Battle of Ankara

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Battle of Ankara

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The decisive battle of 1402 that shattered the Ottoman Empire and caused the Interregnum.

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Origins & Early Life

The Battle of Ankara or Angora (Ottoman Turkish: آنقره محاربه‌سی, romanized: Anḳara Muḥârebesi) was fought on 28 July 1402, at the Çubuk plain near Ankara, between the forces of Timur and the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I. The battle was a major victory for Timur, leading to the Ottoman Interregnum. Timur, a Turco-Mongol from Transoxiana (now Uzbekistan), had built an empire in Central Asia over the years, and became the most powerful ruler in Central Asia since Genghis Khan. He sought to rebuild the once great Mongol Empire. In the 1380s and 1390s, he invaded and conquered parts of Persia (including Azerbaijan and Upper Mesopotamia), ravaged southern Russia and Ukraine (1395–96), and sacked Delhi (1398). Although there had been tensions between the Ottomans and Mongols, nothing would warrant a war, until Bayezid demanded tribute from an emir loyal to Timur, which Timur understood to be a personal affront and a reason for war.

Career & Major Achievements

In 1400–01 Timur took Sivas from the Ottomans, parts of Syria from the Mamluks, and next directed his forces towards Anatolia. Meanwhile, in 1402, the Ottomans had been campaigning in Europe. Bayezid broke off the blockade of Constantinople and marched to Ankara after Timur again moved his army to the southeast in the summer of 1402. The sizes of the two armies are reliably estimated at 140,000 on Timur's side, mostly cavalry, along with 32 war elephants, and no more than 85,000 under Sultan Bayezid I. Historical sources exaggerated the number of troops to unrealistic proportions according to modern historians: Ahmad ibn Arabshah claimed 800,000 Timurid troops, while a German witness claimed 1.6 million, for instance. The Ottoman force included contingents under Bayezid's sons, Ghazis, Janissaries, Anatolian Muslim vassals, and various European (Balkan Christian) vassals.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Among Serbian vassals participating were Stefan Lazarević, Vuk Lazarević, Đurađ Branković and his brother Grgur Branković, and among Albanian were Koja Zaharia, Dhimitër Jonima, Gjon Kastrioti, and probably Tanush Dukagjini. Christian vassals that did not participate include Zetan Konstantin Balšić. A quarter of the Ottoman troops were recently conquered Tatars. Bayezid reluctantly withdrew his forces from the blockade of Constantinople and marched them through the midsummer heat. When they arrived, they were tired and thirsty, but were allowed no time to rest or recuperate.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1395: 1395 Milestone — In the 1380s and 1390s, he invaded and conquered parts of Persia (including Azerbaijan and Upper Mesopotamia), ravaged southern Russia and Ukraine (1395–96), and sacked Delhi (1398).
2. 1400: 1400 Milestone — In 1400–01 Timur took Sivas from the Ottomans, parts of Syria from the Mamluks, and next directed his forces towards Anatolia.
3. 1402: 1402 Milestone — The Battle of Ankara or Angora (Ottoman Turkish: آنقره محاربه‌سی, romanized: Anḳara Muḥârebesi) was fought on 28 July 1402, at the Çubuk plain near Ankara, between the forces of Timur and the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I.

Notable Quotes by Battle of Ankara

“Timur admired the Serbian troops who according to him "fight like lions".”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Battle of Ankara

True or False: “The Battle of Ankara was fought primarily over a dispute regarding Ottoman control of Constantinople.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While the blockade of Constantinople was relevant, the immediate cause for war stemmed from Bayezid demanding tribute from an emir loyal to Timur.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Muhammad Shah of Brunei — Historical peer (Died in 1402) (1402): Founder of the Sultanate of Brunei, reigning from the mid-14th century to 1402.
• Nezahualcoyotl (tlatoani) — Historical peer (Born in 1402) (1402): Poet-King of Texcoco, a philosopher, warrior, and architect of pre-Columbian Mexico.
• Mary, Queen of Hungary — Historical peer (Died in 1395) (1395): Queen of Hungary and Croatia, daughter of Louis the Great, ruling through complex dynastic struggles.
• Emperor Sukō — Historical peer (Died in 1398) (1398): Third Northern Emperor during the tumultuous period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan.
• Hongwu Emperor — Historical peer (Died in 1398) (1398): Founder of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor of China (1368–1398)
• Bartolomeo Colleoni — Historical peer (Born in 1400) (1400): Renowned 15th-century Italian condottiero and military officer of Venice.
• Chang Yŏngsil — Historical peer (Born in 1400) (1400): Pioneering Joseon Dynasty inventor and scientist, renowned for mechanical engineering.

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