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The battle of Navarino in the Peloponnese

When you stand down by the bay outside Pylos today, it’s hard to imagine that these calm waters were once the site of one of Europe’s most decisive naval battles. On October 20, 1827, the future of Greece and the entire balance of power in the eastern Mediterranean changed here. Pylos was then a small village next to the great fortress of Niokastro. The construction of today’s Pylos began as late as 1828, the year after the Battle of Navarino.


Map of the Battle of Navarino in Pylos in the Peloponnese.

The Allied fleet at the island of Sfaktiria and the Ottoman fleet inside Navarino bay.

 

Navarino Bay was then – and still is – one of the best natural harbours in Greece. The bay is well protected by the large island of Sfaktiria (Sphacteria) and the small island of Fanari (Tsichli-Baba). An even smaller island – Chelonaki – also played a role in the Battle of Navarino. (See pictures of the islands below.) In the illustrated picture above (which I photographed in Pylos) you see from left to right: 1 Niokastro and Pylos, 2 Fanari island, 3 Sfaktiria island, 4 Chelonaki island, 5 Paleokastro and 6 Voidokilia.

 

Fanari island and Sfaktiria island seen from Niokastro in Pylos in the Peloponnese.

Fanari island and Sfaktiria island seen from Niokastro.

 

At the beginning of the 19th century, Greece was still part of the Ottoman Empire. But in 1821, the Greek War of Independence broke out – a bloody and protracted struggle that few in Europe believed the Greeks could win. The war was brutal. Villages were burned, civilians were massacred, and the Greek rebels faced an overwhelming force they could hardly withstand. Despite this, there was strong sympathy for the Greeks in Europe. Philhellenism – love for Greek culture and and heritage, especially that of acient Greece – spread among intellectuals and poets. Lord Byron himself went to Greece to fight, and although he died of a fever, he became a symbol of European solidarity.

 

Fanari island where there are several memorials from the Battle of Navarino.

Fanari island where there are several memorials from the Battle of Navarino.



When the Ottoman troops were reinforced by Egyptian forces under the skilled but ruthless Ibrahim Pasha, things looked grim for the Greeks. Ibrahim ravaged the Peloponnese, burning crops and enslaving the inhabitants. The young uprising faced a very real risk of being crushed. That's when the European powers – Britain, France and Russia – began to act. Officially they wanted to mediate peace, but in reality they also had their own interests: Russia wanted to gain influence in the Mediterranean, France wanted to stop Egyptian expansion, and Britain wanted stability for its trade.


There is a lighthouse on the tiny island of Chelonaki in Navarino Bay.

The gigantic bay of Navarino. The tiny island of Chelonaki is located at the red arrow.

 

On October 20, 1827, an Allied fleet sailed into the Bay of Navarino, where a massive Ottoman-Egyptian armada was anchored. The Allied fleet, led by British Admiral Sir Edward Codrington, was significantly outnumbered — barely 30 ships compared to around 80 Ottoman and Egyptian ships. The plan was not to start a battle. The Allies wanted to demonstrate their strength and force a truce. But when an Ottoman ship opened fire, the European cannons returned fire — and soon the entire bay was an inferno of smoke, fire and burning ships.

The battle was short but fierce. The Allied fleet were better trained and had superior cannons. In just a few hours, almost the entire Ottoman-Egyptian fleet lay in ruins. One of the most decisive naval battles of 19th-century Europe reached a clear conclusion. After the battle, the burnt wrecks remained in the bay for a long time, and for several years the remains of the sunken ships could still be seen. However, the village of Pylos and the fortress of Niokastro escaped without major damage.

 

Sunset in Pylos and Sfaktiria island in Navarino bay on southwestern Peloponnese.

The sun sets behind Sfaktiria island. The small boat harbor of Pylos in the foreground.

 

The Battle of Navarino was a turning point. For the first time, it was clear that Greece could actually be free. Without a fleet, the Ottomans could no longer supply their troops in the Peloponnese. Support from the great powers strengthened, and a few years later, in 1830, Greece was recognized as an independent state.

 

The memorial to the Battle of Navarino at Three Admirals Square in Pylos.

The memorial to the Battle of Navarino at Three Admirals Square in Pylos.

 

The Battle of Navarino is perhaps one of the last great naval battles in which the smoke of cannons determined the future of a people. Without that day in October 1827, Greece might never have become the country we know today. When sitting in the shade of the large plane trees on the square in Pylos today, looking out over the bay, it’s almost unimaginable that the sea was once filled with blood and burning wrecks. If you want to feel the wings of history, you can join a boat trip to the islands in Navarino Bay. Read more about it on the Pylos page.

 

Read more about Peloponnese here »

 



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