Ali Bey Mihaloğlu
Encyclopedia
Ali Bey Mihaloğlu or Gazı Alauddin Ali Bey Mihaloğlu, (1425—1507) was an Ottoman
military commander in 15th century and the first sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Smederevo
. He was one of the descendants of Köse Mihal
, a Byzantine
governor of Chirmenkia and battle companion of Osman Gazi. Some historians believed that epic figure of Alija Đerđelez was inspired by Ali Bey Mihaloglu.
In 1459 he raided Transylvania
, province of Hungary but was beaten by Transylvanian voivode uncle of King Matthias and former Regent of Hungary
Michael Szilágyi at Futak and thus was forced to retreat.
In 1460 when he was able to capture the small advancing army of Szilágyi at Pojejena
. He transferred the prisoner to Istambul to have him decapitated by the orders of the Sultan.
In 1460 Ali Bey was subasi
of the Güvercinlik (Golubac
, today in Serbia
) and sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Vidin later that year. He was appointed for sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Smederevo
in 1462/1463.
In 1462 already the bey of Smederevo he was constantly harassing the Torontál County of Hungary but withdrew southwards after the reinforcements of Micheal of Szokoly and Peter of Szokoly arrived into the area.
In 1463 he assisted Mehmet II in his attack on Bosnia with a distraction attack on King Matthias in Syrmia
, but was pushed back by Andrew Pongrácz high cup-bearer
of Hungary. He suddenly made a flanking move to the heart of Hungary until he reached Temesvár, where he ran into John Pongrácz Voivode of Transylvania and was defeated in a close battle.
On February 7, 1474, Ali Bey Mihaloğlu unexpectedly attacked the town of Várad
. Ahead of his 7 000 horsemen, he broke through its wooden fences and pillaged the town, burned the houses and took the population as prisoners. Their goal was to rob the treasury of the episcopate, but were resisted by the refugees and clergy in the bishop's castle (at the time the bishop's rank was absent, and no records mention the identity of a possible Hungarian captain). The town fell but the castle stood, forcing the Ottomans to give up the fight after one day of siege. While retreating, they devastated the surrounding areas.
In 1476 Ali was joined by his brother Skender Pasha as he departed Smederevo and crossed the Danube
ahead of 5000 spahi
s making a second attempt to reach Temesvár. He was confronted by the Hungarian nobility at Pančevo
. He suffered an utter defeat and barely escaped in a small boat. The Hungarians chased him to valley on the opposite bank of the Nadela
where they released all the previously captured Hungarian prisoners and also took 250 Ottoman captives.
In 1478 he joined Ömer Bey Turahanoğlu when he attacked Venetian possessions.
In 1479 Ali Bey launched his biggest attack on the Kingdom of Hungary
. He led his army over the Szászsebes region, pillaged Gyulafehérvár, but was stopped by Pál Kinizsi
in the Battle of Breadfield
.
In the end of 1492 Wallachian voivode Vlad Călugărul
had already warned the Hungarians of a possible Ottoman offensive from Transylvania
. In an attempt to dispose the pro-Hungarian voivode Bayezid II
marched through Wallachia to enter into Hungary. They passed through the Rotenturm passage and trun to inner Transylvania along the Olt River
. At the time the region lacked a legitime voivode, but the vice-voivode Stephen Telegdy took up the arms and blocked the passage to face the unaware Ottomans on their way back. They manage to recuperate the plunder and captives and caused the Ottoman forces heavy losses (a couple thousand casulties). However after the death of his father Vlad, pro-Ottoman Radu IV the Great replaced him in 1495.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
military commander in 15th century and the first sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Smederevo
Sanjak of Smederevo
The Sanjak of Smederevo , also known as the Pashaluk of Belgrade , was an Ottoman administrative unit , that existed between the 15th and the outset of the 19th centuries...
. He was one of the descendants of Köse Mihal
Köse Mihal
Köse Mihal accompanied Osman al-Ghazi in his ascent to power as an Emir and founder of the Ottoman Empire...
, a Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
governor of Chirmenkia and battle companion of Osman Gazi. Some historians believed that epic figure of Alija Đerđelez was inspired by Ali Bey Mihaloglu.
In 1459 he raided Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, province of Hungary but was beaten by Transylvanian voivode uncle of King Matthias and former Regent of Hungary
Regent of Hungary
The Regent of Hungary was a position established in 1920 and held by Miklós Horthy until 1944.-Historical examples:On the untimely death of Albert in 1439, Hunyadi was of the volition that Hungary was best served by a warrior king and lent his support to the candidature of young King of Poland...
Michael Szilágyi at Futak and thus was forced to retreat.
In 1460 when he was able to capture the small advancing army of Szilágyi at Pojejena
Pojejena
Pojejena is a commune in Caraş-Severin County, Romania. Тhe commune is located in the geographical area known as Clisura Dunării . In 2002, its population numbered 3,300 people, of whom the majority are ethnic Serbs...
. He transferred the prisoner to Istambul to have him decapitated by the orders of the Sultan.
