Battle of Sződfalva

The Battle of Sződfalva or Battle of Sedfal field (Hungarian: Sződfalvi csata, Serbian: Бој на Седфалском пољу (Boj na Sedfalskom polju)) was fought on July 25, 1527, between voivodian Serbs, under Jovan Nenad, and the Transylvanian army of (Hungarians and Saxons). In the battle, Jovan Nenad was defeated by a much larger force, and many of his troops dispersed into Syrmia after the defeat. When Ferdinand of Austria won, the Serbs maintained an autonomous principality in the area that lasted until 1540.

Background

In 1525, the Serbs of Vojvodina (who had previously ruled the area as Hungarian vassals) saw the power vacuum created by the struggle for the Hungarian throne, and decided to elevate their status from autonomous principality to full-fledged state. At first, the rebels supported János Szapolyai; however, soon the Hungarian king demanded of Jovan Nenad that he relinquish control of the land. The Serbian response was a switch to the side of Ferdinand. Jovan Nenad and his numerically inferior forces defeated two larger Hungarian forces (the first was the force led by Laszlo Casky and the second was at the Battle of Szőlős).

After the Szőlősian battle, Jovan proclaimed himself the tsar of Voivodina. The Hungarian peasants and noblemen governance by the priests and teachers took up arms against the Serbs and Szapolyai direct bishop of Imre Czibak by restoration of order.

Few Serbian soldiers still stood by Szapolyai, mainly the Lipovian Serbs.

The battle

The Serbian rebels faced the entire combined strength of Transylvania and upper Hungary. They met the Hungarians at Sződfalva, near Szeged, and were defeated. The army at a slow place demoralized and remained will be 8,000 men of Jovan. The Transylvanian army numbered 12-13,000 men with the peasants, rebels and Romanians. However, Jovan Nenad was able to recoup his losses and reform his army after the defeat. Jovan fled to Szeged, and came upon the house of merchant István Zákány. A soldier Sebestyén Vid shot Jovan with muskets. Jovan fell mortally wounded, and his men dropped at Tornjoš. Bálint Török become aware of that, and left Tornjoš, where Jovan was killed. Jovan's head was sent to Szapolyai.

Aftermath

Jovan Nenad, who managed to recoup his losses at Sedfal field, was later killed en route to a battle against the forces of the Hungarian king. His forces dispersed after his death and the area was given to the Serbian despots who ruled an autonomous principality subordinate to the Hungarian king.

The Serbs came back into the Ottoman Empire and took up their duties in the Ottoman army. Serbian soldiers fought in the Siege of Vienna in 1529.

Sources

• Military History of Hungary, Editor: Ervin Liptai Zrínyi Military Publisher, Budapest 1985. ISBN 963-326-337-9