TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Battle · 1371
The Battle of Maritsa, also known as the Battle of Chernomen, was fought on 26 September 1371 near the Maritsa River, close to the village of Chernomen (present-day Ormenio, Greece). The conflict pitted the Ottoman forces under Lala Şahin Pasha and Hacı İlbey against a coalition of Serbian lords, led by King Vukašin Mrnjavčević and his brother Despot Jovan Uglješa who sought to halt the Ottomans' westward advance. The battle ended in a decisive Ottoman victory in which both Serbian commanders were killed, marking the decline of Serbian power in Macedonia and paving the way for Ottoman expansion into the central Balkans.
| Date | 26 September 1371 |
|---|---|
| Location | Maritsa River (near Chernomen; present-day Ormenio, Greece) |
| Result | Ottoman victory |
| Belligerents | Serbian Empire | Ottoman state |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Vukašin Mrnjavčević † Uglješa Mrnjavčević † | Shahin Pasha Hacı İlbey |
| Strength | 10,000 | 800–4,000 |
| Casualties | Extremely heavy | Unknown |
The Battle of Maritsa marked a significant stage in the Ottoman expansion across the Balkans. With the forces of King Vukašin and Despot Uglješa defeated and both leaders killed, Ottoman troops advanced into Macedonia and parts of central Serbia. According to historian Ion Grumeza, the Serbian Empire lost a large proportion of its ruling aristocracy as a result of the battle. In the aftermath, several regional lords, including Vukašin's son Prince Marko, became Ottoman vassals, obliged to provide tribute and military service. Ottoman expansion continued into Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece, where some rulers also accepted vassalage.
Took place during the reign of Murad I (1362–1389). Murad I
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), adapted for the atlas.