Ruse

On the southern bank of the Danube, Ruse occupied a site long prized for its river traffic. The Roman fortress of Sexaginta Prista, whose name meant the port of sixty ships, guarded the empire's northern frontier here. A fortified Bulgarian settlement called Rusi later grew near the ancient remains. Under Ottoman rule it became known as Rusçuk, a port whose river connections made it a center of commerce and military supply.

By the 16th century Rusçuk had become an active trading and military town, and in the early 17th century it served as a base for the Ottoman Danube fleet. Its fortress became prominent in the wars between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. In 1811 Russian and Ottoman armies fought near the town, while Austrian merchants established themselves there and strengthened trade along the river.