had been incited by Russia
to revolt. Thus was Nicholas robbed of his best pretext for impressing his
will upon Turkey. Chagrined at the triumph of Austria, angered by the
demands made by the French Ambassador, Marquis de Lavalette, in behalf of
Roman Catholic pilgrims, Nicholas sent his Admiral, Prince Menzikov, as
Ambassador Extraordinary to the Porte. With unusual ostentation Menzikov
gathered the Russian fleet and an army of 30,000 men at Sebastopol, and
then went alone to Constantinople. He demanded an audience of the Sultan,
and on March 2 appeared before him in a plain overcoat and with boots
covered with dust. His appearance was in keeping with his mission. In the
name of his master he demanded the protectorate over all Greek Christians.
Failing to attain his end, Menzikov, after a six weeks' stay, delivered a
Russian ultimatum. Late in May he left Constantinople, prophesying his
speedy reappearance in uniform. Three weeks later the French and English
fleets cast anchor in the entrance to the Dardanelles.

[Sidenote: Russians cross Pruth]

[Sidenote: Cossacks in Danube provinces]

It was not to be expected that a ruler like Nicholas would shrink from war.
On July 7, he despatched Prince Michael Gortschakov, together with two army
divisions of 40,000 men each, respectively commanded by Generals Lueders
and Danneberg, across the Pruth, with orders to hold the Danube
principalities until the Sultan had granted the Russian demands. Sultan
Abdul Majid, through his grand vizier, Reschid Pasha, issued a firman
recognizing the rights of his Christian subjects. Upon crossing the Pruth,
the Russian Commander-in-Chief assured the people of Moldavia and Wallachia
that their property and persons would not be molested; but the Russian
soldiers seized the public funds, compelled peasants to give up their
cattle and their grain, and pressed the native militia into the Czar's
service.

[Sidenote: Turkish ultimatum]

[Sidenote: Russia declares war]

[Sidenote: Oltenizza]

Still, European diplomats hoped to preserve peace. The Porte was persuaded
not to regard the invasion of the Danube principalities as a _casus belli_.
The conference which was held by the representatives of the Powers resulted
in the Viennese mediatory note, by the terms of which the Sultan was to
yield to the Czar, with certain restrictions. Russia's claim of a
protectorate was utterly ignored. The Czar accepted the conditions imposed,
but held that the