The Siege of Belgrade, 1521

At the end of last month my friend Tom visited and we gamed a scenario set during the siege of Belgrade in the summer of 1521. It turned out to be quite a clash as the tide of battle swung back and forth before the walls of the city. 

The Siege of Belgrade, 1521

When the Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, and his army headed west in May 1521 it seemed unlikely that Belgrade was the target. The new and inexperienced Sultan probably had a deep strike into Hungary in mind whilst his more experienced advisers explained to him that the key fortresses on the Kingdom's southern borders would first need to be taken. When the Ottoman host had assembled at Sofia, Hain Ahmed Pasha, the beylerbey of Rumelia,  argued for an attack on Šabac  whilst the grand vezir, Piri Mehmed Pasha, argued for an attempt to take Belgrade. A compromise was reached with Hain Ahmed Pasha, followed by the Sultan, heading for Šabac with the Rumelian contingent and Piri Mehmed Pasha taking a force of janissaries and irregular troops to blockade Belgrade. At the same time forces of akinji also crossed the border at different points to disrupt the Hungarian defence. This had the desired effect and the Hungarian King Louis II's forces were stretched, his situation being worsened by a lack of funds.

On 3 July 1521 the first Ottomans arrived outside Belgrade whilst days later Hain Ahmed Pasha's forces took the castle of Šabac, possibly during the first assault. Belgrade was under the command of two Bans (the Hungarian title for the military governors of the Kingdom's outlying territories)  Ferenc Hédervári and Bálint Török, but they did not have a surrounding territory from which to raise troops to defend the city. This was a different situation from the famous 1456 siege when János Hunyadi had been in control of the entire border. Following disputes over the payment of troops the two Bans attempted to reach Belgrade but were prevented from doing so by the Ottoman blockade. This left Belgrade in command of two deputy Bans, Balázs Oláh and Mihály Móré, with a force of under 1,000 veteran troops who were reported as being low on gunpowder and supplies.

Having taken Šabac Suleiman told Piri Mehmed Pasha to abandon the blockade of Belgrade and rejoin the main army but the grand vezir ignored this command. Instead he ordered his forces to assault and storm the nearby castle of Zemun, garrisoned by around 350 men. This prevented the Hungarians from using it as a base to relieve Belgrade or disrupt Ottoman progress. Again the Sultan ordered the grand vezir to rejoin the main Ottoman army but Suleiman's plans were suddenly changed when his camp was put at risk by the flooding of the Sava river. It seems rather than taking Šabac or Belgrade the Sultan's true objective may have been to provoke the Hungarian King Louis II into sending a relief force which he could defeat in battle. This would explain why Suleiman was keen for Piri Mehmed Pasha  to abandon Belgrade and rejoin the main army. Louis II, who turned 15 on 1 July 1521, had left Buda in mid July but was struggling to raise sufficient troops due to his dire financial situation and lack of experience. When it became clear to Suleiman that the Hungarians were not about to send a relief army he led the main Ottoman force to Belgrade, arriving on 1 August.

Belgrade was bombarded from both the river and land sides. Attempts were made to undermine the walls but these were stopped by the countermining of the defenders. Initially the garrison had been successful in sallying out of the city to attack the Ottoman guns. During one of these sorties they captured a large Ottoman gun that was drawn by 30 horses. The arrival of the main Ottoman army and the Sultan in August changed the situation but despite numerous assaults the Ottomans were unable to breach the defences. Piri Mehmed Pasha and the troops of Mustafa Pasha, sanjak of Bosnia, held the landward sides accompanied by large numbers of janissaries whilst Hain Ahmed Pasha, now returned from his success at Šabac, and the Sultan were located closer to Zemun. To aid the communication between the Ottoman contingents a pontoon bridge was built across the Sava.

On the 8 August an assault was launched on the city from three sides. The walls had been breached in numerous places whilst the flooding of the Sava and Danube rivers had decreased to such an extent that the Ottoman troops could cross on boats and then position themselves on the river banks beneath the city walls. This attack on the riverbanks allowed the Ottomans to successfully storm the breaches in the wall along the Sava whilst the janissaries took the eastern and south-eastern gates. The city fell leaving only the fortress to the defenders and retreating Serbs. 

As they moved into the city the Ottomans built new gun batteries facing the citadel. Cannon were hauled up into the tower of a Franciscan church that was of a similar height to the fortress. At the same time new mines were dug under the citadel's towers in an attempt to topple them. Despite these efforts assaults on 16 and 26 August were successfully repelled. On 27 August a mine brought down the "Nebojsa tower" which critically weakened the citadel and an immediate assault was launched which left 72 defenders under the leadership of deputy ban Balázs Oláh who was suffering from an arrow wound. On 28 August Oláh and his surviving men surrendered, initially being cared for and their lives spared. It seems Oláh was later murdered under the instructions of one of the regional commanders, Malkoçoğlu Bali Bey, with whom there may have been scores to settle. The raids and counter raids of this era led to complicated loyalties and connections between the commanders of the opposing sides. The surviving Serbian population of Belgrade were rehomed in Istanbul whilst, having garrisoned the city, Suleiman led his main army back to his capital on 18 September 1521. Suleiman would of course return to his western border with even greater consequences in the coming years.

Near contemporary image of the Siege of Belgrade in 1521 showing Ottoman rowing boats controlling the Sava and Danube rivers.

Another very similar depiction of the 1521 Siege of Belgrade from the first half of the 16th Century.

