TRENDEFRARAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Battle · 1877
In the Ottoman–Russian war of 1877–1878, after crossing the Danube the Russians turned to the Balkan passes. According to the TDV article on the 1877–78 war, the Ottoman forces in the strategically important Shipka Pass resisted many Russian attacks fiercely, but, convinced they would be defeated, withdrew secretly and evacuated the pass on 19 July 1877. These Russian successes caused great alarm in Istanbul. Süleyman Pasha, brought from the Montenegrin front, then defeated General Gurko at Stara Zagora and recovered the Russian-held places south of the Balkans. He went on the offensive from 21 August to retake the Shipka Pass, but despite fierce fighting the pass could not be taken. Meanwhile Osman Pasha was defending Plevna.
| Date | July – August 1877 |
|---|---|
| Location | Shipka Pass, Balkan Mountains |
| Result | The pass stayed in Russian hands; Süleyman Pasha's assaults failed |
| Belligerents | Ottoman Empire | Russian Empire |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Süleyman Pasha | Iosif Gurko |
Took place during the reign of Abdulhamid II (1876–1909). Abdulhamid II
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
By the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 3,892,000 km² in 1877; at the start of Abdulhamid II's reign they measured 4,123,000 km², at its end 2,996,000 km².
During Abdulhamid II (1876–1909) the atlas records 0 regions gained and 19 regions lost.
Regions lost: Wallachia (1877), Moldavia (1877), Morava Serbia (Niš–Kruševac) (1877), Smederevo–Šumadija (1877), Belgrade–Šabac (1877), Northern Dobruja (Constanța–Tulcea) (1877), Kars–Ardahan–Artvin (1877), Montenegro (1878), and 11 more.
His thirty-three-year reign saw both the greatest territorial loss and the most intensive investment in schools, railways and the telegraph. Proclaiming and then suspending the constitution, rule through a centralised intelligence network and the cost of the 1877–78 war make him the most controversial sultan in Ottoman history.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “DOKSANÜÇ HARBİ” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.
Cite as: Atlas of the Sultans, “Battles of Shipka Pass (1877): Date, Commanders and Outcome”, https://padisahlaratlasi.com/en/events/battles-of-shipka-pass/ (last updated 12 November 2026). Corrections