Women in the Crimean War

The Crimean War was a conflict between the Russian Empire and an alliance that consisted of the Ottoman Empire, the United Kingdom, France, and the Kingdom of Sardinia, which has since become a part of Italy, France, and Monaco. The war lasted from 1853 to 1856 and stemmed from the expansion of Russian power, with the English and French powers eager to keep the power balance and preserve the Ottoman Empire. The Crimean War led to the weakening of the Russian Empire and is known for a war that was heavily mismanaged.

The Crimean War is the first military engagement where women were officially organized as nurses. It was also the first conflict where women were seen as a respected participant of the war. Women would follow their family members to care for the men, either as nurses, or to provide comforts, one title for these women was vivandière.