Krbava Field, September 1493

This weekend my friend Tom visited and we put the akinji host I have been building to the test visiting late 15th century Croatia to fight out the fateful battle of Krbabva Field.

Krbava Field, September 1493

The fall of the medieval Kingdom of Bosnia in 1463 opened the Kingdom of Croatia to the raids of the akinji as the Ottoman Empire pushed westward. Croatia had been unified with the larger Kingdom of Hungary since the 12th Century and during the 15th century its defence was organised by a Croatian Ban, this being the Hungarian title for the military governors of the Kingdom's outlying territories. Although the Hungarians fought back under the leadership of King Matthias Corvinus the raids continued. 1491 had seen a significant Croatian victory when a raid of around 10,000 akinji under Mihaloğlu Hasan Bey, was caught by an army led by the Croatian Ban Ladislav of Egervár and Count Bernardin Frankopan who heavily defeated the Ottoman raiders at the Battle of Vrpile.

The defeat a Vrpile did not prevent the akniji raids and in 1493 the Sanjakbey of Bosnia, Hadım Yakup Pasha, led a similar sized army of around 8,000 light horse to attack Jajce (Jajce was constantly under attack from the Ottomans in this period, see https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2024/04/because-without-that-nothing-is-done.html). Unable to take the fortress Yakup Pasha raided into central Slavonia and Styria. Whilst this attack was taking place internal division plagued the forces defending the border against such raids. Count Hans Frankopan of Brinje and Count Charles Kurjaković of Krbava had risen up against the Hungarian King, Vladislaus II Jagiellon, in an attempt to recapture towns and castles that his predecessor, Matthias Corvinus, had confiscated. Hans Frankopan aimed to recapture castles in the County of Vinodol and the city of Senj whilst Charles Kurjaković looked to recover the town of Obrovac. In response to the rebels besieging Senj King Vladislaus sent the newly appointed ban of Croatia, Emerik Derenčin, and János Both of Bayna to lift the siege. On the arrival of Derenčin and János Both the rebels retreated to Sokolac castle where János Both was shot and killed in the fighting. Hearing that the Ottomans had raided and plundered around Modruš castle Emerik Derenčin offered to make peace with the rebels if they would join him to unite against the akinji. Most of the Croatian nobility in the rebel army accepted the offer although the two leaders, Hans Frankopan and Charles Kurjaković declined the offer, with continued suspicion lingering over the fact that Hans Frankopan may have asked the Ottomans to join in him his campaign against the Hungarian king.

Battle of Krbava Field, Leonhard Beck c.1514-16, from Maximilian I's "Der Weisskunig"

Comprised of maybe 3,000 cavalry and 8,000 infantry the Croatian army was larger than the Ottoman raiding party. Part of the infantry force was made of local peasant militias with little military experience. As he approached the Croatians Yakup Pasha initiated negotiations for free passage back to Ottoman Bosnia, even offering to pay a ransom, but refused to hand over the prisoners he had taken in Slavonia and Styria. On the failure of these negotiations it was clear an engagement would take place. Later sources state that as the Croatians prepared to attack the Ottomans the nobleman, Ivan Frankopan Cetinski, argued that they should ambush the akinji in the passes before they reached Krbava but Ban Emerik Derenčin, perhaps over confident following the Croatian victory two years previously at Vrpile, was determined that they should meet the Ottomans in the open. That such a dispute took place may be apocryphal, but with Derenčin being in supreme command his opinion won out and the Croatians gathered in the plain below the fortified town of Udbina, known as Krbava Field.

At Vrpile the akinji had been caught whilst burdened with their prisoners and loot. To ensure this was not repeated, before engaging at Krbava, Hadım Yakup Pasha ordered that all of the prisoners they had taken were to be executed. Yakup Pasha also sent around 3,000 of his horsemen to outflank the Croatian position and prepare an ambush from a forest on the edge of Krbava Field. In preparation to meet the Ottomans the Croatians divided their army into three battles of cavalry and infantry and deployed on the slightly higher ground to the east of Krbava Field. The Croatian right was under the army leader, Ban Emerik Derenčin, and Franjo Berislavić, the centre was commanded by Ivan Frankopan Cetinski, whilst the left wing was commanded by Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan, however some accounts have Ban Emerik Derenčin commanding the centre. To face them Yakup Pasha also divided his force into three sections of which he commanded the centre whilst the Sanjakbey of Kruševac, Ismail Bey, commanded the right, and the Sanjakbey of Skopje, Mehmed Bey, commanded the left.

