The following is a list of wars involving Serbia in the Middle Ages as well as late modern period and contemporary history.
The list gives the name, the date, combatants, and the result of these conflicts following this legend:
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Middle Ages
Conflict Combatant 1 Combatant 2 Results Bulgarian–Serbian wars(818–1330 AD) Serbia Principality of Serbia Duklja Kingdom of Serbia Bulgaria First Bulgarian Empire Second Bulgarian Empire Inconclusive Both states had numerous territorial changes. Bulgarian-Serbian War (839–42)Part of the Bulgarian–Serbian wars Serbian Principality First Bulgarian Empire Serbian victory Bulgarian-Serbian War (853)Part of the Bulgarian–Serbian wars Serbian Principality First Bulgarian Empire Serbian victory Bulgarian–Serbian wars of 917–924 Part of the Bulgarian–Serbian wars Principality of SerbiaByzantine Empire Bulgarian Empire Bulgarian victory Serbia is annexed by BulgariaConquest of BariFrankish Empire Supported by: Principality of Benevento Principality of Salerno Principality of Capua Duchy of Croatia Byzantine Empire Kanalites Serbia Travunia ZachlumiaEmirate of Bari Supported by: Aghlabid dynasty Emirate of Taranto Frankish victory Fall of the Emirate of BariSerb Uprising (927) Principality of SerbiaSupported by: Byzantine Empire Bulgarian Empire Victory Časlav takes possession of the country after the uprising and submits suzereinity to the Byzantines Magyar-Serb conflict ( early 9th century or 950/960)Part of the Hungarian invasions of EuropeSerbian Principality Magyar tribes Inconclusive Battle of Drina: Serbian victory Battle of Syrmia: Magyar victorySerb Uprising (1042/1043)DukljaByzantine Empire Decisive Doclean Serb victory Stefan Vojislav asserts his state's independence from ByzantiumByzantine-Norman wars (1040–1189) Indecisive Norman conquest of Apulia, Calabria and the Ionian Islands. Norman invasion of the Balkans defeatedByzantine–Serbian War (1090–1095) (1090–1095)Part of the Byzantine–Serbian wars Grand Principality of Serbia Byzantine Empire Theme of Dyrrhachion Serbian military victory Consecutive attacks and plunder of the Byzantine territory and defeats of their armiesFine, John Van Antwerp Jr. (1991) . The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0472081497. p.225-228. Peace treaty Several Serbian nobles taken hostage Cessation of hostilities between Serbia and Byzantium until 1106, when Vukan defeated the army of John Komnenos and reached a truce again with Alexios I KomnenosTitle: Srejović, Dragoslav. Mirković, Miroslava. et al.(1981). Istorija srpskog naroda - Prva knjiga: Od najstarijih vremena do Maričke bitke (1371). Series: Istorija srpskog naroda u šest knjiga Publisher: Srpska književna zadruga Beograd Page: 199 Southern Kosovo temporarily gained by SerbiaBattle of Zvečan (1094)Part of the Byzantine–Serbian War (1090–1095)Grand Principality of SerbiaByzantine Empire Serbian victoryByzantine–Hungarian War (1127–29)HungarySerbia Byzantine Empire Byzantine victoryBattle of Myriokephalon (1176)Part of the Byzantine–Seljuq warsByzantine EmpireHungaryPrincipality of AntiochGrand Principality of SerbiaSultanate of Rum Seljuk victory Military balance maintainedThe battle was decisive in that it saved the Seljuk Sultanate but the military balance between the two belligerents was not greatly affected by its outcome. The bulk of Byzantine Asia Minor was retained for more than a century after the battle. . "Whatever he [Manuel] said in the moment of defeat, it was not a disaster on the scale of Manzikert… Even Choniates admits that the frontier in Asia Minor did not collapse."Emeric's Balkan campaign (1200–1203)Part of the Fourth Crusade Grand Principality of Serbia
