battle of nicopolis 1396

8/9/2019 Battle of Nicopolis 1396

1/22

Battle of Nicopolis

The Battle took place on 22/25 September 1396 and resulted in the rout

of an allied army of Hungarian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, French, German,

Burgundian and assorted troops (assisted by the Venetian navy) at the

hands of an Ottoman force, raising of the siege of the Danubian fortress

of Nicopolis and leading to the end of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It is

often referred to as the Crusade of Nicopolis and was the last large-

scale crusade of the Middle Ages.

Background

There were many minor crusades in the 14th century, undertaken by

individual kings or knights. Most recently there had been a failed

crusade against Tunisia in 1390, and there was ongoing warfare in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikopol,_Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bulgarian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusadehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Crusadeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Crusadeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusadehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Bulgarian_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikopol,_Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Venice


2/22

northern Europe along the Baltic coast. After their victory at the Battle of

Kosovo in 1389, the Ottomans had conquered most of the Balkans, and

had reduced the Byzantine Empireto the area immediately surrounding

Constantinople, which they later proceeded to besiege (in 1390, 1395,

1397, 1400, 1422 and finally conquering the Byzantine capital in 1453).

In 1393 the Bulgarian tsar Ivan Shishman had lost Nicopolis — his

temporary capital — to the Ottomans, while his brother, Ivan Stratsimir,

still held Vidin but had been reduced to an Ottoman vassal. In the eyes

of the Bulgarian boyars, despots and other independent Balkan rulers,

this was a great chance to reverse the course of the Ottoman conquest

and free the Balkans from Islamic rule. In addition, the frontline between

Islam and Christianity had been moving slowly towards the Kingdom ofHungary. The Kingdom of Hungary was now the frontier between the

two religions in Eastern Europe, and the Hungarians were in danger of

being attacked themselves. The Republic of Venice feared that an

Ottoman control of the Balkan peninsula, which included Venetian

territories like parts of Morea and Dalmatia, would reduce their influence

over the Adriatic Sea,Ionian Sea and Aegean Sea. The Republic of

Genoa, on the other hand, feared that if the Ottomans would gain control

over River Danube and the Turkish Straits, they would eventually obtaina monopoly over the trade routes between Europe and the Black Sea,

where the Genoese had many important colonies like Caffa,

Sinop and Amasra. The Genoese also owned the citadel of Galata,

located at the north of the Golden Horn in Constantinople, to which

Bayezid had laid siege in 1395.

In 1394, Pope Boniface IX proclaimed a new crusade against the Turks,

although the Western Schism had split the papacy in two, with rival

popes at Avignon and Rome, and the days when a pope had the

authority to call a crusade were long past.

The two decisive factors in the formation of the last crusade were the

ongoing Hundred Years' War between Richard II's England and Charles

VI's France and the support of Philip II, Duke of Burgundy. In 1389, the

war had ground to one of its periodic truces. Further, in March 1395,

Richard II proposed a marriage between himself and Charles VI's

daughter Isabella in the interests of peace and the two kings met inOctober 1396 on the borders of Calais to agree to the union and agree

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Crusadeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Constantinople#Ottoman_Siegeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Shishman_of_Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Stratsimir_of_Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Hungaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalmatiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegean_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Genoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Genoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Straitshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinop,_Turkeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amasrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hornhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Boniface_IXhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Schismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Years%27_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_II_of_Englandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_VI_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_VI_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_the_Boldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Burgundyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Valoishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calaishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calaishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Valoishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Burgundyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_the_Boldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_VI_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_VI_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Englandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_II_of_Englandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hundred_Years%27_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avignonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Schismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Boniface_IXhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Hornhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galatahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amasrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinop,_Turkeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Straitshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Genoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Genoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aegean_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionian_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalmatiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Hungaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Stratsimir_of_Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivan_Shishman_of_Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Constantinople#Ottoman_Siegeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Crusades


3/22

to lengthen the Truce of Leulinghem. The support of Burgundy, among

the most powerful of the French nobles was also vital. In 1391,

Burgundy, trying to decide between sending a crusade to either Prussia

or Hungary, sent his envoy Guy de La Trémoille to Venice and Hungary

to evaluate the situation. Burgundy originally envisioned a crusade led

by himself and the Dukes of Orléans and Lancaster, though none would

join the eventual crusade. It was very unlikely that defense against the

Turks was considered a particularly important goal of the crusade.

