Siege of Klis

Siege of Klis Battle of Klis
Part of the Croatian–Ottoman wars and Ottoman–Habsburg wars
Petar Kružić fighting the Ottomans
Date 31 August 1536 – 12 March 1537 Location Klis Fortress, Kingdom of Croatia within Habsburg monarchy (today's Croatia) 43°33′36″N 16°31′26″E / 43.56000°N 16.52389°E / 43.56000; 16.52389 Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents
Garrison under siege: Kingdom of Croatia Reinforcements: Kingdom of Croatia Holy Roman Empire Papal States	Siege army: Ottoman Empire Reinforcements: Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Petar Kružić † Niccolo dalla Torre Jacomo Dalmoro d'Arbe	Murat-beg Tardić Malkoč-beg
Strength
23,000[1]	8,000
Casualties and losses
15,000 killed[1]	1,000 killed[1]

The siege of Klis or Battle of Klis (Croatian: Opsada Klisa, Bitka kod Klisa, Turkish: Klise Kuşatması) was a siege of Klis Fortress in the Kingdom of Croatia within Habsburg monarchy. The siege of the fortress, which lasted for more than two decades, and the final battle near Klis in 1537, were fought as a part of the Ottoman–Habsburg wars between the defending Croatian–Habsburg forces under the leadership of Croatian feudal lord Petar Kružić, and the attacking Ottoman army under the leadership of the Ottoman general Murat-beg Tardić.

After the decisive Ottoman victory at the Battle of Krbava Field in 1493, and especially after the Battle of Mohács in 1526, the Croats continued defending themselves against the Ottoman attacks. The Ottoman conquest during the early years of the 16th century prompted the formation of the Uskoks, which were led by Croatian captain Petar Kružić, also called Prince of Klis. As a part of the Habsburg defensive system, Uskoks used the base at Klis as an important defensive position. They fought almost alone against the Ottomans, and for more than two decades defended the fortress against the Ottoman attacks.^[2]

After the final battle, which resulted in an Ottoman victory and in Petar Kružić's death, the Klis defenders, who were lacking in water supplies, finally surrendered to the Ottomans in exchange for their freedom on 12 March 1537. Citizens fled the town, while the Uskoci retreated to the city of Senj, where they continued fighting the Ottoman army. Klis became an administrative centre or sanjak (Sanjak of Klis) of the Bosnia Eyalet, and would remain so for a century.