A view of the table. The defending Hungarians can emerge from the two sally ports, which can be seen in the towers at the top right of the photo, and the main gate which is between the two round tiled towers on the right. The two Ottoman gun batteries can be seen on the left along with a section of the river at the top left.

Scenario

The game was set after grand vezir, Piri Mehmed Pasha, had arrived at Belgrade but before the arrival of the Sultan and Hain Ahmed Pasha and centered around a sally from the defenders as they attempted to destroy two of the gun batteries of Piri Mehmed Pasha. The aim of the Hungarian defenders was to destroy the gun batteries whilst the Ottomans could counter attack the sally and try to storm the walls and plant their flags on them.

As normal we used our adapted Lion Rampant rules for the game. Each army was comprised of two retinues, which could act independently.

Deployment

Hungarian defenders

The Hungarian defenders started the game by issuing out of the town walls. Their forces arrived via move activations from the main gate or from either of the two sally ports (see the photo above). Before the start of the game the Hungarian player wrote down which of his units would arrive from which of the gates. The units then had to arrive from that gate when activated. 

The Hungarian defenders could only arrive via move activations, they could not skirmish, attack or shoot on their first turn.

Ottomans

At the start of the game the gun batteries were be deployed as objectives (see the photo above) and the Ottoman player could place 2 other units on the table as defenders of the gun positions. Most of the Ottoman force would arrive from behind the gun batteries but some units would land in boats from the river. At the start of the game the Ottoman player wrote down which units would arrive via boat, up to 3 units could be carried in each of the two boats that would land. At least one unit had to be placed in each of the boats, so from 2 to 6 Ottoman units could arrive from the river.

The units arriving from land could only arrive via move activations, they could not skirmish, attack or shoot on their first turn. No Ottoman units could arrive until at least one Hungarian unit had moved from the walls.

To bring the boats on the Ottoman player had to roll a 5-6 on a D6 at the start of their turn. He could choose to bring them both on together or separately declaring if he was rolling for both or for only one arrival before he made the roll. If a 5-6 was rolled the boat(s) were placed on the board. The following turn the boat(s) could land anywhere on the shore and the units within could attempt any activation they were capable of out of the boat(s) - moving, shooting, skirmishing or attacking. If a unit activating from a boat failed its activation it was placed on the shore and that retinue's turn ended. The two boats could land at different points of the shore.

The guns of Belgrade and the Ottoman besiegers

Both sides in the game had support from either the cannon in their towers in the case of the defenders or from their gun batteries in the case of the Ottoman attackers. Both players started the game with 5 playing cards. Every turn each played a card and the player who played the highest would get artillery support. The player placed a template and decided where he wanted the shot to land. This could be anywhere on the board. He then rolled a scatter dice and 2D6. The shot deviated by that amount and the template was then placed. Any unit with a base under the template took a 6 dice attack hitting on 5+ with a minus one to armour. Units in the boats that had not yet landed could not be hit. We would then replace the played cards and take another to add to our remaining 4 cards ready for the next round. When the deck ran out all cards were replaced and a new 5 cards taken.

Destroying the Ottoman gun batteries

To destroy a gun battery the Hungarians had to have at least one base from a unit in contact with it at the start of their activation phase. As an ordered activation, they could use that unit to try to destroy the objective (instead of Moving, Attacking, or Shooting). If there were 7 or more models in the unit the battery was destroyed on a roll of 8+ on 2D6; if there were 6 or fewer models in the unit the battery was destroyed on a roll of 9+ on 2D6.

Storming the Walls

The Ottoman player could give 4 of his units ladders to assault the walls. Units within boats could be given ladders but the 2 units that started on the table as guards could not be given ladders. The ladders were placed by the units to represent this. The units carrying ladders could move, shoot and attack as normal. If the unit was broken or destroyed it would loose the ladder. To pick up the ladder an Ottoman unit needed to move into contact with it and next turn it was considered to be carrying the ladder. Hungarian units could not pick up the ladders.

The Ottoman units carrying ladders could storm the walls to plant the Crescent flag of the Ottomans! They did this by moving into contact with the walls. They could not storm the towers. On the following turn a successful attack activation by the unit would mean they had stormed the walls with ladders but the unit then had to roll a D6. On a 1-2 the unit took D6 casualties in the attack. On a 3-4 D3 casualties and on a 5-6 no casualties. The unit could then act as normal but could not place another flag on the walls. Once a ladder had been used to storm the walls it could not be reused.

The breach could also be stormed in exactly the same way although any unit could storm the breach, a ladder was not required. Only one unit could successfully take the breach and if it did so the result was the same as if a flag were planted on the walls.

Victory

Victory was based on victory points at the end of the game. Once all retinues had lost half their points or over or if all the retinue leaders of both sides were killed or routed the game would end.

The victory points were awarded  as follows:

Hungarians:

1 point for every enemy unit killed or routed.

5 points for each of the gun batteries destroyed.

3 points if Piri Mehmed Pasha was killed or routed.

2 points if Mustafa Pasha was killed or routed.

Ottomans:

1 point for every enemy unit killed or routed.

2 points for every flag planted on the walls or if the breach was stormed.

3 points if Balázs Oláh was killed or routed.

2 points if Mihály Móré was killed or routed.

The Ottoman gun battery that has managed to breach the walls of Belgrade is protected by a unit of janissary handgunners...

...whilst the Ottoman battery on the river bank is protected by a unit of janissary archers.

