Siege of Belgrade (1717)
Siege of Belgrade | |||||||
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Part of the Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718) | |||||||
Siege of Belgrade by Jan van Huchtenburgh | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Electorate of Bavaria | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
Total: 100,000 men[2]
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Total: 210,000 men Belgrade garrison: Relief force: | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
30,000[7][d] | 20,000[9][e] |
The siege of Belgrade was a successful attempt by Austrian troops under the command of Prince Eugene of Savoy to capture the strategically important city of Belgrade from the Ottoman Empire. It took place during the Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718), barely a year after the Austrian victory at the Battle of Petrovaradin (Peterwardein). The Imperial Army routed the Ottoman relief army under Grand Vizier Hacı Halil Pasha on 16 August. As a consequence, the Belgrade garrison, deprived of relief, surrendered to the Austrians on 21 August. The Ottoman Sultan Ahmed III sued for peace, resulting in the Treaty of Passarowitz a year later, which completed the transfer of the remainder of Hungary, the Banat and the city of Belgrade into Austrian hands.[3]
Background
Belgrade was wrested from the Ottoman Empire after the
After the success of his 1716 campaign, with the defeat of a much larger Ottoman army at the Battle of Petrovaradin and the successful
Prelude
On 14 May Eugene left
Siege
On the advice of one of his generals, Eugene chose to cross the Danube, approaching Belgrade from the east and rear, surprising the Ottomans who did not expect the enemy to cross the river at that point. He established the first camp at Višnjica the highest point, some 5 km (3.1 mi) away from Belgrade. On 18 June the city was surrounded.[13] Eugene deployed his artillery while the Imperial troops began digging trenches, in a semicircle from the Danube to the Sava, both in front of the fortress and at the rear to cover the imperials in the event of the arrival of a Turkish relief army. The fortification lines, 16 km (9.9 mi) long, were completed on 9 July providing a connection between Danube and Sava rivers. The right side of the camp was protected by the Habsburg Danube flotilla. Count von Hauben was sent to establish a bridgehead west of the Sava in order to have a supply and communication route to Petrovaradin and a liaison to Zemun troops.[14]
The Ottoman defenders in Belgrade numbered 30,000 men, under the command of Serasker Mustafa Pasha, who had been commander of the Temeşvar Fortress, one of the best commanders of the Ottomans.[15] Mustafa was ready to fight until reinforcements arrived, bombarding the imperial soldiers from above. Prince Eugene was informed that the huge Ottoman army of about 140,000 men sent to relieve Belgrade was approaching under the command of Grand Vizier (Hacı) Halil Pasha.[3] This army arrived on 28 July. However, instead of taking action against the besiegers, they began to dig trenches. Prince Eugene's troops were caught between the fortress and the relief army in a dangerous crossfire. Because of losses to cannon fire as well as malaria, the strength of the Austrian army slowly diminished. The Ottomans wanted to let the enemy wear themselves down in a long siege. While the situation was rather worrying for the imperial troops, the Grand Vizier chose to wait. When the force of 40,000 Crimean Tatars arrived on 12 August, Halil Pasha, still reluctant to fight Eugene's army, chose to gather another war council instead of attacking.[16]
On 14 August, Belgrade was suddenly shaken by a powerful explosion: a mortar shell launched from Zemun struck the ammunition store inside the fortress killing 3,000 defenders in the explosion.[4] Prince Eugene immediately chose to confront the massive Ottoman relief army. Summoning his commanders for a council of war, he ordered a surprise attack, planned in the smallest details, for the night between 15 and 16 August.[14]
Either I will take Belgrade or the Turks will take me
— Prince Eugene to his generals, 15 August 1717, [16]
According to the war order, the infantries under Field Marshal Charles Alexander, Duke of Württemberg would be protecting the center, while the imperial cavalries commanded by Hungarian Field Marshal Count János Pálffy the left and right wings of the entrenchment.[7] Apart from the 8 battalions, about 10,000 men, left under Field Marshal Count George de Brown[f] to hold the trenches facing the fortress and four infantry battalions, under Count Peter Josef de Viard protecting the camp and the bridgeheads, the entire army was involved in the attack a total of 52 infantry battalions, 53 grenadier companies, and 180 cavalry squadrons supported by 60 cannons[5] a force of about 60,000 soldiers.[17]
