The Battle of Sisak, on 22 June 1593, was one of several low-intensity battles of permanent martial law on the borders of the Habsburg and Ottoman Empires. However, significant forces on both sides and the Turkish "predators" participated in the battle, soon they became the prey.
The Turks had attempted in 1591 and 1592 to occupy the small fortified town of Sisak, in present-day Croatia. On June 15, 1593, they again invaded the Austrian lands and besieged the fortress. The fortress was defended by about 800 men under the Croat Blaz Durac and Matias Fidits . The Turks, under the Croatian leader Teli Hasan Pasha , Beilerbe of Bosnia, had 16,000 men.
The Turks soon surrounded the fortress. Teli Hasan could face the situation with optimism. However, the defenders had given notice of the approach of the Turks and already a small liberating force began to form. The head of this force was Lt. General Rupert von Eggenberg with the Croat Tomas Erdoni as deputy commanders and the Austrian colonel Andreas von Auersberg , known as "Achilles of Carniola". The problem was that the liberating "army" numbered only 5,000 men...
From predators prey...
Telli Hasan's force consisted of regional troops, mostly Bosnian Muslims who were considered particularly militant and fanatical. Soon the Turks began bombarding the small fortified town. The Turks attempted small attacks. On June 21, Fidić was killed and the anxiety of the defenders reached its peak. However, help had already arrived. Eggenberg's small liberating force approached Sisak on the same day. The Turks spotted the Austrians without knowing their strength. So Teli Hasan sent Memi Khoja Bey to cross the tributary of the Sava River, Kupa, and bring him information about the enemy force.
Curiously Memi returned and reported to Teli Hasan that the Austrians were outnumbered! According to a Turkish source, Telli Hasan, who was playing chess at the time, stood up and hurled insults at Memi, who feared superior enemies... lagged numerically 1:3.
In any case, Telli Hasan prepared his army and deployed his cavalry to cover the makeshift bridge that connected the two banks of the Kupa River, so that he could continue the siege uninterrupted. But Eggenberg was ready. With the Croatian light cavalry and light infantry under Erdodi in the vanguard and Auersberg's forces in the second echelon, the Austrians attacked.
Their first attack was repulsed by the numerous enemies. But when the second echelon of the Austrian force got involved, the Turks could not stand it and retreated. Being suffocated in the relatively limited space between the Kupa and Odra rivers and also receiving the attack of those who had been besieged in Sisak, the Turks panicked and tried to escape by fleeing. Only half managed it, and they were unarmed and panicked... At least 8,000 Turks were massacred or drowned on the bloody shores. Among the dead were the arrogant Telli Hasan and six other commanders.
Only Ibrahim Bey escaped the Austrian sword. Sultan Mehmet's nephew was also among the dead. The battle lasted less than an hour and was one of the most selective and ultimately important of the time, as after the defeat the Turks officially declared war on the Habsburgs which lasted until 1606 (Long War or 13 Years' War). 2,000 horses, 10 Turkish flags and horses and all the Turkish artillery fell into the hands of the victors. The losses of the victors, together with the dead of the besieged garrison, did not exceed 500 dead and wounded. Auersberg in his report speaks of 40-50 dead of his own administration.
The castle of Sisak today.