HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Battle of Tripolje ( sr-cyr, битка код Трипоља/бој на Трипољу), also known as the Battle of Gračanica (), was fought in November 1402 between the
Serbian Despotate The Serbian Despotate () was a medieval Serbian state in the first half of the 15th century. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is mistakenly considered the end of medieval Serbia, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravi ...
, ruled by the
Lazarević dynasty The House of Lazarević ( sr-Cyrl, Лазаревић, Lazarevići / Лазаревићи, ) was a Serbian medieval royal family, which ruled Moravian Serbia and the Serbian Despotate. History The dynasty began with Lazar Hrebeljanović, son ...
, and the Branković family, aided by the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. Following the Ottoman defeat at Ankara in 1402, Serbian ruler
Stefan Lazarević Stefan Lazarević ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Лазаревић, 1377 – 19 July 1427), also known as Stefan the Tall (), was a Serbian ruler as prince (1389–1402) and Despot (court title), despot (1402–1427). He was also a diplomat, legislat ...
saw an opportunity to free himself of Ottoman overlordship. Awarded the high honorary title of '' despot'' by
Byzantine Emperor The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...
Manuel II Palaiologos Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus (; 27 June 1350 – 21 July 1425) was Byzantine emperor from 1391 to 1425. Shortly before his death he was tonsured a monk and received the name Matthaios (). Manuel was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, which ...
, Lazarević began to wield increasing autonomy in his political decision making. Following a quarrel said to have arisen because of his nephew
Đurađ Branković Đurađ Vuković Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Вуковић Бранковић, ; 1377 – 24 December 1456) served as the Serbian Despot from 1427 to 1456, making him one of the final rulers of medieval Serbia. In 1429, Branković was form ...
's intent to join forces with the new Ottoman sultan, Lazarević had Branković imprisoned. Freed by a friend, Branković joined the Ottoman ranks and was set to fight Lazarević. Buoyed by Ottoman reinforcements, Branković set up in Kosovo, along the route through which Lazarević would return from the
Adriatic The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
coast to the Serbian interior. The two sides clashed at the field of Tripolje (near Gračanica) on 21 November 1402. The larger part of Lazarević's army, commanded by his brother Vuk, engaged Branković's forces while Stefan Lazarević clashed with the Ottomans. While Vuk experienced setbacks fighting Branković's forces, Stefan Lazarević encountered more success in fending off the Ottomans, thereby deciding the battle in his favor. The Lazarević brothers fell out following the battle. Stefan Lazarević allied himself with Hungary in 1403, ending his subservience to the Ottomans, while the Lazarević–Branković conflict continued over the years.


Background

The Ottoman defeat at the Battle of Ankara in July 1402, the subsequent capture by
Timur Timur, also known as Tamerlane (1320s17/18 February 1405), was a Turco-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid dynasty. An undefeat ...
of Sultan
Bayezid I Bayezid I (; ), also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt (; ; – 8 March 1403), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402. He adopted the title of ''Sultan-i Rûm'', ''Rûm'' being the Arabic name for the Eastern Roman Empire. In 139 ...
and his death in captivity in March 1403, which triggered the
Ottoman Interregnum The Ottoman Interregnum, or Ottoman Civil War, (, ) was a civil war in the Ottoman realm between the sons of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I following their father's defeat and capture by Timur in the Battle of Ankara on 28 July 1402. Although Ti ...
, presented an opportunity for the Serbian magnates to take advantage of the turmoil and wield more autonomy in their political decision making. Having fought on the side of the Ottomans, they returned from Ankara through Byzantine-held territory. The new political landscape made for closer Byzantine–Serbian cooperation, and in August 1402, at
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
, Byzantine Emperor
Manuel II Palaiologos Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus (; 27 June 1350 – 21 July 1425) was Byzantine emperor from 1391 to 1425. Shortly before his death he was tonsured a monk and received the name Matthaios (). Manuel was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, which ...
awarded one of the Serbian magnates,
Stefan Lazarević Stefan Lazarević ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Лазаревић, 1377 – 19 July 1427), also known as Stefan the Tall (), was a Serbian ruler as prince (1389–1402) and Despot (court title), despot (1402–1427). He was also a diplomat, legislat ...
, the very high title of '' Despot''. Second only to imperial dignity, the title brought the bearer great honor. From Constantinople, Lazarević was hoping to pave the way for an independent Serbia. While staying there, he came to quarrel with another Serbian magnate, his nephew
Đurađ Branković Đurađ Vuković Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Вуковић Бранковић, ; 1377 – 24 December 1456) served as the Serbian Despot from 1427 to 1456, making him one of the final rulers of medieval Serbia. In 1429, Branković was form ...
. Although the reasons remain unknown, fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Ragusan chronicler
Mavro Orbini Mavro Orbini (1563–1614) was a Ragusan chronicler, notable for his work '' The Realm of the Slavs'' (1601) which influenced Slavic ideology and historiography in the later centuries. Life Orbini was born in Ragusa (now Dubrovnik), the capital ...
attributes the quarrel to Lazarević's suspicions that Branković wanted to join forces with
Süleyman Çelebi Süleyman Çelebi (also Emir Süleyman; – 17 February 1411) was an Ottoman prince and a co-ruler of the Ottoman Empire for several years during the Ottoman Interregnum. There is a tradition of western origin, according to which Suleiman th ...
, Bayezid's oldest son, who held power in
Rumelia Rumelia (; ; ) was a historical region in Southeastern Europe that was administered by the Ottoman Empire, roughly corresponding to the Balkans. In its wider sense, it was used to refer to all Ottoman possessions and Vassal state, vassals in E ...
. The historian Dimitris Kastritsis notes that the rivalry between Branković and Lazarević dates back to the time of Bayezid, who had expelled Branković's father from his lands and granted some of them to Lazarević. Although Lazarević aimed to induce Emperor John VII to imprison Branković, it is not certain if he succeeded. In 1402, Lazarević ordered Branković imprisoned, but the latter spent little time in captivity, as he was freed with the help of a friend in September of that year. Branković immediately went to Süleyman Çelebi, whom he asked for troops to fight Lazarević.