Bulgarian Empire (1203) Kingdom of Hungary Valkan's Clique (as Hungarian vassal) Papal States Emeric's Victories Emeric gains suzereinity over Serbia and occupies a couple of Bulgarian cities which he in turn gives to his vassal Valkan Serbo-Hungarian armies are later pushed out of Niš by Bulgarian forcesHungarian invasion of Serbia(1237) Part of the Crusade against Bogumils Grand Principality of Serbia
Banate of Bosnia Temporary support: Republic of Ragusa Kingdom of Hungary
Golden Horde Chagatai Khanate Victory During Colomans failed campaign in Bosnia, he penetrated 's land in Serbia, he was kicked out after a brief consultation This event lead to an alliance between Serbia and Split under Domald Mongol invasion of Bulgaria and Serbia(1242–1243)Part of the Mongol invasion of Europe Invasion of Serbia Invasion of Bulgaria Second Bulgarian EmpireSerbian Kingdom Mongol Empire Mongol victorySerbian conflict with the Nogai Horde(1280s–1290s)Kingdom of SerbiaKingdom of SyrmiaKingdom of HungaryNogai HordeGolden Horde Serbian victory Kingdom of Syrmia annexes Braničevo and Kučevo and Kingdom of Serbia captures Shishman's territoryEpirote–Nicaean conflict(1257–1259) Despotate of EpirusKingdom of Serbia Empire of NicaeaNicaean victory Subsequent restoration of Byzantine EmpireSerbian-Crusader ConflictByzantine EmpireKingdom of SerbiaTurcopoles Byzantine victorySerbian-Anjou War (1318–1320) Kingdom of Serbia Kingdom of Hungary Mladen II Šubić Lordship of Durazzo
Muzaka Family (1318) Supported by Pope John XXIIPartial Victory Stefan Milutin crushes the Albanian Revolt without much difficulty Charles I's troops capture Belgrade and Mačva region Further incursion into central Serbia prevented John XXII calls (due to the mass-persecution against the Catholic Church in Serbia) for a full-fledged crusade against Serbia which never came Stefan Milutin is named the Rascian heretic by the PopeWar of Hum (1326–1329)Kingdom of Serbia Banate of BosniaRepublic of Ragusa Bosnian victory Bosnia captures ZahumljeBulgarian-Serbian War (1330)Part of the Bulgarian–Serbian warsKingdom of SerbiaSupported by: Andronikos II Palaiologos (Byzantine Empire) and the Catalan CompanyBulgarian Empire Supported by: Wallachia Andronikos III Palaiologos (Byzantine Empire) Serbian victoryByzantine civil war of 1341–1347 (1342–1347)Part of the Byzantine civil wars, the Byzantine–Serbian wars and the Byzantine–Turkish wars John V PalaiologosRegents: Anna of Savoy John XIV Kalekas Alexios ApokaukosAllies:Zealots of Thessalonica Serbia (1343–1347)BulgariaPrincipality of Karvuna John VI KantakouzenosAllies: Serbia (1342–1343) Beylik of Aydin (1342/3–1345) Ottoman beylik (1345–1347)Beylik of Saruhan Principality of AlbaniaPrincipality of Muzaka Kantakouzenos victory Serbia gained Macedonia and Albania, and soon after Epirus and Thessaly, establishing the Serbian Empire. *Bulgaria gains northern Thrace.Serbian Invasion of Albania (1342–1345)Part of the Byzantine civil war of 1341-1347 Kingdom of Serbia Bulgarian Empire Principality of KarvunaSupported by: John V Palaiologos John VI Kantakouzenos Topia family Muzaka family Beylik of Aydin Ottoman Beylik
Zealots of Thessalonica Victory All of Albania, with the exception of Anjou-controlled Dyrrachium, falls to Serbia whose patriarchal throne is solidified in 1346 in the Peć Monastery The Serbian Orthodox Church becomes independent from Constantinople Thessaly and Epirus are later occupied by Serbia The Serbian Empire is established and Stefan Dušan is crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks Beginning of the Albanian Resistance against SerbiaSerbian-Ottoman War (1352)Part of the Byzantine civil war of 1352–1357John V PalaiologosSerbian EmpireBulgarian EmpireJohn VI KantakouzenosOttoman BeylikOttoman victory Kantakouzenos retains power, Palaiologos exiledSerbian Civil War (1356–1359) Part of the Fall of the Serbian Empire Serbian EmpireThe Serbian Empire of Stefan V fragmented into a conglomeration of principalities, some of which did not even nominally acknowledge his rule. Empire of Thessaly (until 1359)Losha Clan Shpata Family
