Russo-Turkish Convention

The Treaty of Hünkar İskelesi, signed on July 8, 1833, was a defensive alliance between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. This treaty made the Ottoman Empire a virtual protectorate of Russia.1

Facing defeat by Muhammad Ali Pasha of Egypt, the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II accepted Russian military aid after other European powers declined. A secret article in the treaty stipulated that the Ottoman Empire would close the Dardanelles Strait to all foreign warships except Russia's. This agreement raised concerns among other European nations, particularly Great Britain. Russia later relinquished these privileges with the London Straits Convention in 1841.12