Why was this Russian ship named after an enemy of Russia?

Throughout the first third of the 19th century, Sultan Mahmud II opposed Russian interests in the Caucasus and the Balkans. Under his leadership, the Ottoman Empire fought two unsuccessful wars against Russia – from 1806-1812 and 1828-1829. Yet, when a sailing ship of the line for the Black Sea Fleet was launched in 1836, it was named ‘Sultan Mahmud’ – in his honor. The ship’s figurehead was even modeled after a bust of the Ottoman ruler.

The exact reason for this remains unclear. The most widely accepted theory links it to events that took place around the turn of 1832-1833. At that time, the Sultan was at war with a rebellious vassal – Egyptian ruler Muhammad Ali Pasha. Ottoman forces suffered defeat after defeat and were forced to retreat toward Istanbul.

Nicholas I was dissatisfied with this turn of events. He feared that the fall of Mahmud would significantly strengthen the positions of Great Britain and France in the region. In November 1832, Lieutenant General Nikolai Muravyov, the emperor’s personal representative, arrived at the Sultan’s court and offered military assistance – an offer the Sultan accepted after some hesitation.

In February 1833, a Russian squadron entered the Bosphorus Strait; troops disembarked from the ships and set up camp near the capital. The move proved effective: Muhammad Ali Pasha halted his offensive and agreed to negotiations.

That summer, the Russian and Ottoman empires even formed a defensive alliance. However, the two powers remained deeply at odds and, 20 years later, another war broke out between them.