In 1460 Ali Bey was subasi
Subashi
Subashi is a lost city located in the Taklamakan Desert, on the ancient Silk Road, near Kucha, in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China...
of the Güvercinlik (Golubac
Golubac
Golubac is a village and municipality in north-eastern Serbia, on the right side of the Danube river. It is bordered by Romania to the east, Veliko Gradište to the west and Kučevo to the south...
, today in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
) and sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Vidin later that year. He was appointed for sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Smederevo
Sanjak of Smederevo
The Sanjak of Smederevo , also known as the Pashaluk of Belgrade , was an Ottoman administrative unit , that existed between the 15th and the outset of the 19th centuries...
in 1462/1463.
In 1462 already the bey of Smederevo he was constantly harassing the Torontál County of Hungary but withdrew southwards after the reinforcements of Micheal of Szokoly and Peter of Szokoly arrived into the area.
In 1463 he assisted Mehmet II in his attack on Bosnia with a distraction attack on King Matthias in Syrmia
Syrmia
Syrmia is a fertile region of the Pannonian Plain in Europe, between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia in the east and Croatia in the west....
, but was pushed back by Andrew Pongrácz high cup-bearer
Cup-bearer
A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position. He must guard against poison in the king's cup, and...
of Hungary. He suddenly made a flanking move to the heart of Hungary until he reached Temesvár, where he ran into John Pongrácz Voivode of Transylvania and was defeated in a close battle.
On February 7, 1474, Ali Bey Mihaloğlu unexpectedly attacked the town of Várad
Oradea
Oradea is the capital city of Bihor County, in the Crișana region of north-western Romania. The city has a population of 204,477, according to the 2009 estimates. The wider Oradea metropolitan area has a total population of 245,832.-Geography:...
. Ahead of his 7 000 horsemen, he broke through its wooden fences and pillaged the town, burned the houses and took the population as prisoners. Their goal was to rob the treasury of the episcopate, but were resisted by the refugees and clergy in the bishop's castle (at the time the bishop's rank was absent, and no records mention the identity of a possible Hungarian captain). The town fell but the castle stood, forcing the Ottomans to give up the fight after one day of siege. While retreating, they devastated the surrounding areas.
In 1476 Ali was joined by his brother Skender Pasha as he departed Smederevo and crossed the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
ahead of 5000 spahi
Spahi
Spahis were light cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now recruited in mainland France...
s making a second attempt to reach Temesvár. He was confronted by the Hungarian nobility at Pančevo
Pancevo
Pančevo is a city and municipality located in the southern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina, 15 km northeast from Belgrade. In 2002, the city had a total population of 77,087, while municipality of Pančevo had 127,162 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the South Banat...
. He suffered an utter defeat and barely escaped in a small boat. The Hungarians chased him to valley on the opposite bank of the Nadela
Nadela
The Nadela or Nadel is a system of canals and rivers in northern Serbia, a 81 km-long right tributary to the Danube in the Banat region of the Vojvodina province.-Course:...
where they released all the previously captured Hungarian prisoners and also took 250 Ottoman captives.
In 1478 he joined Ömer Bey Turahanoğlu when he attacked Venetian possessions.
In 1479 Ali Bey launched his biggest attack on the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. He led his army over the Szászsebes region, pillaged Gyulafehérvár, but was stopped by Pál Kinizsi
Pál Kinizsi
Pál Kinizsi was a Hungarian general, legendary commoner commander in the army of king Matthias Corvinus. He was Comes of Temes since 1484 and Captain General of the Lower Parts of the Kingdom of Hungary...
in the Battle of Breadfield
Battle of Breadfield
The Battle of Breadfield was the most tremendous conflict fought in Transylvania up to that time in the Hungarian-Turkish Wars taking place on October 13, 1479, on the Breadfield Zsibód near the Maros River...
.
In the end of 1492 Wallachian voivode Vlad Călugărul
Vlad Calugarul
Vlad IV Călugărul, translated as Vlad the Monk, was the pious half-brother of Vlad III , and one of many rulers of Wallachia during the 15th century...
had already warned the Hungarians of a possible Ottoman offensive from Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. In an attempt to dispose the pro-Hungarian voivode Bayezid II
Bayezid II
Bayezid II or Sultân Bayezid-î Velî was the oldest son and successor of Mehmed II, ruling as Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1481 to 1512...
marched through Wallachia to enter into Hungary. They passed through the Rotenturm passage and trun to inner Transylvania along the Olt River
Olt River
The Olt River is a river in Romania. It is the longest river flowing exclusively through Romania. Its source is in the Hăşmaş Mountains of the eastern Carpathian Mountains, near the village Bălan. It flows through the Romanian counties Harghita, Covasna, Braşov, Sibiu, Vâlcea and Olt...
. At the time the region lacked a legitime voivode, but the vice-voivode Stephen Telegdy took up the arms and blocked the passage to face the unaware Ottomans on their way back. They manage to recuperate the plunder and captives and caused the Ottoman forces heavy losses (a couple thousand casulties). However after the death of his father Vlad, pro-Ottoman Radu IV the Great replaced him in 1495.