The Battle of Shipka Pass consisted of four battles that were fought between the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, aided by
Bulgarian
Bulgarian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Bulgaria
* Bulgarians, a South Slavic ethnic group
* Bulgarian language, a Slavic language
* Bulgarian alphabet
* A citizen of Bulgaria, see Demographics of Bulgaria
* Bul ...
volunteers known as
opalchentsi )
, war=the Serbian-Turkish Wars (1876-1878) and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878
, image=
, caption=The standard of the Bulgarian Opaltchentsi
, active=1877-1878
, ideology= Bulgarian nationalism
, leaders= Collective leadership
, groups=
, ...
, and the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
for control over the vital
Shipka Pass
Shipka Pass ( bg, Шипченски проход, ) (el. 1150 m./3820 ft.) is a scenic mountain pass through the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It marks the border between Stara Zagora province and Gabrovo province. The pass connects the ...
during the
Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 ( tr, 93 Harbi, lit=War of ’93, named for the year 1293 in the Islamic calendar; russian: Русско-турецкая война, Russko-turetskaya voyna, "Russian–Turkish war") was a conflict between th ...
. The deciding moment of the Shipka campaign, and by extent the war, came in August 1877, when a group of 5,000
Bulgarian volunteers and 2,500 Russian troops repulsed an attack against the peak by a nearly 40,000-strong Ottoman army.
First battle
In July 1877, four Russian corps crossed the
Danube River
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
and entered
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
. Preceding the main Russian army,
Joseph Vladimirovich Gourko
Count Iosif Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gurko (russian: Граф Ио́сиф Влади́мирович Роме́йко-Гурко́, Iósif Vladímirovič Roméjko-Gurkó; — ), also known as Joseph or Ossip Gourko, was a prominent Russian ...
led a detachment of 11,000 men to capture the vital
Balkan Mountain
The Balkan mountain range (, , known locally also as Stara planina) is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. The range is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border betw ...
passes. Gourko approached the
Shipka Pass
Shipka Pass ( bg, Шипченски проход, ) (el. 1150 m./3820 ft.) is a scenic mountain pass through the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It marks the border between Stara Zagora province and Gabrovo province. The pass connects the ...
, which was held by an Ottoman garrison of 4,000–5,000 soldiers under
Mehmed Hulusi Pasha.
Gourko's orders required him to act in concert with Maj. Gen. Prince Nikolai Mirsky's
9th Infantry Division, which was approaching Shipka Pass from the north. However, Gourko was delayed by having to force aside Turkish detachments and arrived at Shipka Pass one day late, on July 18.
Even without Gourko's support, Mirsky pressed his attack on July 17 with the
36th (Orel) Infantry Regiment and some Cossacks, a force of more than 2,000 men and six guns. He was facing an Ottoman force of 4,000 regular infantry, some
Bashi-Bazouks, and 12 guns. Mirsky's attack on the main Ottoman positions failed, but secondary attacks captured hills on both sides of the pass. The next day, July 18, as Mirsky rested his force, Gourko attacked from the south. He sent forward two battalions of riflemen and some dismounted Cossacks, but their attack failed as well; they suffered roughly 150 casualties, including killed and wounded.
Despite beating back two Russian attacks, the Ottoman commanders at the Shipka Pass realized that they could not withstand a coordinated offensive from both north and south. On the morning of July 19, while pretending to consider the terms of surrender, the Ottoman garrison slipped away to the west in small groups, leaving behind a large cache of explosives, ammunition, and artillery.
In just over two weeks, Gourko had captured three important mountain passes but the main army was held up the day after Shipka Pass fell in the
Siege of Pleven
The siege of Pleven, was a major battle of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, fought by the joint army of Russia and Romania against the Ottoman Empire. After the Russian army crossed the Danube at Svishtov, it began advancing towards ...
. Thus the defense of the pass was left to
Bulgarian volunteers. The Ottoman Army made two major attempts to retake the pass in 1877, but was unsuccessful, as the Bulgarians were able to hold the pass against this overwhelming force, playing an important role in the war.
Second battle
The Second Battle of Shipka Pass took place in August 1877.
After taking the pass in July 1877, the
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n forces built up a defensive position there. Russian
General Stoletov placed his 7,500 defenders on three positions at St. Nicholas (today: Peak Stoletov), Central Hill and the reserves in between these two points.
Süleyman Hüsnü Pasha
Süleyman Hüsnü Pasha ( tr, Süleyman Hüsnü Paşa; 1838–1892) was an Ottoman field marshal, who participated in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78.
