Battle of Ohrid

Battle of Ohrid
	Part of Albanian–Ottoman Wars (1432–1479)
	; Woodcut depicting the battle by Jost Amman, 1587
Date	14/15 September 1464
Location	Near Ohrid (present-day North Macedonia)
Result	Albanian–Venetian victory
Belligerents
League of Lezhë; Republic of Venice	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Skanderbeg ; Cimarosto	Şeremet bey
Strength
12,000 Albanians ; 1,000 Venetians	14,000 cavalry
Casualties and losses
Unknown	10,000 killed

The Battle of Ohrid took place on 14 or 15 September 1464 between Albanian ruler Skanderbeg's forces and Ottoman forces. A crusade against Sultan Mehmed II had been planned by Pope Pius II with Skanderbeg as one of its main leaders. The battle near Ohrid occurred as a result of an Albanian incursion into Ottoman territory. The Ottomans stationed in the area were assaulted by Skanderbeg's men and 1,000 Venetian soldiers under Cimarosto. The Ottomans were lured out of their protections in Ohrid and ambushed by the Albanian cavalry. Skanderbeg won the resulting battle and his men earned 40,000 ducats after captured Ottoman officers were ransomed. Pius II died before the planned crusade began, however, forcing Skanderbeg to fight his battles virtually alone.

Background

Mathias Corvinus of Hungary recaptured many of the Bosnian strongpoints, including Jajce, which had been taken from the Kingdom of Bosnia by the Ottomans. Mehmed II marched into Bosnia, pillaging the countryside, hoping that his enemies would surrender. The Hungarian resistance, however, was stiff.^[4] The Ottomans still managed to make headway against the Hungarians who had been trying to lift Ottoman the siege on Jajce with a ruse. The Sultan continued his siege while Mathias escaped from the fortress with a force of men, but the retreating army was harried, with 200 soldiers being captured and sent to Constantinople for execution. Despite the setback, Jajce held out and Mehmed retreated from Bosnia.^[5]

Campaign

After Skanderbeg's raid into Macedonia the year before, the Sultan decided to strengthen his fortresses in the area.[6] He then sent Şeremet bey to Ohrid, a city close to Skanderbeg's domains, with 14,000 cavalry to prevent another Albanian incursion. After learning of this, Skanderbeg prepared to march against Şeremet. The pasha's men, however, were stationed both inside and outside the city, making it difficult to defeat them.^[6] Before marching, Skanderbeg received news that Pius had arrived in Ancona and died upon seeing the crusader fleet.^[7] He left Cimarosto with an Italian force in Valikardhë (near modern-day Bulqizë in eastern Albania).^[3] Skanderbeg then decided to march against Şeremet anyway and set off with 12,000 cavalry three hours after dusk. After one day of marching, Skanderbeg reached Macedonia and began pillaging the land.

Battle

Once he reached Ohrid, Skanderbeg gave a speech to his men, encouraging them for the coming battle.^[6] He then assigned Pekë Emmanuali and Peter Engjëlli, Pal Engjëlli's brother, as commanders of a 500-man troop of cavalry where they were to approach the gates of Ohrid and provoke the Ottomans to attack.^[8] They were to throw smoke and dust into the air to irritate the garrison.^[9] Then they were to feign retreat where the pursuing Ottoman cavalry would be ambushed by the main Albanian force. On 14 or 15 September, everything went as planned and the trap was sprung. Skanderbeg's assault came out and killed 10,000 Ottoman men and captured twelve Ottoman units, among them Şeremet's son.^[8] The Ottoman forces were pursued by the Venetian forces alongside the Albanians. The Albanian-Venetian losses were few.^[10]