Burgundy's interest in sponsoring the crusade was in increasing his and

his house's prestige and power and, historian Barbara Tuchman notes,

"since he was the prince of self-magnification, the result was that opulent

display became the dominant theme; plans, logistics, intelligence about

the enemy came second, if at all." In 1394, Burgundy extracted 120,000

livres from Flanders, sufficient to begin preparations for a crusade, and

in January 1395 sent word to Sigismund, the King of Hungary that an

official request to the King of France would be accepted. (Sigismund

became Holy Roman Emperor in 1433).

King Sigismund

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truce_of_Leulinghemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guy_de_La_Tr%C3%A9moille&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_I_de_Valois,_Duke_of_Orl%C3%A9anshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Gaunt,_1st_Duke_of_Lancasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Tuchmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flandershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigismundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hungarian_rulershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Hungarian_rulershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigismundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flandershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Tuchmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Gaunt,_1st_Duke_of_Lancasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_I_de_Valois,_Duke_of_Orl%C3%A9anshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guy_de_La_Tr%C3%A9moille&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungaryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truce_of_Leulinghem


4/22

In August, Sigismund's delegation of four knights and a bishop arrived in

the court of Paris to paint a description of how "40,000" Turks were

despoiling and imperiling Christian lands and beg, on Sigismund of

Hungary's behalf, for help. Charles VI, having secured a peace with

England through the marriage of his daughter, was able to reply that "as

chief of the Christian kings" it was his responsibility to protect Christianity

and punish Sultan Bayezid. French nobility responded enthusiastically to

the declaration; Philip of Artois, Count of Eu, the Constable of France,

and Jean Le Maingre (Boucicaut), the Marshal of France, declared

participation in the crusade the duty of every "man of valor".

Strength of forces

The number of combatants is heavily contested in historical accounts.

Historian Tuchman notes, "Chroniclers habitually matched numbers to

the awesomeness of the event," and the Battle of Nicopolis was

considered so significant that the number of combatants given by

medieval chroniclers ranges as high as 400,000, with each side insisting

that the enemy outnumbered them two-to-one, which for the crusaders

offered some solace for their defeat and for the Turks increased the

glory of their victory. The oft-given figure of 100,000 crusaders is

dismissed by Tuchman, who notes that 100,000 men would have taken

a month to cross the Danube at Iron Gate, while the crusaders took eight

days. The closest record to a first-person account was made by Johann

Schiltberger, a German follower of a Bavarian noble, who witnessed the

battle at the age of 16 and was captured and enslaved for 30 years by

the Turks before returning home, at which time he wrote a narrative of

the battle estimating the crusader strength at the final battle at 16,000,

though he also also estimated Turkish forces as a wildly inflated

200,000. German historians of the 19th century attempting to estimate

the combatants on each side came to the figures of about 7,500-9000

Christians and about 12,000-20,000 Turks, while noting that, from the

point of logistics, it would have been impossible for the countryside

around Nicopolis to have supplied food and fodder for scores of

thousands of men and horses. (Medieval armies acquired supplies by

taking them from the surrounding area as they marched, as opposed to

using the supply lines of modern armies.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayezid_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_of_Artois,_Count_of_Euhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Le_Maingrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshal_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Gate_(Danube)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Schiltbergerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Schiltbergerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Schiltbergerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Schiltbergerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Gate_(Danube)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshal_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Le_Maingrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constable_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_of_Artois,_Count_of_Euhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayezid_Ihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris


5/22

Battle of Nicopolis, as depicted by Turkish miniaturist in 1588

Composition of crusader forces

From France, it was said about 2,000 knights and squires joined, and

were accompanied by 6,000 archers and foot soldiers drawn from the

best volunteer and mercenary companies. Totaling some 10,000

men. Next in importance were the Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes, whowere the standard bearers of Christianity in the Levantsince the decline

of Constantinople and Cyprus. Venice supplied a naval fleet for

supporting action, while Hungarian envoys encouraged German princes

of the Rhineland, Bavaria, Saxony and other parts of the empire to join.

French heralds had proclaimed the crusade in Poland, Bohemia,

Navarre and Spain, from which individuals came to join.

The Italian city-states were too much engaged in their customary violent

rivalries to participate, and the widely reported and acclaimed English

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Hospitallerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinelandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxonyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1396-Battle_of_Nicopolis-Hunername-2.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spainhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxonyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bavariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinelandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venicehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyprushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levanthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Hospitaller


6/22


7/22

Şükrullah who gives the figure of the Crusader army as 130,000 in

his Behçetu't-Tevârih.

