Battle of Kosovo

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This page is about the Battle of Kosovo of 1389; for other battles, see Battle of Kosovo (disambiguation).

{{Infobox Military Conflict |conflict=Battle of Kosovo |image=Image:Battle on Kosovo1389.jpg |caption=Battle on Kosovo, by Adam Stefanović, oil, 1870 |partof= |date=June 15, 1389 (Gregorian calendar) |place=Kosovo Field |result=indecisive Ottoman victory, both main commanders killed |combatant1=Ottoman Empire |combatant2=Serbia, Bosnia |commander1=Murad I with his sons Bayazid I and Yakub |commander2=Lazar Hrebeljanović, Vuk Branković, Vlatko Vuković |strength1= ~80,000-120,000 |strength2= ~70,000 |casualties1=Murad I |casualties2=Lazar }}

The Battle of Kosovo Polje (Косовски бој or Бој на Косову) was fought on St. Vitus' Day of 1389 (June 28 in Julian calendar) between Serbs and the Ottoman Empire.

The historical reality of this battle is a matter of conjecture, with little or conflicting evidence for any of the details. Most historians believe that tellings that have survived do refer to a clash between Ottoman invaders and people already in the area.

The Ruling Knez (Prince) of Serbia, Lazar Hrebeljanović, marshalled a Christian coalition force, made mainly of Serbs from Serbian empire and from Bosnia, but also troops from Hungary, Albania, and even a contingent of Saxon mercenaries. Ottoman Sultan Murad I also gathered a coalition of soldiers and volunteers from neighboring countries in Anatolia and Rumelia. Exact numbers are difficult to come by, but most reliable historical accounts suggest that the Christian army was heavily outnumbered by the Ottomans.

The Serbs marched out to meet the Ottomans at Kosovo Polje. The battle started with Serbian noblemen and Lazar's son-in-law, General Vuk Branković, on one wing, Lazar in the centre, and Bosnian Duke Vlatko Vuković commanding the third wing of the Serbian army. The Serbs initially gained advantage after the first charge of the heavy cavalry, which completely destroyed Turkish wing commanded by Jakub Celebi. In the center, the Serbs managed to push Ottoman forces back with only Bayazid's wing holding off Serbian forces from Bosnia commanded by Vlatko Vukovic. At first the victory seemed to be on the side of the Serbs, when the Sultan was killed by a Serbian noble, Milos Obilic (or Kobilic), who made his way into the Turkish camp on the pretext of being a deserter and forced his way into the Sultan's tent and stabbed him with a poisoned dagger. The confusion that followed was quickly quelled by Bayezid, the Sultan's son, who succeeded in surrounding the Serbs and inflicting a crushing defeat on the army.

The Ottomans in a counter attack pushed Serbian forces back. By late afternoon both armies were exhausted, with neither of them being able to gain significant strategic advantage. Lazar was taken prisoner and executed; the Serbs were forced to pay tribute to the Turks and promised to do military service in the Sultan's army.

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Results of the war

Image:Kosovka devojka.jpg

The new sultan, Bayezid I, reconciled with the Serbians by taking the Serbian princess Olivera Despina, daughter of Prince Lazar, as his wife. Thereafter, Serbs were obligated to serve in the Ottoman army and pay taxes to the Turks. After the siege of Smederevo, the Ottomans annexed Serbia in 1459. Interestingly, when Bayezid I attacked the forces of Timur at the Battle of Ankara, the Ottoman army consisted mainly of Serbians, since most of the Turks chose Timur's side.

The Battle of Kosovo is the battle of all battles in the annals of Serbian mythology. Most of Serbia's knights — more than 150 — died in the battle. Although the battlefield result was essentially a draw, and there were two more battles fought before the Ottomans subdued all Serb ruled lands, the Battle of Kosovo has a certain place in the psyche of Serbian people.

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