TRENDEFRARAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Battle · 1443
Knowing that the timariot cavalry, the bulk of the Ottoman army, dispersed in autumn, John Hunyadi crossed the Danube in October 1443 with the Serbian despot and the new Hungarian king, Władysław. According to the TDV encyclopedia, the crusaders routed the forces of Rumelia, took Niš and Sofia, and reached the last Balkan passes leading to the Maritsa valley. Murad II met them at the Zlatitsa pass and stopped them on 24 November 1443. The campaign stirred new movements in the Balkans and Anatolia; Skanderbeg at this time returned to Albania and fanned the revolt.
| Date | October – 24 November 1443 |
|---|---|
| Location | Zlatitsa pass, Balkan mountains |
| Result | The crusaders' advance was halted at the pass; peace talks followed |
| Belligerents | Ottoman state | Kingdom of Hungary |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Murad II | John Hunyadi Władysław |
Took place during the reign of Murad II (1421–1444). Murad II
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
By the atlas's calculation the Ottoman lands covered about 664,000 km² in 1443; at the start of Murad II's reign they measured 593,000 km², at its end 664,000 km².
During Murad II (1421–1444) the atlas records 4 regions gained and 1 region lost.
Regions gained: Teke–Hamid (Antalya–Isparta–Burdur) (1423), Germiyan (Kütahya–Afyon–Uşak) (1429), Thessaloniki–Chalkidiki–Mount Athos (1430), Ioannina (Epirus) (1430).
Regions lost: Northern Albania (Krujë–Shkodër) (1443).
He restored Ottoman rule after the Interregnum: Thessalonica was taken, Germiyan joined and the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) again paid tribute. In 1444, after the peace of Edirne–Szeged, he abdicated and withdrew to Manisa; recalled to lead the army at Varna, he returned to the throne in 1446.
Areas are land area computed from the atlas's region data; see Method and sources.
Source: TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, “MURAD II” (Turkish); text written for the atlas.
Cite as: Atlas of the Sultans, “Battle of Zlatitsa (1443): Date, Commanders and Outcome”, https://padisahlaratlasi.com/en/events/battle-of-zlatitsa/ (last updated 12 November 2026). Corrections
Terms on this page: Timar