SEBASTOPOL or SEVASTOPOL, a fortified town and seaport of European Russia, on the W. coast of the Crimea. It stands on a creek on the S. side of one of the finest bays in the world, the Etenus of Strabo, which is defended by strong forts on both sides. In 1853 Russia de mended from the Turkish Government guarantees for the rights of the Greek Christians of Turkey, which the Porte believed to involve an actual abdication of its sovereign rights, and which it therefore refused to concede. This led, in the same year, to the beginning of the Eastern or Crimean War, in which France, England and Sardinia took sides with Turkey, on the ground that the ex istence of the latter empire, and the equi librium of political power in Europe, were endangered by Russia. The armies of the allies effected a landing at the Bay of Eupatoria, Sept. 14, 1854. On their south ern march toward Sebastopol they encoun tered the Russian forces, commanded by Prince Menzikoff, on the banks of the Alma. A bloody battle was fought (Sept. 20), in which the Russians were com pelled to retreat. On Sept. 25 the Brit ish forces seized Balaklava, and on Oct. 9 the regular siege of the southern portion of Sebastopol commenced, the Russians having sunk vessels in the entrance to the harbor and thus rendered the city unas sailable by maritime force. On Oct. 25 and Nov. 5, the Russians vainly attempt ed to annihilate the besieging forces in the battles of Balaklava and Inkermann, but afterward confined themselves mainly to the defensive, though making frequent sorties. Among these conflicts some as sumed almost the character of regular field battles; for instance, an unsuccess ful attack of the French on a new redoubt (Feb. 23, 1855), their first assault on the Malakoff and Redan (June 18), and the battle of the Tchernaya (Aug. 16), in
which the Russians, numbering 50,000 in fantry and 6,000 cavalry, made a last ef fort to break the aggressive force of the enemy. The trenches having been driven so near the Russian defensive works that another assault could not be ventured, the final bombardment was opened Sept. 5, and lasted for three days. On Sept. 8 the Malakoff and Redan were stormed and taken by the allies after a desperate struggle. The Russians, after having blown up their extensive fortifications on the S. shore of the harbor, retreated to the N. side, which the allies never seri ously attempted to conquer. The latter, having destroyed the costly docks, arse nals, and shipyards of Sebastopol, re mained inactive in their camps, and, with the exception of the capture and sack of Kertch, on the Strait of Yenikale, no fur ther feats of arms were accomplished. The forces of the allies were withdrawn in the summer and autumn of 1856. Though the allies did not obtain any de cided success, Russia suffered immense loss of military prestige, and any further aggression on her part in S. Europe was for a time prevented. By the peace of Paris (1856) Russia lost the right of navigation on the Danube, besides a strip of territory to the N. of that river, and, also, the unrestricted navigation of the Black sea. In November, 1870, Russia, availing herself of the Franco-Prussian imbroglio, demanded and obtained from the Western Powers a revision of the treaty of Paris, in so far as it affected the restrictions placed on her in the Black sea. The Bolshevist army in November, 1920, occupied Sebastopol after defeating the anti-Red forces under General Wran gel. Pop. about 77,000.