Ottoman navy between the old and the new: 1770-1790

After the Battle of Çeşme (1770), which took place during the Russo-Turkish War in the years 1768-1774, the Ottoman navy was largely lost. In this study, it is aimed to reveal the details of the innovations made in this process as well as the reconstruction of the Ottoman navy after this disaster. Since this war ended with defeat on land and at sea, it initiated a general change and transformation effort within the Ottoman ruling class. In this transformation, as well as how various institutions and classes related to the navy were affected, the institutions and classes that did not change were also examined. The basis of the study is the current physical structure of the navy, as well as the dimensions of the change and transformation that took place between 1770 and 1790, when Algerian Gazi Hasan Pasha was the Kapudan Pasha. The foundations of the comprehensive Nizam-ı Cedid reforms implemented since 1792 during the reign of Selim III were essentially laid in these years. For this reason, the initiation of a large and comprehensive reform movement was possible thanks to the steps taken in the 1770s and 1780s. Determining the position of the Ottoman navy among the great powers of Europe will only be possible and realistic in the light of concrete numerical data about the navy. For this reason, data on both the manpower and ship size of the navy are among the leading findings of this study.