John Corvinus and the relief of Jajce, November 1501

This weekend my friend Tom visited and we continued our Ottoman Hungarian series of games with another battle set around the beleaguered town of Jajce. Last year we played a game based on one of the town's dramatic rescues from its besiegers that took place in 1502, https://camisado1500s.blogspot.com/2024/04/because-without-that-nothing-is-done.html. For this game we jumped back a year to 1501 for what turned out to be a far more savage tabletop clash!

John Corvinus and the 1501 relief of Jajce

In the late 15th century the town of Jajce, former capital of the Kingdom of Bosnia, played a key role in the defence of Hungary's southern border. Lying at the confluence of the Pliva and Vrbas rivers, in modern day Bosnia-Herzegovina, it was one of a chain of forts that ran from Klis through Knin, Jajce, Srebrenik, Šabac, Zemun, Belgrade, Szentlászlóvár, Orșova and Severin. During the early decades of the 16th century Jajce would come under repeated Ottoman attack with one such attack taking place in September 1501 when the Sanjak-bey of Bosnia, İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu, besieged the town with 12,000 men. The relief attempt fell to the Ban of Croatia, Ban being the Hungarian title for the military governors of the Kingdom's outlying territories. In the autumn of 1501 this position was held by the illegitimate son of Matthias Corvinus, John Corvinus.

Being only 17 when his father died in April 1490 John Corvinus had been duped into relinquishing any possible claim he had to his father's crown on the understanding that he would be made King of Bosnia. Far from being given a Royal title John Corvinus was then pursued by an army led by his father's commanders, Stephen Báthory and Pál Kinizsi, who with the support of John's step mother, Beatrice of Naples, were determined to destroy any claim the young Corvinus had to the Hungarian throne. On 4 July 1490 John Corvinus and his supporters were caught by the army of Báthory and Kinizsi and defeated at the Battle of Bonefield or Bonehill. Following his defeat Corvinus paid homage to the new Hungarian King, Vladislaus II, and by the 1490s was assisting him in the defence of Hungary's southern border as Ban of Croatia. 

In order to face the Ottomans besieging Jajce Corvinus led an army comprised of royal troops under Emerik Cobor, two hundred heavy cavalry, two detachments of infantry sent by Palatine Petar Gereb and contingents of troops from the Croatian noblemen of the Karlovići, Frankopan and Zrinski families. Corvinus led this army towards Jajce reaching the beleaguered town at the start of November 1501. The late 19th early 20th century Croatian Historian Vjekoslav Klaić described the ensuing battle as follows in his "History of the Croats" (translated from Croatian)

"The Turks, however, camped under the city, went to meet the ban and suddenly fell upon him. Surprised by the Turkish onslaught, the ban deployed his troops in a quadrangle and engaged in battle, prepared to either win or die. The battle lasted several hours, and ended with a Christian victory. The Turks were forced to flee, and took refuge in the nearby mountains and gorges. But the ban's troops pursued them, and either killed and captured them, or drove them into a river, where they drowned. Then the ban attacked the Turkish camp, and seized everything he found in it; he sent heavy cannons from it to the city of Jajce. Up to 4,000 Turks were killed in the battle; but there were also about 1,000 dead and wounded from the ban's army."

A view of the table. The Hungarian relief army under John Corvinus, Ban of Croatia, is in the foreground with the Bosnian Ottoman infantry deployed in front of their siege works in the middle of the photo. The Ottoman cavalry under İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu, Sanjak-bey of Bosnia, will attack from one of the sides of the table from turn one onwards. The Ottoman guns that the Hungarians need to reach can be seen on an earthwork in the top centre of the photo, behind the Ottoman infantry.

The Scenario

The game was played across the length of the table as shown in the photo above. At the start of the game the Hungarian army deployed in a square at one end of the table with the infantry in the centre and cavalry in the front and on the wings. At the other end of the table, in front of their siege lines, the Ottoman infantry were deployed. The Ottoman cavalry did not start on the table. As always we used our heavily modified version of Lion Rampant to play the game with each army being divided into two retinues. One of cavalry and one of infantry.

The Ottoman cavalry could enter from turn one. On the first turn they arrived the Ottoman player diced for which side of the table they would arrive from, 1-3 being the Hungarian right and 4-6 the Hungarian left. The Ottoman cavalry could then arrive via move activations from the side of the table that was rolled. The Ottoman cavalry could only enter via the central 48" of the table edge.

Activation Fails

Each turn both players took 5 cards from a deck. Any King, Queen or Jack cards from the 5 they took could be used to get a reroll on an activation fail for that turn for either of their retinues. At the end of the turn all unused cards were put in a discard pile. Once the deck ran out a fresh deck was used for the reroll cards. Any blunders automatically ended the retinue's turn and the King, Queen or Jack cards could not be used to reroll these.

Victory

The Bosnian Ottoman player would win as soon as both of the Hungarian commanders, John Corvinus and Emerik Cobor were killed or routed. The Hungarian player would win as soon as they could move a unit into contact with the Ottoman guns (see the photo below) and they remained in that position for a full turn.

