Edward Codrington

Edward Codrington appears in the Encyclopaedia of Islam as the British vice-admiral who commanded the combined fleets of Britain, France and Russia at Navarino. The Encyclopaedia's Navarino article names him only as "Sir Codrington" in the available text, and gives no dates or biography for him, so this page is a short portrait of his role. ¹

On 20 October 1827 the allied fleets under his command fought the fleet of Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia, led by Tahir Pasha, inside the harbour of Navarino. The article says the Muslim forces were destroyed, with about three-quarters of their vessels sunk and around 6,000 Turks killed, against about 1,000 among the Europeans. ¹ Another article puts the Ottoman loss alone at 37 ships and over 3,000 sailors. ³ See the battle of Navarino. The fleet's destruction is also recorded as a heavy blow to the Ottoman navy. ⁴

The article on Navarino says that Ibrahim Pasha, cut off from his supplies on the Morean mainland, was soon forced to make a truce with Codrington, and withdrew to Egypt in the autumn of 1828. ¹ The article on Ibrahim says that Muhammad Ali was forced by Codrington, who appeared before Alexandria, to recall his son and the Egyptian troops. ² Another article adds that after the defeat Muhammad Ali decided to end his part in the war and concluded an agreement with Britain on 6 August 1828. ⁵

The sources read do not give his full name, birth or death, or career before 1827; those need other sources.