Composition of Ottoman forces

Also estimated at about 20-25,000; but inflated figures continue to be

repeated of up to 60,000 according to numerous sources including the

15th-century Ottoman historian Şükrullah, who gives the figure of the

Ottoman army as 60,000 in his Behçetu't-Tevârih; alternately described

as roughly half of the Crusader army. The Ottoman force also included

1,500 Serbian heavy cavalry knights under the command of Prince

Stefan Lazarević, who was Sultan Bayezid's vassal since the Battle ofKosovo in 1389, as well as his brother-in-law after the Sultan married

Stefan's sister, Princess Olivera Despina, the daughter of Prince Lazar

of Serbia (Stefan's father) who had perished at Kosovo.

Journey

While Philip, Duke of Burgundy, had originally planned to lead the

crusade along with John of Gaunt and Louis of Orleans, all three

withdrew, claiming that the peace negotiations with England requiredtheir presence, though perhaps also because none dared leave the

vicinity of the throne if their chief rivals stayed. However, Burgundy

retained control of the enterprise he was funding by naming 24-year-

old John de Nevers, the Duke's eldest son, for nominal command.

Burgundy, perhaps recognizing that his son, as well as Constable d'Eu

and Marshal Boucicaut, who were both under 35, lacked the necessary

experience, summoned Enguerrand VII, Lord of Coucy, the most

experienced warrior and statesman of the realm, and prevailed on him tobe "chief counselor" to Nevers during the crusade. The ambiguity of the

crusaders' command structure would prove to be crucial in the final

outcome. While Nevers was given a long list of "counselors", as well as

another list of prominent French lords on the crusade with whom Nevers

could consult "when it seemed good to him", the concept of unity

of command was not yet understood by medieval warriors. Rules of

discipline for the crusade were decreed at a War Council on 28 March

1396, which included the final provision, "Item, that [in battle] the Countand his company claim the avante garde," revealing that the chivalric

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother-in-lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazar_of_Serbiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazar_of_Serbiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Burgundyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Gaunthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_of_Valois,_Duke_of_Orl%C3%A9anshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Fearlesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enguerrand_VII,_Lord_of_Coucyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_(military_formation)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_(military_formation)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enguerrand_VII,_Lord_of_Coucyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Fearlesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_of_Valois,_Duke_of_Orl%C3%A9anshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Gaunthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Burgundyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazar_of_Serbiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazar_of_Serbiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother-in-lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kosovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vassalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87


8/22

code continued to require knights to prove their valor by leading the

charge.

To Buda (Budapest)

The crusade set forth from Dijon on 30 April 1396, heading across

Bavaria by way of Strasbourg to the upper Danube, from where they

used river transport to join with Sigismund in Buda. From there the

crusader goals, though lacking details of planning, were to expel the

Turks from the Balkans and then go to the aid of Constantinople, cross

the Hellespont, and march through Turkey and Syria to liberate

Palestine and the Holy Sepulchre, before returning in triumph to Europeby sea. Arrangements were made for a fleet of Venetian vessels to

blockade the Turks in the Sea of Marmara and for the Venetians to sail

up the Danube to meet the crusaders in Wallachia in July.

Map of Europe with the Danube marked

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dijonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strasbourghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellesponthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Sepulchrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Marmarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Marmarahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Holy_Sepulchrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellesponthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkanshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strasbourghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dijon


9/22

Enguerrand de Coucy was not with the crusader body as it traveled,

having been detached on a diplomatic mission to Gian Galeazzo

Visconti, the Duke of Milan. Furious at French political maneuvering that

had removed Genoa from his influence, Gian Galeazzo had been

attempting to stop the transfer of Genoese sovereignty to France and

Coucy was dispatched to warn him that France would consider further

interference a hostile act. The quarrel was more than political. Valentina

Visconti, the wife of the Duke of Orleans and Gian Galeazzo's beloved

daughter, had been exiled from Paris due the machinations of

Queen Isabeau the same month as the departure of the crusade. The

Duke of Milan threatened to send knights to defend his daughter's honor

but, in the wake of the disaster at Nicopolis, it was widely believed that

he had relayed intelligence to Bayezid I of crusader troop movements.

