List of military conflicts involving Hungary (1301–1526)

This is a list of military conflicts in which Hungarian armed forces participated in or took place on the historical territory of Hungary.

By timeline:

For major wars, see:

The list includes the name, date, Hungarian allies and enemies, and the result of each conflict, using the following legend:

  Victory
  Defeat
  Result of civil or internal conflict
  Treaty or peace without a clear result, status quo ante bellum, an unknown or indecisive result
  Ongoing conflict

Wars between 1301 and 1526

Date Conflict Allies Enemies Result
1301–1308 Árpád war of succession, after the extinction of the Árpád dynasty Charles Robert of Anjou
Duchy of Austria
Matthew III Csák's army
László Kán's army
Kingdom of Bohemia
Duchy of Bavaria
Kőszegi Hungarian noble family
Angevin victory
  • Charles Robert of Anjou became Hungarian king
1310–1321 King Charles I's wars for the centralized power against the Hungarian aristocracy Kingdom of Hungary
Order of Saint John
Zipser Saxons
Matthew III Csák
Aba dynasty
Borsa family
Apor family
Kőszegi family
Royal victory
  • Centralization of the Hungarian Kingdom
1312 Battle of Rozgony
Battle of Rozgony (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)
Kingdom of Hungary
Order of Saint John
Zipser Saxons
Aba dynasty
Matthew III Csák
Decisive victory for King Charles I, weakening of the magnates
1319 Belgrade and Banate of Mačva Charles I of Hungary Kingdom of Serbia (medieval), Stefan Milutin Victory for Charles I
1322–1337 Hungarian – Austrian War, restoration of the western borders, defeat of Austria, Kőszegi and Babonić families Kingdom of Hungary Duchy of Austria
Holy Roman Empire
Kőszegi family
Babonić Croatian noble family
Hungarian victory
1321–1324 Hungarian–Serbian War Kingdom of Hungary
Bosnia
Stephen Vladislav II of Syrmia
Kingdom of Serbia (medieval) Hungarian defeat
1330 Battle of Posada
Battle of Posada (Chronicon Pictum, 1358)
Kingdom of Hungary Wallachia Hungarian defeat
  • The Wallachian army led by Basarab, formed of cavalry, peasants and foot archers, ambushed and defeated the 30,000-strong Hungarian army, in a mountainous region
1344 King Louis the Great's invasion and occupation of Wallachia and Moldavia[1] Kingdom of Hungary Wallachia
Moldavia
Hungarian victory, Wallachia and Moldavia became vassal states of King Louis the Great[2]
1345–1358 Hungarian – Venetian War, Venice had to pay annual tribute to Louis. Venetians also had to raise the Angevin flag on Piazza San Marco. Kingdom of Hungary Republic of Venice Decisive Hungarian victory Treaty of Zadar
1345 The campaign of King Louis I against the rebellious Croatian nobles
The campaign of King Louis I against the rebellious Croatian nobles (Chronica Hungarorum, 1488)
Kingdom of Hungary Croatian nobles Hungarian victory
1345 Hungary's war with the Golden Horde Kingdom of Hungary Golden Horde Hungarian victory
  • The Golden Horde was pushed back behind the Dniester River, the Golden Horde's control of the lands between the Eastern Carpathians and the Black Sea weakened
  • The establishment of Moldavia in 1346 as a Hungarian vassal state.
1347–1349, 1350–1352 Hungarian-Naples Wars
The battle of Voivode Stephen Lackfi against Louis of Taranto around Naples (Chronica Hungarorum, 1488)
Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Naples First campaign: temporary Hungarian victory
Second campaign: status quo ante bellum
1348 Battle of Capua Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Naples Hungarian victory, occupation of the kingdom
1356–1359 Crusade against Francesco Ordelaffi Pope Innocent VI

Kingdom of Hungary

Francesco II Ordelaffi Victory
1360–1369 Louis I's balcanic wars (against Serbia, Bulgaria, Wallachia and Bosnia) Kingdom of Hungary Serbian Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
Bosnia
Wallachia Wallachia
Temporary Hungarian victories
1366–1367 Hungarian – Ottoman War Kingdom of Hungary
 Duchy of Savoya
 Padua
Republic of Venice
Kingdom of France
Byzantine Empire
Ottoman Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
Christian victory
1369 Wallachian campaign Kingdom of Hungary Wallachia Hungarian victory
1372–1381 War of Chioggia, Hungary defeated the Venetians in several times, and finally expelled Venetians from Dalmatia, however Genoa, Padoa and Austria lost the War. The war resulted in the Treaty of Turin (1381) Kingdom of Hungary

