Editing Battle of Navarino (section)

==Background==
The [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[Turkish people|Turks]] had conquered the Greek-controlled [[Byzantine Empire]] during the 15th century, taking over its territory and its capital, [[Constantinople]], and becoming its effective successor-state.<ref name="Runciman 1965 29-33, 133-159">Runciman (1965) 29–33, 133–159</ref> In 1821, Greek nationalists [[Greek War of Independence|revolted against the Ottomans]], aiming to liberate ethnic Greeks from four centuries of Ottoman rule.<ref>David Brewer, ''The Greek War of Independence: The Struggle for Freedom from Ottoman Oppression and the Birth of the Modern Greek Nation'' (2003).</ref> Fighting raged for several years but by 1825, a stalemate had developed, with the Greeks unable to drive the Ottomans out of most of Greece, but the Ottomans were unable to crush the revolt definitively. However, in 1825, the Sultan succeeded in breaking the stalemate. He persuaded his powerful ''wali'' (viceroy) of Egypt, [[Muhammad Ali of Egypt|Muhammad Ali Pasha]], who was technically his [[vassal]] but in practice autonomous, to deploy his Western-trained and equipped army and navy against the Greeks. In return, the Sultan promised to grant the rebel heartland, the Peloponnese, as a hereditary [[fief]] to Ali's eldest son, [[Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt|Ibrahim]]. In February 1825, Ibrahim led an expeditionary force of 16,000 into the Peloponnese, and soon overran its western part; he failed, however, to take the eastern section, where the rebel government was based (at [[Nafplion]]).<ref>Woodhouse (1965) 22</ref>

The Greek revolutionaries remained defiant, and appointed experienced [[Philhellenism|philhellenic]] British officers at the head of the army and fleet: Maj [[Richard Church (general)|Sir Richard Church]] (land) and [[Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald|Lord Cochrane]] (sea). By this time however, the [[First Hellenic Republic|Greek provisional government]]'s land and sea forces were far inferior to those of the Ottomans and Egyptians: in 1827, Greek regular troops numbered less than 5,000, compared to 25,000 Ottomans in central Greece and 15,000 Egyptians in the Peloponnese. Also, the Greek government was virtually bankrupt. Many of the key fortresses on what little territory it controlled were in Ottoman hands. It seemed only a matter of time before the Greeks were forced to capitulate.<ref>Woodhouse (1965) 39</ref> At this critical juncture, the Greek cause was rescued by the decision of three [[Great Powers]]—Great Britain, France and Russia—to intervene jointly in the conflict.