A naval defeat that destroyed Katsonis's flotilla as a fighting force during the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792, though he escaped to continue operations.
Key Facts
- Date
- 17–18 May 1790
- Location
- Between Cape Kafireas and island of Andros
- Ottoman fleet size
- 30–32 vessels (Algerian fleet)
- Ships lost by Katsonis
- 5 ships
- Context
- Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792, Lambros Katsonis, a Greek privateer commissioned into Imperial Russian service, led a small flotilla in the Aegean to harass Ottoman naval forces. His continued operations drew a substantial Ottoman-allied Algerian fleet of 30–32 ships to confront and neutralize his squadron.
On 17–18 May 1790, the battle unfolded between Cape Kafireas and the island of Andros. Katsonis's outnumbered flotilla engaged the Algerian fleet and suffered the loss of five ships. The engagement resulted in a decisive Ottoman strategic victory, effectively destroying Katsonis's force as a coherent operational unit.
Although Katsonis lost five ships and his flotilla ceased to function as an organized fighting force, he managed to escape with surviving vessels. The Ottomans also sustained heavy casualties in the fighting. Katsonis subsequently reconstituted his forces and remained active in the Aegean until the conclusion of the war in 1792.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Lambros Katsonis.
Side B
1 belligerent