Battle of Zenta

Battle of Zenta (Battle of Senta)
Part of Great Turkish war
map from 17th century.
Date September 11, 1697 Location Senta (Zenta), Serbia Result Decisive Austrian victory
Belligerents
Austria	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Prince Eugene of Savoy	Sultan Mustafa II
Strength
34,000 infantry, 16,000 cavalry, 60 guns	above 80,000
Casualties and losses
500	30,000

The monument of the battle

The Battle of Zenta or Battle of Senta, fought on September 11, 1697 just south of modern Serbian town of Senta (German: Zenta), on the east side of Tisa (Tisza), was a major engagement in the Great Turkish War (1683–1699).

Prelude

After the relief of Vienna in the Battle of Vienna, 1683, Austria enjoyed great success and by 1688 Belgrade and most of the Pannonian Plain was captured by Habsburgs. But as the war with the French demanded more troops and the new grand vizier reorganized and reinvigorated the Ottoman Army the success ended. Belgrade was recaptured by the Ottomans in 1690 and the following year’s campaign was relatively indecisive.

The Austrian war effort could be increased in 1697, after the defection of Savoy from France in 1696 released Imperial troops from northern Italy. The Austrian would be lead by Eugene of Savoy in his first independent command; it was not to be his last.

Battle

Eugene managed to surprise and destroy the Ottoman Army as it was crossing the river Tisa (Tisza). The Ottoman grand vizier was assassinated on the battlefield in a Janissary mutiny.

Aftermath

The battle was an amazing victory for Austria; at the cost of 500 men they had inflicted the loss of 30,000 men, 87 canons and the royal treasure chest on the Ottoman Empire. It forced the sultan Mustafa II to make peace with the Emperor and cede Transylvania and lands later known as the Kingdom of Hungary, Kingdom of Slavonia and Military Frontier to him in the Treaty of Karlowitz in 1699.

See also

• Senta
• Prince Eugene of Savoy
• Ottoman wars in Europe

References

• Dodge, Theodore Ayrault. Gustavus Adolphus - A History of the Art of War from its Revival After the Middle Ages to the End of the Spanish Succession War, with a Detailed Account of the Campaigns of the Great Swede, and of the Most Famous Campaigns of Turenne, Conde, Eugene and Marlborough. London: Grenhill Books, 1996. ISBN 1853672343