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Kosovo June 20, 1389
Strategic Context
The Ottoman Empire is growing steadily at the expense of neighbouring powers in the Balkans where Murad I wishes to seize more resources from smaller states, some of which are already vassals. In 1371, an Ottoman victory at the Battle of Cernomen – known as the “rout of the Serbs” – greatly weakens Serbia, one of few regional powers capable of resisting Ottoman aggression. Ottoman expeditions into Serbia become more regular after 1381 until Prince Lazar Hrebeljanovic of Serbia organizes a coalition of Bulgars, Bosnians, Wallachians, and Albanians to defend their interests.
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Stakes
+ An Ottoman victory would permit rapid domination of the Balkans.
+ A Serbian victory would frustrate Ottoman attempts to dominate the Balkans for the time being.
By Jonathan Webb, 2010

2. Kosovo, 1389 Strength Ottomans Well Serbians Well Murad I
Lazar Hrebeljanovic
Bayezid I
30,000
20,000
By Jonathan Webb, 2010

3. Balkans c. 1385

4. The battlefield consists of the bare, gentle hills of Kovoso Field, boxed in by the Lab River to the northeast and the Sitnica River to the southwest (off-map).
Ottomans
(Murad)
(Bayezid)
Lab River
Kosovo Field
Serbians
(Lazar)
500m
1 km

5. (Lazar Hrebeljanovic)
Both sides desperately fight at close-quarters and suffer heavy casualties, particularly the Ottoman infantry, which are no match for the heavier Serbian infantry. The Serbian attack is most successful against the Ottoman left wing and center but the Ottomans enjoy a significant numerical advantage and are holding their ground on the right wing. During the chaos of battle, Murad is killed and succeeded by Bayezid who takes command of the army as well as the empire.
As the larger Ottoman force begins to wear down the Serbian attack, Bayezid launches a sudden counterattack, which succeeds all along the front. The Ottomans start to inflict disproportionate casualties as the Serbian left wing collapses.
The remaining Serbian units are outnumbered and no longer hold the initiative. Each faction within the Serbian force withdraws their forces haphazardly as their positions deteriorate. Lazar himself fights until he is captured and later executed. Bayezid wishes to pursue the fleeing Serbian forces but the Ottoman army is damaged and stunned by the ferocity of the battle.
Lazar counterattacks with his entire line of cavalry and routs the Ottoman vanguard cavalry before the advance founders in the stake-implanted ditch. Here, the lighter Ottoman infantry – especially the Janissaries and reforming archers – inflict significant casualties before the Serbian cavalry can overcome the obstacle and engage the Ottoman main line of infantry.
The battle opens with an vicious exchange of missiles from archers and artillery. Murad sends his archers and vanguard cavalry forward, scattering the Serbian archers. Following this initial success, the Ottoman vanguard engages the Serbian line of cavalry.
Murad deploys his army in three lines. The Ottoman first line consists of archers and vanguard cavalry in front of a deep, camouflaged ditch with implanted stakes. Behind this ditch, the second line consists of the elite Janissaries and other infantry while the third line consists of cavalry. Lazar also deploys his army in three lines. The Serbian first line consists of archers, the second of cavalry, and the third of heavy infantry. Both commanders deploy a light artillery battery at their center.
Serbians
(Lazar Hrebeljanovic)
20,000
Ottomans
(Murad I)
30,000
Ottomans
(Murad)
(Bayezid)
Serbians Ottomans
Infantry Infantry
Cavalry Cavalry
Archers Archers
Light artillery Light artillery
Janissary infantry
Lab River
Kosovo Field
Symbol guide
Landmarks
Serbians
(Lazar)
500m
1 km

6. Kosovo, 1389 Casualties & Aftermath
Ottomans:
Serbians:
≈10,000 or
33%
≈10,000 or
50%
The Ottomans suffered heavy casualties, which included the death of their leader, and could not properly exploit the battlefield victory. The Serbians suffered similarly but did not have the resources to recover. Immediately after the battle, Ottoman raids into the Balkans grew more daring, prompting King Sigismund of Hungary to organize a crusade in 1396; the Franco-Hungarian army was utterly destroyed at the Battle of Nicopolis in the same year. The Serbians were soon after forced to fight under the Ottoman banner and ceased to exist as a state in 1459.
By Jonathan Webb, 2010

7. The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps
By Jonathan Webb, 2010