The Romanian War of Independence was fought in 1877 against the Ottoman Empire. On , 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 , Russia declared war to the Ottoman Empire and its troops entered Romania.

Overview

On , in the Romanian parliament, Mihail Kog?lniceanu 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

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 Grivi?a 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

Gallery

<gallery> Image:2006 0528MuzeuldeIStorieCapitularealuiOsman.jpg|Romanian plate commemorating victory at Pleven Image:Ahmed PASA Sword Romanian Capture from Plevna.jpg|Ahmed Pasha's sword: Romanian capture from Pleven Image:Carol russian Marshal field insignia.jpg|At upper right is Carol I's insignia as a Russian Field Marshal Image:First Canon Fire.jpg|First Cannon Fire Image:Razboiul Independentei - Trecerea Dunarii.jpg|Crossing the Danube Image:Primirea lui Carol I in Bulgaria.jpg|Carol I is welcomed in Bulgaria Image:Smardan 1877.jpg|King Carol I at Smârdan Image:Lupta de la podul Skit.jpg|Battle at Skit bridge Image:RomIndependenceWar1877-1.jpg|Color engraving from 1878 Image:RomIndependenceWar1877-2.jpg|Color engraving from 1878 Image:RomIndependenceWar1877-3.jpg|Color engraving from 1878 Image:RomIndependenceWar1877-4.jpg|Color engraving from 1878 Image:Capturarea Plevnei.jpg|Capturing Pleven Image:Plevna battle 1877.jpg|Battle for Pleven Image:Plevna diorama 1.jpg|Pleven Diorama Image:Plevna diorama 2.jpg|Pleven Diorama </gallery>

See also

• History of Romania
  • National awakening of Romania
  • Kingdom of Romania

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 îngrămădind cele mai mari trupe la Plevna ne nimicesc. Rog să faci fuziune, demonstratiune si dacă-i posibil să treci Dunărea cu armată după cum doresti. Între Jiu si Corabia demonstratiunea aceasta este absolut necesară pentru înlesnirea miscărilor 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.)