List of wars involving the Ottoman Empire

This is a list of wars involving the Ottoman Empire ordered chronologically, including civil wars within the empire.

The earliest form of the Ottoman military was a nomadic steppe cavalry force.Mesut Uyar, Edward J. Erickson, A Military History of the Ottomans: From Osman to Atatürk, Pleager Security International, , 2009, p. 1. This was centralized by Osman I from Turkoman tribesmen inhabiting western Anatolia in the late 13th century. Orhan I organized a standing army paid by salary rather than looting or fiefs. The Ottomans began using guns in the late 14th century.

The Ottoman Empire was the first of the three Islamic Gunpowder Empires, followed by Safavid Persia and Mughal India. By the 14th century, the Ottomans had adopted gunpowder artillery.Nicolle, David (1980). Armies of the Ottoman Turks 1300–1774. Osprey Publishing, . By the time of Sultan Mehmed II, they had been drilled with firearms and became "perhaps the first standing infantry force equipped with firearms in the world." The Janissaries are thus considered the first modern standing army.Lord Kinross (1977). Ottoman Centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Turkish Empire. New York: Morrow Quill Paperbacks, 52. .Goodwin, Jason (1998). Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire. New York: H. Holt, 59,179–181. .

The Ottoman Classical Army was the military structure established by Mehmed II. The classical Ottoman army was the most disciplined and feared military force of its time, mainly due to its high level of organization, logistical capabilities and its elite troops. Following a century long reform efforts, this army was forced to disbandment by Sultan Mahmud II on 15 June 1826 by what is known as Auspicious Incident. By the reign of Mahmud the Second, the elite Janissaries had become corrupt and an obstacle in the way of modernization efforts, meaning they were more of a liability than an asset.

Rise (1299–1453)

