Cossack raid on Kiliia

Cossack raid on Kiliia
Part of the Cossack raids and Cossack naval campaigns
Date May of 1602 Location Kiliia, Ottoman Empire Result Cossack victory
Belligerents
Zaporozhian Cossacks	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Unknown	Hasan-aga
Strength
30 chaykas several galleys	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	1 galley captured Several merchant ships captured [1]

The Cossack raid on Kiliia was one of the first Cossack raids on the Ottoman territory in XVII century. The Cossacks on 30 chaykas defeated the Ottoman fleet and plundered the city of Kiliia.

Background

The Cossacks were often going on a raids against the Ottoman Empire and it's vassal Crimean Khanate. The raids had intensified at the end of XVI century − in 1595, the Cossacks attacked Akkerman and Sinop, and in 1598 they raided Silistria, Tighina and Kiliia. ^[2]

Raid

The Cossack fleet that consisted of 30 chaykas and several galleys approached Kiliia, where they had encountered an Ottoman fleet. A battle took place, as a result of which, the Ottoman fleet was defeated. ^{[2] [3]} The Cossacks captured one galley and several merchant ships. ^{[4] [5] [1]}

Aftermath

Following the raid, the Cossacks entered Dniester estuary, where they had a battle with an Ottoman ship of Hasan-aga. ^[2] Then they went towards Akkerman. Near the city they captured another Ottoman galley. ^[2] In Autumn 1602, a 1,000-strong Cossack detachment led by ataman Gursky invaded the Ottoman vassal Moldavia. ^{[4] [1]}

References

1. Serczyk 1984, p. 155.
2. "Володимир Сергійчук. Морські походи запорожців". exlibris.org.ua. Retrieved 2025-08-27. На тридцяти чайках і кількох галерах, відбитих у турків, запорожці мали великий бій з османською ескадрою біля Кілії. Захопивши ще одну галеру в турків і кілька купецьких суден, козаки ввійшли в Дністровський лиман, де напали на корабель турецького воєначальника Гасан-аги. Потім направились до Білгорода і захопили вороже судно, що йшло з Кафи.[On thirty chaykas and several galleys that were captured from the Turks, the Zaporozhians had a great battle with the Ottoman squadron near Kiliia. After capturing one more galley and some merchant ships from the Turks, the Cossacks entered Dniester estuary, where they attacked a ship of the Turkish military leader Hasan-aga. Then they went towards Bilhorod and captured an enemy ship that was going from Kaffa.]
3. "Доба морських походів українського козацтва". Всеосвіта (in Ukrainian). 2023-07-04. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
4. "Том VII. Розділ VI. Стор. 1. Михайло Грушевський. Історія України-Руси". litopys.org.ua. Retrieved 2025-08-27. В маю козаки на 30 чайках і кількох ґалєрах відібраних від Турків під Кілією били ся з турецькими ґалєрами; взяли одну ґалєру, та переймали купецькі кораблї. Під осїнь того року стрічаємо козаків під проводом якогось Ґурского — йшло їх коло тисячі на Молдаву[In May, the Cossacks on 30 chaykas and a few galleys that were captured from the Turks, fought the Turkish galleys near Kiliia. In the Autumn of that year the Cossacks, led by some Gursky, went to Moldavia, there were approximately a thousand of them.]
5. "Запорожці на морі". Про Україну (in Ukrainian). 2014-03-23. Retrieved 2025-08-27.

Bibliography

• Serczyk, Wladysław (1984). Na dalekiej Ukrainie: dzieje Kozaczyzny do 1648 roku (PDF).