IJSS 522 Original Arcle Received/Accepted Dates 28.04.2024/04.06.2024 DOI 10.52096/usbd.8.34.30 Internaonal Journal of Social Sciences Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi www.sobider.net e-ISSN: 2548-0685 Guardian of the Straits: Ottoman Naval Battles at the Dardanelles (1656-1915) and Implications for Turkey’s Maritime Security Halil Ersin AVCI Ph.D., Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University Education Faculty, Social Science Education halilersinavci@comu.edu.tr, ORCID: 0000-0003-1580-7803 Researcher ID: N-8358-2018 Abstract This article examines four major naval battles (1656, 1657, 1807, and 1915) that took place in the Dardanelles during the Ottoman Empire period. The study analyzes the historical context, causes, course, and consequences of these battles, emphasizing the strategic importance of the Dardanelles. Furthermore, in light of the lessons drawn from these historical events, the article offers recommendations for modern Turkey's maritime security policies. By highlighting the importance of strait defense, naval power, technological superiority, and international cooperation, the article aims to contribute to Turkey's future maritime security strategies. Keywords: Dardanelles, Ottoman naval battles, maritime strategy, strait defense, Turkey's maritime security Introduction The Dardanelles and the Bosphorus have been among the world's most strategic waterways throughout history. These straits are of great importance both commercially and militarily, as they form the only maritime connection between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean 1 . Controlling these straits has been one of the primary objectives of states and empires ruling in the Balkans and Anatolia from ancient times to the present day. The strategic importance of the Dardanelles is also supported by archaeological findings. According to underwater archaeologists, there are more than ten thousand shipwrecks in the strait 1 Palmira Brummett, Ottoman Seapower and Levantine Diplomacy in the Age of Discovery (1994), pp. 7-9.