In 1853 the Russian Empire on behalf of the Slavic Balkan states began to question the very existence of <answer>the Ottoman Empire</answer>. The result was the Crimean War, 1853–1856, in which the British Empire and the French Empire supported <answer>the Ottoman Empire</answer> in its struggle against the incursions of the Russian Empire. Eventually, <answer>the Ottoman Empire</answer> lost control of the Balkan region.
During the Crimean War who did the British and French support?
the Ottoman Empire