Battle of Rusçuk (1773)

Battle of Rusçuk (1773)
	Part of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774)
Date	26 May [O.S. 15 May] 1773
Location	Rusçuk, Ottoman Empire43°50′40.315″N 25°57′14.065″E / 43.84453194°N 25.95390694°E
Result	Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Russian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Ali Pasha	Pyotr Repnin (POW)
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	265 killed; 49 wounded; 1,000 prisoners
	class=notpageimage\| Location within Europe Battle of Rusçuk (1773) (Bulgaria)

The battle of Rusçuk^[a] was a battle fought on 26 May 1773 at the Ottoman city of Rusçuk. The Ottoman force was led by Dağıstanlı Ali Pasha, whilst the Russian army was commanded by Pyotr Vasilyevich Repnin (born 1744). It was part of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774), and resulted in an Ottoman victory with Repnin captured as a prisoner of war.

Battle

Believing that he could take the city easily, Colonel Pyotr Repnin (the younger brother of renowned general Nikolai Repnin), launched an attack on Rusçuk on 26 May 1773 after being sent there by Ivan Saltykov. His army was composed of the Apsheronsky Regiment, grenadier companies of the Nizovsky Regiment, two cavalry squadrons, and a group of Cossacks. Repnin was confronted with the forces of Dağıstanlı (Dagestani) Ali Pasha. After their battle, from which the Ottomans emerged victorious, the Russian casualties amounted to 265 killed, 49 wounded, and three cannons captured.^[2] 1,000 men were taken as prisoners by the Turks, including Repnin.^[1]

Portrait of Nikolai Vasilyevich Repnin, c. 1779

Aftermath

Grand Vizier Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha [tr], who was very pleased with Ali Pasha's victory, gifted the commander with a sable fur coat and a sword. He also sent the beylerbey and other officers valuable clothes and insignias to wear on their turbans.^[1]

Pyotr Repnin, on the other hand, was imprisoned at the Yedikule Fortress after he was treated for his wounds.^[1] He was released soon thereafter as part of a prisoner swap where Alexander Suvorov exchanged an imprisoned Ottoman pasha for Repnin.^[2]

Portrait of Alexander Suvorov, c. 1786

Notes

^ Turkish: Rusçuk Muharebesi; Russian: Битва при Русчуке; Bulgarian: Битката при Русчук

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d von Hammer-Purgstall, Joseph. Çevik, Mümin (ed.). Büyük Osmanlı Tarihi [Great Ottoman History] (in Turkish). Vol. 16. Translated by Özdek, Refik. Istanbul: Üçdal Neşriyat. p. 222.
^ ^a ^b Petrova, Denitsa (2019). "Wallachian Note from 1772 in the Shumen Damaskin Book as a Source from the Bulgarian History" (PDF). Oltenia. Studii şi comunicări. Arheologie-Istorie. XXVI. Craiova: Museum of Oltenia: 222.

[2] Turkish: Rusçuk Muharebesi; Russian: Битва при Русчуке; Bulgarian: Битката при Русчук

[Hammer-1] von Hammer-Purgstall, Joseph. Çevik, Mümin (ed.). Büyük Osmanlı Tarihi [Great Ottoman History] (in Turkish). Vol. 16. Translated by Özdek, Refik. Istanbul: Üçdal Neşriyat. p. 222.

[Petrova,_2019-3] Petrova, Denitsa (2019). "Wallachian Note from 1772 in the Shumen Damaskin Book as a Source from the Bulgarian History" (PDF). Oltenia. Studii şi comunicări. Arheologie-Istorie. XXVI. Craiova: Museum of Oltenia: 222.

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