Greek Volunteer Legion

Greek Legion
The Greek Legion in Sevastopol, painting at the Benaki Museum, Athens
Active1854–1856
Country Russian Empire
TypeIrregular infantry
Size1,079 (July 1854)
672 (September 1854)
700 (February 1855)
823 (early March 1855)
743 (late March 1855)
Engagements
This article is about the unit in the Crimean War. For the unit in the Napoleonic Wars, see Greek Legion (Septinsular Republic).

The Greek Volunteer Legion (Greek: Ελληνική Λεγεώνα Εθελοντών) was a volunteer military corps formed by Greeks and other Balkan Christians that fought for the Russian Empire during the Crimean War. It was formed in the Danubian Principalities in March 1854, and some elements participated in the final engagements of the Danube theatre, before the Russian troops abandoned the Principalities. From there the Legion was sent to the Crimea, where it fought in the Siege of Sevastopol. In 1855 the Legion received the title Greek Legion of Emperor Nicholas I (Russian: Греческий легион императора Николая I). After the end of the siege, the bulk of the Legion was discharged, and the remainder of the unit was disbanded after the war's end in March 1856. Most of the volunteers returned to their homelands, although a few settled in Russia.