Siege of Belgrade
Belgrade Fortress (Kalemegdan), where the Sava meets the Danube, Serbia
What happened
Hungarian forces under John Hunyadi and crusaders gathered by the friar John of Capistrano defended Belgrade against the Ottoman army of Sultan Mehmed II. Three years after taking Constantinople, Mehmed II besieged Belgrade, a fortress that guarded the way into Hungary. Hunyadi's fleet broke the Ottoman blockade on the Danube and brought help to the defenders. After the Ottoman assault failed, the defenders and crusaders counter-attacked, captured the Ottoman cannons, and Mehmed withdrew.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It stopped the Ottoman advance into Hungary for about 70 years. Belgrade continued to guard Hungary until it fell in 1521.
What came next
Plague broke out in the Hungarian camp, and Hunyadi died of it on 11 August 1456, three weeks after the victory.
Did you know?
The Pope ordered church bells rung at noon to pray for the defenders; after the victory, the noon bell became a celebration, and many churches still ring it today.
Timeline
- 1453Mehmed II captures Constantinople.
- 4 July 1456The Ottoman siege of Belgrade begins.
- 14 July 1456Hunyadi's fleet breaks the river blockade.
- 22 July 1456The defenders counter-attack and the Ottomans withdraw.
- 11 August 1456Hunyadi dies of plague.