TRENDEFRARAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Battle · 1593
The Long War of 1593–1606, which brought deep changes to the social, military and economic structure of the Ottoman state, began with events on the Bosnian frontier. According to the TDV article on Murad III, after the rout of the Bosnian forces at the Kupa (Sisak) (20 June 1593), Murad III declared war on Austria, chiefly at Koca Sinan Pasha's insistence and against the opposition of the second vizier Ferhad Pasha, the şeyhülislam and the sultan's tutors. According to the TDV article on Koca Sinan Pasha, the grand vizier set out on 19 July 1593 with 12,000 Janissaries and other troops and, after Tata, took Győr (27 September 1594). But the course of the war changed: some important border fortresses were lost, and Esztergom fell too (September 1595). The war ended in 1606 with the Peace of Zsitvatorok.
| Date | 20 June 1593 (rout at the Kupa) |
|---|---|
| Location | Sisak, on the Kupa river |
| Result | The Bosnian forces were routed; the Ottoman state declared war on Austria (Long War, 1593–1606) |
| Belligerents | Ottoman Empire | Habsburg Monarchy |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Koca Sinan Pasha |
Took place during the reign of Murad III (1574–1595). Murad III
Open the reign of Murad III on the mapBy the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 5,588,000 km² in 1593; at the start of Murad III's reign they measured 5,296,000 km², at its end 5,588,000 km².
During Murad III (1574–1595) the atlas records 7 regions gained and 0 regions lost.
Regions gained: Kars–Ardahan–Artvin (1576), Dagestan–Derbent (1578), Batumi (Adjara) (1578), Eastern Georgia (Kartli and Kakheti, Tbilisi) (1578), Akhaltsikhe (Childir) (1578), Azerbaijan–Shirvan–Yerevan (1585), Luristan–Nahavand (1590).
The borders reached their widest extent in his reign, but in the same years the cost of long wars, the debasement of the coinage and factional struggles at court began. That the peak and the unravelling fit into the same reign is its central paradox.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “MURAD III” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.
Cite as: Atlas of the Sultans, “Battle of Sisak (1593): Date, Commanders and Outcome”, https://padisahlaratlasi.com/en/events/battle-of-sisak/ (last updated 12 November 2026). Corrections
Terms on this page: Grand vizier · Vizier · Şeyhülislam · Janissaries