UNHOLY PATH TO WAR
The buildup of tensions included a dispute over one of the Holy Land’s important sites
Superficially, the causes of the Crimean War lay in the ongoing disagreements between the Orthodox, Armenian and Catholic churches over the holy places in Palestine. Its real roots, however, went deeper into the decline of the Ottoman Empire: the ‘Sick Man of Europe’, which imperialist Russia looked to exploit. This in turn alarmed Britain, which, during the Great Game, grew increasingly paranoid of Russian expansion and particularly the perceived threat to India. Meanwhile, France looked for ways of restoring itself to former Napoleonic glory in the wake of the 1848 revolution.
In late 1847 the Christian churches began to quarrel over the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Both the Orthodox and Armenians held keys to the main door, while the Catholics had to make do with access via a side entrance through an adjoining chapel. To make matters worse, a silver star with Latin inscriptions went missing, the Catholics suggesting it was taken by the Orthodox clergy and using the ‘theft’ to appeal to Paris for support.
Napoleon III took up the plight of the Catholic clergy in 1849, instructing his ambassador to Constantinople to demand the ‘restoration’ of Catholic rights in the Holy Places. He also demanded the right to ‘repair’ the main cupola of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (which would include the removal of the Orthodox Pantokrator from the dome) and the right to ‘restore’ the Tomb of the Virgin at Gethsemane. The Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem made the counter-demand of the right to repair the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, something Tsar Nicholas I of Russia supported. There was little agreement.
In truth, Napoleon III’S interest in the plight of the Catholics in Palestine stemmed from the French Revolution of 1848. Becoming President of France in December that year and Emperor from December 1852, he aimed to restore the French glory of his famous uncle, Napoleon I. Following the defeat of France in 1815, the country had been constrained by the conservative autocracies that made up the Concert of Europe. Napoleon III believed backing the Catholics in Palestine would not only increase French influence in the region but also bring new diplomatic gains for France. He also hoped it would weaken the Concert.
Nicholas, who viewed himself as defender of the Greek Orthodox church, insisted the Porte, the Ottoman government, allow Russia to act as protector of the Holy Places and all Orthodox Christians within the Ottoman Empire. When the Porte was not forthcoming, Russian forces invaded the Ottoman provinces of Moldavia and
Wallachia in July 1853. The British responded by sending ships to Constantinople in September. Turkey then declared war on Russia in October, but the following month the Russians destroyed a Turkish fleet at the Battle of Sinope in the Black Sea. British and French warships next entered the Black Sea in January 1854 to offer protection to Turkish transports. Tensions continued to increase.
Following Napoleon III’S rise to power, the British had expected war with France. Yet, in a twist of fate it became allied with its traditional adversary in the face of Russian imperialism. The fragile multi-national and multi-religious Ottoman Empire had for some time been in decline, raising the socalled ‘Eastern Question’, the diplomatic contest for control over former Ottoman territories.
When there was internal upheaval in the Turkish domains the major European powers feared one or more of the others might seek to take advantage of the disarray and extend their influence. The question rose during the Greek Revolution of the 1820s and again in the build up to what became the Crimean War.
Russia had supported Austria in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, suppressing the revolution when the Austrian Empire appeared on the verge of collapse.
In return, Russia expected support in its intrigues into Ottoman affairs.
Such a situation was intolerable to Britain, who wished to protect its commercial and strategic interests in the Mediterranean and the Middle East and looked to maintain the Ottoman Empire as a bulwark to Russian expansion in Asia. Therefore, Britain, led by Prime Minister Lord Aberdeen, joined with France to oppose Russia, using the Battle of Sinope as their casus belli to go to war. When the Russians refused an ultimatum to withdraw from the Danubian Principalities both powers declared war in March 1854.
“BRITISH AND FRENCH WARSHIPS NEXT ENTERED THE BLACK SEA IN JANUARY 1854 TO OFFER PROTECTION TO TURKISH TRANSPORTS. TENSIONS CONTINUED TO INCREASE”