The battle began on the morning of 9 September with Ismail Bey and the Ottoman right wing launching the initial attack which triggered the Croatian army to leave the higher ground and advance on the akinji. The accounts on both sides claim this was a fiercely fought battle where bows were put to little use, to quote from Borislav Grgin's "Preceeding the Triplex Confinimum– The Battle of Krbava Field, September 9th, 1493": "As regards to the weapons that both armies used in the conflict, the Christian and the Ottoman sources agree on the predominance of cold weapons, particularly swords and lances (according to Nin bishop Juraj Divnić, Sa’d-ud-din and other Ottoman authors)". This is surprising considering that one of the armies was comprised entirely of lightly armed cavalry who were expert at using bows on horseback! The Ottomans were initially pushed back until the ambush from the forest was sprung resulting in the Croatian army being completely surrounded.  Being attacked from all sides the Croatians suffered a heavy defeat. Whilst some of the nobility were taken prisoner many of the infantry were slaughtered with perhaps as many as 7,000 being killed. Of the Croatian commanders Ivan Frankopan Cetinski was killed whilst Emerik Derenčin and Nikola VI Frankopan were captured. Bernardin Frankopan and Franjo Berislavić  managed to fight their way out of the encirlcement and escape. Derenčin, whose brother and son had been killed in the battle, would die in captivity whilst Nikola VI Frankopan was later ransomed.

The armies arrayed on Krbava Field. In the top right corner is the Ottoman right under Ismail Bey, Sanjakbey of Kruševac. The Ottoman centre is led by Hadım Yakup Pasha, Sanjakbey of Bosnia and the Ottoman left is commanded by Mehmed Bey, Sanjakbey of Skopje. In the top left corner is the Croatian left under Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan, in the centre left is the Croatian centre under Ivan Frankopan Cetinski and in the bottom left is the Croatian right under the Ban of Croatia, Emerik Derenčin, and Franjo Berislavić.

Scenario

As always the game was played using our modified Renaissance Rampant version of Lion Rampant. Each player took command of three retinues which were deployed in three blocks in the positions that followed the historical battle. So the akinji deployed with Hadım Yakup Pasha in the centre, Ismail Bey on the right flank and Mehmed Bey on the left flank. For the Croatians we assumed Ban Emerik Derenčin took the right flank and then had Ivan Frankopan Cetinski in the centre and Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopanon on the left flank. Each battle had to be deployed at least 6" away from the other battles and could be up to 12" from the table edge (see the photo above).

The Croatians deployed on the higher ground but this had no effect on the rules in the game.

The Ottoman army of akinji did not deploy all of their retinues as six units would arrive later in the game as part of the ambush.

The Ambush

Once (or if) the akinji player had lost six units of akinji or Balkan cavalry on the following turn he would roll a D6. On a 6 he could then bring on these six units, two being assigned to each retinue. On the following a turn a 5+ would bring them on, and the turn after that a 4+ and so on. Once the roll had been made to bring them on the akinji player would then roll another D6. 1-2 would mean the ambush came from the table edge to the Croatian right, 3-4 would mean it came from behind the Croatian army and 5-6 would mean it came from the table edge on the Croatian left flank.

The akinji player could bring the units on as part of the turn of the retinue they were assigned to. The ambushing units could arrive via a move, skirmish or attack activations. If they failed a move activation they did not come onto the table that turn however if they failed a skirmish or attack activation the unit would be placed 3" from the place they would have arrived from and the turn ended.

A view from behind the Ottoman left battle. Mehmed Bey, Sanjakbey of Skopje, is in the foreground whilst the overall Croatian Commander Emerik Derenčin and Franjo Berislavić's battle can be seen in the distance. 

