Battle of Grocka

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Grocka
Part of the Ottoman wars in Europe and Ottoman-Habsburg wars
Date July 22, 1739 Location Grocka, Belgrade, in what is now Serbia Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Austria
Commanders
Grand Vizier Silahdar Damat Mehmed Paşa[1]	Marshal Wallis[2]
Strength
100,000[1]	40,000[2] - 56,000[1]
Casualties and losses
Unknown	3,000[1] - 7,000[2]

v • d • e Ottoman-Habsburg wars 1st Mohács – Hungary 1527–28 – Balkans 1529 – 1st Vienna – Little War – Kőszeg – Tunis – Osijek – Preveza – Hungary 1543 – Eger – Malta – Szigetvár – Lepanto – Thirteen Years' War – Keresztes – Saint Gotthard – 2nd Vienna – 2nd Mohács – Zenta – Peterwardein – Grocka

The Battle of Grocka was fought between Austria and the Ottoman Empire on July 21 - July 22, 1739, in Grocka, Belgrade.^[3][4] The Turks were victorious and took the city of Belgrade. The battle was part of the Ottoman-Habsburg wars.

Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 3 Consequences 4 References

[edit] Background

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (June 2008)

[edit] Battle

Though greatly outnumbered, the Austrians had direct orders from emperor Charles VI to engage the enemy at the first possible opportunity. On the morning of July 21, the battle commenced, and lasted for the length of the day. The Ottoman forces, better prepared and far outnumbering their opponent, intended to resume fighting the next day, but the Austrians decided to retreat during the night. However, the Ottomans followed them and the next day forced the Austrians to surrender.^[2]

[edit] Consequences

The defeat at Grocka had an enormous psychological impact at the Austrian Court. After a series of resounding victories against the Turks under Eugene of Savoy, a short and victorious campaign was expected again this time. The unexpected defeat made the Austrians eager for peace. The Turkish diplomats took advantage and obtained a very advantageous treaty of Belgrade, in which all Austrian conquests in the Balkans were given back, including Belgrade, with the exception of the Banat.

Austria paid a high price for neglecting to maintain an efficient army and to look for a worthy successor for Eugene of Savoy.
Fieldmarshal Wallis, charged with negligence, was court-martialled and condemned to imprisonment in the castle of Spielberg. He was released three months later, when he was pardoned by the new Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

[edit] References