The Armies

Tom chose to command the defenders of Belgrade under Balázs Oláh and Mihály Móré and I took command of the Ottoman janissaries and irregulars under grand vezir, Piri Mehmed Pasha and the Sanjak of Bosnia, Mustafa Pasha.

The Ottomans

Grand Vezir, Piri Mehmed Pasha

1 Ottoman Captain (Piri Mehmed Pasha - retinue leader, same rules as the Janissary Agha) 

3 Units of Zirhli Nefer  

1 Unit of Janissary Arquebusiers

2 Units of Janissary Infantry 

3 Units of Janissary Archers

Sanjak of Bosnia, Mustafa Pasha

1 Ottoman Captain (Mustafa Pasha - retinue leader, same rules as the Janissary Agha) 

1 Unit of Janissary Archers 

2 Units of Janissary Infantry 

1 Unit of Voynuks 

3 Units of Azab Archers 

1 Unit of Azab Handgunners 

4 Units of Azabs

The defenders of Belgrade

Balázs Oláh 

1 Unit of Foot Knights (Balázs Oláh -retinue leader)

1 Unit of Foot Knights

2 Units of Pavise/Arquebus Infantry

1 Unit of Levy Pike

1 Unit of Crossbowmen

3 Units of Halberdiers

Mihály Móré

1 Unit of Foot Knights (Mihály Móré -retinue leader)

1 Unit of Serbian Heavy Infantry (same as Voynuks)

2 Units of Pavise/Crossbow Infantry

1 Unit of Arquebusiers

2 Units of Hussars

1 Unit of Halberdiers

1 Unit of Levy Pike

A brief account of the game follows but the captions under the photos are also an ideal way to follow the action.

The gates of Belgrade open and Balázs Oláh leads the garrison in an assault on the Ottoman siege works.

More of the garrison emerge from a postern gate.

Within minutes a large force has emerged from within Belgrade's walls and is heading towards the Ottoman guns.

Pikemen and a handful of dismounted men at arms from the garrison join the attack.

The besieging Ottomans are caught off guard as the defenders sally forth!

A view of the table showing the extent of the Hungarian sally.

As the guns from the Ottoman siege works and the walls of Belgrade begin to fire more Ottomans are drawn from their camp to defend their gun batteries from the Hungarians.

Balázs Oláh leads the garrison towards the Ottoman siege works.

To the sound of drums the city gates opened and Balázs Oláh led out his small but determined garrison. Two of the postern gates in nearby towers also swung open and yet more troops emerged. They quickly formed up and began descending the slopes heading straight for the siege lines of Piri Mehmed Pasha. The Ottomans in the siege lines opposite were taken completely off guard and reinforcements were slow to arrive. Whilst the guns in the earthworks opened fire and brought down some of the advancing garrison it looked as if the garrison's sortie would be able to quickly overwhelm the Turkish troops in front of them.

Before any help could arrive the janissaries guarding the gun battery on the river bank were put to flight and a troop of the garrison's hussars charged at the battery driving back a force of azab handgunners. The hussars hacked through the siegeworks and managed to attack one of the Ottoman commanders, Mustafa Pasha, sanjak of Bosnia. Mustafa Pasha survived the melee but he had seen enough, he fled the oncoming Hungarians and Belgrade's garrison cheered as they saw his banner disappearing back into the Ottoman camp. 

The garrison of Belgrade have emerged from the city with banners flying and drums beating.

Janissaries rush to defend the guns but also sense this may be a chance to attack the walls at the same time.

The two sides are ready to clash.

The first melee takes place when a unit of hussars charges down some Ottoman handgunners...

...the handgunners are put to flight and the hussars then engage with the Sanjak of Bosnia, Mustafa Pasha.

Mustafa Pasha flees from the battle, an early blow to the morale of the Ottomans.

The garrison quickly defeat the Ottoman defenders of the gun battery on the river bank.

Further along the walls of Belgrade Piri Mehmed Pasha has commanded a force of  janissaries to attack the walls and the breach.

With few men to defend it the gun battery on the river bank was doomed. Halberdiers from the garrison charged the guns, taking a few casualties in the process. The smaller Ottoman guns were quickly manhandled back into the walls of Belgrade, along with any powder or shot that could be found, whilst the larger pieces were spiked and damaged.

Whilst this was taking place along the river further up the walls it was clear the Ottomans had launched a counter attack. Armoured janissaries, the zirhli nefer, rushed forward from Piri Mehmed Pasha's camp, and were followed by more janissaries carrying scaling ladders. They were aiming for a breach in the walls caused by the guns of  the second Ottoman battery over the last few days. Seeing this threat develop Balázs Oláh ordered his men to intercept them. A fierce battle developed in front of the breach as the janissaries clashed with hussars, heavily armoured Serbian troops and pikemen.

A view along the Ottoman siege lines.

The Ottoman gun battery on the river bank is stormed...

...and the guns captured or spiked.

Under the watchful eyes of grand vezir Piri Mehmed Pasha more janissaries rush to the fighting.

Hussars and armoured zirhli nefer clash outside the walls...

...whilst heavily armoured Serbs from the garrison also join the melee.

Patrolling Ottoman troops arrive from the Sava.

A patrolling Ottoman riverboat landed its crew to aid in the fight but this had little effect. The sallying garrison simply swept them aside. Around the breach the Ottomans had more success with the armoured janissaries storming into the breach whilst their comrades scaled the walls with ladders making it onto the city's ramparts. Many janissaries were slain in the fighting but their flags waved from the battlements providing a morale boost for the besieging troops.