A view from the Ottoman centre showing the Ottoman overall commander, Hadım Yakup Pasha, Sanjakbey of Bosnia. Opposing him is the Croatian centre under Ivan Frankopan Cetinski, a veteran of the Croatian victory at Vrpile two years before.

The Ottoman right battle under Ismail Bey, Sanjakbey of Kruševac. Ismail Bey's battle slightly outflanks that of Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan who oppose him on the Croatian left.

Turn sequence

To further add to the confusion the order in which the retinues acted would change each turn. Each retinue, the three Croatian and three akinji, was represented by a coloured dice. The six dice were placed in a bag. Each turn a dice was taken from the bag and the retinue whose dice was drawn would then act. This was done for all six retinues every turn. If a retinue was wiped out its dice was removed from the bag.

Victory

The game ended once one side had it's three retinue leaders killed or routed. If this happened on the same turn then the result would be considered a draw.

A view down the Croatian lines from their left wing.

A view from the other side of the Croatian lines. The banners of  Emerik Derenčin and Franjo Berislavić can be seen in the top left of the photo.

The Armies

Tom chose to take command of the akinji host, under Hadım Yakup Pasha, so I took command of the Croatian army under Emerik Derenčin.

Hadım Yakup Pasha, Sanjakbey of Bosnia, and the Akinji Host

Hadım Yakup Pasha, Sanjakbey of Bosnia, and the Ottoman Centre Battle

1 Unit of Delis (Unit contains Retinue leader- Hadım Yakup Pasha)

3 Units of Balkan Cavalry                                                                                    

2 Units of Akinji                                                                                                      

In the ambushing force :
2 Units of Akinji/Balkan Cavalry (see rules above)                                 

Ismail Bey, Sanjakbey of Kruševac's Ottoman Right Battle

1 Unit of Balkan Cavalry (Unit contains Retinue leader - Ismail Bey)

5 Units of Akinji                                                                                                    

In the ambushing force:
2 Units of Akinji/Balkan Cavalry (see rules above)                                

Mehmed Bey, Sanjakbey of Skopje's Ottoman Left Battle

1 Unit of Delis (Unit contains Retinue leader- Mehmed Bey)

2 Units of Balkan Cavalry                                                                                   

3 Units of Akinji 
                                                                                                    

In the ambushing force:
2 Units of Akinji/Balkan Cavalry (see rules above)                

The Army of Croatia

Ban Emerik Derenčin, Franjo Berislavić and the Croatian Right Battle

1 Unit of Men at Arms (Unit contains retinue leader -  Emerik Derenčin and also Franjo Berislavić ) 

2 Units of Hussars

1 Unit of Pavise Handgun Infantry

1 Unit of Pavise Crossbow Infantry

1 Unit of Armoured Eastern Infantry

1 Unit of Peasant Infantry

Ivan Frankopan Cetinski and the Croatian Centre Battle

1 Unit of Men at Arms (Unit contains retinue leader - Ivan Frankopan Cetinski )

1 Unit of Hussars

1 Unit of Croatian Light Cavalry

1 Unit of Croatian Horse Archers

1 Unit of Balkan Archers

1 Unit of Pavise Handgun Infantry

2 Units of Peasant Infantry

Nikola VI Frankopan, Bernardin Frankopan and the Croatian Left Battle

1 Unit of Men at Arms (Unit contains retinue leader - Nikola VI Frankopan and also Bernardin Frankopan)

1 Unit of Hussars

1 Unit of Croatian Light Cavalry

1 Unit of Balkan Archers

1 Unit of Pavise Crossbow Infantry

1 Unit of Armoured Eastern Infantry

2 Units of Peasant Infantry

As you will see from the photos this was a fairly big game with a lot going on. We had 178 cavalry figures on the table at the start of the game, with another 24 being "recycled" and arriving later as part of the Ottoman ambush. A brief summary follows and the captions under the photos help to tale the tale of the bloody battle of Krbava Field!

The akinji swarm forward across Krbava Field.

