4: Battle of Petrovaradin – 1716
The Ottoman Empire had passed its peak and began to lose territory throughout the next few centuries until its eventual fall. The Austro-Turkish War of 1716-18 was yet another conflict between the Hapsburgs and Ottomans. The Turks sought revenge for the loss at Vienna and the Treaty of Karlowitz and defeated the Russian army of Peter the Great in 1711. The Ottomans retook Morea from the Venetians in 1715, and this prompted the Austrians to threaten their old enemy. The Ottomans refused to back down and declared war in 1716.
Although the Austro-Turkish War lasted for two years, the most decisive battle occurred within the first few months at Petrovaradin in modern day Serbia. Turkish leader, Grand Vizier Damat Ali, gathered a force of 150,000 at Belgrade. Prince Eugene of Savoy was in charge of the Austrian forces, and he chose to meet the enemy at Petrovaradin. The battle took place on August 5, 1716, and the combined Austrian, Serbian, Croatian and Hungarian forces totaled less than 90,000, so they were significantly outnumbered.
Given their numerical disadvantage, Eugene had wisely decided to station his men within the city’s fortress and had a fortified encampment set up there. Three days before the battle, up to 30,000 Janissaries arrived and bombarded the fortress. On the day of the battle, the Austrian forces launched an offensive but were quickly pushed back into the fortress. However, Eugene managed to encircle the Ottomans with cavalry and extra troops and wiped out thousands of the enemy. Eugene quickly seized the initiative and attacked Damat Ali’s encampment.
The Grand Vizier died in the ensuing fight while up to 30,000 Ottomans perished in total. Eugene continued on the offensive after Petrovaradin and captured Timisoara in October 1716. Belgrade was taken in 1717 and in 1718, the Turks signed the Treaty of Passarowitz. It was a clear sign that the Ottoman Empire was on the defensive.