Cossack raid on Istanbul (1620)

Cossack raid on Istanbul in 1620 - campaign of the Zaporozhian Cossacks, headed by hetman Yakov Wart-Neroda, to the capital Ottoman empire.

Hike
During 1620, the Ottoman Empire exerted big political pressure on the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth: Turks at any time could declare have broken peace agreement by Rzechpospolita and under this pretext, to commit a decisive attack on Poland.

Taking advantage of this, the Turkish sultan promised to abandon the plans of conquest if, within four months, the authorities of the Commonwealth destroyed the Cossacks and devastaved the bordered Ukrainian cities. The Polish ambassador promised to meet these demands, but Ottoman was treated disrespectfully. The Turks, demonstrating the helplessness of the Poles, decided themselves to end Cossacks themselves and, starting in March, go to cover southern Ukraine with fortresses to control their actions.

However, Zaporozhian Cossacks have really decided to attack Turkey. Having learned about this, the Polish ambassador immediately escaped from Istanbul.

Cossacks sailed to the city and they with a tremendous courage robbed his neighborhood. The fear of the Cossacks was so great, that the commanders hades Turkish sailors, by beat to make the galleries go out against the Ukrainian seagulls.

Not able to withstand the maneuverable Cossack boats, the Turks felt a heavy devastation around the capital of his empire.

After that, the Cossacks decided to go to the other side - on the Bulgarian coast, to Varna of under the control Ottomans. A city with a population of 15,000 was completely looted.

Consequences
Hike became a decisive pretext for Battle of Cecora (1620).