Croatian light cavalry skirmish with the akinji.

The whole of the Ottoman army advances whilst on the Croatian right Ban Emerik Derenčin orders his men to advance onto the plain and drive the akinji back.

Skirmishes take place on the Croatian right whilst...

...on the Croatian left flank the troops under - Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan remain in position. Have these two Frankopans perhaps made a deal with the Ottomans?

Hussars and crossbowmen protected by pavises advance onto the plain.

A view down the battlefield from the Croatian right. As the Croatian right battle advances the Ottomans pull back whilst the Croatian left flank refuses to advance. The Ottomans launch a hail of arrows at the stationary troops on the Croatian left flank.

The Croatians advance on the right and in the centre.

With the thunder of kettle drums the Sanjakbey of Bosnia, Hadım Yakup Pasha, gave the signal to attack and the akinji charged forward launching themselves at the three Croatian battles that held the higher ground. A hail of arrows fell upon the Croatian lines and the light horse of the Croatian centre, under Ivan Frankopan Cetinski, rode forward to skirmish with the attacking Ottoman raiders. At the same time on the Croatian right Emerik Derenčin and Franjo Berislavić ordered their men to advance and meet the Ottomans on the plain.

As Derenčin and Berislavić's men pushed forward their handguns and crossbows drove the akinji back as did the threat of their fearsome hussars who were readying themselves for a charge into the akinji host. In support of the bold advance to their right the Croatian centre also began to push forward. On the Croatian left flank things looked very different with the men under the command of Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan coming under a continuous rain of arrows from the akinji and being unwilling to advance. Some of their best troops were the first to break and run as the Ottoman raiders made hit and run attacks on their lines.

The akinji of Ismail Bey attack the Croatian left battle.

From the centre of the Ottoman lines, protected by his bodyguard of Delis, Hadım Yakup Pasha watches the battle develop.

Mehmed Bey commands the Ottoman left which is being pushed back by a Croatian advance.

Hadım Yakup Pasha can see that pressure is being put on his left flank.

The Croatian left remains stationary.

Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan are yet to move. Their men at arms and hussars refuse to react to the attacks launched by the akinji.

The first melees take place as hussars from the battle of Emerik Derenčin attack the akinji on the Ottoman left.

A view of the battlefield as the hussars lead a charge against the Ottomans.

The Croatian left remains motionless under a hail of arrows from Ismail Bey's akinji.

Mehmed Bey is threatened as the Croatians under Ban Emerik Derenčin and Franjo Berislavić advance. 

A view of the field as the Croatian right battle drives back the Ottoman left.

More hussars charge into the field...

...and drive the akinji back.

Under pressure from the Croatian right Mehmed Bey, Sanjakbey of Skopje, flees the battlefield.

Being no strangers to running battles with akinji it was the hussars of the Croatian right and centre battles who were the first to charge and engage in hand to hand with the raiders. Across Krbava Field fierce clashes took place and the Ottoman left and centre battles were both driven back by the ferocity of the hussar charges. Both the commander of the Ottoman left battle, Mehmed Bey, and their central commander, Hadım Yakup Pasha were forced to move towards their own right flank in order to avoid being targeted and caught by the deadly hussars.

As the akinji were driven back the Croatian right, having dispersed the cavalry it had faced initially, swung around. With the Croatians on his heels, the Sanjakbey of Skopje, Mehmed Bey, fled the field and the Ottoman left battle was broken. In an attempt to roll up the Ottoman army Emerik Derenčin drove his men forward hoping to outflank Yakup Pasha's army and drive it from the field.

Having destroyed the Ottoman left battle, the Croatian right under the overall Croatian commander, Ban Emerik Derenčin, wheels around to put pressure on the Ottoman centre battle.

The Ottomans are being driven further and further into a corner of the field.

Suddenly the ambush is sprung and, to their horror, the Croatians are attacked in the rear!

Akinji and a host of other Balkan cavalry surge out of the tree line and attack the Croatian army from behind.

In the Croatian centre Ivan Frankopan Cetinski's troops have charged into Krbava Field sensing victory only to realise that more akinji have appeared behind them.

