşa of 15 000 Janissaries, 2000 Spakhs, and few thousand Azaps, and Akıncıs, were sent to lay siege to Astrakhan and begin the canal works, while an Ottoman fleet besieged Azov.

But a sortie of the garrison under Knyaz Serebianov, the military governor of Astrakhan drove back the besiegers; a Russian relief army of 15,000 attacked and scattered the workmen and the Tatar force (50,000 men) sent for their protection; and finally, the Ottoman fleet was destroyed by a storm.

Early in 1570, the ambassadors of Ivan IV of Russia concluded at Istanbul a treaty which restored friendly relations between the Sultan and the Tsar.

References

• Attila Weiszhár and Balázs Weiszhár: Lexicon of Wars, Atheneaum publisher, Budapest 2004.