There is no firm evidence of this and it is likely that Gian Galeazzo

became a scapegoat after the fact due the existing animosity with

France, though there remains the possibility that the Duke of Milan, who

had murdered his own uncle to ensure his own power, did in fact betray

the crusaders. Enguerrand de Coucy, his diplomatic mission completed

and accompanied by Henry of Bar and their followers, left Milan for

Venice, from where he requisitioned a ship on 17 May to take him

across the Adriatic Sea, landing in the Croatian port of Senj on 30 May

before making his way overland to the rendezvous in Buda.

Coucy arrived before Nevers, who had stopped in the upper Danube for

receptions and festivities thrown by German princes. Nevers did not

arrive inVienna until 24 June, a full month behind the crusader vanguard

led by d'Eu and Boucicaut. A fleet of 70 Venetian vessels loaded with

provisions was sent down the Danube, while Nevers enjoyed yet more

parties thrown by his brother in law Leopold IV, Duke of Austria. Neversthen asked his brother in law for a staggering loan of 100,000 ducats,

which took time to arrange, and eventually arrived in Buda in July.

Buda to Nicopolis

Once the leaders had arrived, strategy had to be coordinated with

Philibert de, Master of the Knights Hospitaller, and representatives of the

Venetian fleet. Forty-four Venetian ships had carried the Hospitallers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gian_Galeazzo_Viscontihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gian_Galeazzo_Viscontihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentina_Viscontihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentina_Viscontihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabeau_of_Bavariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_of_Barhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senjhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_IV,_Duke_of_Austriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ducathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_IV,_Duke_of_Austriahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senjhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adriatic_Seahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_of_Barhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabeau_of_Bavariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentina_Viscontihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentina_Viscontihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gian_Galeazzo_Viscontihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gian_Galeazzo_Visconti


10/22


11/22

The crusaders took eight days to cross the Danube at the Iron Gate

At Orşova, where the Danube narrows at the Iron Gates gorge, the

column crossed to the right bank using pontoons and boats over eight

days. Their first target was Vidin, previously an important town of

westernBulgaria and then under Turkish control. The prince of Vidin,

having no desire to fight for his Turkish conquerors against anoverwhelming force of crusaders, promptly surrendered. The only

bloodshed was the execution of Turkish officers in the defending

garrison, though the incident served to further convince the French that

Turks were incapable of challenging the crusaders in the field.

The next target was Oryahovo (Rachowa), a strong fortress located 75

miles from Vidin. Frustrated by the lack of opportunity to show their

bravery in deeds of arms, the French carried out a forced march at night

to reach the castle before their allies, arriving in the morning just as the

Turkish forces had come out to destroy the bridge across the moat. In

fierce combat the French secured the bridge but were unable to push

forward until Sigismund arrived. The forces combined and managed to

reach the walls before night forced the combatants to retire. The next

morning the inhabitants of Oryahovo agreed to surrender to Sigismund

on the assurance that their lives and property would be spared. The

French promptly broke Sigismund's agreement, pillaging and

massacring the town after the gates were open, and later claiming that

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danubehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Gate_(Danube)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Or%C5%9Fovahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Or%C5%9Fovahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Or%C5%9Fovahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Gate_(Danube)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryahovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryahovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Gate_(Danube)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Or%C5%9Fovahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Gate_(Danube)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danube


12/22

they had taken the town by conquest because their men-at-arms had

topped the walls the night before. A thousand residents, both Turkish

and Bulgarian, were taken hostage and the town set ablaze. The

Hungarians took the French action as a grave insult to their king, while

the French accused the Hungarians of trying to rob them of the glory of

victory through combat.

Leaving a garrison to hold Oryahovo, the crusaders continued

towards Nicopolis, assaulting one or two forts or settlements along the

way, but bypassing one citadel from which messengers escaped to

inform Bayezid of the Christian army. On 12 September the crusaders

came within view of the fortress of Nicopolis on its limestone cliff.

Siege of Nicopolis

Nicopolis, located in a natural defensive position, was a key stronghold

controlling the lower Danube and lines of communication to the interior.

A small road ran between the cliff and river, while the fortress was

actually two walled towns, the larger one on the heights on the cliff and

the smaller below. Further inland from the fortified walls, the cliff sloped

steeply down to the plain. Well-defended and well-supplied, the Turkish

governor of Nicopolis, Doğan Bey, was certain that Bayezid would have

to come to the aid of the town and was prepared to endure a long siege.