The success of the janissaries was short lived as the counter attack had been too weak to really press home any advantage. They were quickly forced back from the breach and the ramparts whilst outside the walls Balázs Oláh and Mihály Móré organised the sallying troops behind a solid wall of pavises. This wall then advanced and pushed back attacks launched by the janissaries and the grand vezir's voynuk auxialiaries.

With Belgrade's garrison distracted by their sally the janissaries make a rush for the breach...

...under both of the garrison captains, Balázs Oláh and Mihály Móré, the garrison wheel around and attempt to stop the janissaries...

...but some of the armoured janissaries successfully storm the breach...

...whilst others scale the walls with ladders and plant their flags on the ramparts of the city!

The fighting continues in front of the main gate...

...as a unit of voynuks is driven back by the garrison.

Both the garrison and the Ottoman's redress their lines.

The garrison has taken heavy casualties...

...and the janissaries launch another attack in an attempt to drive the garrison away from the surviving gun battery.

Further along the walls another river boat arrives with a force of janissaries.

The fighting before the walls of Belgrade swung back and forth as more units arrived from the Ottoman camp and the city's garrison pushed forwards towards the second gun battery. From the city's towers the defenders could see a unit of janissaries heading across the Sava river whilst further along Belgrade's walls fighting broke out as a unit of azabs attacked with scaling ladders only to be driven back with casualties. Sensing his counterattack was failing the grand vezir himself, Piri Mehmed Pasha, entered the fray and took on Balázs Oláh. For a moment it looked as if the garrison could be routed but Balázs Oláh defeated Piri Mehmed Pasha. The Ottoman's had lost both of their commanders.

The final act of the day saw boat of janissaries land only for them to be pushed back in a brief but bloody fight with a unit of the garrison's pikemen who had stayed in reserve to ensure the garrison's retreat was not cut off. Having defeated both of the Ottoman commanders and successfully destroyed one of the gun batteries Balázs Oláh and Mihály Móré led a disciplined withdrawal back to the safety of the city walls. It had been a fierce fight and the garrison had proved defiant. They were not ready to surrender yet.

A second round of fighting begins in the shadow of Belgrade's battered walls.

The janissaries charge the Hungarians but are unable to break them.

More attacks on the walls are made by azabs in the besieging army.

In the chaos outside the walls Piri Mehmed Pasha is defeated by Balázs Oláh and the Ottomans begin to withdraw to their camp.

In the final stage of the engagement the janissaries that landed from the river find their attack blocked by pikemen from the garrison. The janissaries are driven back. Belgrade's garrison returns to the safety of the walls in triumph having destroyed an Ottoman gun battery and bested both of their commanders, Piri Mehmed Pasha and Mustafa Pasha.

This turned out to be an epic game. We played from 10am to just after 7pm with a stop for lunch and a tea break in the afternoon. The final victory point tally was 26 to the Hungarians and 19 to the Ottomans, so a well earnt victory for Tom. He managed to defeat more of my units, killed or routed both of my retinue leaders and destroyed one of the gun batteries. I didn't do badly with the ladders and the breach, in fact I managed to successfully attack the walls with three of the four ladders and got a unit into the breach, but lots of my units fell to the garrisons onslaught!

This was such a fun and absorbing scenario, with lots of different objectives and ways it could have played out. I chose not to commit to the river attack, putting the minimum number of units in the boats, but I wonder how it would've played if I had sent six of my toughest units to attack that section? We have both enjoyed these clashes between the Ottomans and Hungarians and have lots of ideas for other games in this theatre in the future, but I think for our next battle we will have a break from them, possibly returning to the Italian Wars.

Móin na mBrathar, 1510, and Mourne Abbey, 1520

This month started with a visit to Stuart's where we played two games set in early sixteenth century Ireland, based around the battles of Móin na mBrathar, in 1510, and Mourne Abbey, in 1520. Both of these resulted from the Geraldine Earls of Kildare and Desmond clashing with Gaelic Irish Chieftans as they sought to expand their power. On the morning of our second game, the Battle of Mourne Abbey, we visited the ruins of a fortified monastery, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewenny_Priory, which helped to prepare us for the tabletop carnage that followed!

Battle of Móin na mBrathar or the “Battle of Shannon River”, 1510

Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare's most famous victory was in 1504 on the field of Knockdoe where he led an alliance of Anglo-Irish and Gaelic forces to defeat Ulick Fionn Burke, Lord of Clanricarde, and his allies. Although Kildare's power was so great that he was known as the uncrowned king of Ireland he was not always as successful in his campaigns. Allied to Ulick Fionn Burke at Knockdoe was Turlough O'Brien, Lord of Thomond. O'Brien had been expanding his power in Limerick and Tiperrary and by 1506 had constructed a bridge over the Shannon River. Kildare petitioned the English King, Henry VII, for assistance against O'Brien and the Tudor King was briefly tempted to lead an expedition in person.

