TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Battle · 1364
Sırpsındığı was, according to Ottoman sources, a sudden night raid by an Ottoman force led by Hacı İlbey on a Serbian contingent at the banks of the Maritsa river about 15 kilometres from the city of Adrianople. It occurred in 1364 between an expeditionary force of the Ottomans and a Serbian army that also included crusaders sent by the Pope. The Ottomans destroyed the Serbian army, which is why the battle was known as "sırp sındığı" (destruction of Serbs). The battle was the first attempt to throw the Ottomans from the Balkans with an allied army. There is no record of this battle in any Serbian, Hungarian, papal, or other European sources.
| Date | 1364 |
|---|---|
| Location | Maritsa River, Sarayakpınar village near Adrianople |
| Result | Ottoman victory · Adrianople becomes capital of Ottoman state |
| Belligerents | Serbian Empire Bulgarian Empire Principality of Wallachia | Ottoman state |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Vukašin Mrnjavčević Uglješa Mrnjavčević Ivan Alexander | Hacı İlbey |
| Strength | 30,000 to 60,000 | 5,000–10,000 |
| Casualties | Over thousands killed and drowned, remainder of the army escaped | Unknown |
Despite his victory, Hacı İlbey lived only one year after that battle for in 1365 he was poisoned by Lala Sahin Pasha who was jealous of his victory. Adrianople became a capital of the Ottomans. The Bulgarians agreed to pay tribute to the Ottomans and this battle hastened the fall of Bulgaria because the Ottomans started to occupy upper Bulgaria. The high number of Serbian casualties in this battle was one of the main reasons for the Battle of Maritsa, a battle where the Serbs and their allies would attempt to avenge the loss for this battle.
Took place during the reign of Murad I (1362–1389). Murad I
Open the reign of Murad I on the mapText: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), adapted for the atlas.