The crusaders had brought no siege machines with them, but Boucicaut

optimistically stated that ladders were easily made and worth more than

catapults when used by courageous men. However, the lack of siege

weapons, the steep slope up to the walls and the formidable fortifications

made taking the castle by force impossible. The crusaders set uppositions around the town to block the exits, and with the naval blockade

of the river, settled in for a siege to starve out the defenders.

Nevertheless they were convinced that the siege of the fortress would be

a mere prelude to a major thrust into relieving Constantinople and did

not believe that Bayezid I would arrive so speedily to give them a real

battle.

Two weeks passed as the bored crusaders entertained themselves with

feasts, games and insulting the martial prowess of their enemy. Whether

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikopol,_Bulgariahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikopol,_Bulgaria


13/22

through drunkenness or carelessness, the crusaders posted no sentries,

though foragers venturing away from the camps brought word of the

Turks' approach. Bayezid was at this time already through Adrianople

and on a forced march through the Shipka Pass toTirnovo. His alls

Stefan Lazarević of Serbia joined him on the way. Sigismund had sent

500 horsemen to carry out reconnaissance in force around Tirnovo, 70

miles to the south, and they brought word back that the Turks were

indeed coming. Word reached the besieged inhabitants of Nicopolis who

blew horns and cheered. Boucicaut claimed the noise of their celebration

was a ruse as he believed that the Sultan would never attack; he further

threatened to cut off the ears of anyone who discussed rumors of the

Turks' approach as being damaging to the morale of the crusaders.

One of the few to concern himself with scouting the situation was Coucy,

who took a group of 500 knights and 500 mounted archers south.

Learning of a large group of Turks approaching through a nearby pass,

he separated 100 horsemen to carry out a feint retreat, drawing the

pursuing Turks into an ambush where the rest of his men, waiting

concealed, attacked their rear. Giving no quarter, Coucy's men killed as

many as they could and returned to the camp where his action shook the

camp from its lethargy and drew the admiration of the other crusaders.Tuchman argues that it also increased the overconfidence of the French

and again drew the jealousy of D'Eu, who accused Coucy of risking the

army out of recklessness and attempting to steal glory and authority

from Nevers.

Sigismund called a war council on the 24th, in which he and Mircea of

Wallachia suggested a battle plan in which the Wallachian foot soldiers

with experience in battles with Turks, would be sent in the first attack to

meet the Turk vanguard, which was usually a poorly armed militia

normally used for pillage but was used in battles to tire opponents before

they met better quality Turkish forces. Sigismund claimed that this

vanguard was not worthy of the attention of knights. Sigismund

proposed that, once the shock of first clash had passed, the French form

the front line to rush in, while the Hungarians and the other allies

followed to support the attack and keep the sipahis (Turkish cavalry)

from sweeping around the crusaders' flanks. D'Eu denounced the

proposal as a demeaning to the knights, who would be forced to follow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipka_(town)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirnovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feinthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_I_of_Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_I_of_Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sipahihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sipahihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_I_of_Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_I_of_Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feinthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tirnovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipka_(town)


14/22

peasant footmen into battle. He reportedly stated, "To take up the rear is

to dishonor us, and expose us to the contempt of all" and declared that

he would claim front place as Constable and anyone in front of him

would do him mortal insult. In this he was supported by Boucicaut;

Nevers, reassured by the confidence of the younger French lords, was

easily convinced.

With the French set on a charge, Sigismund left to make a battle plan for

his own forces. Apparently within hours, he sent word to the camp that

Bayezid was only six hours away. The crusaders, said to be drunk over

dinner, reacted in confusion - some refusing to believe the report, some

rising in panic, and some hastily preparing for battle. At this point,

supposedly because of a lack of spare guards, the prisoners taken atRachowa were massacred. Even European chroniclers would later dub

this an act of "barbarism".