On the Ottoman right side were 10,000 county soldiers under Rumeli Beylerbeyi as well as 20,000
The attack started as scheduled before midnight of 15 August, a heavy fog arose covered the battlefield, according to Lieutenant General of Infantry
After the first hours of fighting, while the sun rose but the intense fog still covered the battlefield, the Ottomans perceived an opening in the center of the Austrian array and attacked in force, the Ottomans found themselves in between the two wings with a clear advantage but seemed to be unaware of it. Prince Eugene understood that he could turn the situation to his advantage since he could anticipate now the Ottoman battle plan; he ordered von Braunschweig-Bevern's second infantry line to counterattack placing the Bavarian troops in the front. Then Eugene personally led the attack at the head of the Austrian cavalry reserves. Although Eugene was wounded, his cuirassiers and hussars stormed the flanks of the Ottoman janissaries in a tremendous onslaught. The left and right Habsburg wings managed to finally restore contact with the help of the central infantry. Eugene's attack decision completely changed the situation, not only pushed the enemy back but also took the trenches, throwing the Ottoman camp into turmoil and causing many soldiers to flee.[19] The Ottoman 18-gun battery on the Badjina Heights was captured and the remaining troops withdraw to the camp where the Grand Vizier ordered a full retreat.[18]
After 10 hours of fighting, the battle was over. Ottoman losses numbered between 15,000 and 20,000 men, including
The garrison, deprived of relief and with soldiers about to revolt, surrendered five days later to the Austrians, on 21 August, in exchange for safe passage from the city, which Eugene granted; 25,000 residents were given the right to freely leave the city honorably.[22] The entire Muslim population together with the remaining Ottoman garrison troops left unhurt taking their basic possessions with them.[23][24]
Aftermath
Belgrade was transferred into Habsburg Austrian hands after 196 years of Ottoman rule. Prince Eugene crowned his career with a great victory and the Ottoman dominance in the Balkans suffered a severe blow. A year later, the Treaty of Passarowitz was signed, completing the Treaty of Karlowitz of 1699.[7] Austria obtained at the expense of the Ottoman Empire the Banat of Temesvár which returned to the kingdom of Hungary, Belgrade, northern Serbia, Lesser Wallachia (Oltenia), and other neighboring areas. Austria reached its maximum expansion in the Balkans. Prince Eugene of Savoy crowned his career as the most successful military leader of his time, and retired from active military service. After this defeat, the Ottoman Empire would no longer hope to expand in Europe but merely sought to retain conquered territory. Belgrade would remain a territory under the domination of Austria for over twenty years until new Ottoman–Habsburg rivalries resulted in the city being reconquered by the Ottomans.[7]
Images
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The Battle of Belgrade
byJan van Huchtenburg -
Eugene of Savoy at the Battle of Belgrade
by Johann Gottfried Auerbach -
The Siege of Belgrade
engraving
See also
Notes
- ^ According to William Urban 20-year-old Maurice de Saxe was too young to be given a command but had served under Eugene since the age of 13 and was a key eyewitness of the battle that he related in his chronicles: Memoirs on the Art of War[1]
- ^ The Belgrade garrison included 12,000 janissaries, 4,000 albanians levents, 2,000 Tatars and 3,000 sipahis[4]
- ^ The Ottoman relief force included 126,000 janissaries jets, 8,050 warfareists, 4,864 artillery guns, 1,556 artillery gunmen sipahis and armored silahdar[6][4]
- ^ Habsburg battle casualties included Field Marshal Count Hauben, 87 officers and 1767 soldiers; wounded were 223 officers and 3179 soldiers.[8] 30,000 more died of wounds and disease during the siege[9]
- ^ 5,000 additional Ottomans died during the siege[9]
- ^ Maximilian Ulysses Browne's uncle
- ^ killed included Field Marshal Count Hauben, 87 officers and 1767 soldiers; wounded 223 officers and 3179 soldiers.[8]
References
Citations
- ^ Urban & Showalter 2013, p. 39.