Biography
Born in Istanbul, his father was a candy merchant. He was graduated from the ...
at Hersek was then ordered to prepare his army and rush to relieve Osman Pasha at Pleven. The Ottoman Tuna Army was effectively cut in half by the Bulgarian Mountain range. It was not possible to reach Pleven by land as the terrain was very difficult. Süleyman loaded his 25,000 troops on transport ships at the Montenegrin port of Bar and sailed them through the Adriatic, around
Morea
The Morea ( el, Μορέας or ) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The name was used for the Byzantine province known as the Despotate of the Morea, by the Ottoman ...
, and then through the
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek language, Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish language, Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It ...
and landed them at
Dedeağaç
Alexandroupolis ( el, Αλεξανδρούπολη, ), Alexandroupoli, or Alexandrople is a city in Greece and the capital of the Evros regional unit. It is the largest city in Western Thrace and the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. It h ...
, on the coast of
Thrace
Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to t ...
. The troops were then loaded on trains to
Filibe from which they marched towards the southern slopes of Shipka. More troops joined.
Suleiman Pasha had gathered about 38,000 Ottomans and was determined to retake the pass instead of simply bypassing it. It was thought that if Pleven could be defended, the Russian Army would not move south without taking it. On August 21, the Ottoman forces bombarded Russian positions and then made an attack against St. Nicholas. The attack was repulsed and the Ottoman forces dug in away. The next day the Ottoman forces moved their
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
up the mountainside and bombarded the pass while the infantry moved around the Russian flank. On August 23, the Ottoman forces attacked all Russian positions, with the main effort again at St. Nicholas where most of the defenders were Bulgarian volunteers. The Ottoman forces thought that the volunteer positions would be easy to capture, but this turned out to be a miscalculation. Instead, the first unit to begin to retreat were the Russians on Central Hill. However, they rallied when the 4th Rifle Brigade arrived and all Ottoman attacks were repulsed. On the 26th, an Ottoman attack on St. Nicholas (a position referred to as "the Eagle's Nest") reached the Russian trenches but was repulsed again by a Bulgarian
bayonet
A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...
charge. More Russian reinforcements arrived and on the 26th, an attack was made against the Ottoman position but driven back to Central Hill. This ended the battle for all practical purposes.
The Bulgarians and Russians had made a gallant stand. Near the end of the fighting, having run out of ammunition, they threw rocks and bodies of fallen comrades to repulse the Ottoman attacks.
Third battle
In September 1877, Suleiman Pasha made another attempt to retake the Shipka Pass from the Russians after the failed attempt in August. The Russian defenses had continually been improved since August but reinforcements were limited due to the
siege of Pleven
The siege of Pleven, was a major battle of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, fought by the joint army of Russia and Romania against the Ottoman Empire. After the Russian army crossed the Danube at Svishtov, it began advancing towards ...
. On September 13, Suleiman began to shell the Russians. The bombardment continued in earnest until the 17th when Suleiman launched a frontal assault against the St. Nicholas position. Capturing the first line of trenches, the Ottoman forces moved towards the peak. General
Fyodor Radetzky
Fyodor Fyodorovich Radetsky (Radetzky in German) (; 1820–1890) was a Russian general of German- Silesian extraction. He founded the city of Krasnovodsk (modern Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan) in 1869. He commanded the Russian forces at the 3rd stag ...
, now commanding the defenses, brought in reinforcements and a Russian counterattack drove the Ottoman forces from all captured ground. Secondary Ottoman assaults to the north were repulsed as well.
Fourth battle
The Fourth Battle of Shipka Pass took place January 5–9 1878. It was the final battle for Shipka Pass and a crushing Ottoman defeat.
Background
In December 1877, the fortress of
Pleven
Pleven ( bg, Плèвен ) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest ...
surrendered to the Russian Army, freeing a significant number of Russian troops. General Gourko now had as many as 65,000 soldiers to contend with the Ottomans. Gourko forced the Araba Konak Pass and took
Sofia
Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and ha ...
. From Sofia, he moved south through the Balkan Mountains to cut off Ottoman access to Shipka Pass.
The battle
General
Fyodor Radetzky
Fyodor Fyodorovich Radetsky (Radetzky in German) (; 1820–1890) was a Russian general of German- Silesian extraction. He founded the city of Krasnovodsk (modern Türkmenbaşy, Turkmenistan) in 1869. He commanded the Russian forces at the 3rd stag ...
, commanding the garrison, made preparations to attack from the pass on January 5 while Gourko brought up two columns under Generals
Mikhail Skobelev
Mikhail Dmitriyevich Skobelev (russian: Михаил Дмитриевич Скобелев; 29 September 1843 – 7 July 1882), a Russian Empire, Russian general, became famous for his conquest of Central Asia and for his heroism during the Russo ...
and
Nikolai Mirskii to cut off the Ottoman retreat. On January 8, Radezky's attack began but Skobelev was held up by unexpectedly heavy resistance and Mirskii attacked unsupported, making little progress. On January 9, Mirskii faced an Ottoman counter-attack, but Skobelev was able to move forward in support and defeat the Ottoman forces. Completely surrounded, the remaining Ottoman forces under
Veissel Pasha surrendered the same day.