Battle Map


15/22

At daybreak on 25 September the combatants began to organize

themselves under the banners of their leaders. At this point, Sigismund

sent his Grand Marshal to Nevers to report that his scouts had sighted

the Turkish vanguard and asked for the offensive to be postponed for

two hours, when his scouts would have returned with intelligence as to

the numbers and disposition of the enemy. Nevers summoned a hasty

council of advisors, in which Coucy and Jean de Vienne, Admiral of

France and the eldest French knight on the crusade, advised obeying

the wishes of the Hungarian king, which seemed wise to them. At this,

D'Eu declared that Sigismund simply wished to hoard the battle honors

for himself and declared his willingness to lead the charge. Coucy, who

declared D'Eu's words to be a "presumption," asked for the council of

Vienne, who noted, "When truth and reason cannot be heard, then must

rule presumption." Vienne commented that if D'Eu wished to advance,

the army must follow, but that it would be wiser to advance in concert

with the Hungarians and other allies. D'Eu rejected any wait and the

council fell into a fierce dispute, with the younger hawks charging that

the elder knights were not prudent, but fearful. The argument seems to

have been settled when D'Eu decided to advance.

D'Eu took control of the vanguard of the French knights, while Count deNevers and de Coucy commanded the main body. The French knights,

accompanied by their mounted archers, rode out with their backs to

Nicopolis to meet the Turks, who were descending the hills to the south.

The Knights Hospitaler, Germans and other allies stayed with the

Hungarian forces under Sigismund. The subsequent events are

obscured by conflicting accounts. Tuchman notes, "Out of the welter of

different versions, a coherent account of the movements and fortunes of

the battlefield is not to be had; there is only a tossing kaleidoscope."

Depiction of the French charge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Viennehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bataille_de_Nicopolis_(Archives_B.N.)_1.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_of_Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Vienne


16/22

The French charge crushed the untrained conscripts in the Turkish front

line and advanced into the lines of trained infantry, though the knights

came under heavy fire from archers and were hampered by rows of

sharpened stakes designed to skewer the stomachs of their horses.

Chroniclers write of horses impaled on stakes, riders dismounting,

stakes being pulled up to allow horses through, and the eventual rout of

the Turkish infantry, who fled behind the relative safety of the sipahis.

Coucy and Vienne recommended that the French pause to reform their

ranks, give themselves some rest and allow the Hungarians time to

advance to a position where they could support the French. They were

overruled by the younger knights who, having no idea of the size of the

Turkish force, believed that they had just defeated Bayezid's entire army

and insisted on pursuit.

The French knights thus continued up the hill, though accounts state that

more than half were on foot by this point, either because they had been

unhorsed by the lines of sharpened stakes or had dismounted to pull up

stakes. Struggling in their heavy armor, they reached the plateau on the

top of the slope, where they had expected to find fleeing Turkish forces,

but instead found themselves facing a fresh corps of sipahis, whom

Bayezid had kept in reserve. As the sipahis surged forward in thecounterattack sounding trumpets, banging kettle drums and yelling "God

is great!", the desperation of their situation was readily apparent to the

French and some knights broke and fled back down the slope. The rest

fought on "no frothing boar nor enraged wolf more fiercely", in the words

of one contemporary chronicler. Admiral de Vienne, to whom was

granted the honor as the eldest knight of carrying the French standard

into battle, was wounded many times as he attempted to rally the morale

of his countrymen, before being struck down dead. Other notable knightswho were slain include Jean de Carrouges, Philippe de Bar and Odard

de Chasseron. The Turks threatened to overwhelm the Count de Nevers

and his bodyguard threw themselves to the ground in silent submission

to plead for the life of their liege lord. Notwithstanding the declaration

of jihad, the Turks were as interested in the riches that could be gained

by ransoming noble captives as anyone else, and took Nevers prisoner.

Seeing Nevers taken, the rest of the French yielded.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_reservehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettle_drumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takbirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takbirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Carrougeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philippe_de_Bar&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Odard_de_Chasseron&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Odard_de_Chasseron&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jihadhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Odard_de_Chasseron&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Odard_de_Chasseron&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philippe_de_Bar&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Carrougeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takbirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takbirhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettle_drumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_reserve


17/22

Depiction of the battle (1540)

The timeline of events is hazy, but it appears that as the French were

advancing up the slope, sipahis were sweeping down along the flanks in

an envelopment. Accounts tell of the Hungarians and other nationalities

in confused combat on the plain and of a stampede of riderless horses,

which Tuchman speculates pulled free from their tethers, at the sight of

which the Transylvanians and the Wallachians concluded that the day

was lost and abandoned the field. Sigismund, the Master of Rhodes, and

the Germans fought to prevent the envelopment with "unspeakable

massacre" on both sides. At this point, a reinforcement of 1,500 Serbian

knights under the command of Stefan Lazarević proved critical.

