1877 – 1878
Proclaiming itself the liberator of the Balkan Christians, Russia invaded the Ottoman Empire in 1877. After the epic five-month siege of Plevna and the frozen storming of the Shipka Pass, its armies reached the outskirts of Constantinople. The war birthed an independent Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania — and left a redrawn Balkans whose grievances would help ignite the First World War.
Chapter-by-chapter narrative with maps, primary sources, and key events.
Explore battles on a live map with a timeline slider and territory overlays.
Deep-dive into every major engagement — commanders, casualties, significance.
Biographical flip cards with real portraits, facts, and full biography pages.
Trace each figure's full life journey — birth, education, battles, and death — on a live map.
Scroll-driven visualization of casualties — each dot a thousand lives.
Weapons, war machines, and the military innovations that defined how this conflict was fought.
Cause-and-effect chains tracing the war's long shadow on history.
War crimes, massacres, and the darkest chapters of this conflict — documented for history.
Proclaiming itself the liberator of the Balkan Christians, Russia invaded the Ottoman Empire in 1877. After the epic five-month siege of Plevna and the frozen storming of the Shipka Pass, its armies reached the outskirts of Constantinople. The war birthed an independent Bulgaria, Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania — and left a redrawn Balkans whose grievances would help ignite the First World War.
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 was fought from 1877 to 1878.
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 was fought between Russia & Balkan Allies and Ottoman Empire.
An estimated 450,000 people died in The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, including roughly 250,000 military and 200,000 civilian deaths. Figures are scholarly estimates and vary by source.
Major engagements included The Siege of Plevna, Battle of Sheinovo, The Defence of the Shipka Pass, and Battle of the Aladzha Heights.