Aftermath
The defensive victory at the
Shipka Pass
Shipka Pass ( bg, Шипченски проход, ) (el. 1150 m./3820 ft.) is a scenic mountain pass through the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It marks the border between Stara Zagora province and Gabrovo province. The pass connects the ...
had strategic importance for the progress of the war. Had the Ottomans been able to take the pass, they would have been in a position to threaten the supply lines of the Russian and Romanian forces in
Northern Bulgaria
Northern Bulgaria ( bg, Северна България, Severna Bylgarija), also called Moesia ( bg, Мизия, ''Mizija'') is the northern half of Bulgaria, located to the north of the main ridge of the Balkan Mountains which conventionally s ...
, and organize an operation to relieve the major fortress at
Pleven
Pleven ( bg, Плèвен ) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest ...
which was under siege at that time. The war would have then been fought effectively only in northern Bulgaria from that point on, which would have led to a stalemate, which would have created a major advantage for the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
in peace negotiations.
The
Bulgarian volunteers played a decisive role in defending the Shipka Pass, thus denying the
Ottomans
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
a major breakthrough and a chance to turn the tide of the war. This strategic defensive victory illustrated their important role in the war and was dramatized by the Bulgarian poet and writer
Ivan Vazov
Ivan Minchov Vazov ( bg, Иван Минчов Вазов; – 22 September 1921) was a Bulgarian poet, novelist and playwright, often referred to as "the Patriarch of Bulgarian literature". He was born in Sopot, a town in the Rose Valley ...
in his ode
The volunteers at Shipka {{more citations needed, date=February 2023
''The Volunteers at Shipka''According to the translation by Peter Tempest. ( bg, Опълченците на Шипка, Opalchentsite na Shipka, also known as "''Oh, Shipka!''") is an ode by the classic B ...
.
The victory at Shipka Pass ensured
the fall of the Pleven fortress on December 10 1877, and set the stage for the invasion of
Thrace
Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to t ...
. It allowed Russian forces under Gourko to crush Suleiman Pasha's army at the
Battle of Philippopolis several days later and threaten
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
.
With this victory and the conquest of
Pleven
Pleven ( bg, Плèвен ) is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality. It is the biggest ...
at the end of 1877, the path towards
Sofia
Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and ha ...
was opened, and with it the path to victory in the war and a chance for Russia to gain an upper hand in the "
Great Game
The Great Game is the name for a set of political, diplomatic and military confrontations that occurred through most of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century – involving the rivalry of the British Empire and the Russian Empi ...
" by establishing a sphere of influence in the Eastern Balkans.
Suleiman Pasha was later court-martialed due to the colossal failure at Shipka, even though the pass was already lost when he had arrived. His failure to seek alternatives, wasting of men and material that would have been essential later in the campaign, and his failure to secure his remaining troops were too blatant to forgive. He was initially sentenced to death but then commuted by Sultan
Abdulhamid II
Abdülhamid or Abdul Hamid II ( ota, عبد الحميد ثانی, Abd ül-Hamid-i Sani; tr, II. Abdülhamid; 21 September 1842 10 February 1918) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 31 August 1876 to 27 April 1909, and the last sultan to ...
and sent to exile in
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
.
Today the Shipka Pass is in the
Bulgarka Nature Park
The Bulgarka Natural Park ( Bulgarian: Природен парк ″Българка″) is a Bulgarian nature park on the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina), occupying 22,000 hectares of territory in the central and eastern ...
and is home to
a monument commemorating the warriors who died in the battle.
References
Russian Warrior.com ''Sword of the Motherland ''
* ''Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World'' CD-ROM
See also
*
Battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
* ''
Epic of the Forgotten
''Epic of the Forgotten'' ( bg, Епопея на забравените; ''Epopeya na zabravenite'') is a cycle of 12 odes composed by Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov between 1881 and 1884. The poems deal with people and events connected with Bulgar ...
'' by Ivan Vazov
*
Shipka Memorial
The Liberty Memorial is the symbol of modern Bulgaria and the liberation of Bulgaria. The monument is the heart of the Shipka National Park-Museum and is located on Shipka Peak.
Its outline resembles a medieval Bulgarian fortress and can be see ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shipka Pass
Conflicts in 1877
Conflicts in 1878
1877 in Bulgaria
1878 in Bulgaria
Battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
Battles involving Bulgaria
Battle of Shipka Pass
The Battle of Shipka Pass consisted of four battles that were fought between the Russian Empire, aided by Bulgarian volunteers known as opalchentsi, and the Ottoman Empire for control over the vital Shipka Pass during the Russo-Turkish War (18 ...