Sigismund's force was overwhelmed. Convinced to flee, Sigismund and

the Master of Rhodes managed to escape by a fisherman's boat to the

Venetian ships in the Danube. Hermann, a soldier in Sigismund's army

led the force that allowed the escape and was later rewarded by being

named a count.

Sultan Bayezid and his ally Stefan Lazarevic recognized the Nikola II

Gorjanski, Lazarevic's brother-in-law, fighting on Sigismund's side. A

deal was made, and Sigismund's army surrendered, completing their

defeat in detail.

>>>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_II,_Count_of_Celjehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_II_Gorjanskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_II_Gorjanskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defeat_in_detailhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defeat_in_detailhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_II_Gorjanskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_II_Gorjanskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_II,_Count_of_Celjehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Lazarevi%C4%87http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallachiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania


18/22


19/22

The rest, thought to number several thousand, were bound together in

groups of three or four and had their hands tied to be marched naked

before the Sultan. Ordered to proceed, a group of strong executioners

proceeded to kill each group in turn, either by decapitation or by

severing their limbs from the body. Nevers and the rest of the noble

captives were forced to stand beside Bayezid and watch the terrible

executions. Jean Le Maingre, called "Boucicaut", was recognized in the

line, and Nevers fell to his knees before the Sultan and indicated with

intertwined fingers that they were like brothers. Thus convinced that

Boucicaut was worth a noble ransom, he was spared and grouped with

the other high nobles. The killing continued from early morning until late

afternoon, at which point Bayezid, either himself sickened by the

bloodshed or convinced by his ministers that he was unnecessarily

enraging Christendom against him, called off the executioners. Leaving

aside the more hyperbolic account, the number of dead is said to have

ranged from 300 to 3000, though the number of dead on the battlefield

was much more.

The execution of the prisoners in retaliation

for the Rahovo massacre of Ottoman prisoners

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decapitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Le_Maingrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryahovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryahovohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Le_Maingrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decapitation


20/22


21/22

Jacques de Helly, the knight who had identified the nobles after the

battle, had been charged by Bayezid, under his vow to return, to inform

the King of France and Duke of Burgundy of his victory and demands for

ransom. On Christmas, de Helly rode into Paris and, kneeling before the

king, recounted the expedition, the battle, defeat and Sultan Bayezid's

massacre of the prisoners. He also carried letters from Nevers and the

other noble captives. Those for whom he did not carry letters were

assumed to be dead, and weeping members of the court gathered

around de Helly to seek more information about loved ones. According

to the Monk of St. Denis, "affliction reigned in all hearts" and Deschamps

wrote of "funerals from morning to eve." 9 January was declared a day of

mourning throughout France and that day "it was piteous to hear the

bells toiling in all the churches in Paris."

A delegation with rich gifts for Bayezid left Paris on 20 January 1397 to

negotiate the ransoms. Jaques de Helly, bound by his oath to return,

had already departed with letters for the captives. Gian Galeazzo's help

became vital, as he had extensive contacts in the Ottoman court.

Envoys were sent informing him of belated approval by the King allowing

the fleur-de-lis to be added to the Visconti escutcheon, Galeazzo's first

wife having been from the French royal house, and to make every effortto gain his assistance. Meanwhile, those envoys sent in early December

had reached Venice and, having learned of the fate of the captives, were

attempting to make their way to Brusa. Venice, which was the French

conduit to the Muslim east due to her trade network, became the center

for exchange of news, cash and ransomed captives.

On 13 February 1397, de Coucy, ill and perhaps suffering from battle

wounds, died. Boucicaut and Guy de Tremoille released on their own

accord to seek funds in the Levant reached Rhodes where de Tremoille

fell ill and died around Easter. French negotiators in the Sultan's court

finally reached agreement on a ransom of 200,000 gold florins in June.

Comte d'Eu died on 15 June. With a down payment of 75,000, the

prisoners were released on 24 June on their promise to stay in Venice

until the rest of the ransom was paid. However, the nobles found it

unthinkable to travel in less than their accustomed splendor and

borrowed nearly as much as the ransom amount in reprovisioning

themselves. Arriving in Venice in October after stopping in various

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur-de-lishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escutcheon_(heraldry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florin_(Italian_coin)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florin_(Italian_coin)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escutcheon_(heraldry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur-de-lis


22/22

battle of nicopolis 1396

Documents