Date Conflict Ottomans (and allies) Opposition Result 1284 Battle of Mount Armenia Kayi tribe Status quo ante bellum Kayıs escape the raid without significant casualties. Osman I besieges Kulaca Hisar as revenge. 1285 Siege of Kulaca Hisar Kayi tribe Kayi victory The Kayi Tribe captures Kulucahisar Castle from the Byzantines Foundation of the Ottoman Beylik1287Battle of Domaniç Kayi tribeKayi victory Attack repelled. Byzantine commander Kalanoz killed in action. 1288Siege of Karacahisar Kayi tribeKayi victory Karacahisar falls into the hands of the Kayi. 1299 Siege of İnegöl Kayi tribe Kayi victory 1302 Battle of Bapheus Ottoman Beylik Byzantine EmpireOttoman victory Koyunhisar and castles near Bursa fall to the Ottomans 1303 Battle of Dimbos Ottoman Beylik Byzantine EmpireOttoman victory 1317/1326 Siege of Bursa Ottoman Beylik Byzantine EmpireOttoman victory The Ottomans capture Bursa and establish their first capital. Bursa becomes the first official capital of the Ottoman Beylik. 1328–1331 Siege of Nicaea Ottoman Beylik Byzantine EmpireOttoman victory 1337 Siege of Nicomedia Ottoman Beylik Byzantine EmpireOttoman victory 1341–1347 Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347 John VI KantakouzenosAllies: Serbia (1342–1343) Beylik of Aydin (1342/3–1345) Ottoman Beylik (1345–1347)Beylik of Saruhan Principality of AlbaniaPrincipality of Muzaka John V PalaiologosRegents: Anna of Savoy John XIV Kalekas Alexios ApokaukosAllies:Zealots of Thessalonica Serbia (1343–1347)BulgariaPrincipality of KarvunaKantakouzenos victory Serbia gained Macedonia and Albania, and soon after Epirus and Thessaly, establishing the Serbian Empire Bulgaria gains northern Thrace. 1352–1357 Byzantine civil war of 1352–1357 John VI Kantakouzenos Matthew KantakouzenosAllies: Ottoman Beylik John V PalaiologosAllies: Serbian EmpireSecond Bulgarian Empire Republic of Venice Republic of GenoaPartial Defeat John V Palaiologos becomes sole ruler, deposes the Kantakouzenoi Byzantine ruled by John V Palaiologos 1354 Fall of Gallipoli Ottoman Beylik Victory Ottoman takeover of Gallipoli John VI Kantakouzenos overthrown as Eastern Roman Emperor Savoyard crusade Europe becomes open to Turkish expansion 1355 Battle of Ihtiman Ottoman Beylik Second Bulgarian EmpireStalemate Heavy losses stall Ottoman advance on Bulgarian capital of Sofia, however Ottomans are able to inflict a crushing blow on Bulgarian. 1362 or 1369 Ottoman conquest of Adrianople Victory Adrianople becomes the New Capital of the Ottoman Empire 1364 Battle of Sırpsındığı Second Bulgarian Empire Wallachia Banate of Bosnia Victory Ottomans conquer Adrianople and make it new capital 1366–1526 Hungarian–Ottoman Wars Battle of Nicopolis Siege of Golubac Battle of Hermannstadt Battle of Nish (1443) Battle of Zlatitsa Battle of Kunovica Battle of Varna Battle of Kosovo (1448) Battle of Kruševac Siege of Belgrade (1456) Siege of Jajce (1464) Battle of Zvornik (1464) Battle of Vaslui Battle of Breadfield Ottoman conquest of Otranto Battle of Krbava Field Siege of Belgrade (1521) Battle of Mohács Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Croatia Kingdom of PolandBattles of Poland: Varna (1443–1444), Kosovo (1448), Vaslui (1475), Mohács (1526) Grand Duchy of LithuaniaBattles of Lithuania: Golubac (1428), Varna (1443–1444), Vaslui (1475) Principality of Wallachia Principality of Moldavia European allies: Battles of HRE: Nicopolis (1396), Mohács (1526) Battles of Papal States: Otranto (1480–1481), Nicopolis (1396), Mohács (1526) Battles of Aragon: Otranto (1480–1481), Nicopolis (1396) Battles of Naples: Otranto (1480–1481) Battles of Venice: Nicopolis (1396) Battles of Genoa: Nicopolis (1396) Bulgarian EmpireBattles of Bulgaria: Nicopolis Kingdom of FranceBattles of France: Nicopolis (1396) Knights of RhodesBattles of Knights of Rhodes: Nicopolis (1396) Kingdom of BosniaBattles of Bosnia: Nicopolis (1396) Moravian Serbia Serbian Despotate Battles of Savoy: Nicopolis (1396) Kingdom of EnglandBattles of England: Nicopolis (1396) Teutonic OrderBattles of Teutonic Order: Nicopolis (1396), Varna (1443–1444) Byzantine EmpireBattles of Byzantium: Nicopolis (1396) Battles of Castile: Nicopolis (1396) Battles of Portugal: Nicopolis (1396) Battles of Navarre: Nicopolis (1396)Victory Start of Ottoman–Habsburg wars Destruction of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary and its partition between the Ottomans and the Habsburgs 1371 Battle of Samokov Second Bulgarian Empire Moravian SerbiaVictory 1371 Battle of Maritsa VictorySedlar, Jean W., East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000–1500, (University of Washington Press, 1994), 385. Ottomans conquer parts of Macedonia and Thrace 1371 Byzantine civil war of 1373–79 John V Palaiologos Republic of Venice Andronikos IV Palaiologos Savci Bey Republic of GenoaVictory Byzantine Empire cedes Gallipoli to Ottomans and essentially become Ottoman vassals 1381–1384 Albanian-Epirote War (1381–84) Despotate of Epirus in Ioannina Despotate of ArtaDefeat Preljubović, leader of Epirus, appealed for help from the Ottomans and Frank's who provide the Epirotes with an auxiliary force. Thomas Preljubović uses his new auxiliary to good use by capturing many fortresses in the Despotate of Arta, but Albanians under Gjon Shpata, together with the Mazarakii tribe held their defensive positions and ultimately defeated Thomas once again. 