Siege of Eger (1552)

Siege of Eger

Part of the Ottoman wars in Europe and Ottoman-Hungarian Wars

Date	1552
Location	Eger, Northern Hungary
Result	Hungarian victory

Belligerents

Ottoman Empire

Hungarian defenders

Commanders and leaders

Strength

In reality 35-40,000 men (Gárdonyi's data: 150,000 and 200,000 is romantic exaggeration)

Approx 2,100-2,300

Casualties and losses

Unknown

300-400 killed

The Siege of Eger occurred during the 16th century Ottoman Wars in Europe. In 1552 the forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Kara Ahmed Pasha laid siege on the Castle of Eger, located in the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, but the defenders led by István Dobó repelled the attacks and defended the castle. Later, the siege has become an emblem of national defense and patriotic heroism in Hungary.

The Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, commenced his expansion of the empire in 1520 after the reign of Selim I. He began assaults against Hungarian and Austrian influenced territories, invading Hungarian soil in 1526. The Hungarian Army was crushed at the Battle of Mohács and the way was paved for an attack on the Danube Basin. The battle also brought about the death of the King of Hungary and Bohemia, Louis II, leading to a disputed claim for the throne. The Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I succeeded to the Bohemian throne but was challenged to the Hungarian throne by the pretender John Zápolya whose claim was backed by nobles and the Sultan. The power struggle continued beyond John's death in 1540 when his son, John II Sigismund Zápolya succeeded to the throne. It was not resolved until he renounced the throne in 1570 when he was succeeded by Maximilian I.

...
Wikipedia