Greek War of Independence

The Greeks rose against Ottoman rule in 1821, and for four years their island sailors, with brigs and fireships, held the sea against the Sultan's fleet. In 1825 the Sultan called in Muhammad Ali of Egypt, whose son Ibrahim Pasha landed an army in the Peloponnese and laid it waste. Britain, France and Russia agreed in the Treaty of London of July 1827 to impose an armistice, and sent their Mediterranean squadrons to keep the Ottoman and Egyptian fleet from supplying Ibrahim. On 20 October 1827 the allied fleet under Sir Edward Codrington anchored among the Ottoman and Egyptian ships in Navarino Bay; a shot fired at a British boat started a battle in which the allies destroyed most of the fleet in four hours. It was the last great battle fought wholly between sailing ships. Russia went to war with the Ottomans in 1828, a French army made Ibrahim leave the Peloponnese, and in 1830 Greece became independent.