Battle of Vaslui

The Battle of Vaslui was a big and important fight that happened long ago on January 10, 1475. It was between Stephen III of Moldavia and the Ottoman army led by Hadım Suleiman Pasha. The battle took place near a place called Podul Înalt, close to the town of Vaslui in what is now eastern Romania.

The Ottoman army was very large, with estimates saying they had between 30,000 to 120,000 soldiers. They were faced by about 40,000 soldiers from Moldavia, along with some allies and hired fighters. Stephen III led his army to a big win against the Ottomans. Records from Venetian and Polish sources say that many Ottoman soldiers were lost—some say more than 40,000, others even up to 100,000.

After the battle, Stephen did something unusual. Instead of celebrating, he fasted for forty days on just bread and water. He also told people not to give him credit for the win, saying that only the Lord should be praised for the victory. Because of his brave stand, he was later called Athleta Christi ("Champion of Christ") by Pope Sixtus IV, who praised him as a true defender of the Christian faith.

Background

See also: The Night Attack and Battle of Baia

There was a long history of tension between Stephen, the ruler of Moldavia, and the Ottoman Empire. Both sides wanted control of the region known as Southern Bessarabia, now called Budjak. This area had once belonged to Wallachia but later came under Moldavian control. It included important ports like Chilia and Akkerman, which were key to trade and defense.

Poland and Hungary had also tried to control this area but failed. The Ottomans wanted these ports to strengthen their hold on Moldavia and launch attacks against Poland and Hungary. The struggle over this land continued for many years, with various leaders and outside forces getting involved. Stephen worked to protect Moldavia’s territory and independence, even when faced with threats from the Ottomans and other neighboring powers.

Preparations for war

Mehmed the Ottoman ruler sent his general, Suleiman Pasha, to move his troops towards Moldavia. The Ottoman soldiers had already been fighting and traveling through tough weather and terrain. They included different types of soldiers such as Janissaries, heavy and light cavalry, and troops from other regions. There were also soldiers from Bulgaria whose job was to help prepare the way for the army.

Stephen, the leader of Moldavia, wanted help from other countries but received only a small number of soldiers from Hungary and Poland. He also gathered soldiers from his own land, including peasants who were given simple weapons. The Moldavian army had up to 40,000 soldiers, with some being professional soldiers and others being local people called up to fight.

Battle

In December 1474, Ottoman forces entered Moldavia. Stephen III, the leader of Moldavia, used a strategy called "scorched earth," where he destroyed resources to weaken the Ottomans. He also moved people and animals to safer places.

The Ottomans reached an area near Vaslui, where Stephen planned to fight. The battlefield was a valley surrounded by forests, making it hard for large groups of soldiers to move. On January 10, 1475, the battle began in cold, foggy weather. Stephen’s troops used tricks to confuse the Ottomans, such as making loud noises to seem larger. When the Ottomans advanced, they faced attacks from hidden archers and cannons. The battle was tough, and many Ottoman soldiers were lost. Eventually, the Ottomans had to retreat, pursued by Stephen’s forces. The battle ended with heavy losses for the Ottomans.

Aftermath

After the battle, Stephen asked for help from other leaders in Europe. He sent captured commanders and treasures to King Casimir in Poland and asked the Pope and Matthias Corvinus, the king of Hungary, for support too. However, they did not send help.

Stephen tried to form a new group of European countries to work together against the Ottoman forces. The Ottoman leader, Mehmed, was very angry about the loss and wanted revenge. The following year, he led a large army into the area, joined by soldiers from Wallachia and the Tatars. The Tatars attacked from the north but were defeated by the Moldavians.

Even though Stephen won the Battle of Vaslui, he faced many challenges later on. In 1476, he was defeated in another battle but managed to stop the Ottomans from taking some strong forts. Stephen also helped place Vlad Țepeș as the leader of Wallachia.

In the years that followed, Stephen built beautiful monasteries, like the Voroneț Monastery, to remember his victory. These monasteries are now important cultural sites and are listed as a World Heritage List by UNESCO.