On the Croatian left both Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan are slain in the ambush...

...whilst in the centre of the field Ivan Frankopan Cetinski is also attacked.

Just as it looked as though the Ottomans would be swept from Krbava Field a cry of alarm went up in the ranks of the Croatian left battle. This battle had still failed to move, instead remaining static, its troops being picked off by the confident Ottoman right battle commanded by the Sanjakbey of Kruševac, Ismail Bey. Now the Croatian left found itself being attacked from the behind as the Ottoman ambush was sprung and yet more akinji charged from the surrounding forest hitting the Croatian left battle in the rear.

Savage hand to hand fighting took place as the infantry of the Croatian left attempted to drive off the akinji. Both of the commanders of the left battle, Nikola VI Frankopan and Bernardin Frankopan charged into the melee hoping to prevent their troops from breaking. The Frankopan nobility slew many of the akinji but disaster struck when Bernardin Frankopan was unhorsed and slain to be quickly followed by Nikola VI Frankopan who was killed moments later. With a group of crossbowmen making a last stand behind their pavises the Croatian left wing had been broken.

The Croatian right battle is the only part of the Croatian army that remains organised and in formation.

The Ottoman overall commander, Hadım Yakup Pasha, and the commander of the Ottoman right, Ismail Bey, both remain close to the forest watching to see what happens now that the ambush has been sprung.

Cursing the Ottoman's for their trickery Ivan Frankopan Cetinski fights his way towards Hadım Yakup Pasha. 

Meanwhile Emerik Derenčin and Franjo Berislavić charge the ambushing akinji with their men at arms in an attempt to break out of the encirclement. 

With the Ottoman horsemen now swarming all around the Croatian nobles realised they had to strike at the remaining Sanjakbeys, Hadım Yakup Pasha and Ismail Bey or else they themselves would be surrounded and defeated. Being positioned in the centre of the field Ivan Frankopan Cetinski spurred his men at arms forward, charging down the skirmishing akinji and Balkan horsemen in an attempt to reach the Ottoman commander, Yakup Pasha. The Sanjakbey of Bosnia rode forward to meet Cetinski and in a one on one duel Cetinski was slain by Hadım Yakup Pasha. Had the tide of the battle turned completely?

The Croatian right battle had remained in good order up until the Ottoman ambush when it too found itself attacked from the behind. Ban Emerik Derenčin and Franjo Berislavić led their men at arms in a series of charges against the ambushing akinji but the Ottoman cavalry now had the numerical advantage. Sensing all was lost Berislavić and Derenčin fled. With only one Ottoman commander having fled and all of the Croatians nobles routed or slain Krbava Field belonged to the Ottomans.

Ivan Frankopan Cetinski  makes his way to Hadım Yakup Pasha and the two men engage in a one on one combat. Cetinski is slain leaving the Sanjakbey of Bosnia victorious.

Moments later both Emerik Derenčin and Franjo Berislavić flee as the Croatian right battle crumbles. The battle of Krbava Field is over and the Ottoman ambush has won them the day.

Hopefully the account above will give some idea of what a tense and close game this was. As the Croatian player I knew that at some point the ambush would be sprung, but I did not know exactly when it would be or exactly where it would be coming from. At one point it looked like I would sweep the Ottoman army from the field but Tom did a great job of preventing me from doing this, although I did curse the commanders of the Croatian left battle who simply refused to move. I swear they had made an alliance with the Ottomans before the battle!

The random turn sequence dictated by the dice bag also added to the tension and chaos of the game along with the failed activations, a classic feature of Lion Rampant that can lead to some very dramatic shifts of fortune. It was a lot of fun and we were completely engrossed in the cut and thrust of the fighting. Before this game we had wondered if an army made entirely of skirmishing light cavalry could win a battle and we have the answer. It was a closely fought game that ended with a very similar outcome to the historical battle. At some point we will revisit this theatre and game the 1491 Battle of Vrpile, especially if I can find suitable figures to represent some of the thousands of prisoners the Ottomans had taken. That could definitely be made into an interesting scenario.