It was not until 1510 that the Earl of Kildare was ready to act and, as with the Knockdoe campaign he led a large army formed by an alliance of the English of Ireland and Gaelic chiefs. Within his host was the son of the 9th Earl of Desmond, James fitz Maurice FitzGerald as well as Hugh Dubh O'Donnell, the leader of the powerful O'Donnell dynasty of Tyrconnell in Ulster. Kildare destroyed the bridge and camped nearby but O'Brien raised a host which lay very close to Kildare's army that night. The following day as Kildare attempted to return to Limerick his troops were attacked by O'Brien's army with Kildare's force taking heavy losses. The Annals of the Four Masters recorded the events in Gaelic, heaping praise on Hugh O'Donnell as a Gaelic Lord in Kildare's army who fought bravely in the rearguard, a translation of which reads:

"They (Kildares Army) then mustered additional forces; and the Geraldines of Munster, under the conduct of James, son of the Earl of Desmond, and all the other English of Munster, and also Mac Carthy Reagh (Donnell, son of Dermot, who was son of Fineen), Cormac Oge, the son of Cormac, son of Teige, and the English and Irish of Meath and Leinster, then proceeded to Limerick. Turlough, the son of Teige O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, with all his forces, and Mac Namara, the Sil-Aedha, and the Clanrickard, mustered another numerous army to oppose them. The Earl (Kildare) marched with his army through Bealach-na-Fadbaighe and Bealach-na-nGamhna, until he arrived at a wooden bridge, which O'Brien had constructed over the Shannon; and he broke down the bridge, and encamped for the night in the country. O'Brien encamped so near them that they used to hear one another's voices and conversation during the night. On the morrow the Lord Justice (Kildare) marshalled his army, placing the English and Irish of Munster in the van, and the English of Meath and Dublin in the rear. O'Donnell and his small body of troops joined the English of Meath and Dublin in the rear; and they all took the short cut through Moin na m-brathar to Limerick. O'Brien's army attacked the English, and slew the Baron Kent and Barnwall Kircustown, with many other men of distinction not enumerated. The English army escaped by flight, and the army of the O'Briens returned in triumph with great spoils. There was not in either army on that day a man who won more fame for bravery and prowess than O'Donnell, in leading off the rear of the English army."

The O Brien's rebuilt the bridge but it was again destroyed in the 1530s during one of Leonard Grey's campaigns (see http://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2022/08/belahoe-1539.html for more detail on these). Again it was rebuilt and a bridge still exists at the site today by the aptly named village of O'Brien's Bridge, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%27Brien%27s_Bridge.

A view of the table. The FitzGerald army will attempt to travel to the other side, crossing small tributaries of the River Shannon, and reach the safety of Limerick. 

The Earl of Kildare's army is slowed by loot and livestock that have been take during his campaign against the O'Brien.

The Geraldine army, comprised of both Anglo-Irish and Gaelic troops.

Scenario

As always both of our games were played using our adapted Lion Rampant rules. For this scenario each army was broken down into two separate retinues. The FitzGerald retinues started on the table up to 20" from one table edge as if the army was marching towards Limerick. The two retinues had to be placed in two blocks. The Vanguard had to be placed in front of the rearguard which would be closer to the rear edge of the table. Each retinue had two livestock/wagon counters.

The O'Brien player wrote down which of his units was arriving from which table edge at the start of the game. The units could then arrive from the table edge they had been allocated. Units arriving in front or behind the FitzGerald army could arrive via move activations only whilst units arriving on the flanks could attack, shoot or skirmish as well as move. If an attacking, shooting or skirmishing unit failed its activation it was placed at the table edge at the point it would have acted from.

The two retinue leaders in the O'Brien army had to be amongst the the first six units to arrive on the table for the O'Briens.

The Livestock and Wagon counters

The FitzGerald army was carrying loot from its raid in the form of livestock and wagons. At the start of the game these were allotted to four units, two counters in each retinue. These units could move a maximum of 6" per turn and would loose the counter if they were defeated in combat or battered. They could not attack or skirmish but could shoot whilst they had the counter. Units could pick up the "lost" counters by moving into base to base contact with the item. They were then considered to have picked up the counter and could move with it. The counters could be picked up by both FitzGerald or O'Brien units. If a FitzGerald unit reached the edge of the table it was headed for it could either leave the counter, removing it from play, and return to the battle or leave with the counter.

If lost the wagon counters would not move but the livestock would move 2D6 inches in a random direction at the start of every turn. 

Darts and arrows

Every time a ranged unit shot or skirmished if rolling 12 dice and 5 1s were rolled the unit was out of darts or arrows and couldn't shoot anymore. If 6 dice were rolled and 3 1s were rolled then the unit ran out of darts or arrows. An arrow marker was placed by the unit to denote it had ran out.

If a unit that had ran out of darts or arrows could move into base to base contact with a unit of horseboys or the wagons it was considered resupplied and could shoot or skirmish again although it could still run out of ranged weapons again.

Victory Conditions

The aim of the FitzGerald army was to escape the field with their loot whilst the O'Briens had to attempt to stop them. The victory points awarded during the game were based on these objectives.

The FitzGerald Army

4 points for every livestock/wagon counter that was taken to the other end of the table and escaped

2 points for every unit that escaped (not named characters)

4 points if the Earl of Kildare escaped

3 points if Hugh Dubh O'Donnell escaped

3 points if James fitz Maurice FitzGerald escaped

3 points if Turlough O'Brien was slain or routed

The O'Brien Army

1 point for every enemy unit (not named characters) destroyed or routed

3 points for every livestock/wagon counter that was held by O'Brien's army when the game ended

4 points if the Earl of Kildare was slain or routed

2 points if James fitz Maurice FitzGerald or Hugh Dubh O'Donnell were slain or routed

The Earl of Kildare is supported by the son of the 9th Earl of Desmond, James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, who would later be defeated at the Battle of Mourne Abbey in 1520 and...