Prelude

The Lazarević–Branković conflict became an opportunity for the Ottomans, who readied for war, to regain the power they had once wielded in the Balkans. A Serbian contingent returning home from
Asia Minor Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
was abruptly attacked and destroyed near
Edirne Edirne (; ), historically known as Orestias, Adrianople, is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the Edirne Province, province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, Edirne was the second c ...
on the orders of an Ottoman commander. It became clear to Lazarević that the rest of his army could not return using that route. Branković and the Ottomans sought to prevent Lazarević and his brother Vuk from returning home. Branković's forces were joined by an Ottoman contingent, ordered by Süleyman to take control of local roads and prevent the Lazarević brother's crossing, which was expected to take place in the Branković-controlled territory of
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
. Still mistrustful of Branković's intentions, Süleyman sent one of his commanders to monitor Branković, to ensure that he was truly loyal. The Lazarević brothers and a detachment of about 260 men left Constantinople and embarked for the coast of
Zeta Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; , , classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter zay ...
by ship. Before landing in Zeta, Lazarević had become aware of Branković's plans; the brothers prepared for battle. They met with their brother-in-law
Đurađ II Balšić Đurađ II Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ II Балшић; ) or George II Balsha 1385 – April 1403), was the Lord of Zeta from 1385 to 1403, as a member of the Balšić noble family. He was the son of Stracimir Balšić, and succeeded ...
, who supported them militarily and had their mother Milica raise an army in the Despotate. Lazarević's army made its way inland in late October 1402, on detouring roads towards the
Žiča The Žiča Monastery (, or ) is an early 13th-century Serbian Orthodox monastery near Kraljevo, Serbia. The monastery, together with the Church of the Holy Dormition, was built by the first monarch, King of Serbia, Stefan Prvovenčani, Stefan t ...
monastery. Branković's forces and the Ottoman contingent gathered near the
Gračanica Monastery Gračanica () may refer to: Places Bosnia and Herzegovina * Gračanica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a town and municipality in Tuzla * Gračanica (Bugojno), a village in Central Bosnia * Gračanica, Gacko, a village in Republika Srpska * Gračanica, ...
.


Battle

The two sides clashed on 21 November 1402, at Tripolje, near the Gračanica Monastery. The date of the battle coincided with the
Presentation of Mary The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known in the East as The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, is a liturgical feast celebrated on November 21 by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglo-Catholic Churches. The fea ...
. Lazarević divided his army into two groups.
Constantine of Kostenets Constantine of Kostenets (; – after 1431), also known as Constantine the Philosopher ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Константин Филозоф, Konstantin Filozof, separator=" / "), was a medieval Bulgarian scholar, writer and chronicler, who spent mo ...
, Lazarević's biographer (ca. 1431), wrote that the army was divided between the two brothers, in case one fell the other would be saved and stay a "good shepherd of the flock". Lazarević assigned the larger group to his brother Vuk, while he took the smaller group. It is unknown whether the army that Balšić contributed as security was present at the battle. Branković enjoyed significant Ottoman support. While Lazarević engaged the Ottomans, Vuk engaged Branković's forces. Upon seeing Lazarević's bravery on the battlefield, it is said that many Ottoman soldiers felt like retreating. Lazarević had been famed for his bravery at the earlier battles of
Nicopolis Nicopolis () or Actia Nicopolis was the capital city of the Roman province of Epirus (Roman province), Epirus. Its site, near Preveza, Greece, still contains impressive ruins. The city was founded in 29 BC by Octavian in commemoration of his ...
and Ankara. Among the Ottoman vassals were ''
kesar This is the list of current and formerly broadcast series by the Indian television channel StarPlus. Current broadcast Former broadcast Acquired series Anthology series Children/teen series Comedy series Drama series Mythological s ...
''
Uglješa Vlatković Uglješa Vlatković (Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, Serbian Cyrillic: Угљеша Влатковић) (c. 1359 – after 1427) was a Serbian nobility, Serbian nobleman. He had the title of ''kesar'' (caesar) and ruled over the area of Inogošt (toda ...
and his troops. Vlatković is believed to have divulged the Ottomans' battle plans, and perhaps even turned on them during the battle, thereby contributing to its outcome in Lazarević's favor. Orbini claims that Vlatković discouraged the Ottomans by telling them that they would not be able to withstand the first rush. According to Orbini, Lazarević "chased Turks by the bunch". Meanwhile, Branković inflicted great damage on Vuk's forces. As he was unable to resist Branković's pressure, it was Lazarević who decided the battle. Ultimately, Branković and the Ottomans were decisively defeated. Constantine of Kostenets wrote how Lazarević "bloodied the right hand of his" in battle. Orbini wrote that Lazarević won the battle "more with strategy than the courage of his soldiers". After the battle, the Lazarević brothers withdrew to the fortified city of
Novo Brdo Novo Brdo ( sr-Cyrl, Ново Брдо) or Novobërda and Artanë ( Albanian indefinite form: ''Novobërdë'' or ''Artanë''), is a town and municipality located in the Pristina district of Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, it has a populati ...
.


