Varna

An important fortified seaport of European Turkey, in Bulgaria, on the northern side of a semicircular bay, an inlet of the Black Sea, 180 miles north-northwest from Constantinople. A great battle was fought near this place, November 10, 1444, between the Turks under Amurath II. and the Hungarians under their king Ladislaus, and John Hunniades. The latter were defeated with great slaughter; the king was killed, and Hunniades made prisoner. The Christians had previously broken the truce for ten years, recently made at Szegedin. The emperor Nicholas of Ru ia arrived before Varna, the headquarters of his army, then besieging the place, August 5, 1828. The Turkish garrison made a vigorous attack on the besiegers, August 7, and another on August 21, but were repulsed. Varna surrendered, after a sanguinary conflict, to the Ru ian arms, October 11, 1828. It was restored at the peace in 1829; its fortifications were dismantled, but have since been restored. The allied armies disembarked at Varna, May 29, 1854, and remained there till they sailed for the Crimea, September 3, following. While at Varna they suffered severely from cholera.