...Hugh Dubh O'Donnell, the leader of the powerful O'Donnell dynasty of Tyrconnell in Ulster.

The Armies

For this game Stuart took control of the FitzGeralds whilst I plotted the ambush as the O'Briens.

Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare's army

Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare's retinue and the vanguard

1 Unit of Foot Knights (Gerald FitzGerald, Earl of Kildare - retinue leader) 

1 Unit of Galloglass (Unit contains James fitz Maurice FitzGerald)

1 Unit of Shire Billmen

1 Unit of Shire Archers

1 Unit of Kern Shot

2 Units of Anglo Irish Horse (same as Border Horse)

2 Units of Kern

Hugh Dubh O'Donnell's retinue and the rearguard

1 Unit of Galloglass (Hugh Dubh O'Donnell - retinue leader)

1 Unit of Galloglass

1 Unit of Shire Archers

1 Unit of Kern Shot

1 Unit of Horseboys

1 Unit of Household Kern

1 Unit of Kern

2 Units of Irish Noble Cavalry

The O'Brien's

Turlough O'Brien, Lord of Thomond's retinue

1 Unit of Foot Knights (Turlough O'Brien, Lord of Thomond - retinue leader)

3 Units of Galloglass

2 Units of Irish Noble Cavalry

1 Unit of Horseboys

2 Units of Kern

The Macnamara & Claricarde retinue

1 Irish Chieftan - (sames as Galloglass - retinue leader)

2 Units of Galloglass

2 Units of Irish Noble Cavalry

2 Units of Household Kern

3 Units of Kern

The captions under the photos tell the tale of the games but a brief write up also follows.

The FitzGerald army begins to move...

...but is soon attacked from O'Brien, MacNamara and Clanricarde troops.

Galloglass in the employ of O'Brien attempt to ambush some of Kildare's kern but they manage to evade the attack.

Kildare's Anglo-Irish cavalry suffer heavy losses as they guard the flanks of his army.

In the centre of the FitzGerald host the creaghts of cattle are driven forward.

So far the FitzGerald army has been attacked on the flanks but it looks as if O'Brien kern are also blocking the army's path.

As the Earl of Kildare broke camp his army was on high alert. Throughout the night there had been rumours the voices of O'Brien's men could be heard and his scouts reported that a large enemy host was close.  The first attacks came as the FitzGerald army began to move through Móin na mBrathar. Initially it looked as though the O'Briens were simply going to harass Kildare's forces as they marched back to Limerick. Groups of kern appeared on his left flank and skirmished with his horsemen whilst a unit of galloglass charged his right flank to be swiftly dealt with by his vanguard.

It was as the FitzGerald's pushed forward that the true extent of the ambush became apparent. Ahead of them a much larger force of kern could be seen blocking the route to Limerick. On Kildare's left flank the sound of pipes joined with O'Brien, MacNamara and Clanricarde war cries and indicated that a much larger attack was about to take place. The army's kern pushed the cattle herds or creaghts forward but the wagons full of loot were already falling behind as they struggled over the terrain.

The Earl of Kildare and James fitz Maurice FitzGerald debate how to proceed as it is clear they are facing a formidable foe.

O'Brien, MacNamara and Clanricarde kern block the Earl of Kildare's path.

The Earl of Kildare himself has come under attack from the skirmishing kern.

Fighting develops as the Kildare's vanguard attempts to push through the ambush.

A path is cleared by a devastating volley from some of Kildare's arquebusiers.

Turlough O'Brien, Lord of Thomond, leads a force of galloglass and kern into the battle.

A view of the field as O'Brien leads his men forward. He has committed the strongest part of his army to an attack on Kildare's left flank.

The rearguard has suffered during the ambush and O'Brien kern seize some of the FitzGerald loot.

Surrounded on all sides both the Earl of Kildare and James fitz Maurice FitzGerald flee as the vanguard disintegrates.

Skirmishes developed all around the FitzGerald army as MacNamara horsemen attacked from the rear and the Lord of Thomond, Turlough O'Brien, arrived on Kildare's left flank with a powerful contingent of galloglass. Panic set in and the wagons were abandoned whilst Kildare and James fitz Maurice FitzGerald both fell back under attack from O'Brien's kern. Some of the FitzGerald troops fought back successfully, especially the Earl's arquebusiers who fired on the kern blocking the route to Limerick and sent them reeling back. 

It was Hugh Dubh O'Donnell who was the most effective. Both Kildare and then James fitz Maurice FitzGerald fled in panic. O'Donnell, in command of the rearguard, rallied the remaining FitzGerald and O'Donnell troops and pushed forward against the force blockading them. The line of kern O'Brien had deployed to prevent the FitzGerald army from escaping had already suffered at the hands of the arquebusiers and was now completely routed by O'Donnell's men.

The O'Donnell kern skirmished with O'Brien's galloglass on the left flank and, whilst they did suffer from some surprise attacks on the right, they managed to halt the main thrust of the O'Brien attack for long enough to get the first herd of cattle safely through Móin na mBrathar. The celebrations of the O'Briens that had recaptured the wagons were cut short as O'Donnell's men came back to retrieve them. It was a perfectly executed rearguard action. In the face of the ambushing O'Briens, MacNamara's and men of Clanricarde, O'Donnell not only led the remaining FitzGerald and O'Donnell troops to safety but also got all of the cattle and loot through! Turlough O'Brien had not had the great victory he was hoping for. "There was not in either army on that day a man who won more fame for bravery and prowess than O'Donnell, in leading off the rear of the English army."

