Atlas of Battles

battle, major, medieval

Ottoman invasion of Otranto

Ottoman invasion of Otranto was a battle fought in August 1481 at Otranto, in what is now Italy. It was part of the Ottoman–Hungarian Wars, which ran from 1366 to 1526. The recorded result: Ottoman conquest of Otranto in 1480; Christian reconquest of Otranto in 1481. Recorded strength: 18,000 infantry; 700 cavalry; 140 ships against Kingdom of Naples: 20,000 infantry; Hungary: 2,100 Hungarian heavy infantry.

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Ottoman invasion of Otranto
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtAugust 1481
WhereOtranto, Italy40.150N, 18.483E
OutcomeOttoman conquest of Otranto in 1480; Christian reconquest of Otranto in 1481
BelligerentsOttoman EmpireagainstKingdom of Naples; Papal States; Crown of Aragon; Kingdom of Sicily; Hungary
Casualties and lossesGarrisoned forces surrender, 300 capturedand12,000 killed in action; 5,000 enslaved
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, 148114421481Ottoman invasion of Otranto, 1481
6 placed engagements of the Ottoman–Hungarian Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateAugust 1481 (month precision)
to 1481
PlaceOtranto, Italy
40.150N, 18.483E
KindBattle, medieval
Strength18,000 infantry; 700 cavalry; 140 shipsKingdom of Naples: 20,000 infantry; Hungary: 2,100 Hungarian heavy infantry
Casualties and lossesGarrisoned forces surrender, 300 captured12,000 killed in action; 5,000 enslaved
Commanders
  • Francesco Largo
  • Alfonso II of Naples
  • Paolo Fregoso
  • Gaspare de Spes
  • Balázs Magyar
Ottoman invasion of OtrantoOttoman invasion of OtrantoSiege of ÒtrantoBattle of the Strait of OtrantoSiege of BrundisiumBattle of the Strait of OtrantoBattle of SasenoBattle of the Strait of OtrantoSiege of BrundisiumBattle of the Strait of OtrantoBattle of SasenoTiranaBariTarantoDurrësKerkiraCrotoneFierLushnjë100 km40.150N, 18.483E
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 Ottoman invasion of Otranto
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Ottoman invasion of Otranto today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2023-08-27. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2023.

The recorded site stands at about 23 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from -2 to 97 m, 100 m of relief, gently rolling country and today it is 44% grassland, 31% water, 9% tree cover.

grassland: 44%water: 31%tree cover: 9%cropland: 8%built-up: 6%grassland 44%water 31%tree cover 9%cropland 8%built-up 6%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 55 mnorth to south, 10.0 km0 to 69 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 1481

Ottoman invasion of Otranto is one of 720 engagements of the 15th century in the atlas and one of 942 in present-day Italy.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q695198, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Ottoman conquest of Otranto, revision 1384738571, 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.