Atlas of Battles

siege, major, medieval

Siege of Trebizond in 1461

Siege of Trebizond in 1461 was a siege conducted on 14 September 1460 at Trabzon, in what is now Turkey; it lasted 11 months. It was part of the Byzantine–Ottoman wars, which ran from 1265 to 1479. The recorded result: Ottoman victory. Recorded strength: 80,000 infantry; 60,000 cavalry; 10 warships; 200 galleys against Unknown.

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Fortification plan of (central) medieval Trebizond (modern Trabzon, Turkey). Current remains in red
Fortification plan of (central) medieval Trebizond (modern Trabzon, Turkey). Current remains in red. NeoRetro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought14 September 1460lasted 11 months
WhereTrabzon, Turkey41.005N, 39.730E
OutcomeOttoman victory
BelligerentsOttoman EmpireagainstEmpire of Trebizond
Part ofByzantine–Ottoman wars1265 to 1479

Where it sits in the Byzantine–Ottoman wars

Siege of Laodicea, 1119Battle of Mount Armenia, 1282Siege of Kulaca Hisar, 1285Battle of Domaniç, 1287Siege of Karacahisar, 1288Siege of İnegöl, 1299Battle of Bapheus, 1302Siege of Bursa, 1317Siege of Mudanya, 1321Siege of Nicaea, 1328Battle of Pelekanon, 1329Siege of Nicomedia, 1333Fall of Gallipoli, 1354Reconquest of Gallipoli, 1366Fall of Philadelphia, 1378Siege of Thessalonica, 1383Fall of Constantinople, 1453Siege of Trebizond in 1461, 146011191460Siege of Trebizond in 1461, 1460
18 placed engagements of the Byzantine–Ottoman wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date14 September 1460
to 15 August 1461
PlaceTrabzon, Turkey
41.005N, 39.730E
KindSiege, medieval
Territorial changeConquest of the Empire of Trebizond
Strength80,000 infantry; 60,000 cavalry; 10 warships; 200 galleysUnknown
Commanders
  • David of Trebizond
  • George Amiroutzes
Siege of Trebizond in 1461Siege of Trebizond in 1461Siege of TrebizondSiege of TrebizondSiege of TrebizondTrebizond CampaignBattle of Köse DağBattle of Köse DağBatumiErzurumOrduPotiRizeArtvinGümüşhane100 km41.005N, 39.730E
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 Siege of Trebizond in 1461
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Siege of Trebizond in 1461 today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-06-25. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 52 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from -3 to 114 m, 117 m of relief, gently rolling country and today it is 46% water, 33% built-up, 18% tree cover.

water: 46%built-up: 33%tree cover: 18%grassland: 3%water 46%built-up 33%tree cover 18%grassland 3%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 52 mnorth to south, 10.0 km0 to 91 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

Contested ground: this site was fought over 5 times between 1205 and 1916.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1460

Siege of Trebizond in 1461 is one of 720 engagements of the 15th century in the atlas and one of 622 in present-day Turkey.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q9366875, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Trebizond (1461), revision 1382823815, 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.