Attacks are being launched on the FitzGerald army from all sides.

But the path forward is being cleared by troops under the command of Hugh Dubh O'Donnell. 

As the O'Brien army attacks Hugh Dubh O'Donnell defends the cattle with the rearguard.

The O'Donnell kern escape the ambush with some of the cattle.

Hugh Dubh O'Donnell sends kern back to recapture the loot lost in the fighting...

...O'Donnell's kern are successful and...

...with the aid of the horseboys they manage to get all the loot and livestock through the ambush and safely on to Limerick.

Battle of Mourne or Mourne Abbey, 1520

Having been present at the defeat of the Earl of Kildare's army in 1510 James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, became the 10th Earl of Desmond on his father Maurice's death in 1520. The new Earl of Desmond soon faced an alliance of Cormac Oge MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, his uncle Thomas FitzGerald, also known as Thomas the Bald, and another powerful MacCarthy chieftan, Donal MacCarthy Reagh, Prince of Carbery, whose son Cormac MacCarthy Reagh led troops on his father's behalf. Throughout the 15th and into the 16th century the MacCarthys had been enemies of the Earls of Desmond as the MacCarthys sought to claim tribute from parts of Munster over which the Earls ruled. The internecine fighting between the Desmond FitzGeralds meant that James's uncle Thomas found common cause with the MacCarthys allying with them to oppose his nephew.

The Earl of Desmond had a powerful army. In 1490 his father's forces were estimated at 400 horse, eight battles of galloglass (a battle being between 60 to 80 galloglass each with two attendants), one battle of crossbowmen and gunners and 3,000 kern. In 1520 he led his men into Muskerry in an attack on the MacCarthys who called their own troops to arms and met the Earl at Mourne. Different sources have the Battle of Mourne or Mourne Abbey, also known as Cluhar, taking place in 1520, 1521 and 1524 though the evidence seems clear that it took place in September 1520. At this time Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, was Lord Deputy of Ireland (see the second scenario here: https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2021/06/this-was-chaunce-of-warre-lord-maxwells.html) and he wrote on 25 September 1520 to Henry VIII saying a message had come from the Earl of Ormond, that on Friday last the Earl of Desmond was defeated by Cormock Oge,  "It is no great hurt that he is punished, for he has leaned much of late to the counsel of Irishmen, and broken the arrangements lately made at Waterford by my lord of Dublin". The state papers of Henry VIII recorded Desmond's losses as "18 banners of galoglas, which bee comonly in every banner 80 men, and the substance of 24 banners of horsmen, which be 20 under every baner, at the leest, and under some, 30 ,40 and 50" as well as reporting that amongst the dead were "his  kinsman Sir John Fitzgerald, and Sir John of Desmond taken, and his son slain".

Details of what happened during the battle are scant but a 17th century history of the Earls of Desmond entitled "The Rise, Increase, and Exit of the Geraldines, Earls of Desmond, and Persecution After Their Fall" includes a brief account which attributes the victory to a charge led by Desmond's uncle Thomas: "Thomas the Bald, who was captain of the horse, made a furious charge, which disordered the array of his (Desmond's) footmen and thus opened the way for his foes to triumph; whereupon the earl, after having done prodigies of valour against the serried hosts of his enemies, was obliged to abandon the field". As this is from a book about the Earls of Desmond, and Thomas would indeed go on to become the 11th Earl following the death of his nephew in 1529, this is probably more an attempt to glorify them but, who knows, it may reflect what took place. What is clear is that the Earl of Desmond was heavily defeated.

A view of the field of battle. At the top of the photo is the Earl of Desmond's army whilst Cormac Oge MacCarthy's army is at the bottom of the photo. 

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond, and his troops.

Scenario

This game was fought as a pitched battle with both sides deploying opposite one another. The cavalry from each army had to be placed on one or both flanks. The game was be based on victory points and ended either when all the retinues reached half or less points or when all the retinue leaders were killed or routed.

Thomas FitzGerald, also known as Thomas the Bald

Thomas FitzGerald, later to become 11th Earl of Desmond was famed for winning 9 battles. To represent his prowess his Anglo-Irish cavalry unit, which had the same rules as our Border Horse, had armour 3 and "ferocious charge" for the game.

Darts and arrows

The same ammunition rules as in the first game also applied in this.

Victory Points

Victory points would be awarded as follows:

The Desmond FitzGerald Army

1 point for every enemy unit (not a named character) killed or routed

4 points if Cormac Oge MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry was killed or routed

3 points if Thomas the Bald was killed or routed

2 points if Cormac MacCarthy Reagh was killed or routed

The MacCarthy Army

1 point for every enemy unit (not a named character) killed or routed

4 points if James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, Earl of Desmond was killed or routed

3 points if Sir John FitzGerald was killed or routed

The Desmond army deployed next to Mourne Abbey.

The MacCarthy army with Thomas FitzGerald, also known as Thomas the Bald, commanding a powerful wing of cavalry against his nephew the Earl of Desmond.

The Armies

For this game Stuart took command of Cormac Oge MacCarthy, the Lord of Muskerry's army whilst I played as the 10th Earl of Desmond.