Aftermath

Lazarević managed to take power in the country, bolstered by the reputation and work of his mother Milica, who was also politically active. The Lazarević–Branković conflict continued. In December 1402, the
Republic of Ragusa The Republic of Ragusa, or the Republic of Dubrovnik, was an maritime republics, aristocratic maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (''Ragusa'' in Italian and Latin; ''Raguxa'' in Venetian) in South Dalmatia (today in southernmost ...
expressed great regret regarding the conflicts in Serbia. Sultan Bayezid died in Tatar captivity in March 1403, which ignited a war between his four sons. There are accounts that Lazarević and Süleyman agreed to a truce shortly after the battle. Through the Gallipoli treaty in early 1403, Süleyman promised not to interfere in Serbia, on the condition that Lazarević accept his obligations towards the Ottoman Empire, which were in effect before the Battle of Ankara and consisted primarily of tribute and military support. Lazarević reneged on his previous obligations and continued fighting Branković and the Ottomans. Around this time, the Lazarević brothers had a falling out. The rift stemmed from Vuk's perception that he had not emerged from the battle as a victor. Lazarević complained about the casualties under Vuk's command and wanted him to train in the art of war. Lazarević took to instructing his brother in military matters, but Vuk felt slighted after Lazarević said "some hard words" during instructions. Feeling hurt, with a gap between them, Vuk "waited some time, and finding the right time" ran off to Süleyman in the summer of 1403. Kalić believes that there was also a disagreement on the division of lands, while Blagojević believes that Lazarević's continued opposition to the Ottomans in light of the truce played a role. Vuk thus decided to leave the country and enter the ranks of Süleyman Çelebi., To retain his independence from the Ottomans, who were closing in from the south, Lazarević turned to the
Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary was a monarchy in Central Europe that existed for nearly a millennium, from 1000 to 1946 and was a key part of the Habsburg monarchy from 1526-1918. The Principality of Hungary emerged as a Christian kingdom upon the Coro ...
, which could be counted on militarily. After becoming a Hungarian vassal in 1403, Lazarević was offered peace by the Ottomans on his terms, and the Despotate was no longer a subject of the Ottoman Empire. Vuk returned to the Despotate shortly thereafter and the brothers ruled in accord. The Ottoman–Serbian peace, Hungarian–Serbian alliance, Hungarian ceding of large territories in the north to the Despotate, and the merger of Vlatković's province to Lazarević's domain resulted in Lazarević expanding his claims on all the Serbian lands.


Annotations

, archaic: , from ''tri''–three and ''polje''–field) was a field located near the Gračanica Monastery, at
Kosovo Field Kosovo field (; ) is a large karst field, located in the middle part of Kosovo. It is mostly known for being the site of the Battle of Kosovo (1389) between the Balkan Alliance led by Lazar of Serbia and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman armies led by Mura ...
. Kosovo Field was the site of the
Battle of Kosovo The Battle of Kosovo took place on 15 June 1389 between an army led by the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and an invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Murad I. It was one of the largest battles of the Late Middl ...
in June 1389, in which Lazarević's father,
Prince Lazar Lazar Hrebeljanović ( sr-Cyrl, Лазар Хребељановић; – 15 June 1389) was a medieval List of Serbian monarchs, Serbian ruler who created the largest and most powerful state on the territory of the disintegrated Serbian Empir ...
, lost his life fighting the Ottomans.


References


Sources

* ** ** * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tripolje Tripolje 1400s in the Ottoman Empire 1402 in Asia 1402 in Europe 15th century in Serbia Tripolje Tripolje Tripolje Tripolje Gračanica, Kosovo Military history of Kosovo Serbian Despotate