Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
1774 peace treaty ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–74
The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca (Turkish: Küçük Kaynarca Antlaşması; Russian: Кючук-Кайнарджийский мир), formerly often written Kuchuk-Kainarji, was a peace treaty signed on 21 July [O.S. 10 July] 1774, in Küçük Kaynarca (today Kaynardzha, Bulgaria) between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire, ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774 with major concessions to Russia. The concessions to Russia were not merely territorial; not only was the Crimean Khanate (not Crimea proper) effectively ceded to Russia, but Russia also gained the right to construct a Russian Orthodox church in Constantinople, claiming to be the protector of the Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire. This was a pretext for frequent and numerous interventions in the decades to follow. Ottoman Christians started to feel more empowered as European and Christian powers demonstrated their rising influence and political power. Access to Europe's political networks, markets and educational institutions created a class privilege for Ottoman Christians, and scholars often regard the treaty as a turning point for relations between Ottoman Christians and the European nations.
The treaty was a milestone in the history of the decline of the Ottoman Empire, as for the first time a foreign power had a say in the governance of the Porte in assuming direct responsibility for the fate of the Empire's Orthodox Christian subjects.
Description
Following the recent Ottoman defeat at the Battle of Kozludzha, the Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–74 and marked a defeat of the Ottomans in their struggle against Russia. The Russians were represented by Field-Marshal Count Pyotr Rumyantsev while the Ottomans were represented by Muhsinzade Mehmed Pasha. The treaty was a most humiliating blow to the once-mighty Ottoman realm. It would also stand to foreshadow several future conflicts between the Ottomans and Russia.
“Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca” enters the record as 1774 peace treaty ending the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–74. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Treaty, Küçük and Kaynarca can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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Chronology, provenance and viewpoint should be read together before a broad social or political interpretation is accepted. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q123227. The Library of Congress control number is sh85073354. Authority coordinates are 43.993, 27.506. 2 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1774 and 1768.
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