Ottoman Cavalry During The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878

Cavalry units occupy a very important place in the military history of the Ottoman Empire. At the height of the empire's power, the Ottoman cavalry was one of the most effective cavalry units in the world. However, this situation will completely reverse in the 19th century. It is possible to observe a similar situation in most of the armies of the period. However, the Ottoman cavalry must be the most striking example among all other armies. The main purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the wartime performance of the Ottoman cavalry in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. While doing this, not only the internal dynamics of the Ottoman Empire, but also effects of the firearms are taken into consideration. In addition to this, the views of officers of the period also discussed in the context of the cavalry. In order to understand the complex process of adaptation of cavalry units to the new tactics, many aspects of the period are considered in detail. In the light of all the information mentioned above, the reasons behind the success and failures of Ottoman cavalry units in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 are examined.