BATTLE REPORT #3 : Battle of Nicopolis 1396.

[AUSTERLITZ]

Battle Of Nicopolis 1396.



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Background-

With the decline and breaking up of the byzantine empire now confined to constantinopole,the alarming expansion of the ottoman emirate led to them overrunning most of the balkans.Hungary now under direct threat and its king sigismund I,also emperor of germany by title sought help from the west.
Lured by promise of glory,riches and fame the new crusade proclaimed against the turks was joined by a large french-burgundian force lead by duke of nevers.France,the cream of european chivalry provided the bulk of the western crusader force.They were also joined by contingents of german and polish knights.As well as the knights of st john in rhodes and the knights hospitaller.The crusader force began its journey towards hungary.


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Journey of the crusader force.Meanwhile the ottoman sultan Bayezid Yilderim was busy sieging constantinopole.


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After linking Up with the hungarian army and its wallachian and transylvanian vassals the crusaders army goes on the offensive taking several ottoman castles.They move along the danube,supported by the genoese and viennese fleets.Meanwhile the western catholic crusader forces maltreat the local orthodox christians,leading to tensions.
At Vidin and Orjahovo,the entire ottoman garrisons are massacred by the franco burgundians.In the second case even after the hungarian king had promised safe conduct,the western crusaders disregard it and proceed to slaughter every man inside,both muslim and orthodox.Again,the hungarians feel their king has been insulted.
The crusaders converge on the citadel of nicopolis and proceed to besiege it ,the ottoman garrison defend themselves resolutely-awaiting a expected relief force under bayezid,nicknamed 'yildirim' or thunderbolt for the speed with which he moved from one front to another.The crusaders meanwhile are so confident as to regard any news of bayezid's arrival as 'rumour-mongering'.

Bayezid's Response-



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Bayezid recieves news of the crusader advance,He at once abandons the siege of constantinopole and sets out for nicopolis.He is joined enroute by stefan lazarevic,his brother -in-law and most trusted vassal,king of serbia.He arrives with his forces before nicopolis.Probing with his reconssaince cavalry,one such raid is succesfully crushed by the crusader cavalry which only boosts their supreme confidence.
They now prepare to take the offensive,buoyed by their success.Also their position,with backs to the danube and between the ottoman army and the garrison necessitate a quick decision.The french are confident their heavy cavalry's irresistable charge will overwhelm the opposition.


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Franco-burgundian Knights charging with lances lowered-these formed the cream of the crusader army.

Next-Armies and tactics.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

The Ottoman Army-


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By this time,the ottomans had largely shed their original nomadic organization,adopting a blend of the persian islamic and steppe military model.



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The basic ottoman battle array followed contemporary islamic tactical manuals.It was defensive in principle.
The main army was screened by Akinci irregular light cavalry and Azap levy infantry.
The main Infantry force of heavy infantry ,archers and jannissaries established a strong defensive position on a natural strongpoint protected by palisades or stakes.
The flanks of the main infantry line were protected by the Provincial Sipahi cavalry called the Timarli sipahis.The timarli sipahis consisted of the Anatolian sipahis[drawn from asian provinces]-who fought as horse archers and the Rumelian sipahis[drawn from european provinces],who fought as armoured melee cavalry.
The sultan led the household cavalry or the Kapikulu Sipahis as the ultimate shock reserve.
The infantry centre thus acted as a stable pivot around which the cavalry conducted a fluid and mobile battle.



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Anatolian Sipahis-If the battle was fought in asia they held the prestigious right wing,if in europe the left.Leaving the right to the rumelians.These fought in the nomadic steppe horse archer fashion.



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Rumelian Timarli Sipahis.They acted as solid medium melee cavalry.



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Ottoman Infantry and light Irregular cavalry.



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A ottoman Yeni Ceri['Jannissary],the elite infantry corps of the ottoman army.Jannissary archers were a powerful component of the turkish force.



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The creme de la creme of the ottoman cavalry were the Kapikulu cavalry.Lavishly armoured in chain mail and superbly trained-a crack force on any battle field.

Next-The crusaders.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

The Crusader Forces-



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The pride of the crusader force lay in the franco burgundian mounted knights-the cream of western european chivalry.They were supplemented by armoured men at arms,crossbowmen.
The hungarian forces possesed good heavy cavalry and militia infantry.The wallachian and hungarians also fielded considerable light cavalry.


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The armoured knight.Plate mail had superseded chainmail in the west.This excellent armour provided superb protection-the turkish bow had greater range than the english longbow but lesser penetration.
Against platemail armour ,steppe arrows were ineffective at all but point blank ranges.This meant that the pure horse archer horde tactics of yesteryear were no longer viable against these metal clad behemoths.



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The franco burgundian forces.



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The forces of the balkan vassals.Stefan lazarevic,the ottoman ally-brought with him a force of serbian knights which were to prove highly effective.

As regards tactics,here the crusaders were lagging-Medieval european tactics was highly individualized depending upon the competence of the commander.A good general might use all his arms in conjunction,others prefered to simply bludgeon their enemies with the charge of the knights.Unlike the organized ottomans,the feudal system prevented effective centralized military planning.

