The Battle of Nikopol, or Nicopolis, was one of the early battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). As the Russian army crossed the Danube

Danube

The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....

 River, they approached the fortified city of Nikopol

Nikopol, Bulgaria

Nikopol is a town in northern Bulgaria, the administrative center of Nikopol municipality, part of Pleven Province, on the right bank of the Danube river, 4 km downstream from the mouth of the Osam river. It spreads at the foot of steep chalk cliffs along the Danube and up a narrow valley...

 (Nicopolis). The Turkish high command sent Osman Pasha with the troops from Vidin

Vidin

Vidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in northwestern Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Serbia and Romania, and is also the administrative centre of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin...

 to oppose the Russians' crossing of the Danube. Osman's intentions were to reinforce and defend Nikopol. However, the Russian IX Corps under General Nikolai Kridener

Nikolai Kridener

Baron Nikolay Pavlovich Kridener was a Russian infantry general. He graduated from the Nikolayevsk Engineering Academy in 1828 and upon graduation was appointed officer. In 1833 he entered the Imperial Military Academy and after graduation was general staff of the army where he was in charge of...

 reached the city and bombarded the garrison into submission before Osman could arrive. He instead fell back to Plevna

Plevna

Plevna may refer to:* Plevna, an old name for the city of Pleven, Bulgaria. Pleven was known by English speakers as Plevna during the Russo-Turkish war in 1877, when the Siege of Plevna became the key for claiming victory in the war...

. With the Nikopol garrison eliminated, the Russians were free to march on to Plevna

Plevna

Plevna may refer to:* Plevna, an old name for the city of Pleven, Bulgaria. Pleven was known by English speakers as Plevna during the Russo-Turkish war in 1877, when the Siege of Plevna became the key for claiming victory in the war...

.

See also

• Battles of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
• Siege of Plevna
• Battle of Nicopolis
  Battle of Nicopolis
  The Battle of Nicopolis took place on 25 September 1396 and resulted in the rout of an allied army of Hungarian, Wallachian, French, Burgundian, German and assorted troops at the hands of an Ottoman force, raising of the siege of the Danubian fortress of Nicopolis and leading to the end of the...
  
  

External links

• http://www.xenophongi.org/rushistory/battles/plevna2.htm
• Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World CD-ROM