Serbian Despotate

The Serbian Desposate were the Serbian states that remained intact even after the Ottoman invasion. These states continued on until about the mid 14th century. The capital of the desposate was Belgrade becuase other imperial cities such as Krusevac, Skopje, and Pristina fell to the Ottomans. Stefan Lazervic, son of Knez Lazar, the last true Serbian emperor headed the state. Lazerevic turned Belgrade into a massive city numbering 100,000 inbabitants. He made it into a bastion of Orthodox Christian power. After Stefan Lazerevic died, Belgrade was incorporated into the Hungarian Empire. In fact, some say that Lazarevic's Serbia experienced a cultural renaissance during his reign. Unfortunately, he had to accept treaties and vassalage from Hungary in order to preserve the sanctity of his state. He had cobbled together a Serbian-Hungarian Alliance against the Turks and defeated them in various battles. As a result, his land steadily grew as he incorporated more Serbian territories back into the fatherland. After he had succeeded to recapturing lands up to Nis, he attempted to pursue better relations with the Ottomans in hopes of quelling any potential plans by the Turks to invade Serbia. Lazerevic's brother also ruled a separate (though often intertwined) kingdom in the south of Serbia and many times, the two brothers quarreled sometimes. However, Stefan Lazerevic took advantage of the various inter family quarrels in the Turkish family and he often sided with one brother and because of this, if his side won, he was awarded with more formerly Serbian territories. Also, Princess Milica was regent for a time and she too ruled wisely and was known for her skill in the diplomatic fields. She successfully managed to balance the Ottoman Turkish threat and was an efficient ruler.

Belgrade would then witness perhaps one of the largest seiges in European history. The Serige of Belgrade. The defenders (Serbs and some Hungarian soldiers) numbered approximately 75,000 whilst the attacking forces (Ottomans) numbered some 100,000. The Turks fist set up a naval blockade on the Dunav. However, the Hungarian flotilla broke through the blockade and was able to maintain a supply route to and from Belgrade. Approximatly a week later (the 21st of June) Mehmet II (the Turk commander) ordered an all out assault on the city. Turkish forces began flooding the city. The defending commander, Hunyadi, ordered his men throw flaming objects and flaming tar onto the city below. Thus, about 5,000 Turkish Janniseries were cut off from their comrades attempting to breach the upper town. The Janniseries were massacred by the Serbs and Hungarians. The Turks breaching the upper town suffered heavy casualities. An Ottoman troop attempted to pin the sultans flag on a tower in Belgrade. He nearly succeeded when a Serb, Titus Dugovic, came running at him and both men fell to their deaths, the flag unpinned.The next day, Hunyadi ordered his men not to loot Turkish positions. Despist the orders, many Serbian defenders climbed from their positions and began harrasing Ottoman troops. The Ottomans were taken completely by surprise.At that time, the Hungarian calvalry was ordered to charge at Turkish artillery. The Turks began fleeing the battle and the defenders captured artillery from the Turks. The Sultans Guards, approximately 5000 Jannisaries unsuccesfully tried to reclaim the Turkish camp. Under the cover of darkness, the Turks retreated and the battle was won by the defenders.

Smederevo then became the capital of the Desposate. It fell to Turkey approximately 28 years later and Bosnia feel to Turkey about 10 years after the fall of the remnants of the Serbian Empire.