 Padua
Republic of Genoa
Duchy of Austria

Republic of Venice
Milan
 Ottoman Empire
 Kingdom of Cyprus
Hungarian victory, Venice had to pay annual tribute to King of Hungary
1375–1377 Hungarian–Ottoman War
Victory of Louis the Great of Hungary against the Ottomans in Bulgaria (St. Lambert's Abbey, 1420)
Kingdom of Hungary

Kingdom of Poland

Ottoman Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
Hungarian victory
1377 Hungarian – Lithuanian war Kingdom of Hungary Grand Duchy of Lithuania Hungarian victory, Louis I enters Vilnius[3]
1384–1394 Civil war between a part of the Hungarian nobility and Mary, Queen of Hungary and Sigismund king Kingdom of Hungary Horváti family
Kingdom of Naples
Sigismund's victory
1394–1395 Wallachian campaign Kingdom of Hungary Wallachia Wallachia became a Hungarian vassal, Mircea I the Great accepted the lordship of King Sigismund without any fight.
1394–1395 Moldavian campaign Kingdom of Hungary Moldavia Hungarian victory
1396 Battle of Nicopolis
Battle of Nicopolis (painting by Sébastien Mamerot, 1472–1475)
Kingdom of Hungary
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of France
Knights Hospitaller
Duchy of Burgundy
Duchy of Savoy
Wallachia
Lands of the Bohemian Crown
Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Croatia
Swiss Confederacy
Kingdom of England
Republic of Venice
Republic of Genoa
Crown of Castile
Crown of Aragon
Kingdom of Navarre
Second Bulgarian Empire
Teutonic Order
Byzantine Empire
Ottoman Empire
Moravian Serbia
Crusader defeat
  • King Sigismund of Hungary had experience fighting with the Ottomans, but the French knights refused his battle plan. The French knights rushed to the Ottoman lines, while the other allies stayed with the Hungarian forces under King Sigismund, this caused confusion and divided the strength of the Crusader army.
  • 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.
1407–1408 Bosnian campaign
  • Battle of Dobor
Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Bosnia Hungarian victory
1411–1433 Hungarian – Venetian War Kingdom of Hungary
Milan
Republic of Venice Dalmatia became part of Venice
1412 Battle of Motta Kingdom of Hungary Republic of Venice Venetian victory
1415–1419 Hungarian – Ottoman War Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Stalemate
1419–1434 Hussite Wars
Battle of King Sigismund and the Hussites (miniature by Eberhard Windeck, 1440–50)
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Hungary

Moderate Hussites (since 1423)

