Delusions about Serbia 1: Serbs are and allways were defending Europe against islamic menace

Because of their recent clashes with bosnian muslims and, mainly muslim, Albanians in Kosovo and supported by intensive propaganda and their false national myths between many members of SF prevailed one delusion and wrong picture of Serbs who have, allegedly, for centuries, boldly sacrificed their own lives defended rest of Europe against islamic hordes from Asia, namely Ottoman Turks. Unfortunately this is far from true.

Truth is that, in second half of 14th century, when Turkish invaders showed up on Balkans Serb led two major battles against the Ottomans. And they have lost both of them.

First large battle between Serb army and Turks took place 1371. by Černomen (greek Ormenio in the eastern eastern county of Evros) better known as the second Battle on river Maritza (in the first battle on Maritza 1363. Serbs, Bosnians, and Wallachians joined a Hungarian army under the Hungarian king, Louis the Great and marched to Edirne -formerly Adrianople. There they planned to attack Sultan Murad and the Turks. Disaster struck when the christian forces was ambushed by Turkish cavalry at the river Maritza. The christians were routed and fall back in defeat). Between 60-70.000 of serbian troops (and small number of Hungarians, Wallachians and Greeks) led by king Vukašin and his brother despot (duke) Jovan Uglješa confronted Turkish forces of 100.000 soldiers led by Rumeli begler-bey Lal-Shahin and were heavily defeated and both of serbian leaders were killed. This battle was known in turkish sources as "Sirf sindigi" (the destruction of the Serbs).

Second battle was "famous" battle on Kosovo 1389. It took place on a broad Kosovo field. Serbian Army led by "Tzar" Lazar (not realy a "tzar" but serbian nobleman Lazar Hrebeljanović) and his son-in-law, Vuk Branković numbered about 25.000 troops including 5.000 Bosnians and Croats under leadership of bosnian duke Vlatko Vuković and croatian ban (viceroy) Ivaniš Horvat. Turkish troops under sultan Murad I and his son Bayazid I numbered estimately 40.000 soldiers. Both leaders, Lazar and Murad were killed. Turkish sultan was assasined in his tent by serbian knight Miloš Obilić so his son Bayazid took his place and Lazar was captured and beheaded by the Turks. After heavy losses on both sides (but devastating for the Serbs) Turks won the battle. Most of the christian leaders and nobility were killed or driven into exile.Serbian epic songs give two contradictory reasons for the Serbian defeat: the treachery of Vuk Brankovic - which seems to have no basis in fact - and Lazar's decision before the battle to sacrifice his earthly kingdom for a heavenly kingdom, to lead his men into battle knowing what the tragic outcome was to be. Further complete Turkish domination over Serbia was achieved by Sultan Murad's successors.

This two episodes were tragicall, but certinly not shamefull for the Serbs. But what comes next is something what Serbs are systematically holding back and trying to hide by all means.

1396. only seven years after serbian defeat at Kosovo great battle of Nicopolis took place. By the town of Nicopolis on the shores of Danube river in todays Bulgaria large christian army of crusaders from all over Europe (estimations are from 49.000 to over 120.000 troops) was raised under the hungarian king Sigismund for a crusade which had to drive Turks out of Europe and free Constantinople of their pressure. On the other side of the battlefield was Turkish sultan Bayazid I with his army of (agains different numbers from 25-100.000 soldiers including 5.000 serbian heavy cavalerymen led by Stefan Lazarević, serbian despot and turkish vassal).

In the first few hours of battle developement went well for crusaders. They even managed to force turkish army to retreat. But then then made a fatal mistake. They overlooked Bayazids secret weapon which he send into battle in this moments. 5.000 fresh serbian heavy cavalerymen with crosses on their banners and under christian insignia which haven't yet took part in battle came from the back of christian troops. Crusaders were not suspicious because they saw cross signs on their banners. While the battle allready looked victorious for crusaders serbian cavalery forcibly attacked allready tired christian soldiers which found themselves between Turks and Serbs. Consequences of this "victory of serbian weapons" were devastating. Most of crusader army was killed in the battle or drawn in waters of Danube, few thousands were executed later and only small part, including king Sigismund, managed to escape. Europe had never again managed to raise such and crusade army and Turks had doors wide open for their conquest of Balkans, Romania, and Hungary. Only by Jan Sobieski's victory under the walls of Vienna, three centuries later, Turks were stopped in their advancing.

Serbs continued to fight on turkish side. In 1402. near city of Angora (todays turkish capital Ankara) another huge battle occured between Turks under sultan Bayazid I with 60.000 mostly infantery accompanied by 20.000 serbian heavy armoured cavalery led by (again) despot Stefan Lazarević and about 140.000 Turco-Mongolian and Tatar troops of Timurid Empire under the khan Timur. Both tired and thirsty Ottoman troops suffered terrible defeat. Bayazid himself was captured by Timur, humiliated in many ways and dyed imprison in 1403. Yet Stefan Lazarević and most of his soldiers managed to escape and return to Serbia.

Defeat at Angore and Bayazid's death weakened Ottomans considerably so, their "loyal" ally spoted his chance. He turned his back on Turks and become a ally of hungarian King Sigismund. Same Sigismund which was defeated few years later at Nicopolis thanks to same serbian despot Stefan. In 1404, Sigismund even gave Lazarević lands in the present-day Vojvodina (northern Serbia). With hungarian help Stefan even defeated and killed his brother-in-law Bayazid's son Musa during the battle of Despotovac (in Serbia) in 1406. After that northern part of Serbia had a few decades peace from Turkish attacks.

Next episode happened in 1444. Battle of Varna. Field near bulgarian city of Varna on Black see shore was a scene of the battle between Christian army led by polish king Wladyslaw II and Hungarian nobleman and hero Janos Hunyadi which had about 20-40.000 men and turkish sultan Murad II with his army of 60-100.000 troops. Christian army was consisting mainly of hungarian and polish soldiers with smaller number of Croat ban troops (led by ban Franko Talovac and bishop Ivan de Dominis) and also Czech, Bulgarians, Wallachians, Lithuanians, Ruthenians, Serbs and papal knights.

Crusader army was raised to help Constantinople and to push Ottomans over the Bosphorus. Unfortunately crusaders were outnumbered and after king's Wladyslaw's death defeated and with this last hope for Constantinople and survival of Byzantine empire vanished. Janos Hunyadi managed to escape to Wallachia where wallachian duke Vlad Tepes (Dracul) captured and imprisoned him.

Serbs didn't took active part in this battle yet they have considerably contributed to such a disastrous result. Namely serbian despot, Đurađ Branković stopped albanian christian leader and national hero Gjergj Castrioti - Skenderbeg and his troops (estimate number 15.000) and didn't let him pass through Serbia when he hurried to join crusaders army. He justified this act with his "obligations" by contract he made with sultan Murad.

Examples of such a serbian anti-european and anti-christian acting during history are well hidden and held back very carefully. The next four and half centuries Serbs were mostly loyal and obidient vassals serving Ottoman Empire and they were awarded for that, but about this I am going to write in next posts. This is enough for now.