night attack night attack romanian turkish battle fought forces iii ottoman_empire thursday june conflict initially started refusal pay tax non muslims sultan intensified invaded bulgaria turks raised great army objective conquer annex empire leaders fought series skirmishes notable night attack attacked turkish camp night attempt kill assassination attempt failed marched capital discovered turks sultan troops sailed burned ground retreating sides claim victory pope proclaimed campaign victory christianity forces returned home captured slaves horses cattle halt ottoman advance prove brief background fall constantinople ottoman_empire set target campaigns resisting ottomans smaller states threatened ottomans west albania continued trouble sultan bosnia reluctant paying tax non muslims controlled danube wanted control river naval attacks launched empire way september pope called new crusade ottomans january congress pope proclaimed official crusade years plan failed european leader showed enthusiasm crusade pope held high regard lack enthusiasm shown europeans crusade took opportunity offensive stand later year captured independent serbian city convinced greek stronghold soon capital followed suit surrendered struggle ally captured turks traversing bulgaria men tortured death killed half later year sent envoys urge pay delayed tax non muslims provoked having envoys killed letter dated september addressed today warned invasion plans asked support paid annual tax non muslims addition asked boys trained refused demand turks crossed danube started recruiting reacted capturing turks conflict continued asked prince come constantinople negotiate end november wrote afford pay tax non muslims war emptied resources leave risk having hungarian king domains promised send sultan plenty gold afford constantinople sultan send rule absence sultan received intelligence reports revealed alliance hungarian king sent stage diplomatic meeting orders ambush constantinople ambush planned set ambush brought cavalry passing narrow pass north launched surprise attack turks surrounded fired entire expedition force killed historians credit european use gunpowder deadly artistic way letter dated february wrote captured close fortress disguised advanced cavalry fortress ordered guards turkish gates open attacked destroyed fortress went campaign slaughtered enemy soldiers population turks southern bulgaria crossing frozen danube bulgaria divided army smaller groups covered kilometers weeks killed turks letter dated february stated killed peasants men women old young lived danube flows sea located near lower danube places killed turks counting burned homes turks heads cut soldiers know broken peace sultan christian spared settled precise numbers counted victims hearing devastation busy besieging fortress sent grand army destroy port turned defeated army according italian chronicle turks survived campaign celebrated saxon cities italian states pope venetian envoy hearing news court march expressed great joy said christianity celebrate successful campaign english william passing island rhodes way home wrote military men rhodes hearing campaign sung praise honour god granted victories lord mayor rhodes convened brother soldiers fruit wine thanked campaign saved attack ships sultan planned send turks frightened left european empire moved hearing events abandoned siege decided preparations war ottomans sent directions assemble army numbers armaments equal employed siege constantinople april sultan moved army constantinople objective conquering land empire sultan wrote letter addressed grand took men greek historian wrote army huge second size sultan led constantinople estimated force turkish historian mentioned numbers anonymous italian chronicle found believed written certain merchant named letter duke milan wrote recruited men bridges armed axes point given venetian envoy mentioned regular force consisted elite troops infantry soldiers feudal cavalry units composed slaves win freedom survived sultan weapons protected flanks handled firearms guard served sultan personal half brother willingly served sultan commanded horsemen addition turks brought cannon engineers workers build roads bridges priests islam called troops prayer consulted helped military decisions women reserved night pleasures men reported danube paid gold pieces transport army addition ottomans fleet consisted smaller vessels asked hungarian king assistance received support despite promises instead called included men military age women children age included gypsy slave contingents sources mention strength army popular accepted number set letter numbers turkish army exaggerated strength exaggerated strength estimated majority army consisted peasants horseback numbers armed swords wore armour personal guard consisted mercenaries countries battle believed told men better think death follow battle turks tried pushed arrows june contingent landed night died attacks serbian born recounted encounter night began fall climbed boats floated danube crossed miles place army stationed dug trenches cavalry harm crossed transported danube entire infantry crossed prepared set gradually army artillery equipment brought having halted set cannon time stop killed seeing greatly weakening defended guns brought fired repelled prince army greatly strengthened position seeing prevent crossing withdrew emperor crossed danube entire army gave coins distributed ottoman army managed advance instituted policy earth poisoned waters created marshes waters small rivers traps created digging pits covered timber leaves population animals evacuated mountains advanced seven days army suffered fatigue found man significant animal eat drink adopted guerrilla tactics cavalry hit run attacks send ill people suffering lethal diseases tuberculosis significant numbers suffered plague turks plague managed spread ottoman army ottoman fleet launched minor attacks able damage destroyed ports bulgaria writes sultan managed capture soldier tried bribe information didn work threatened torture avail said commended soldier saying master soldiers like short time conquer world turks continued advance failing capture fortress fortified island june turks camped south capital launched night attack possibly horsemen story making attack went freely turkish camp disguised find location sultan tent learn organization anonymous italian chronicle mentions soldiers exit tents night cause panic case attack chronicle goes explaining aware strategy decided attack night knowing proceed offensive enemy soldiers remain tents skirmish hours sunset morning cause great confusion ottoman camp noise illuminated battle night launched attacks documents differ exact result skirmish sources slaughtered great number turks ottoman losses minimal horses killed chronicles blame named supposedly led simultaneous attack turks second army brave cause expected devastation enemy aimed tent sultan routed asian cavalry mistakenly went tent grand point view events recorded papal years later court imprisoned said told veteran sultan besieged discovered certain mountain supported natural strength place hidden men willingly followed realized hunger fall hands cruel enemy considering brave men commit act worthy remembered calling men explaining situation easily persuaded enter enemy camp divided men die battle glory honor destiny prove favorable avenge enemy exceptional matter making use turkish prisoners caught twilight wandering nightfall penetrated turkish camp troops way fortifications entire night sped like lightning direction caused great slaughter commander entrusted remaining forces equally brave turks fully repeated orders sultan abandon garrisons undoubtedly gained greatest brilliant victory commander named dare attack camp agreed carried incredible massacre losing men major encounter wounded abandoned enemy camp returned mountain come pursue caused terror turmoil learned questioning participated battle sultan lost confidence situation night sultan abandoned camp fled manner continued way friends brought command pursued killed according chronicle total casualties conflict numbered ottomans morale sultan army low decided capital instead found deserted gates wide open turkish army entered capital half hour army marched road bordered turks found rotten corpse highest stake symbolize high ranking sources city defended soldiers corpses lay outside city walls distance miles remarking reaction sultan wrote sultan seized said possible country man great deeds understanding govern realm people said man things worth ordered deep trench dug turkish order prevent enemy penetration following day june turks retreated days later cousin wanted retake decided launch attack rushed scene men managed defend town wounding stephen foot artillery fire june sultan reached burned sailed arrived july july turks called celebration great victory turks enslaved local inhabitants marched way south cattle horses popular culture french writer wrote conflict poem des legends centuries film begins ottoman invasion night battle takes place ostensibly night attack ending victory audio drama son dragon depicts battle perspective fifth doctor companions
The Night Attack