Polish Legion in Turkey

The Polish Legion in Turkey (Legion Polski w Turcji) was a military force formed in Istanbul by emigrants from Partitioned Poland to fight with the Ottoman Army in the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878). At the beginning of the nineteenth century the unit consisted of around 20,000 troops.

It was divided into two branches: European and Asian. The European branch, with about 70 people under the command of Józef Jagmin, became part of the division under Salha Pasha. On August 23, 1877, it took part in the Battle of Kizlarz, where many legionnaires died. The Asian division fought on the Caucasian front.