| Battle of Savra Beteja e Savrës | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theOttoman wars in Europe and theThopia expansionist Wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Ivaniš Mrnjavčević † | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 40,000[2][3] | 1,000 men according toMavro Orbini | ||||||
TheBattle of Savra (Albanian:Beteja e Savrës;Serbian:Bitka na Saurskom polju;Turkish:Savra Muharebesi; "Battle on the Saurian field") or theBattle of the Vjosë[4] was fought on 18 September 1385 betweenOttoman and much smallerZetan forces,[5] at the Savra field nearLushnjë (in modern-day southernAlbania). The Ottomans were invited byKarl Thopia to support him in his feud againstBalša II.[6]
In 1372, Balša II marriedComita Muzaka, the daughter ofAndrea II Muzaka.[7][8][9][10][11] As a dowry, Balša II gainedVlorë,Berat,Kaninë andHimarë which constitued thePrincipality of Vlorë.[12] This arrangement, made after the death ofAlexander Komnenos Asen in 1371, also ensured Balša's support against mutual enemies like Marko. It's unclear whether Muzaka had already conquered the cities or if Balša was planning to take them, but the agreement solidified Balša's claim to the territories through marriage.[13][14] By 1383 or 1385,Balša II had conqueredDurrës, presumably fromKarl Thopia and in a charter issued to Ragusa during this period, he referred to himself as "Duke of Durrës".[15][16] The expansion of Balša's realm into Epirus brought him to the frontline against the Ottomans. Aware of Ottoman aspirations to his territory, on 8 August 1385 Balša II asked Venetians to support him with four galleys.[17][18]
Karl Thopia invited the Ottomans to support him in his conflict with Balša II. Thopia's invitation was accepted andHayreddin Pasha[19] brought his forces from the region ofOhrid (modern-day Macedonia)[20] to Saurian field, nearLushnjë.[21] News about the incursion of the Ottoman forces into the region of Berat reached Balša II while he was in Durrës.[22] According toMavro Orbini, Balša II rounded up 1,000 men in Durrës and, ignoring the advice of his nobles, headed out to take on the Ottoman raiders.[23] Unsurprisingly, Balša's small forces had little success and Balša II was killed.[24][25] Orbini's work is the only source that mentions Ivaniš Mrnjavčević as participating in this battle.[26] Some scholars believe he did not even exist, while others believe that he was not an independent medieval lord, but a loyal member of the Balša family.[27] Another person mentioned only by Orbini is Balša'svoivode Đurađ Krvavčić, described as a brave warrior who also died in this battle. Mavrini explains that the body of Balša II was decapitated and his head taken to Hayreddin Pasha.[28]
Since the Ottomans were victorious, most of the local Serbian and Albanian lords became their vassals.[29] Immediately after this battle Thopia recaptured Durrës,[30] probably under the Ottoman suzerainty.[23] The Ottomans capturedKrujë,Berat, andUlcinj but soon retreated from them, keeping onlyKastoria under their permanent control.[31][20]
The work ofMavro Orbini (The Realm of the Slavs) is one of the main primary sources about this battle. It contains many incorrect and imprecise data.[32] Another primary source about the Battle of Savra isMarin Barleti who says that Balša II was brave and idealistic.[33]
This battle set the foundation for centuries-long Ottoman presence in this part of the Balkans. Serbian historianStojan Novaković emphasized that the battle's importance for these Serbian and Albanian lords was comparable to that of theBattle of Marica andBattle of Kosovo put together.[34] The important result of this battle was the influx of Albanians into Ottoman forces who remained a significant source of its strength during the next 527 years.[20]
...Topia called on the Turks for assistance. Amurat I (or Murad I) gladly sent an army of 40,000 men from Macedonia...
...the Ottomans supported Lord Karl Thopia against Balsha II, defeating the latter...
...His first daughter, the above mentioned Lady Comita, was married to the said King Balsha who held sway in Shkodra, Bar, Kotor, Šibenik, Trogir and much other land...
...With one daughter, Komita married to Balsha II of Shkodra...
...In this undertaking, he had called upon the assistance of his son in law, King Balsha, who was married to Lady Comita Musachi, his first-born daughter...
...Vlora dhe Kanina ishin ne duar te princerve bullgare nga dera mbreterore e Asenit qe me 1350 gjer me 1372. Me 72 ua rrembyen Balshet dhe i mbjatin gjer me 1385. Si u-vra Balsha II ne betejen e Savres, e shoqja e tij Princesha Komita Muzaka, nje Amazone e fjeshte, mbreteroj mi Vloren, Sazanin, Kaninen, Himaren dhe Pargen; pastaj u-zgjat gjer ne Krahinen e Devollit, qe ia rrembeu te kusheririt Nikoll Muzake, te cilin e mundi dhe e zuri rop...
...Under Balsha II Valona formed part of a considerable principality, for on the death of his last surviving brother, in 1372, the "Lord of Valona and Budua" had become sole ruler of the Zeta- the modern Montenegro- and then, by the capture of Durazzo from Carlo Topia, "Prince of Albania", assumed the title of "Duke" from that former Venetian duchy. By his marriage with Comita Musachi, he became connected with a powerful Albanian clan...
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)...At that time, Andrea Muzaka II Vlora and Kanine from Sebastian Alexander, who ruled there after the death of the despot Gjon Komen. However, the despot Muzaka soon gave these two cities to the younger brother of the Balshas, Balsh II, after his marriage to his daughter Komita...
...In 1383 Balsha II captured Durrës from Karl Topia and assumed the title "Duke of Durrës"...
...The lost Durrës to his brother-in-law Balsha II in 1385...
...Topia called on the Turks for assistance. Amurat I (or Murad I) gladly sent an army of 40,000 men from Macedonia. In the plain of Savre between Elbasan and Lushnja...
...ignoring the advice of his more level-headed courtiers, reaced out to take on the Turkish raiders. Not surprisingly, his small forces had little success, and Balsa was killed near Berat in battle against the Turks on 18 September 1385...
...he appealed to the Turks for assistance and defeated him at the Battle of Savra on 18 September 1385...
...We can see why Orbini called Balsa brave but stupid. Orbini reports that Marko's brother Ivanis, then living with Balsa, also died in this battle...
...In the plain of Savre between Elbasan and Lushnja Balsha fought the Turks and was defeated and killed, his head being taken to the Turkish capital as a trophy...
Тука беше и Марица и Косово за господата српско-албанска.