Hussites (mostly united until 1434) Radical Hussites (since 1434) Victory of the moderate Hussites and Catholics over the radical Hussites.
  • Compromise between moderate Hussites and the Catholic Church; both join forces to fight the radical Hussites
  • The moderate Hussites are recognized by the Catholic Church and allowed to practice their own rite
  • The radical Hussites are defeated, and their rites forbidden
  • The Basel Compacts, signed by Emperor Sigismund and Catholic and Hussite representatives, effectively end the Hussite Wars
1420–1432 War of the South Danube Kingdom of Hungary
Wallachia
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Ottoman Empire Armistice
1420 Battle of Vítkov Hill Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Hungary
Hussites Hussite victory
1420 Battle of Vyšehrad Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Hungary
Hussites Hussite victory
1421 Battle of Kutná Hora Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Hungary
Hussites Hussite victory
1421 Battle of Nebovidy Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Hungary
Hussites Hussite victory
1422 Battle of Německý Brod Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Hungary
Hussites Hussite victory
1428 Siege of Golubac Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Ottoman victory
1430 Battle of Trnava Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of Hungary
Hussites Hussite victory
1431 Battle of Ilava Kingdom of Hungary Orphans Hungarian-Royalists victory
1437 Raid on Kruševac Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
1437 Transylvanian peasant revolt of Budai Nagy Antal Transylvanian aristocracy Transylvanian peasants Defeat of the rebels
1437 Battle of Smederevo Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory[4]
  • Ali Bey suffered a defeat from the Hungarians in the summer of 1437 near Smederevo while the Hungarians were returning from their raid on Kruševac.[5]
1438 Transylvanian campaign Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Ottoman victory
1437–1442 Hungarian–Ottoman War Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
1440 Siege of Belgrade Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
1440–1442 Hungarian Civil War (1440–1442) Peace agreement, Vladislaus is accepted as Hungarian king
1441 Battle of Smederevo
The battle of John Hunyadi in 1441 (Chronica Hungarorum, 1488)
Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
  • Hunyadi began to make raids on the Ottoman countryside in Serbia and he defeated Ishak Bey, the commander of Smederovo.[6][7]
1442 Battle of the Iron Gate (Szeben by older historiography)
John Hunyadi is fighting with the Turks (lithography by József Marastoni, 19th century)
Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
  • John Hunyadi marked his third victory over the Ottomans after the relief of Smederevo (1437) and the defeat of Ishak Beg midway between Semendria and Belgrade (1441).[8]
  • When John Hunyadi defeated Mezid Bey and the raiding Ottoman army in the south part of the Kingdom of Hungary in Transylvania, Hunyadi chased the Ottomans beyond the Hungarian borders and the Hungarian army penetrated Wallachia at the Red Tower Pass, Hunyadi forced Voivode Vlad II Dracul to became again a Hungarian vassal. Later continuing his campaign, Hunyadi also forced the Moldavian voivodes Ilie and Stephen II, who until that time had recognized the authority of the Polish king, to renew their loyalty to the Hungarian king.[8]
1442 Battle of the Ialomița (Iron Gate by older historiography)
The battle of John Hunyad at the Iron Gate (Chronica Hungarorum, 1488)
Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
  • According to contemporary sources, Ottoman army had 80,000 people, Hungarian army had 15,000 men.[9] John Hunyadi defeated a large Ottoman army of Beylerbey Şehabeddin, the Provincial Governor of Rumelia.[10]
  • This was the first time that a European army defeated such a large Ottoman force, composed not only of raiders, but of the provincial cavalry led by their own sanjak beys (governors) and accompanied by the formidable janissaries.[10]
  • Hunyadi gained a huge booty. He put lots of treasures and weapons on a wagon that ten horses could hardly pull and sent it to King Vladislaus I of Hungary to Buda.
1443–1444 Long campaign
The Long Campaign of John Hunyad against the Ottomans (Chronica Hungarorum, 1488)
Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
1443 Battle of Nish Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Poland
Serbian Despotate
Wallachia
Moldavia
Ottoman Empire Crusader Victory
1443 Battle of Zlatitsa Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Poland
Serbian Despotate
Papal States
Ottoman Empire Stalemate
1444 Battle of Kunovica
John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi, Regent-Governor of the Kingdom of Hungary and General of Hungarian army (17th century)
Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Poland
Serbian Despotate
Ottoman Empire Crusader Victory
1444 Battle of Varna
King Władysław III of Poland / Vladislaus I of Hungary in the Battle of Varna (painting by Jan Matejko, 1879)
Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Croatia
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Crown of Bohemia
Wallachia
Bulgarian rebels
Kingdom of Bosnia
Papal States
Teutonic Knights
Ottoman Empire Crusader defeat
  • Vladislaus I of Hungary, the young king, ignoring Hunyadi's advice, rushed 500 of his Polish knights against the Ottoman center. They attempted to overrun the Janissary infantry and take Murad II prisoner, and almost succeeded, but in front of Murad's tent Vladislaus's horse either fell, and the king was slain.
  • Murad's casualties at Varna were so heavy, it was not until three days later that he realized he was victorious.
  • The Ottoman victory in Varna, followed by the Ottoman victory in the Second Battle of Kosovo in 1448, deterred the European states from sending any substantial military assistance to the Byzantines during the Ottoman Siege of Constantinople in 1453.
1447 Wallachian campaign Kingdom of Hungary Wallachia
Ottoman Empire
Hungarian victory
1448 Second Battle of Kosovo / Rigómező
An akinji is dragging an incapacitated Hungarian knight (Süleymanname, 16th century)
Kingdom of Hungary
Wallachia
Ottoman Empire
Wallachia (Switched to the Ottoman side on the third day of the battle)[11][12][13][14][15]
Ottoman victory
1454 Battle of Kruševac Kingdom of Hungary