Next:- The battle Itself.

 

[asad71]

Pls continue. V interesting.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Battle Of Nicopolis 1396.

Ottoman Forces- 15,000[Turks +vassals]
Commander-Sultan Bayezid yildirim

Crusader Forces- 16,000
Commander-Duke of Nevers[Franco burgundians] & Sigismund I[hungarians]

Both sides were near equally matched.The battlefield was a valley with gentle slopes on both sides where the opposing forces had made camp.




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Sigismund urged caution and offered to clear the akincis,the only turkish forces visible with wallachian and transylvanian allies light cavalry-then launch a combined assault with the hungarian and french forces.
But the vain french are furious at having to enter battle behind these 'peasants' and accuse the king of attempting to claim their glory.Sigismund gives in and the knights take their place at the front of the battle array.

DEPLOYMENT-

As we can see,the French are in Blue,the hungarians in Orange and their allies in brown.Ottomans in red and their serbian vassals in black.The crusaders have the danube river at their back and the citadel of nicopolis.The brown outline indicates a gentle slope,both forces are encamped on the slightly elevated positions.The green bushes indicate forestation.

1.The Franco-burgundian Mounted Knights form the vanguard of the crusaders army.
2.The transylvanian forces on the left and the wallachians on the right form the crusader flanks.
3.French camp in front in [blue oval with cross],hungarian camp at the back.The besieged ottoman fortress in shape of red square.
4.Main Hungarian Host composed of infantry and cavalry.Led by Sigismund.
5.The crusader naval forces on the danube river.
6.Screen of akinci light cavalry.
7.Ottoman infantry strongpoint ,Stakes guarding a ravine.Regular Azap infantry and jannisary archers.Bayezid plans to let his infantry absorb the crusader attack and while they are engaged frontally with his infantry,attack with his cavalry from the flanks.
8.Bayezid with his elite Kapikulu sipahis.
9.Timarli sipahis on flanks,the anatolians on the left and rumelians on the right.
10.Serbian knights under stefan lazarevic.



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1.Sigismund advises the french to not advance too further than the hungarians,but Count D'Eu,picks up the banner and announces the advance in 'the name of god'.The mounted knights sweep aside the akinci screen,who retreat and reform behind their infantry-their arrows having had little effect on the crusader's armour.
2.The main body of the hungarian army is still at some distance from the french vanguard.


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3.The knight's vanguard now comes face to face with ottoman infantry strongpoint,ravine protected by stakes and supported by archers.Here they come under a hail of arrow fire.Many of the knights are unhorsed,half of the crusader force dismounts -breaks through the stakes and assaults the ottoman position.
To the ottoman's dismay-most of their arrows have been ineffective against the crusaders plate armour,but crucially they have unhorsed half the force and inflicted casualities when firing point blank range.
Despite the best efforts of the ottoman infantry-the knights break through the infantry with brute force causing heavy casualities ,and suddenly bayezid's centre is in peril as the crusaders have broken through quicker than planned.At this point it is considered by the french to halt and consolidate their position,but the younger crusaders urge an immediate advance hoping to pillage the ottoman camp.
4.The provincial sipahis attack from both flanks .On the left flank the anatolian sipahis are repulsed by the knights.After a desperate melee they withdraw.The Exhausted knights move forward.
5.Finally at this critical moment, Bayezid appears and attacks the shocked and dispered knights ,now mostly on foot with his household cavalry-till now hidden on the reverse slope.Surrounded on all sides,they surrender or flee.
6.On seeing the empty horses returning the wallachians turn back and retreat.
7.The transylvanian follow suit and leave the battlefield.



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1.The remnant of the french-burgundian force flees towards the danube.
2.The Hungarian Main body again disperses the screen of akincis barring their way which reform on the flanks.
3.The rest of the french knights are taken prisoner and escorted to the ottoman camp.
4.The Hungarians assault the remaining ottoman infantry,which much depleted had shakily reformed into line.They are again broken and routed.
5.The akincis and Timarli sipahis move in formation and engage the hungarians.Heavy fighting ensues.



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1.The ottoman cavalry and hungarian forces engage in fierce fighting.
2.The serbian knights under stefan lazarevic,till now unengaged suddenly make a swift turning movement and crash into the right flank of the hungarians who are broken.
3.The hungarian army flees,pursued by the ottoman cavalry.
4.The crusader forces flee in 2 directions heading for their ships.The ottomans seize their camp.
5.A last stand by an anonymous knight-'the knight of poland' and few followers,allows many to escape.But they are surrounded and overwhelmed.
6.A rearguard action by lombardian crossbowmen allows sigismund to escape with whatever forces remaining.He leaves famously cursing the french-''We lost the battle by the pride and vanity of those french,if they ahd listened to my advice we had enough men to fight the enemy''.

Aftermath:

Losses - Bulk of the crusader forces were destroyed or captured.Bayezid captured 3000 prisoners,some of which were executed when he learned of the massacre of the ottoman garrisons-rest were ransomed.
He was 'grief stricken' at the heavy casualities sustained by his own forces,particularly the infantry which had been shattered twice.But his victory had been complete.

