TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Siege · 1566
The siege of Szigetvár or the Battle of Szigeth was an Ottoman siege of the fortress of Szigetvár in the Kingdom of Hungary. The fort had blocked Sultan Suleiman's line of advance towards Vienna in 1566. The battle was fought between the defending forces of the Habsburg monarchy under the leadership of Nikola IV Zrinski, the former Ban of Croatia, and the invading Ottoman army under the nominal command of Sultan Suleiman. In January 1566, Suleiman began his offensive campaign in Hungary. The siege of Szigetvár was fought from 5 August to 8 September 1566 and it resulted in an Ottoman victory. Some historians have viewed the victory as pyrrhic as there were heavy losses on both sides.
| Date | 6 August 1566 – 8 September 1566 (1 month and 2 days) |
|---|---|
| Location | Szigetvár, Kingdom of Hungary, |
| Result | Ottoman victory |
| Territorial changes | Ottomans capture Szigetvár and place it under their Budin Eyalet |
| Belligerents | Habsburg Empire Kingdom of Croatia Kingdom of Hungary | Ottoman Empire Eastern Hungarian Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Nikola IV Zrinski † | Suleiman I Sokollu Mehmed Pasha |
| Strength | 2,300 – 3,000 Croats and Hungarians 600 able-bodied men by the end of the siege | 50,000 – 100,000 300 cannons |
| Casualties | Almost entire garrison wiped out. 2,300 – 3,000 killed in combat | 20,000–30,000 total casualties |
The historian Stanko Guldescu argues that cross border raids in Croatia had continued after the siege, and these had led to the Croatian–Slovene Peasant Revolt. Idris Karačović, a servant of Nikola Zrinski, was taken prisoner after the siege and went on to serve as an Ottoman beylerbey, sanjakbey and pasha. After the battle, the Grand Vizier forged bulletins in the Sultan's name, proclaiming victory. His death meant that any advances in Europe were postponed, as the Grand Vizier had to return to Constantinople for the succession of the new Sultan, Selim II.
Took place during the reign of Suleiman I (1520–1566). Suleiman I
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), adapted for the atlas.