Despotate of Epir Turkish mercenaries
Byzantine Empire (until 1357) Loyalist Victory Simeon Uroš fails to become the new Tsar of Serbia Nikephoros II Orsini is beaten by Arbanas tribesmenThe Feudal Wars (1356–1373) Serbian Empire Moravian Serbia District of Branković Realm of Altomanović (until 1369)
Anti-Altomanović Coalition: Moravian Serbia Banate of Bosnia Lordship of Zeta Kingdom of Hungary Garai Family Republic of Ragusa Lordship of Prilep (1369)
Realm of Altomanović (after 1369)
Principality of Velbazhd
Battle of Maritsa: Ottoman EmpireInconclusive The Serbian Army is fragmented at the Battle of Maritsa Further anarchy Feudal fragmentationBattle of Kosovo (1389)Part of the Ottoman wars in Europe and the Serbian–Ottoman warsSupported by:Supported by:InconclusiveCrusade of Nicopolis (1396)Part of the Ottoman wars in Europeand the CrusadesCrusade: Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of France Duchy of Burgundy Kingdom of Croatia Principality of WallachiaThe Crusades and the military orders: expanding the frontiers of latin christianity; Zsolt Hunyadi page 226 Knights Hospitaller Republic of Venice Republic of Genoa Bulgarian EmpireValerii︠a︡ Fol, Bulgaria: History Retold in Brief, (Riga, 1999), 103. Teutonic Knights Byzantine Empire County of Cilli District of Branković Ottoman victory Crusader failure to capture Nicopolis from the OttomansOttoman-Timurid War 1399–1402 Sack of Sebaste Siege of Ankara Battle of Ankara Anatolian beyliks Black Tatars Albanian principalities
District of Branković
Co-belligerent:
Kingdom of Georgia Knights Hospitaller Anatolian beyliks Aq Qoyunlu GermiyanidsDefeat Anatolian Beyliks got independence. Bayezid I is captured by Timur and dies in captivity, leaving the Ottoman Empire without a sultan Ottoman Interregnum begins Ottoman Empire on the brink of collapse Timurid conquests and invasions ends.Ottoman Interregnum (1402–1413)Mehmed's forcesSerbian DespotateDulkadiridsİsa's forces
Süleyman's forces
Musa's forcesWallachia Mehmed victory Reunification of the Ottoman stateSecond Scutari War (1419–23)Zeta (until 1421) Serbian Despotate (after 1421)Albanian nobility Dukagjini family Kastrioti family Humoj family Zaharia familyRepublic of VeniceInconclusive, See aftermath Venice captured Ulcinj, Grbalj, and territory of Paštrovići, with Kotor deciding to accept Venetian suzerainty Serbian Despotate captured Drivast and returned its suzerainty over Bar, Budva, and LušticaDespotate-Ottoman Wars (1425–1459)In 1471, the Serbian Despotate was renewed in exile as a vassal of Hungary. Up until its demise in 1540, it spent its entirety fighting the Turks. The state provided support and auxiliary troops to the Kingdom of Hungary. Part of the Ottoman Invasions of Serbia and Hungarian–Ottoman Wars War of the South Danube (1420–1432) Hungarian–Ottoman War (1437–1442) Battle of Niš Battle of Leskovac Siege of Belgrade Serbian Despotate Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Poland Kingdom of Croatia Taborite mercenaries Grand Duchy of Lithuania Kingdom of Bosnia (after 1425)Stefan Lazarević and other Serbian Despots had brief conflicts with Bosnia Wallachia (briefly) Crusade of Varna: Papal States Bulgarian rebels Teutonic KnightsNaval support: Duchy of Burgundy Republic of Ragusa Republic of Venice (temporary) Military support: League of Lezhë (temporary)
Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of Bohemia Ottoman Empire Wallachia Crimean Khanate Supported by: Republic of Venice Principality of Moldavia
Principality of Kastrioti Hunyadi's ArmyEventual Defeat The Serbian Despotate officially falls in Smederevo and is later reinstated multiple times as a rump-state as a buffer against Ottoman advance About 200,000 immigrate to Hungarian Srem until its partition Beginning of Serbian guerilla warfare against the Ottoman Empire
Partitioned Serbia