QuoteReplyTopic: The Battle of Belgrade, 1456 Posted: 03-Sep-2006 at 06:31
The siege of Belgrade (in it's Hungarian name Nndorfehrvr ) was a major battle.
The noon bell originates from this event. This fact also indicates the importance of it, that in those times it was a great event.
In 1456 the Turkish Empire was at the peak of its power, it had
conquered the whole Balkans and Byzantium, and was ready to conquere
Western Europe as well. Belgrade was the first fortress to stand in the
way, and it was defended by a Hungarian army of 60,000 soldiers, headed
by Jnos Hunyadi, and aided by Francesco Capistrano, an intrepid
Franciscan monk.
In 1456, three years after he captured Constantinople, Sultan Mohammed
II encamped and set off to besiege Nndorfehrvr (today's Belgrade).
Hunyadi's relief army was a mixture of three elements. To the side of
his mercenaries and the insurgent nobles, utilizing the lasting or
rather the newly reviving aura of the Crusades, he also dared call to
arms the common people, who had more than once rebelled against their
lords. In the recruitment of Crusaders and then through all the battle
engagements, Hunyadi's right arm was an impassioned Franciscan friar of
strict morals, Giovanni Capistrano, who was later canonized.
The Christian army gained a decisive victory. The wounded sultan
was rescued half-dead from the battle by his guards. This triumph at
Nndorfehrvr turned back for nearly a century the Ottoman expansion
threatening Europe. This was an enormous advantage. It awaited
exploitation. But often, only bells ring.
You see the sultan who had conquered Constantinople could not capture Belgrade.
The Turkish army flew in a panic, even Sultan Mohammed II. became heavily wounded, and wanted to commit suicide in shame.
John Hunyadi died from the plague in 1456.
Even Sultan Mohammed II paid him tribute:
"Although he was my enemy I feel grief over his death, because the world has never seen such a man."
Mohammad II. had declared before the battle of Belgrade, that he
would take dinner the following day in Vienna. Had he won the battle in
1456, he could have conquered West Europe within a few years.
Nevertheless we have to keep in mind that the son of Hunyadi Jnos became the King of Hungary.
This son is Hunyadi Mtys (MATHIAS CORVINUS) under his reign
Hungary became one of the most powerful nations in Europe, culturally
equal to any West European nation.
Today, we most frequently mention Matthias's Renaissance court: its
brilliance, richness, and soaring spirit. Italian tastes again
transformed the Buda Castle and the palace at Visegrd, indeed, the
entire country, so extensively that we can speak not only about
imitation but about influences at work in both directions during the
time. For instance, Janus Pannonius, raised in Italy and later Bishop
of Pcs, was well known for his lyric poetry in Latin at all European
centers of humanism. We know a great deal, relatively speaking, about
this period, if for no other reason than that a good many leading
humanists frequently turned up at Matthias's court, and some of them
even settled there. His library, the Bibliotheca Corviniana, apparently
developed into the best collection in Europe, but was, in any case, the
first among the newly founded libraries.
It was a time when Wien was part of Hungary.
( See the book : ISABELLA ACKERL Knig Mathias Corvinus ; Ein Ungar, der in Wien regierte;
Wien : sterreichischer Bundesverlag, 1985;)
OK, if Mohammad the II. couldn't defeat the Hungarians at Belgrade, how owuld he of defeated them on his way to "conquering western Europe in a few years" ?
The statement attributed to Mehmet II was that Hungary would be subjected in two months and that he would be able to eat his dinner quietly in Buda.
From cannon and catapults huge stones were hurled at the walls and inside the city. The inhabitants posted observers to keep an eye on them. When seen approaching, a bell would be rung as a warning of the incoming trajectories.
The victory was twofold for the Hunagrians. Hunyadi cut off the supply route of the Ottomans. Turkish vessels in the Danube were overcome and Hunyadi entered Belgrade with his soldiers and armed peasants of around 60,000 men (debateable). They rebuilt the broken walls and provided necessary manpower to guard them. After seven days of intense bombardment Mehmet sent in his janissaries. They took over the outer walls. By that time the Hungarians were in retreat of the fortification. After a hard battle for the bridge the Ottomans scaled the walls in various places and beseiged the fortress. A few weak points were overran. Thinking they had won the city, the Ottomans started searching for booty. That's when the genius of Hunyadi came through. He had purposely hid his men for such an opportune time. The shouts of Turkish victory was replaced by Hungarians in full battle cry. Before the Ottomans could reassemble they were scattered and lacked cohesion.
Janos Hunyadis left the janissaries alone for a while since they were still a formidable force. Over night he threw torches on them while in the ditches by the walls however. After that the Ottomans retreated in disarray. Then the Hungarians pressed the matter until they reach the Sultan's camp. Seeing this, Mehmet entered the fray. He fought on with wild abandone. Eventually an arrow hit him in the thigh and was forced to abondone the fight. Entering the battle late about 6000 Ottoman cavalry joined in and pushed the Hungarian attackers back to the second line of Ottoman defense surrounding the Sultan's camp. By that time, however, Ottomans lost the will to fight and eventually left their belongings and were put to flight. Farnz Babinger, 'Mehmed the Conquerer and his Time'.
In 1456 the Turkish Empire was at the peak of its power, it had conquered the whole Balkans and Byzantium, and was ready to conquere Western Europe as well.
Umm,sorry, but the real peak of the Ottoman power was in 16th century.Ottoman Empire wasn't even controlling all of Anatolia then...And not all of the Balkans as you mentioned had fallen..Peloponnesus, Bosnia&Herzegovina,Albania, and most part of Romania..So, that is not quite all the Balkans :)
This triumph at Nndorfehrvr turned back for nearly a century the Ottoman expansion threatening Europe. This was an enormous advantage. It awaited exploitation
Umm..Not really..Ottomans didn't only attack Hungary for several decades...Other than that, 1458 Peloponnesus conquered,1461 Wallachia conquered,1462-1464 Bosnia conquered,1466-67 Albania conquered(Those campaigns were later renewed many times in Mehmed II's era,due to rebellions and to get total control)...And at that time, Mehmed II was not only dealing with Balkans, also with Anatolia...Kingdom of Trebizond, victory and destruction of Karaman state,triumph over another Turkic empire to the east, Akkoyunlu, was added to those list of victories, enabling Ottomans even going into Otranto, Southern Italy in 1480.The advance through Europe only stopped in Bayezid II's era, mostly because of "Ottoman civil war" between Bayezid and Mehmed II's other son Cem Sultan,forcing Bayezid to watch a passive policy, which is also triggered by his calm nature...1512-1520, the conquest of Middle East was completed, and 1521,Belgrade was conquered...So no need to exaggerate, the siege was an Ottoman loss, but not really a great loss with lots of impacts...If you'd like an example for such a loss, 1683 Vienna may be a great example.
You see the sultan who had conquered Constantinople could not capture Belgrade.
Probably because he hadn't concentrated and committed an extremely huge army for that conquest..But no need to deny, Belgrade was a strong fortress.
even Sultan Mohammed II. became heavily wounded, and wanted to commit suicide in shame.
Yes, he was wounded..But I hadn't heard about the suicide attempt...It is an interesting thing if it is really true.
We gave up your happiness
Your hope would be enough;
we couldn't find neither;
we made up sorrows for ourselves;
we couldn't be consoled;
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