The Bosnian Ottoman siege lines. The Hungarians must reach the Ottoman guns shown above to achieve victory.

War wagons protect the Ottoman guns from sallies by the defenders.

A view from the walls of Jajce as the Hungarian and Croatian relief column arrives behind the Ottoman siege lines.

The Armies

Tom chose to take control of the Hungarians and Croatians under John Corvinus so I took control of the forces of the the Sanjak-bey of Bosnia.

John Corvinus, Ban of Croatia, and the Hungarian relief army

The Cavalry under John Corvinus, Ban of Croatia

2 Units of Men at Arms (One contains John Corvinus, Ban of Croatia - retinue leader)

4 Units of Hussars

4 Units of Balkan Cavalry

The Hungarian Infantry under Emerik Cobor

1 Unit of Foot Knights (Contains Emerik Cobor - retinue leader)

2 Units of Pavise Infantry with Crossbows

2 Units of Pavise Infantry with Arquebuses

2 Units of Balkan Archers

1 Unit of Halberdiers

İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu, Sanjak-bey of Bosnia, and the army of Ottoman Bosnia

İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu, Sanjak-bey of Bosnia, and the Bosnian Ottoman cavalry

2 Units of Delis (One contains İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu, the Sanjak-bey of Bosnia - retinue leader) 

4 Units of Akinji

6 Units of Sipahis

The Bosnian Ottoman infantry

1 Unit of Dismounted Sipahis (contains the retinue leader)

2 Units of Voynuks

1 Unit of Azabs with Handguns

3 Units of Azab Archers

3 Units of Azab Infantry

This was an epic table top clash that took all day to game. A brief write up follows and as always the captions under the photos are a good way to follow the action.

As Corvinus's forces close in on the besieged town the Ottoman infantry begin to skirmish with the Hungarian light cavalry.

The Ottoman cavalry emerge from the woodland onto the Hungarian left.

A fierce cavalry melee develops with Ottoman sipahis and akinji fighting Hungarian and Croatian hussars and light horse.

John Corvinus, under his raven banner, looks on as his hussars attack the Bosnian Ottoman horse.

On the Hungarian right flank the light cavalry skirmish with the Ottoman infantry.

The cavalry melee continues...

...with both sides taking heavy casualties in the running battle.

Hussars and sipahis come to blows on the Hungarian left flank.

Despite coming under sustained attack Corvinus's relief column continues to advance.

The Hussars and sipahis engage in a fight to the death.

An overview of the field as the battle develops.

As John Corvinus neared the walls of Jajce he saw the Ottomans deployed ahead and formed his army into a square. His light cavalry rode at the head of the relief column and were met by skirmishing attacks from the infantry positioned around the Ottoman siege works. These brief skirmishes at the head of the column were merely a sideshow to the main Ottoman attack which immediately came out of the woodland on the relief column's left flank.

A cavalry melee developed as the akinji and sipahis battled against Hungarian and Croatian hussars and light cavalry. The hussars were particularly fearless leading repeated charges into the sipahis and driving them back from the relief column. Amidst the dust and the chaos of the fighting it was hard to see which side held the advantage.

A unit of hussars charge into a unit of Bosnian sipahis.

Whilst Corvinus's left is heavily engaged on his right his cavalry surge forward in an attempt to break into the Ottoman siege lines.

For a moment it looks like the Hungarian cavalry on the right will make it through.

The Hungarian infantry hold the centre of the battlefield as fighting rages around them.

John Corvinus looks on, yet to commit his men at arms to the fighting.

On the Hungarian right the Frankopan men at arms along with hussars and light cavalry have been driven back.

As the Hungarian infantry send a hail of shot and crossbow bolts into the Ottoman cavalry...

...John Corvinus leads his men at arms in a charge into the remaining sipahis.

Supported by more hussars Corvinus and his men at arms engage with the Ottoman cavalry and a fierce melee ensues. 

With the cavalry battle in full swing on the Hungarian left flank the cavalry on the Hungarian right made a push for the siege lines around Jajce in an attempt to capture the Ottoman siege guns. For a moment it looked like the momentum of their attack would allow them to break through but as they raced forward the Ottoman infantry brought many of them down with handguns and bows whilst redeploying to block any path to the guns. In the face of this the cavalry's morale waivered and the Hungarian horsemen reeled back.

At the same time the Hungarian and Croatian infantry under the command of Emerik Cobor moved forward to support their left flank, their arquebuses and crossbows helping to drive back the mass of Ottoman horsemen. Up until now John Corvinus, surrounded by his men at arms under his raven banner, had been watching the fight develop but now he added the weight of his heavy horse to the cavalry melee and charged in to drive back the sipahis.

A view from the Ottoman siege works as the battle continues.

The Ottoman artillery crews panic as it looks like the Hungarians may break through.

Croatian men at arms of the Frankopan family are fired at by Ottoman handgunners.

The defenders of Jajce look on from the town walls.

There is fighting all across the battlefield.