- ^ a b c d e f Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, pp. 137–138.
- ^ a b c Harbottle 2019, p. 183.
- ^ a b c Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 137.
- ^ a b c Roy 2014, p. 99.
- ^ a b c Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 142.
- ^ a b c d e Aksan 2014, p. 102.
- ^ a b Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 146.
- ^ a b c Roy 2014, p. 100.
- ^ Campbell 1737, p. 279.
- ^ Upton 2017, p. 116.
- ^ Setton 1991, p. 438.
- ^ a b Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 134.
- ^ a b c Upton 2017, p. 118.
- ^ Ágoston 2011, p. 104.
- ^ a b Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 138.
- ^ Heinrich Dyck 2020.
- ^ a b c Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 143.
- ^ Dupuy, Dupuy & HarperCollins (Firm) 1993, p. 703.
- ^ Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 145.
- ^ Harris 1841, p. 8.
- ^ Ágoston 2011, p. 105.
- ^ Ingrao, Samardžić & Pesalj 2011, p. 15.
- ^ Srđan Rudić et al. 2018, p. 147.
Bibliography
- Ágoston, Gábor (2011). Punic Politics, Economy, and Alliances, 218–201. Book collections on Project MUSE.
- Aksan, V. (2014). Ottoman Wars, 1700–1870: An Empire Besieged. Modern Wars In Perspective. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-317-88403-3.
- Bodart, G. (1908). Militär-historisches Kriegs-Lexikon, 1618–1905, Herausgegeben Von Dr. G. Bodart (in German).
- Campbell, J. (1737). The Military History of the Late Prince Eugene of Savoy. Philip Crampton.
- Dupuy, R.E.; Dupuy, T.N.; HarperCollins (Firm) (1993). The Harper Encyclopedia of Military History: From 3500 BC to the Present. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-270056-8.
- Harris, T.M. (1841). Biographical memorials of James Oglethorpe.
- Harbottle, T.B. (2019). Dictionary of Battles: From the Earliest Date to the Present Time. Good Press.
- Herre, F. (2005). Eugenio di Savoia. Il condottiero, lo statista, l'uomo. Biblioteca storica / [Il Giornale] (in Italian). Garzanti. ISBN 978-88-11-67858-8.
- Ingrao, C.W.; Samardžić, N.; Pesalj, J. (2011). The Peace of Passarowitz, 1718. Book collections on Project MUSE. Purdue University Press. ISBN 978-1-55753-594-8.
- Setton, K.M. (1991). Venice, Austria, and the Turks in the Seventeenth Century. American Philosophical Society. ISBN 978-0-87169-192-7.
- Srđan Rudić, S.A.; Amedoski, D.; The Institute of History, B.; Yunus Emre Enstitüsü, T.C.C.B.; Ćosović, T. (2018). Belgrade 1521–1867. Collection of Works. Institute of History Belgrade. ISBN 978-86-7743-132-7.
- Upton, G. (2017). Prince Eugene of Savoy. Jovian Press. ISBN 978-1-5378-1165-9.
- Urban, W.; Showalter, D. (2013). Bayonets and Scimitars: Arms, Armies and Mercenaries 1700–1789. Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 978-1-4738-2971-8.
- Roy, K. (2014). Military Transition in Early Modern Asia, 1400–1750: Cavalry, Guns, Government and Ships. Bloomsbury Studies in Military History. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78093-813-4.
Websites
- Heinrich Dyck, Ludwig (7 July 2020). "Military Heritage Magazine, Prince Eugene's last Ride, Belgrade 1717". Ludwig H. Dyck's Historical Writings.