Atlas of Battles

battle, major, medieval

Battle of Kosovo

Battle of Kosovo was a battle fought on 17 October 1448 at Kosovo Polje, in what is now Serbia; it lasted 3 days. It was part of the Ottoman–Hungarian Wars, which ran from 1366 to 1526. The recorded result: Ottoman victory. Recorded strength: 50,000–60,000 against 31,000–47,000 (7,000 cavalry, 24,000–40,000 infantry).

See it on the globe Read the article

Detail from a miniature, showing an Akıncı-leader, defeating a Hungarian chevalier. The Suleymanname is an imperial illuminated manuscript, housed in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul.
Detail from a miniature, showing an Akıncı-leader, defeating a Hungarian chevalier. The Suleymanname is an imperial illuminated manuscript, housed in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul.. unknown painter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought17 October 1448lasted 3 days
WhereKosovo Polje, Serbia42.630N, 21.120E
OutcomeOttoman victory
BelligerentsOttoman Empire; supported by: Karamanids; Principality of WallachiaagainstKingdom of Hungary; Kingdom of Croatia; Principality of Moldavia; Principality of Wallachia; supported by: Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Part ofOttoman–Hungarian Wars1366 to 1526

Where it sits in the Ottoman–Hungarian Wars

Battle of Zajkány, 1442Battle of Kosovo, 1448Battle of Zvornik, 1464Battle of Vaslui, 1475Battle of Breadfield, 1479Ottoman invasion of Otranto, 148114421481Battle of Kosovo, 1448
6 placed engagements of the Ottoman–Hungarian Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date17 October 1448
to 20 October 1448
PlaceKosovo Polje, Serbia
42.630N, 21.120E
KindBattle, medieval
Strength50,000–60,00031,000–47,000 (7,000 cavalry, 24,000–40,000 infantry)
Casualties and losses4,000; or 34,000 to 35,0006,000–17,000 17,000 (9,000 Hungarians, 2,000 Mercenaries, 6,000 Wallachians)
Commanders
  • John Hunyadi
  • Michael Szilágyi
  • Franko Talovac
  • Peter III of Moldavia
  • Vladislav II of Wallachia
Battle of KosovoBattle of KosovoBattle of KosovoBattle of TripoljeSiege of Novo BrdoSiege of Novo BrdoBattle of PantinaBattle of KosovoBattle of PantinaSofiaSkopjePodgoricaNišShkodërPecKyustendilPrizren100 km42.630N, 21.120E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Kosovo
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 25 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Kosovo today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-08-10. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 552 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 503 to 730 m, 227 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 51% cropland, 34% built-up, 11% grassland.

cropland: 51%built-up: 34%grassland: 11%tree cover: 2%cropland 51%built-up 34%grassland 11%tree cover 2%
west to east, 10.0 km532 to 659 mnorth to south, 10.0 km551 to 599 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1448

Battle of Kosovo is one of 720 engagements of the 15th century in the atlas and one of 100 in present-day Serbia.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q698706, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Kosovo (1448), revision 1382566149, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.