The Hungarian infantry maintain their discipline and hold firm despite the chaotic fighting taking place all around.

With their infantry looking on the Frankopan men at arms repeatedly attack the Ottoman siege lines...

...only to be driven back each time.

John Corvinus has been in the thick of the fighting on the Ottoman left flank...

...but he is finally unhorsed and killed in the swirling cavalry fight.

The defenders of the walls of Jajce and the Ottoman gunners in the siege works looked on as a pitched battle developed outside the besieged town. The Ottomans continued to push their cavalry attack with unit after unit of sipahis riding into the fray only to be brought down by the Hungarian men at arms and hussars or the shot and crossbow bolts of the Hungarian and Croatian infantry. In the centre the men at arms of the Frankopan family made charge after charge against the Ottoman siege lines but they took heavy losses and could not break the Ottoman infantry.

As the battle hung in the balance the Hungarians suffered a major blow. In the thick of the fight John Corvinus was brought down. As his raven banner fell some of the Hungarian and Croatian horse fled but the infantry remained steadfast and held their ground.

 

Ottoman reinforcements arrive from along the siege lines as their cavalry begin to flee.

Corvinus may be dead but the Hungarian infantry have maintained their discipline and held fast.

With many of the Ottoman horsemen fleeing , İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu arrives with his delis bodyguards and attempts to rally his troops.

The voynuks, supported by irregular infantry, attack the Hungarian infantry.

Voynuks crash into the Hungarian and Croatian pavise infantry...

...but the voynuks are driven back as are the azabs who follow them into the fight.

In command of the royal Hungarian contingent of the relief force Emerik Cobor enters the melee.

With most of their cavalry killed or having fled the Hungarian and Croatian infantry grimly held their ground. They poured crossbow bolts and arquebus shot into the Ottomans driving off many of the akinji and sipahis. It was now that the Bosnian Ottoman infantry went on the offensive and charged into the ranks of Hungarians and Croatians but still the Kingdom of Hungary's men stood firm, driving back the Ottomans and their Balkan auxiliaries.

Furious at their stubborn defence the Sanjak-bey of Bosnia, İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu, led his fierce delis in a charge against the Hungarian infantry but he too was driven back. If they could maintain their discipline and fend off the Ottoman charges, which were getting weaker and weaker, it looked as though Emerik Cobor and his pavise armed troops would be able to break through the siege lines.

An infantry battle has now developed in front on the beleaguered town.

In the bottom left a unit of akinji attacks the pavisiers from the rear... 

...whilst İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu leads his delis to attack them from the front.

Emerik Cobor engages in one on one combat with the captain of the Ottoman infantry and kills him in the brief duel.

Moments later the Sanjak-bey of Bosnia, İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu, is also slain as his delis charge another unit of Hungarian infantry and are driven off in a bloody fight.

As the fighting continued Emerik Cobor led his mean from the front. With a personal bodyguard of dismounted men at arms he drove the Ottoman infantry back. Cobor engaged in personal combat with the captain of the Ottoman infantry and a cheer went up from the Hungarian ranks as the Ottoman captain was slain by Cobor. Enraged by this İskender Pasha Mihaloğlu led his delis in another charge, only to be brought down and killed in the bloody fighting. Now it was Ottoman morale that severely faltered and for a moment the fighting seemed to pause as both sides had fought themselves to a standstill.

The pause was only momentary and as the fighting continued Ottoman numbers counted against the Hungarian and Croatian infantry, many of them being cut down as they attempted to break through to Jajce. Despite his heroism Emerik Cobor was slain as the dismounted sipahis ,whose captain Cobor had killed minutes earlier, took their revenge. The relief army of John Corvinus had failed to relieve Jajce. It had been a Prryhic victory for the Bosnian Ottomans with their Sanjak-bey having been killed and their army sustaining terrible casualties in the battle.

Despite the loss of the Ottoman leadership it is too late for the relief column. A unit of dismounted Bosnian sipahis defeat a unit of Hungarian infantry...

...before reaching Emerik Cobor. In vengeance for the death of their captain the sipahis kill Cobor. It has been an extremely bloody battle with high casualties on both sides but the Bosnian Ottomans have won a Pyrrhic victory.

This was a close game that hung in the balance for most of the day as our two armies traded blows. The Ottoman cavalry attack looked spectacular on the field, this being the first time I have used all of the sipahis on the table. Tom, as ever, was a great opponent with his infantry defiantly holding the centre of the field against my Ottomans. No matter what was thrown at them it seemed they would never break. The write up doesn't mention it but Tom rolled an incredible amount of double 1's for his activations, with some really bad consequences, and we joked that this may have just cost him the game. It was so close otherwise.

Whilst Tom and I will focus on another theatre for our next game we are certainly not done with Jajce yet. There is still Petar Berislavić's relief of the town in the snows of January 1518 to game, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relief_of_Jajce_(1518), as well as the heroic relief of the town by Christoph Frankopan in 1525, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christoph_Frankopan. If these prove to be half as dramatic as this game they will be worth doing!