Serbian Despotate

Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
  • The Ottoman Sultan, Mehmed II invaded Serbia in May 1454 and laid siege to Smederevo, thus violating the truce of November 1451 between his empire and Hungary.[16] John Hunyadi decided to intervene and started to assemble his armies at Belgrade, forcing the Sultan to lift the siege and leave Serbia in August.[17][18] However, an Ottoman force of 32,000 strong continued to pillage Serbia up until Hunyadi routed them at Kruševac on 29 September.[19][20]
  • He made a raid against the Ottoman Empire and destroyed Vidin before returning to Belgrade.[21]
1456 Siege of Belgrade / Nándorfehérvár
The self-sacrifice of Titusz Dugovics (painting by Sándor Wagner, 1853)
Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
  • The Siege of Belgrade was a major issue for the entire Europe, especially after the fall of Constantinople in 1453. The fall of the fortress city of Belgrade would have opened the gates of Europe to the Turks and that would have certainly changed the history of the world.
  • The Battle of Belgrade deserves to be remembered. Hungarians played a key role in the defense of Europe against the invasion of the Turks in the 15th century.
  • Pope Callixtus III ordered the bells of every European church to be rung every day at noon, as a call for believers to pray for the defenders of the city. But because in many European countries the news of victory arrived before the Pope's order for prayer, the ringing of the church bells was believed to be in celebration of the victory. Therefore, the significance of the church bells ringing is now the commemoration of Hunyadi's victory against the Turks.
  • Plague broke out in the camp, from which John Hunyadi himself died three weeks later.
1458–1459 Matthias I's war with Ján Jiskra Kingdom of Hungary Jiskra's soldiers Royal victory
1458–1465 War in Bosnia Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Partial Bosnian territory occupied by the Ottoman Empire.
1460 Battle of Pozazin Troops of Michael Szilágyi Ottoman raiding army of Ali Bey Mihaloğlu Ottoman victory
1464 Siege of Jajce Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory
1465–1471 Hussite uprising in North-Hungary Kingdom of Hungary Czech hussite rebels Hungarian victory
1467 Hungarian - Moldavian war Kingdom of Hungary Moldavia Both side claimed victory
1468–1478 Bohemian War (1468–1478) Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Bohemia Treaty of Olmütz, Matthias became king of Bohemia
1471 Hungarian – Polish war. King Matthias I forced King Casimir IV to withdraw from Hungary Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Poland Hungarian victory
1471–1476 Matthias's intervention in the Moldovian – Ottoman War Kingdom of Hungary
Moldavia
Ottoman Empire After initial Hungarian-moldavian victories Hungary stopped the advocating of Moldavia, so Stephen III moldavian ruler became vasal of the Ottoman Empire.
1474 Siege of Wrocław / Breslau / Boroszló Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Poland
Kingdom of Bohemia
Between 1469 and 1490, Wrocław was part of the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1474, the city was besieged by combined Polish–Czech forces. Kings Casimir IV of Poland, his son Vladislaus II of Bohemia, and Matthias Corvinus of Hungary met in the nearby village, and a ceasefire was signed according to which the city remained under Hungarian rule.
1475 Battle of Vaslui Moldavia
Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Poland
Ottoman Empire
Wallachia
Moldavian–Hungarian–Polish victory
1476 Siege of Šabac / Szabács Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire King Matthias besieged and seized Šabac, an important Ottoman border fort
1479 Battle of Breadfield / Kenyérmező
Battle of Breadfield (Colorized lithography from Eduard Gurk after Ion Osolsobie, 19th century)
Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire
Wallachia
Hungarian victory
  • Hungary defeats the highly outnumbered Ottoman army in Transylvania. Ottoman casualties were extremely high. The battle was the most significant victory for the Hungarians against the raiding Ottomans, and as a result, the Ottoman Turks did not attack southern Hungary and Transylvania for many years thereafter.
1480–1481 Battle of Otranto Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Naples
Crown of Aragon
Kingdom of Sicily
Papal States
Ottoman Empire Christian victory
1482–1488 Austrian – Hungarian War Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Decisive Hungarian victory
  • At the end of the campaign, Hungary controlled all of Upper Austria as well, which remained under the control of King Matthias until his death, in 1490.
1482 Siege of Hainburg Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Holy Roman Empire victory
  • First siege
1482 Siege of Hainburg Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Hungarian victory
  • Second siege
1484 Battle of Leitzersdorf Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Hungarian victory
1485 Siege of Vienna / Bécs
The triumphant Matthias (painting by Gyula Benczúr, 1919)
Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Hungarian victory
  • The Black Army captures Vienna. The city is then merged into Hungary from 1485 to 1490. where Matthias moved his royal court.
1486 Siege of Retz Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Hungarian victory
1486–1487 Siege of Wiener Neustadt / Bécsújhely Kingdom of Hungary Holy Roman Empire Hungarian victory
1490–1491 War of the Hungarian Succession Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Bohemia
Kingdom of Poland Treaty
1490 Battle of Bonefield The supporters of John Corvinus The supporters of Beatrice of Naples The supporters of Beatrice of Naples, Stephen Báthory and Paul Kinizsi defeated John Corvinus.
1491–1495 Hungarian – Ottoman war Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Stalemate
1492–1493 The Black Army's uprising Kingdom of Hungary Black Army Destruction of the Black Army
1497 Battle of the Cosmin Forest Moldavia

