Battle of Melstica

Battle of Melstica
Part of the Hungarian–Ottoman Wars, Ottoman wars in Europe and Long Campaign
Date 24 December 1444 Location Bulgaria, Melstica Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Kingdom of Hungary	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
John Hunyadi	Kasim Pasha [1] Murad II [2]
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Heavy [2]	Heavy

The Battle of the Melstica was fought between the army of the Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire in 1444.

Background

After the crusader forces were defeated at the Battle of Zlatitsa they were forced to march back home due to the harsh winter and the Ottomans ability to defend their positions. Hunyadi defended the rear guard of the army before the battle took place. ^{[3] [2]}

Battle

Sources differ from one another about the battle and its outcome. According to some sources the ottomans did not engage the Hungarians to a "larger" degree and thus the outcome of the battle is inconclusive. ^{[2] [4]}

While other sources say that the Ottomans did engage the Hungarians which saw the Hungarians on the winners side. ^{[5] [1] [6]}

Aftermath

After the battle the crusades continued their retreat back to friendly territory the Ottomans yet again attacked the Hungarians at the Battle of Kunovica. ^[3]

References

1. Thuróczy, János (1991). P. C. B. Engel (ed.). Chronicle of the Hungarians. Medievalia Hungarica; Vol. 2. Translated by Frank Mantello. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press / Research Institute for Inner Asian Studies. ISBN   0-933070-27-6. LCCN   91-061993.
2. Pálosfalvi, Tamás (2018). From Nicopolis to Mohács: A History of Ottoman-Hungarian Warfare, 1389–1526. Indiana University Press. p. 518.
3. Cîmpeanu, Liviu (June 2024). "John Hunyadi (ca. 1395–1456). An Outline of His Political and Military Career According to the Latest Research". Journal of Balkan and Black Sea Studies. 7 (12): 19–56. doi:10.56679/balkar.1429208.
4. Jeffferson, John (2012). Kelly DeVries; John France; Michael S. Neiberg; Frederick Schneid (eds.). The Holy Wars of King Wladislas and Sultan Murad: The Ottoman-Christian Conflict from 1438-1444. History of Warfare; Volume 76. Leiden; Boston: Brill. ISBN   978-90-04-21904-5.
5. Harrison, James. "Hungarian Battles — "The Long Campaign"". Warfare East. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
6. Jaques, Tony (2007). Dictionary of Battles & Sieges: A guide to 8,500 battles from antiquity through the twenty-first century. Greenwood Press. p. 653. Retrieved 2025-09-20.

See also

• Long Campaign
• History of the Crusades
• Wagon fort