The Crimean War (1853 - 1856)

The Crimean war started in 1853 and ended in 1856 lasting about 3 years. The war is known  as the Eastern War and was between the Russian Empire and the French against the  British and the Ottoman Empires (Turkey) There were many reasons for the beginning of the Crimean war, such as Russia demanding the right to protect Christian shrines in Jerusalem,which was a part of the Ottoman Empire at the time. Below is a map of the Crimea where the war took place.

The French were Catholic so wanted to protect the Catholics in the Ottoman Empire at the time. Britain did not want the Russians to expand their current empire and threaten their own because Britain had the strongest empire at that time. They allied with the Ottoman empire to help prevent the Russians from invading and taking over more land.

Britain was triggered to war when the Ottoman empire suffered a defeat against the Russians when the Ottoman fleet was destroyed. After going to war in the Crimea it became obvious that Britain and its huge empire were not as strong as previously thought, suffering losses and defeats which were reported through newspapers and photography.