Varna and the Crimean War

Abstract

During the Crimean War, Varna – the biggest city and the most important port on the western coast of the Black Sea, turned into an important strategic centre of the military operations. On 29 May 1854, the three commanders-in-chief of the allied armies – the French, the British, and the Ottoman, met in Varna in order to coordinate their action plan against the Russian offensive towards the fortress of Silistria. At the end of June 1854, about 60,000 soldiers were quartered in and around Varna. The stay of a numerous army in Varna and the region during the Crimean War and the need to feed it and provide it with all the necessary supplies allowed the more enterprising local tradesmen and businessmen to make use of the favourable situation and quickly accumulate significant wealth. However, the sojourn of French and British troops in and around Varna in expectation of the military operations, the cholera and the fire of 1854–1855 brought about numerous cases of tension between the allied forces and Varna's city administration and population. Based on documents, the chapter presents the history of Varna during the war.