Battle of Navarino

On 20 October 1827, a combined British, French and Russian fleet entered Navarino Bay on the western coast of the Peloponnese. The allied admirals intended to prevent the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet from continuing operations against the Greek revolt and to enforce the armistice demanded by the Treaty of London.

Firing began inside the crowded anchorage and developed into a four-hour battle. The Ottoman-Egyptian fleet was virtually destroyed, while the allied squadrons lost no ships. Navarino became the last major fleet action fought entirely by wooden sailing warships and a decisive turning point in the struggle for Greek independence.

This context supports naval historical fiction about line-of-battle ships, multinational command, close-range gunnery and intervention without a formal declaration of war. Man of War follows Captain Sir Laughton Peto towards Navarino while Matthew Hervey faces a separate crisis in Britain.