Nikola Skobaljić ( sr-cyr, Никола Скобаљић; 1430 – 16 November 1454) was a

Serbian Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...

Voivode Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...

of Dubočica (region around

Leskovac Leskovac ( sr-Cyrl, Лесковац, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Jablanica District in Southern Serbia (Geographical Region), southern Serbia. According to the 2022 census, the city itself has a p ...

, Southern Serbia), during the rule of despot

Đurađ Branković Đurađ Vuković Branković ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Вуковић Бранковић, ; 1377 – 24 December 1456) served as the Serbian Despot from 1427 to 1456, making him one of the final rulers of medieval Serbia. In 1429, Branković was form ...

(1427–1456). He was seated at Zelen Grad (Skobaljić Grad), a fortified town just above modern town of Vučje.

History

Nikola Skobaljić is remembered in Serbian history for his military feats during the 1454 battles with the invading Ottoman Turks. After Ottoman Sultan

Mehmed II Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481. In Mehmed II's first reign, ...

had conquered

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

, he decided to quickly invade the

Serbian Despotate The Serbian Despotate () was a medieval Serbian state in the first half of the 15th century. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is mistakenly considered the end of medieval Serbia, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravi ...

in July 1454, with the goal of full annexation. Serbian despot Đurađ Branković raised two armies with the goal of defending the despotate; 1st army, was stationed at Dubočica, led by Voivode Nikola Skobaljić, and the 2nd army was on the banks of

Sitnica The Sitnica (; sr-Cyrl, Ситница) is a river in Kosovo. It flows into the Ibar at Mitrovica, and it is the longest river that flows completely within Kosovo. History In the 14th century, during the reign of king Milutin, a canal con ...

river. As Skobaljić's army was cut off from Serbia's north, the despot advised that the Serb armies surrender if they are not able to flee, until the Hungarian army led by

John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (; ; ; ; ; – 11 August 1456) was a leading Kingdom of Hungary, Hungarian military and political figure during the 15th century, who served as Regent of Hungary, regent of the Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526), Kingdom of Hungary ...

is eventually able to make a rescue attempt. Skobaljić acted against the advice of his despot and decided to act alone and make a stand against the great Ottoman army. On 24 September 1454 he decisively beat a large invading army near Banja, in the Battle of Leskovac. On the banks of Morava river, one of the sultan's generals, Feriz Bey, detached from the Sultan with his 32 000-strong army, in the attempt of preventing Serbs and Hungarians to mount a counter-offensive. Serbs didn't hesitate to make the first step, and the two armies met in a fierce battle. On 2 October Skobaljić's army, helped by the army of

and

, destroyed the armies of Feriz Bey in the Battle of Kruševac, and the Bey himself was captured. Skobaljić's continued resistance to the Ottoman invasion lasted for two more months. Sultan Mehmed, furious at the failure of his generals against the Voivode, personally took command of his armies and finally defeated Skobaljić's army at Trepanja on 16 November 1454. Skobaljić was captured and killed by impalement, along with his uncle. Sultan Mehmed II ordered the heads of Skobaljić and his uncle to be sent to

as a reminder of consequences of resistance to the Sultan. It is said that Nikola Skobaljić was the first Serb to be impaled by the Ottomans, a practice that would continue and grow in centuries forward. Mehmed the Conqueror and His Time
p. 110

References

Sources

* М. Вукићевић: ''Никола Скобаљић'', Дело 1894. * Сергије Димитријевић: ''Борба с Турцима под Скобаљићем'', историја и предање, Лесковац 1951. * Др Живан Стојковић, Др Слободанка Стојичић, Хранислав Ракић: ''Историја Лесковца'', Београд 1992. {{DEFAULTSORT:Skobaljic, Nikola 15th-century Serbian nobility People from the Serbian Despotate Medieval Serbian military leaders Leskovac 1454 deaths 1430 births 15th-century soldiers

History

See also

References

Sources