Belgrade, Peace

Belgrade, Peace of

(1739) Either of two peace settlements that ended the Ottoman empire's four-year war with Russia and its two-year war with Austria. In 1735 Russia had attempted to establish itself on the northern Black Sea. Austria entered the war as Russia's ally in 1737, but military failures prompted it to make a separate peace in September 1739, ceding northern Serbia (including Belgrade) and Little Walachia to the Ottomans. With Austria's defection, the Russians had to make a disappointing peace that same month. Under its terms, Russia could not have warships on the Black Sea and had to depend on Ottoman shipping for its Black Sea commerce.