Crimean campaign (1711)

The Crimean Campaign of 1711 was a military expedition launched by the Tsardom of Russia against the Ottoman Empire and its Crimean Khanate vassals. The campaign, initiated by Tsar Peter the Great, aimed to secure Russia's southern borders and expand its influence in the region following the victory at Poltava in 1709 against Charles XII of Sweden, who had sought refuge within Ottoman territory.

The main Russian force, commanded by Tsar Peter himself, advanced into Ottoman Moldavia (modern-day Moldova and parts of Romania) with the intention of reaching the Danube River and potentially invading the Balkans. However, logistical difficulties, combined with harassment from Crimean Tatar cavalry and a larger Ottoman army led by Grand Vizier Baltaji Mehmed Pasha, severely hampered the Russian advance.

The Russian army became surrounded near the Prut River. Facing starvation, disease, and the overwhelming Ottoman force, Peter was forced to negotiate a peace treaty. The Treaty of Prut, signed in July 1711, was a major setback for Russia. Peter had to cede Azov back to the Ottomans, dismantle several fortresses, including Taganrog, and promise not to interfere in Polish affairs. In addition, Charles XII was granted safe passage back to Sweden.

The Crimean Campaign of 1711 represented a significant failure for Peter the Great and temporarily reversed some of the gains Russia had made in the Great Northern War and its southern expansion. The treaty revealed the vulnerability of Russian logistics and highlighted the continued military strength of the Ottoman Empire. It also emphasized the enduring strategic importance of the Crimean Khanate as a buffer state and a source of manpower for the Ottomans.