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond's Army

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond

1 Unit of Foot Knights (James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, Earl of Desmond - retinue leader)

1 Unit of Shire Archers

2 Units of Kern Shot

2 Units of Galloglass

1 Unit of Horseboys

2 Units of Kern 4 pts

Sir John FitzGerald "his  kinsman"

1 Unit of Garrison Bill (Sir John FitzGerald - retinue leader)

2 Units of Galloglass

2 Units of Irish Noble Cavalry

4 Units of Kern

Cormac Oge MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry's army

Cormac Oge MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry

1 Unit of Foot Knights (Cormac Oge MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry - retinue leader)

4 Units of Galloglass (One unit of Galloglass includes Cormac MacCarthy Reagh)

1 Unit of Horseboys

3 Units of Kern

Thomas FitzGerald, also known as Thomas the Bald

1 Unit of Anglo-Irish Horse  (Border Horse - unit includes Thomas the Bald - retinue leader* see special rules above)

1 Unit of Anglo-Irish Horse (Border Horse)

4 Units of Irish Noble Cavalry

1 Unit of Shire Archers

1 Unit of Kern

A brief description of the action follows.

Kern and cavalry clash in fierce skirmishes as the battle begins.

Arrows, darts and insults fly between the two armies.

A view of the battle as the two forces skirmish with one another.

Cormac Oge MacCarthy's army is pushing forward.

Thomas FitzGerald, the Bald, commands the cavalry wing of the MacCarthy army and is heavily involved in the fighting.

The Desmond war cry of "Shanid Aboo" rises from the Earl's kern.

Some of the Earl of Desmond's Anglo-Irish archers engage with the MacCarthy kern.

As the two armies faced one another in the shadow of Mourne Abbey the cry of "Shanid Aboo" rose from the Earl of Desmond's army. Kern from both sides rushed forward hurling javelins and insults whilst Thomas the Bald, in command of a large force of Gaelic and Anglo-Irish horsemen led an attack on the Earl of Desmond's right wing. The skirmishes between the lines caused many casualties. Thomas the Bald's cavalry charge drove back the Desmond cavalry and kern but he was soon forced to wheel and withdraw his horsemen as galloglass and billmen under the command of Sir John FitzGerald advanced. 

Whilst his cavalry evaded the Desmond counter attack Thomas the Bald was challenged by Sir John FitzGerald and the two FitzGeralds briefly dueled with one another. As they fought Sir John called Thomas a traitor for siding with the MacCarthy's in the conflict. The duel was inconclusive but Sir John FitzGerald was  struck down by an arrow moments later. Thomas could not rally his cavalry force as it fled the charging Desmond infantry and he joined them in the rout abandoning the field.

The Earl of Desmond looks on as his men battle with the troops of MacCarthy and his uncle.

Cormac Oge MacCarthy's Irish cavalry under the command of Thomas the Bald manage to evade some of Desmond's galloglass.

Two FitzGerald's meet hand to hand as Desmond's kinsman, Sir John FitzGerald, takes on Thomas the Bald in personal combat but neither of the two men can land a killing blow and they become separated as the fighting swirls around them. Moments later Sir John is slain by an arrow.

The skirmishing has ended and the galloglass of both armies prepare to earn their pay.

Cormac MacCarthy Reagh leads his men into a bloody melee. 

A view of the field as the final clashes take place.

The Earl of Desmond's galloglass put Thomas the Bald's Anglo-Irish archers to flight...

...whilst the troops of his kinsman, Sir John FitzGerald also fight bravely, despite the fact Sir John FitzGerald has been slain in the chaos.

With the cavalry engagement over it was now time for the galloglass of each army to"cometh to handy blowes". A fierce battle developed as they joined the melee. Cormac MacCarthy Reagh, son of the Prince of Carbery, fought bravely finding himself in the thick of the battle as both the Earl of Desmond and the MacCarthy Lord of Muskerry watched the fight from behind their lines.

Amidst his father's galloglass Cormac MacCarthy Reagh was slain and the two armies broke apart. The day had been a bloody draw with both the Desmond FitzGerald's and the MacCarthy's loosing many men. James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, Earl of Desmond, had the satisfaction of knowing he had sent his uncle, Thomas, fleeing from the battle, but he had lost his kinsmen Sir John FitzGerald and his enemy Cormac Oge MacCarthy, Lord of Muskerry, had not been defeated.

The Earl of Desmond, on the left, looks on as the galloglass "cometh to handy blowes".

In the final stages of the fighting Cormac MacCarthy Reagh, son of the Prince of Carbery, is slain. The battle is over and it has been an inconclusive and very bloody fight.

We really enjoyed these two games. The first was filled with drama. Initially it looked as if my O'Brien ambush was going to quickly overwhelm Stuart's FitzGerald force but far from this happening his second retinue, under the redoubtable Hugh Dubh O'Donnell, came back and won a resounding victory. The praise heaped upon O'Donnell in "The Annals of the Four Masters" was obviously justified! The game ended with 16 victory points to O'Brien and 31 to the Earl of Kildare.

The second game turned out to be a very bloody affair with both sides causing heavy casualties on one another. It started with lots of skirmishing between the kern and cavalry before finally being decided, or perhaps more accurately undecided, by the galloglass. Stuart scored 1 more victory point than me so it was a very slight MacCarthy victory! It was great to be able to explore these little known battles between the English of Ireland and the Gaelic Irish and provided a very different style of 16th century wargame. We will certainly be gaming more battles and skirmishes set in early 16th century Ireland in the future, Knockdoe, 1504, and Knockavoe, 1522, immediately spring to mind.