Glasgow & District Wargaming Society
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Glasgow & District Wargaming Society |
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Belgrade 1717 Background At the conclusion of the War of Spanish Succession (WSS) the Austrian Emperor Joseph 1 planned a campaign in the Balkans to follow up on the successes (Zenta 1697) before French expansion in the west dominated Imperial attention. However, it was the Ottoman’s who made the first move following a successful campaign against Russia in 1711. They declared war against Venice and had recovered the Morea by September 1715. The Austrian’s were still recovering from the WSS and sought to mediate without success. The Turkish War of 1716-18 In April 1716 the Emperor signed an alliance with Venice and massed some 51,000 troops in Hungary. The Ottoman’s took the initiative crossing the Sava River near Belgrade they advanced on Peterwardein. In a bloody battle on 5 August Prince Eugene defeated them. The Austrians then captured Temesvar and controlled the Danube borderline even taking parts of Walachia. In 1717 boosted by additional mercenary troops, Bavarians (and 45 princely volunteers) from Germany the 100,000 strong Imperial forces besieged Belgrade. The Battle of Belgrade
Eugene therefore decided to break out on 16 August with his weakened forces now numbering around 60,000 men. The infantry centre was commanded by Prince Alexander of Wurtemberg supported by Starhemberg and Prince Bevern. The cavalry wings by John Palffy supported by Ebergenyi and Mercy on the right and Montecucculi and Martigny on the left. Count Seckendorff commanded the reserve.
In the early hours Eugene advanced with his cavalry and infantry interspersed to maintain a steady firepower advance. A mist confused both sides and Eugene’s right wing cavalry led by Palffy blundered into some new Ottoman trenches. This raised the alarm and the Spahis counterattacked. However, Eugene reinforced the right with Mercy’s second line before they could be isolated. The starting positions He then directed the main attack on the Ottoman centre. Despite heavy casualties from the Ottoman batteries Starhemberg’s infantry, coming out of the mist, captured the position at bayonet point. The only risk came from a gap between the right wing cavalry and the centre. An Ottoman division advanced on the gap but hesitated because of the mist. When it cleared Eugene plugged the gap with the Bevern’s second line and brought cavalry to hit the Ottoman flank. One battery remained supported by the Janissaries but they were driven off by grenadiers and foot flanked by cavalry. Storming the Ottoman trenches
The Ottomans lost 20,000 men and the Austrians suffered over 5,000 casualties. The victory was celebrated across Europe. A poem published in London included the words; To sign the Brother Chief, and make Eugene In equal lustre with great Marlboro’ shine. Two days later the Fortress capitulated and a further relief army withdrew to the Banat. Imperial troops raided into Serbia during the winter and Tartars and Moldavians counter raided into Transylvania and Hungary. By 1718 all sides were ready for peace and the Treaty of Passarowitz in May 1918 confirmed the existing position with Venice losing the Morea and the Austrians retaining their advances in Bosnia, Croatia, the Banat, Walachia and of course Belgrade. Eugene’s Balkan campaigns had halted Ottoaman expansion for good. The ArmiesWhilst Eugene’s command achievements were considerable the superiority of the army he led owed more to the work of Raymond Montecuccoli. He improved mobility with smaller battalions and increased firepower by reducing the proportion of pikes. This work was continued after his death with the introduction of flintlocks with plug, ring and socket bayonet before most other western armies including the French. The Imperial forces in the Balkans also relied more heavily on light field artillery and up to a third of the army was cavalry. Dragoons (including Eugene’s early command) providing firepower (often on foot) with cuirassiers for shock action. The hussars who were mainly Croats as Hungary was in revolt for most of this period were used for raiding and scouting. A vital counter to the Ottoman Tartar horsemen. The Ottoman armies of this period were not radically different tactically from the highpoint of Ottoman expansion. Light troops sought to goad the Imperial troops from their defensive position onto the Janissaries and the heavy artillery. However, the quality of the army had declined. The Janissaries were no longer the disciplined force of the previous century and economic pressures had undermined the Timar system and with it the Sipahis. The provincial Seratculi infantry were excellent skirmishers well suited for the endemic border warfare, but of limited value on the battlefield. The main problem was simply that the army had not adopted the advances in fire discipline which gave the Imperial army its vital cutting edge.
The Wargame This refight of Belgrade utilises 28mm figures from a variety of manufacturers including Old Glory, Dixon, Wargames Foundry and Redoubt. The scenic items include The Last Valley and KimKayes. The rules are an adaptation of Warhammer ECW that we call Warhammer Malburian. Further Reading M. Hochedlinger Austria’s Wars of Emergence 1683-1797 Longman D. McKay Prince Eugene of Savoy Thames & Hudson N. Henderson Prince Eugen of Savoy Wiedenfeld David Chandler Art of War in the Age of Marlborough Spellmount Charles Grant From Pike to Shot 1685 to 1720 WRG |
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