Kingdom of Hungary

Kingdom of Poland Moldavian victory
1499–1504 Hungarian – Ottoman war Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Stalemate
1512–1520 Hungarian – Ottoman war Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Successful defensive operations against the Ottomans
1514 Peasants revolt, led by György Dózsa
The execution of György Dózsa (Stephanus Taurinus: Stauromachia, id est, Cruciatorum servile bellum, 1519)
Kingdom of Hungary Peasants Revolt suppressed
  • Royal power declined in favour of the magnates, who used their power to curtail the peasants' freedom. Gyorgy led a revolt but was eventually caught, tortured, and executed and became known as a martyr or a dangerous criminal.[22]
1520–1526 Hungarian-Ottoman War Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian defeat
1523 Battle of Szávaszentdemeter Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian victory[23]
1526 Battle of Mohács
Discovering the Body of King Louis II of Hungary (painting by Bertalan Székely, 1860)
Kingdom of Hungary Ottoman Empire Hungarian defeat
  • Decisive downward turning point in Hungarian history.
  • Destruction of the Kingdom of Hungary as an independent and powerful European nation.
  • The territory of Hungary was split into two parts in 1529 and into three parts in 1541.
  • Around two hundred years of constant warfare with and between two empires, Habsburg and Ottoman, turned Hungary into a perpetual battlefield. The countryside was regularly ravaged by armies moving back and forth devastating the population.

References

  1. ^ Ion Grumeza: The Roots of Balkanization: Eastern Europe C.E. 500–1500, University Press of America, 2010 [1]
  2. ^ Robert Maddock (2016). The 1,300 Years' War: Volume One. Xlibris Corporation. p. 449. ISBN 9781524533762.
  3. ^ Liviu Pilat; Ovidiu Cristea (2017). The Ottoman Threat and Crusading on the Eastern Border of Christendom During the 15th Century. Brill Publishers. p. 67. ISBN 9789004353800.
  4. ^ Bánlaky, József. "Az 1437. évi szendrői hadjárat" [The Campaign of Smederevo in 1437]. A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme [The Military History of the Hungarian Nation] (in Hungarian). Budapest.
  5. ^ Jefferson 2012, p. 69–118: The Reign of Murad II and Renewed Ottoman Expansion.
  6. ^ Babinger 1978, p. 20.
  7. ^ Weiss, David (2020). The Ottoman campaign in Wallachia and the Battle on the River Ialomița (1442).
  8. ^ a b Bánlaky, József. "A szebeni csata 1442. március 25-én" [The Battle of Szeben on 25 March 1442]. A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme [The Military History of the Hungarian Nation] (in Hungarian). Budapest.
  9. ^ Bánlaky, József. "A vaskapui diadal 1442 július havában" [The Triumph of the Iron Gate in July 1442]. A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme [The Military History of the Hungarian Nation] (in Hungarian). Budapest.
  10. ^ a b Jefferson 2012, p. 286–292.
  11. ^ Bury, J.B. The Cambridge Medieval History volumes 1-5. Plantagenet Publishing.
  12. ^ Treadgold, W.T. (1997). A History of the Byzantine State and Society. History e-book project. Stanford University Press. ISBN 978-0-8047-2630-6.
  13. ^ Bánlaky, József (1928). A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme (The Military History of the Hungarian Nation) (in Hungarian).
  14. ^ Mesut Uyar Ph.D., Edward J. Erickson (2009). A Military History of the Ottomans: From Osman to Ataturk (PDF).
  15. ^ Chalkokondyles, Laonikos (1464). The Histories of Laonikos Chalkokondyldes, Volume I (Translated by Anthony Kaldellis, 2014).
  16. ^ Mureşanu 2001, p. 183.
  17. ^ Teke 1980, p. 198.
  18. ^ Mureşanu 2001, pp. 184–185.
  19. ^ Engel 2001, p. 294.
  20. ^ Teke 1980, pp. 198, 231.
  21. ^ Babinger 1978, p. 110.
  22. ^ Britannica Dózsa Rebellion
  23. ^ Bánlaky, József. "Az 1522–1524. évi hadiesemények. Bel- és külföldi rendelkezések a török veszély elhárítására. Az 1524. évi rákosi országgyűlés főbb határozatai." [Annual military events of 1522–1524. Domestic and foreign provisions to prevent the Turkish threat. The main decisions of the Diet of Rákos in 1524.]. A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme [The Military History of the Hungarian Nation] (in Hungarian). Budapest.