Carinthian peasant revolt of 1478
Encyclopedia
The Carinthian peasant revolt of 1478 was a peasant revolt
in Carinthia
(present-day Austria
) caused by repeated Ottoman Turkish
raids in Carinthia and increased taxes levied on the peasantry in the region. The revolt was aimed against the ruling nobility that had failed to protect the farmers from attacks by Turkish Akinci
(cavalry
) and was an effort to take the defence of the farmers' homes into their own hands. The revolt was eventually suppressed.
under leadership of one Peter Wunderlich. The farmers organized a 3000-strong army to face the Turkish army that came through the Predil Pass. However, when the 20,000-strong Turkish army of professional akinci cavalry neared, most peasants fled. A small group of some 600 Slovenian peasants and miners chose to make a stand against the Turks and to try to stop them at the Battle of Kokovo
. All 600 men died in the attempt, earning them a place into Slovenian legend. The Turkish army broke through and proceeded to plunder all the way into Upper Carinthia.
The rest of the revolting peasants were accused of treachery and eventually the revolt was suppressed. The leader of the uprising was captured near Gmünd and publicly dismembered in Lendorf
.
Peasant revolt
Peasant, Peasants' or Popular is variously paired with Revolt, Uprising and War and may refer to :*Daze Village Uprising 209 BC*Yellow Turban Rebellion 184...
in Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
(present-day Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
) caused by repeated Ottoman Turkish
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...
raids in Carinthia and increased taxes levied on the peasantry in the region. The revolt was aimed against the ruling nobility that had failed to protect the farmers from attacks by Turkish Akinci
Akinci
Akıncı were irregular light cavalry,scout divisions and advance troops of the Ottoman Empire's military. When the pre-existing Turkish ghazis were incorporated into the Ottoman Empire's military they became known as "akıncı." They were one of the first divisions to face the opposing military and...
(cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
) and was an effort to take the defence of the farmers' homes into their own hands. The revolt was eventually suppressed.
Details
Carinthia saw five Turkish raids into its territory between 1473 and 1483, with lots of plundering and killing at the hands of Turkish cavalry. Because the local nobility had no answer to the large numbers of Turkish cavalry, they moved into their fortified castles, while the clergy fortified it's churches and monasteries and held out there. This left the peasants of Carinthia without any protection. In 1478 the Carinthian Farmer's League (German: Kärntner Bauernbund) was formed in Spittal an der DrauSpittal an der Drau
Spittal an der Drau is located in the western part of the Austrian federal state of Carinthia and the administrative centre of the federal state's second largest district, Spittal an der Drau. It lies between the Lurnfeld area and the Lower Drava Valley. The city consists of the seven...
under leadership of one Peter Wunderlich. The farmers organized a 3000-strong army to face the Turkish army that came through the Predil Pass. However, when the 20,000-strong Turkish army of professional akinci cavalry neared, most peasants fled. A small group of some 600 Slovenian peasants and miners chose to make a stand against the Turks and to try to stop them at the Battle of Kokovo
Battle of Kokovo
The Battle of Kokovo was a battle fought in the fields near the village of Kokovo The Battle of Kokovo was a battle fought in the fields near the village of Kokovo The Battle of Kokovo was a battle fought in the fields near the village of Kokovo (present-day Coccau in Italy (German: Goggau) on 26...
. All 600 men died in the attempt, earning them a place into Slovenian legend. The Turkish army broke through and proceeded to plunder all the way into Upper Carinthia.
The rest of the revolting peasants were accused of treachery and eventually the revolt was suppressed. The leader of the uprising was captured near Gmünd and publicly dismembered in Lendorf
Lendorf
Lendorf is a municipality in the district of Spittal an der Drau in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It consists of the Katastralgemeinden Lendorf and Hühnersberg....
.