| Battle of Grocka | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theAustro-Turkish War of 1737–1739 | |||||||
_by_Henry_K%25C3%25B6pp.jpg) Description of Battle of Grocka by Henry Köpp, 1753 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Habsburg monarchy |  Ottoman Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Marshal Wallis Wilhelm Reinhard von Neipperg[1] | Ivaz Mehmed Pasha[2] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 40,000[3]–56,000[4] | 80,000[5]–100,000[2] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
5,600[5] (2,350 killed 7,000 killed[3] 3,000 killed and 7,000 wounded.[6] 10,000[7] | 8,000 killed and wounded[5] | ||||||
TheBattle of Grocka, also known asBattle of Krotzka,[8] (Turkish:Hisarcık Savaşı) was the decisive battle of theAustro-Turkish War (1737–1739). It was fought between theHabsburg Monarchy and theOttoman Empire on 21–22 July 1739 inGrocka, nearBelgrade in the Habsburg-heldKingdom of Serbia. The Ottomans were victorious, and proceeded with theSiege of Belgrade, that led to the conclusion of theTreaty of Belgrade on 18 September 1739.[9][10]
During the late stages of theAustro-Turkish War between 1737–1739, the Austrian emperor,Charles VI, appointedMarshal Wallis as the commander of the Austrian army. He commanded an army numbering 30,000 men inBelgrade. AtTimișoara he collected another 10,000 men. With this force, Wallis attempted to retakeOrșova from the Ottomans in mid-July. Meanwhile, the Ottomans, led by the Grand Vizier, were marching to meet the Austrians. Wallis was informed that the Ottoman army was encamped nearGrocka. Wallis marched to retake the village from the Ottomans.[3][1]
Before reaching the village of Grocka, the Austrian approach route narrowed into aGully that led to the plain leading to the riverside town. The road then turned southward, rising towards higher ground. Field Marshal Wallis, aware that speed was essential, pushed his cavalry forward to secure the area. The force consisted largely of cuirassiers and dragoons, with some hussars, led by Count Pálffy’s cuirassiers. At dawn they emerged from the gully and advanced into the open ground, where they unexpectedly encountered the main Ottoman army.[11]
The Ottomans, who had taken strong positions on the surrounding hills and in the valley, immediately opened fire on the advancing Austrians. The bombardment inflicted heavy losses, leaving the field full of dead and wounded men. From dawn until mid-morning, the Austrian cavalry managed to hold their ground against repeated Ottoman attacks, relying on constant fire and support from units following behind. Around midday, Austrian infantry reinforcements arrived, who forced their way through the gully under heavy fire. Meanwhile, the Grand Vizier directed his troops to move onto the high ground, flanking the Austrian positions, and attacked them with musket fire from above.[11][6]
On the opposite side of the gully, Field Marshal Hildburghausen led the Austrian infantry in assaults against the hills, while Austrian artillery was dragged into position to engage the Ottoman guns. The fighting continued throughout the day, with several Austrian units attempting to push through the defile under heavy Ottoman fire. By nightfall, the Grand Vizier withdrew his forces in good order, leaving the Austrians heavily shattered after a day of intense combat.[11][6]
The Austrians suffered grievous losses during the battle. Wallis decided to retreat under the cover of night. The Ottomans chased the Austrians all the way up to Belgrade.[12]
By the third year of the war, the Austrian campaign had ended in complete disaster. Belgrade, which was captured by Prince Eugene in 1717 and subsequently developed into a fortified Habsburg stronghold, surrendered to the Ottomans in 1739.[12][3][6]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)