Polish Legion in Turkey

Polish Legion in Turkey
Legion Polski w Turcji
Türkiye'deki Polonya Lejyonu
CountryOttoman Empire
AllegianceOttoman Army
Size20,000
CampaignsCrimean War
Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
Commanders
CommandersOttoman Empire Józef Jagmin   (European branch)
Ottoman Empire Michał Czajkowski (European branch)
Ottoman Empire Władysław Czajkowski (European branch)
Ottoman Empire Stanislas Saint Clair (European branch)

The Polish Legion in Turkey (Polish: Legion Polski w Turcji, Turkish: Türkiye'deki Polonya Lejyonu) was a military force formed in Istanbul by emigrants from Partitioned Poland to fight with the Ottoman Army in their wars against Russia (especially the Crimean and Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878). At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the unit consisted of around 20,000 troops.[1]

It was divided into two branches: European and Asian. The Asian division fought on the Caucasian front. The European branch, with about 70 people under the command of Józef Jagmin, became part of the division under Salha Pasha.[2] The legion partook in the Battle of Eski Zagra in Bulgaria, where many legionnaires, including Jagmin, died.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Walerian Skorobohaty KRASINSKI (Count.) (1854). Russia, Poland, and Europe; or, the inevitable consequences of the present war. A sequel to the pamphlet entitled "Russia and Europe." Third thousand. pp. 39–.
  2. ^ Mała Encyklopedia Wojskowa, Warsaw, 1970, vol. II.