TRENDEAtlas of the Sultans · Wars, battles and treaties
Siege · 1430
The siege of Thessalonica between 1422 and 1430 saw the Ottoman state, under Sultan Murad II, capture the city of Thessalonica. Afterwards, the city remained in Ottoman hands for the next five centuries until it became part of the Kingdom of Greece in 1912. Thessalonica had already been under Ottoman control from 1387 to 1403 before returning to Eastern Roman (Byzantine) rule in the aftermath of the Battle of Ankara. In 1422, after the Eastern Roman (Byzantine)s supported Mustafa Çelebi, a rival pretender against him, Murad attacked Thessalonica. Unable to provide manpower or resources for the city's defence, its ruler, Andronikos Palaiologos, handed it over to the Republic of Venice in September 1423.
| Date | June 1422 – 29 March 1430 |
|---|---|
| Location | Thessalonica and environs, with engagements at Gallipoli and various raids in the Aegean Sea, |
| Result | Ottoman victory |
| Territorial changes | Ottomans successfully capture Thessalonica |
| Belligerents | Ottoman state | Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (until September 1423) Republic of Venice (from September 1423) |
|---|---|---|
| Commanders | Murad II Sinan Pasha Hamza Bey Burak Bey | Andronikos Palaiologos Symeon Pietro Loredan Fantino Michiel Andrea Mocenigo Mustafa Çelebi (doubtful) |
| Strength | 22,000 | 25,000 |
| Casualties | Unknown | Heavy casualties 7,000 Prisoners |
The Venetians were taken by surprise when the city fell; the fleet under Morosini was still sailing off the western coast of Greece. Following their customary strategy, they reacted by sending their fleet to blockade Gallipoli and cut off passage of the Dardanelles. However, the Republic was by now ready to disengage itself from this profitless venture, and soon instructed Morosini to seek peace. In July, Hamza Bey signed a peace treaty with the Venetians (ratified on 4 September 1430) whereby Venice recognised its loss of Thessalonica, restored passage of the Dardanelles, and acknowledged Ottoman overlordship over Patras in the Morea, with an annual tribute of 236 ducats.
Took place during the reign of Murad II (1421–1444). Murad II
The atlas records this territorial change for the year:
Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), adapted for the atlas.