Jovan Nenad's uprising

The Jovan Nenad's uprising refers to the uprising of the Serbian tsar against the Ottoman Empire and later Hungary which lasted from 1526. until 1527. The uprising ended after the assassination of Jovan Nenad.

Jovan Nenad's uprising
Part of Hungarian campaign of 1527–1528 and Habsburg–Ottoman wars in Hungary (1526–1568)
Map of Jovan Nenad's empire (1526—1527)
Date July 25, 1527[1] Location Délvidék (Szerémség, Bács County), Transylvania, Croatia, Great Hungarian Plain Result Initial Serbian victory[2] Establishment of Serbian Empire of Jovan Nenad Jovan Nenad successfully expelled Turks from Bačka[3] Jovan Nenad and his army captured Bačka, most of Srem and Banat[3] Eventual Hungarian victory Uprising suppressed[1] Jovan Nenad is killed in Battle of Sződfalva Fall of Serbian Empire of Jovan Nenad
Belligerents
Hungarian Kingdom of House Szapolyai Ottoman Empire John Zapolya's Hungarian kingdom	Serbian Empire of Jovan Nenad Supported by: Ferdinand's Hungarian kingdom[1]
Commanders and leaders
John Zápolya Péter Perényi Imre Czibak Bálint Török Laszlo Csaky [1]	Jovan Nenad X[2] Radoslav Čelnik
Strength
15,000 and several thousand peasant rebels	10,000–15,000–30,000[4][1][5] 600 soldiers of Jovan Nenad's personal army[5][2]
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Heavy

Uprising

Defense of Subotica

In 1526 the Turkish army was advancing through lower Hungary and Hungarian forces fled. At that time Jovan Nenad was with his army in Subotica and successfully managed to repel Turkish attack.^[6]

Subotica attack

Bálint Török attempted to take back one of his castles that was captured by Jovan Nenad. He sent an army of 67 men but their attack was easily repelled since they were outnumbered and were defeated. Török barely managed to escape alive.^[1][6]

Csanád attack

One of Jovan's troops captured Csomàn Làszló Csáky castles, in attempt to recapture it Csàky gathered 300 horseman for an attack. Csáky unwisely underestimated the Serbs whom he called just an ordinary peasant army attacked superior Jovan Nenad's army and Jovan Nenad successfully and quickly overcome the attack.^[1] After the attack Csàky was captured and executed on Jovan's orders.

Battle near the castle of Szőlős and Invasion of Transylvania

Main article: Battle of Szőlős

In early May 1527 John Zápolya sent Peter Perényi and 12,000 horsemen and soldiers against Jovan Nenad but they were defeated by Jovan Nenad's army near the castle of Szőlős. After defeating Peter Perényi Jovan Nenad invaded Transylvania with his army.^[1]

Battle of Tisza

John Zápolya again sent Peter Perényi to fight against Jovan Nenad in Tisza where a bloody battle happened in the beginning of July in which both sides suffered heavy losses but the battlefield remained in Jovan Nenad's hands.^[1] This was one of the first battles where Jovan Nenad's army suffered serious losses, this has also shattered Jovan's invincible reputation.^[1]

Capture of Subotica

While Jovan Nenad was fighting in Banat, Valentin Terek successfully managed to capture Subotica in the summer of 1527.^[7]

Battle of Sződfalva

Main article: Battle of Sződfalva

On July 26 Jovan Nenad's army numbering 8,000 soldiers clashed with the much stronger Hungarian troops at Sződfalva and were decisively defeated. Jovan Nenad was able to reform his army after the defeat. In attempt to unite his army with the forces of Ferdinand, Jovan Nenad was wounded and later murdered in the village of Tonjoš.

Aftermath

After Nenad was killed his army dispersed and the area was given to Radoslav Čelnik who ruled an autonomous principality subordinate to the Hungarian king.

Sources

• Csorba Csaba: Árpád örökében, Magyar Könyvklub–Helikon Kiadó, Budapest, 1996. ISBN 963-548-415-1
• Kristó Gyula: Az Anjou-kor háborúi, Zrínyi Katonai Kiadó, Budapest, 1988. ISBN 963-326-905-9
• Magyarország hadtörténete, Zrínyi katonai kiadó, Budapest, 1985, szerk.: Liptai Ervin ISBN 963-32-6337-9
• Magyarország története, 1526–1686, Főszerk.: Pach Zsigmond Pál, szerk.: R. Várkonyi Ágnes, Akadémia Kiadó, Budapest, 1985. ISBN 963-05-0929-6
• Mohács – Tanulmányok, szerk.: Rúzsás Lajos és Szakály Ferenc, Akadémia Kiadó, Budapest 1986. ISBN 963-05-3964-0

1. Szakály Ferenc: A török–magyar küzdelem szakaszai a mohácsi csata előtt (1365–1526)

• Military History of Hungary, Editor: Ervin Liptai Zrínyi Military Publisher, Budapest 1985. ISBN 978-963-326-337-2

References

1. A Pallas nagy lexikona – Fekete Iván
2. "Car Jovan NENAD-"Crni čovek", strah i trepet za neprijatelje". balkanskapravila.com.
3. "FORGOTTEN LEADER OF SERBIAN RESISTANCE: Jovan Nenad is the last emperor of Serbia, and here are the countries he ruled!". serbiantimes.info.
4. "ЦАР ЈОВАН НЕНАД ‒ ИЗМЕЂУ ИСТОРИЈЕ И ЛЕГЕНДЕ". kcns.org.rs.
5. "Последњи српски цар Јован Ненад". poreklo.rs.
6. A magyar nemzet története regényes rajzokban – A fekete cár
7. "Vladao godinu dana i dva puta gubio glavu: Ko je bio Jovan Nenad, "Crni čovek i poslednji srpski car"". nin.rs.