534 Chapter 5
MID#2823
Dispute Number: 2823
Date(s): June 30, 1987 to January 20, 1988
Participants: 630 Iran/220 France
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Iran attacked two French-flagged ships. France threatened to open fire on
any Iranian gunboats refusing to break off an attack on a merchant vessel after being
warned by a French warship.
Coding changes: End Date changed from August 11, 1987.
220 FRANCE/640 TURKEY
MID#146
Dispute Number: 146
Date(s): August 16, 1827 to April 26, 1828
Participants: 200 United Kingdom, 220 France, 365 Russia/640 Turkey
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Imposed)
Fatalities: >999 deaths
Narrative: The Battle of Navarino Bay occurred during the Greek War of Indepen-
dence, at a juncture when it became apparent that the Turks were going to overwhelm
the rebelling Greeks. Russia, the only Orthodox power in Europe at the time and a
long-time rival of the Ottoman Empire, was naturally inclined to assist the renegade
Greeks. France and, especially, the British were less inclined to intervene but ulti-
mately did. France participated because of its interest in Ottoman Egypt while the
British were courted because military exercises in the Mediterranean without British
consent were impractical. The British, fundamentally pro-Turkish, intervened because
the failure of the Turks to overwhelm the Greeks early made Russian participation
inevitable. The British ultimately wanted a say in whatever outcome emerged.
The three powers signed the Treaty of London in July 1827, ordering the Turks to
stop their campaign and resort to mediation. The Turks refused and dispatched part
of its Egyptian fleet to Greece. Allied ships showed in Navarino Bay (west coast of
Messenia) to stop them. The ensuing major naval clash occurred on October 20, 1827,
proving to be a thorough disaster for the Ottoman Empire. The tide turned against
them dramatically, resulting in the revoking of the Akkerman Convention signed with
Russia (see MID#064). Russia responded with war against the Ottomans in April 1828
(see MID#189), and their losses in the Russo-Turkish War forced the Turks into sign-
ing the Treaty of Constantinople (1832), giving Greece its independence.
Coding changes: End day changed from Missing.
MID#367
Dispute Number: 367
Date(s): July 20, 1828 to October 30, 1828