Nicopolis marked the last major crusade.Its dismal failure ended any chance to roll back the ottoman tide in europe.Bayezid would met an igonimous end shortly after against tamerlane,but the unpleasant memories of nicopolis would prevent any western european armed intervention against the ottomans from hereforward.

Next : Analysis.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

BATTLE ANALYSIS -

Reasons for ottoman success and crusader failure-

1.Overconfidence- A basic maxim of war is 'Never underestimate your enemy'.The supremely arrogant french completely disdained their enemy,and even their own allies capabilities.

2.Poor Reconssaince-The crusaders made no effort to discern their enemies strength and positions,gambling all on a all out charge.They were completely taken by surprise twice-first by the sipahis from the flanks,then by bayezid's household horseguards.Intelligence and surprise both being principles of war.

3.Lack of co-operation-The vanity of the knights led them on a path where they acted completely seperate from the main body,if the extremely powerful assault of the knights alone almost broke through the ottoman force ,it is likely co ordinated with the whole crusader army it would have been decisive.Co-operation being one of the principles of war.

4.No plan-The crusaders seem to have lacked any real plan,while the ottomans organized a capable defence and stuck to their scheme despite things going awry.

5.Bayezid's Timely Intervention- Napoleon used to say-'' In battle there is but one moment,the art of war is to seize it''.Bayezid acted at a critical moment and in a decisive fashion.If the hungarians had linked up with the french,the ottomans would have been defeated.

6.Unity of Command -A basic principle of war,the 2 sides couldn't have been more contrasting-At one side bayezid led decisively and effectively.On the other the french and hungarians differed on everything.

7.Desertion of the Allies-The desertion of the crusader allies also widened the odds in the favour of the ottomans.

 

[GR!FF!N]

in this case too,these heavy cavalry knights got detached from the main body.what I feel,french crusaders really lacked any plan from the very beginning of the first crusade.these crusades weren't well planned military operations.they just made these plans at the instant,and where the success came,its because most of the time,they just got lucky.these crusaders were technologically far advanced and well trained warriors.Knight Templers and Knight hospitallers were best trained soldiers in the whole europe and asia at that time.but what they really lacked was real battle plan.

it was clear that when these crusaders came with some plan,the result was devastating for their enemies.lets take the Battle of Montgisard,where less than 500 Knight Templers and few thousand infantry routed 26000 soldiers of Saladin.but these are the rare occasions.same goes for Teutonic Knights as well...

 

[asad71]

@
AUSTERLITZ

Could you kindly narrate the three battles of Panipath in such graphic manner?

 

[GR!FF!N]

@
AUSTERLITZ

Could you kindly narrate the three battles of Panipath in such graphic manner?

I want to answer if I may.Austerlitz are opening threads to show various battle tactics.apart from first battle,there is very few revolutionary tactics shown by belligerents of other wars.not worth it.and these battles are well documented.but First Battle of Panipat was interesting to show Araba Cannon Technique.but thats too,barely worth it.what do you think about that @AUSTERLITZ???

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

@
AUSTERLITZ

Could you kindly narrate the three battles of Panipath in such graphic manner?

First and third are possible,lack of concrete info on second. 

I want to answer if I may.Austerlitz are opening threads to show various battle tactics.apart from first battle,there is very few revolutionary tactics shown by belligerents of other wars.not worth it.and these battles are well documented.but First Battle of Panipat was interesting to show Araba Cannon Technique.but thats too,barely worth it.what do you think about that @AUSTERLITZ???

I think first panipath was pretty brilliant by babur,trechnically.But yes,i still haven't yet started on the tactical masterpieces.Alesia,yarmouk,austerlitz,leuthen,cannae,kharkov,ilippa,dara etc.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

I want to answer if I may.Austerlitz are opening threads to show various battle tactics.apart from first battle,there is very few revolutionary tactics shown by belligerents of other wars.not worth it.and these battles are well documented.but First Battle of Panipat was interesting to show Araba Cannon Technique.but thats too,barely worth it.what do you think about that @AUSTERLITZ???

The defensive tactic used by babur were not arabic,but rather turko-uzbek,deriving heavily from the tactics of tamerlane.

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Are people liking these threads?
Also any battles that forum members would like plz suggest,as i have literally too many to pick from.
Thanks.

 

[scorpionx]

Are people liking these threads?
Also any battles that forum members would like plz suggest,as i have literally too many to pick from.
Thanks.

Please continue.These are awesome reads. If possible kindly post from first world war too.And can you suggest any good book about First world war?

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Please continue.These are awesome reads. If possible kindly post from first world war too.And can you suggest any good book about First world war?

I will soon,either first battle of marne or tannenberg.One thing about ww1 is the battles are mostly frontal slugfests.On books google searcch is yourt best frioend,too many to single out any 1.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Please continue.These are awesome reads. If possible kindly post from first world war too.And can you suggest any good book about First world war?

Trench Warfare isn't a fascinating thing,which was used in First World War.pretty much wastage of resources and tactically blunt.also,First world War is a massive chapter to cover.some brilliant moves are definitely there,but you should study about Second World war,which is more dynamic and tactically more sound.