1382–1385 Zetan-Albania War Princedom of Albania Lordship of ZetaVictory Zetan forces under Balša II capture the Princedom's capital, Durrës. In 1385 Zetan Forces are defeated by Thopia with help of Ottoman forces in the Battle of Savra. Thopia recaptures capital of Durrës and reestablished the Princedom of Albania. 1382–1393 Ottoman Conquest of Bulgaria Bulgarian Empire Tsardom of VidinVictory Ottomans conquer Bulgaria and the Second Bulgarian Empire falls in 1396 1385 First Zenebishi Uprising against the Ottomans Albanian Zenebishi FamilyDefeat Albanians under Gjon Zenebishi successfully capture the fortress of Gjirokastër. The Principality of Gjirokastër is declared. 1385 Battle of Savra Albanian Thopia family Principality of ZetaVictory Since the Ottomans were victorious, most of the local Serbian and Albanian lords became vassals.Sedlar, Jean W. East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000-1500, University of Washington Press, p. 385 Immediately after this battle Thopia recaptured Durrës, probably under the Ottoman suzerainty. The Ottomans captured Krujë, Berat, and Ulcinj and soon retreated from them keeping only Kastoria under their permanent control. 1388 Battle of Bileća Kingdom of BosniaDefeat Bosnians and Serbs ally against Ottoman threat, culminating in Battle of Kosovo 1389 Battle of Kosovo (1389) District of Branković Kingdom of Bosnia Knights Hospitaller Albanian principalitiesUnknown Result Some sources claim Tactically Inconclusive whereas some claim Victory Heavy losses on both sides devastate less numerous Serbs, while Ottomans are able to bring troops from the east. Ottoman Sultan Murad I and Serbian Prince Lazar are killed and Bayezid I becomes new sultan.Imber, Colin. The Ottoman Empire: The Structure of Power, 2nd ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, p. 85. . Serbian lords eventually became vassals of the Ottomans. 1389–1390 Albanian-Epirote War of 1389–90 Despotate of Epirus (all four battles)Thessaly (second battle) (third and fourth battles) Despotate of Arta (all four battles) Malakasi Tribe (second battle)Victory Albanian and Aromanian forces are defeated in four battles against Epirote, Thessalian and Ottoman forces around Jannina. Albanian forces withdraw into the surrounding mountains 1390 Fall of Philadelphia Victory In 1390, Sultan Bayezid summoned the co-emperors of Byzantium, John VII and Manuel II and ordered them to accompany the besieging Turkish force to Philadelphia. The co-emperors submitted to the degradation, and Philadelphia surrendered when it saw the imperial banner hoisted among the horse-tails of the Turkish pashas above the camp of the besiegers. The humiliation of the empire could go no further than when the heir of Justinian and Basil Bulgaroktonos took the field at the behest of a Turkish Emir, in order to extinguish the last relics of freedom in his own country.1391Siege of Constantinople (1391) Kingdom of HungaryStalemate Ottomans retreat due to Hungarian invasion by Sigismund of Luxembourg. 1394–1395 Bayezid's Campaign against Wallachia Tactical DefeatFine 1994, p. 424 Ottoman advance in Wallachia halted till Crusade of Nicopolis 1394–1395 Siege of Constantinople (1394–1402) Crusade of NicopolisSiege pulled Bayezid I is forced to march to Ankara to meet Timurid Amir Timur 1396 Crusade of Nicopolis Alexandru Madgearu, The Wars of the Balkan Peninsula: Their Medieval Origins, ed. Martin Gordon, (Scarecrow Press, 2008), 90. Holy Roman Empire Bohemian Crown Duchy of Savoy Swiss Confederacy

Duchy of Burgundy

Voivodship of Transylvania Kingdom of Croatia Principality of WallachiaThe Crusades and the military orders: expanding the frontiers of Latin Christianity; Zsolt Hunyadi page 226 Knights Hospitaller Second Bulgarian EmpireValeriia Fol, Bulgaria: History Retold in Brief, (Riga, 1999), 103. Crown of Castile Crown of Aragon Kingdom of Portugal Kingdom of Navarre Byzantine EmpireVictory Ottomans defeat Crusades and no new Anti-Ottoman alliance is formed till the 1440s Ottomans maintain pressure on Constantinople, tightened control over the Balkans, and became a greater threat to central Europe Collapse of Second Bulgarian Empire 1399–1402Ottoman-Timurid War

Sack of Sebaste Siege of Ankara Battle of Ankara Anatolian beyliks

Black Tatars

Albanian principalities

District of Branković

Co-belligerant:

Siege of Damascus (1400)

Kingdom of GeorgiaTimurid invasions of Georgia

Knights HospitallerSiege of Smyrna 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