Battle of Maritsa

Battle of Maritsa
Battle of Maritsa
Part of the Ottoman wars in Europe Serbian-Ottoman Wars

The Ottoman advance after the battle of Chernomen. Date September 26, 1371

Location Maritsa River (near Chernomen (today Ormenio) in Greece) Result Decisive Ottoman victory
[1]

Belligerents
Serbian Empire Ottoman Empire

Commanders and leaders

Vukain Mrnjavevi Ugljea Mrnjavevi Lala hin Paa Gazi Evrenos

Strength
20,000-70,000 men
[2][3]

800 men

Casualties and losses

heavy combat losses [5] thousands drowned
[4]

low

The Battle of Maritsa, or Battle of Chernomen (Serbian: , , Bulgarian: , , Turkish: irmen Muharebesi, kinci Meri Muharebesi in tr. Second Battle of Maritsa) took place at the Maritsa River near the village of Chernomen (today Ormenio in Greece) on September 26, 1371 between the forces of Ottoman commanders Lala hin Paa and Gazi Evrenos and Serbian commanders King Vukain Mrnjavevi and his brother Despot Jovan Ugljea [6][7][8][9] who also wanted to get revenge of First Battle of Maritsa.

Battle of Maritsa

Background
Before the Battle of Maritsa Vukain had intention to recapture Skadar (now Shkodr) for Serbian Empire. The army led by King Vukain and his son Prince Marko came under Skadar in June 1371, but when they were informed about a large Ottoman army advancing from the east they headed east to prepare for the Battle of Maritsa.

Battle
The Serbian army numbered 20,000-70,000 men. Despot Ugljea wanted to make a surprise attack on the Ottomans in their capital city, Edirne, while Murad I was in Asia Minor. The Ottoman army was much smaller Byzantine Greek scholar Laonikos Chalkokondyles and other sources give the number of 800 men, but due to superior tactics, by conducting a night raid on the Serbian camp, hin Paa was able to defeat the Serbian army and kill King Vukain and despot Ugljea. Thousands of Serbs were killed, and thousands drowned in the Maritsa river when they tried to regroup for counter-attack.[10] Heavy armor became a disadvantage in the river water. After the battle, the Maritsa ran scarlet with blood.

Aftermath
Macedonia and parts of Greece fell under Ottoman power after this battle. The battle was a part of the Ottoman campaign to conquer the Balkans and was preceded by the Ottoman capturing of Sozopol and succeeded by the capture of the cities of Drama, Kavla and Serrai in modern Greece. The battle preceded the later 1389 Battle of Kosovo, and was one of many in history of the Serbian-Turkish wars.

Notes
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] Sedlar, Jean W., East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000-1500, (University of Washington Press, 1994), 385. Julius Emil DeVos: Fifteen hundred years of Europe, O'Donnell Press, 1924, page 110. Otto Kaemmel: Spamer's Illustrierte Weltgeschichte: mit besonderer Bercksichtigung der Kulturgeschichte, O. Spamer, 1902, page 740 Rossos, Andrew, Macedonia and the Macedonians, (Hoover Institution Press Publications, 2008), 40. Gustav Friedrich Hertzberg: Geschichte Griechenlands: Th. Vom lateinischen Kreuzzuge bis zur Vollendung der osmanischen Eroberung (1204-1740), F.A. Perthes, 1877, page 323 [6] K.Jirecek,History of the Bulgarians,p.382 (http:/ / www. promacedonia. org/ ki/ ki_22. htm) [7] J.V.A Fine, The Late Mediaeval Balkans, p. 379 (http:/ / www. google. com/ books?id=QDFVUDmAIqIC& printsec=frontcover& source=gbs_slider_thumb#v=onepage& q& f=false) [8] L.S Stavrianos, The Balkan since 1453, p.44 (http:/ / www. google. com/ books?id=xcp7OXQE0FMC& printsec=frontcover& source=gbs_slider_thumb#v=onepage& q& f=false) [9] Jirecek, Konstantin, Geschichte der Serben, pp. 437-438 (http:/ / www. archive. org/ stream/ geschichtederser00jire#page/ 437/ mode/ 1up/ search/ marica) [10] Harold William Vazeille Temperley: History of Serbia, H. Fertig, 1917, page 97.

References
Rossos, Andrew, Macedonia and the Macedonians, Hoover Institution Press Publications, 2008. Sedlar, Jean W., East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000-1500, University of Washington Press, 1994. Stavrianos, L. S. The Balkans Since 1453, C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2000. Turnbull, Stephen R. The Ottoman Empire 1326-1699, Osprey Publishing, 2003.

External links
Battle of the Maritsa River Encyclopdia Britannica (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9050991/ Battle-of-the-Maritsa-River) Coordinates: 4143N 2613E (http:/ / tools. wmflabs. org/ geohack/ geohack. php?pagename=Battle_of_Maritsa& params=41_43_N_26_13_E_)

Article Sources and Contributors

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Battle of Maritsa Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=592314195 Contributors: Aldux, Alexander VIII, Amitchell125, Andrwsc, Antidiskriminator, Aramgar, Argyll Lassie, Bane529, Banedon, Belerus, Biruitorul, Boki13, Brane.Blokar, Caerwine, CeeGee, Chaldean, Charliecow7, Clanedstino, CrniBombarder!!!, Dimadick, Dimitar Navorski, Djidash, DrFO.Jr.Tn, Durova, FocalPoint, Future Perfect at Sunrise, GeeJo, Ginsuloft, Gligan, Gon4z, Greier, HennessyC, Hiberniantears, Hugo999, Ilikeliljon, Jagatai, Jaraalbe, Jingiby, Kansas Bear, Kirill Lokshin, Knightserbia, Laveol, Lysandros, MALLUS, MadMax, Megales, Mttll, Mukadderat, Nedim Ardoa, NeroN BG, Ninam, Ntsimp, Oatmeal batman, Omnipaedista, PANONIAN, PWilkinson, PaxEquilibrium, Pyraechmes, Renata3, Rich Farmbrough, Rjwilmsi, Roksanna, S oteric, Sam Hocevar, Serbia123, Stefanmg, Takabeg, The Phoenix, TodorBozhinov, Tugrulirmak, Ultraviolet scissor flame, Valentinian, Vladar86, Welsh, Werieth, Zoupan, , , 55 anonymous edits

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