On this day (29 August 1521 & 1526)
1521: The siege of Belgrade occured from July to 29 August. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent laid siege to the Hungarian fortress of Belgrade. The walls were undermined by mining and seven days of heavy bombardment. The reafter the city was assaulted and conquered without great difficulty and with little loss of soldiers. Belgrade became an important military base for further operations in Europe and the seat of the Pashalik of Belgrade. During Ottoman rule Belgrade became one of Europe’s largest cities. The conquest eventually led to the Battle of Mohács and to the conquest of a large part of the Kingdom of Hungary by the Ottomans.
1526: The Battle of Mohács was fought between Louis of Hungary and Suleiman the Magnificent, leader of the Ottomans who had been advancing into Europe since the final fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. For the previous fifty years, Hungary had suffered from weak leadership under Louis’ father and its military defences were in disarray. Belgrade had already fallen 1521. In rest of Europe, the conflict between François I of France, and King Louis’ brother-in-law, the Hapsburg Emperor Charles V meant that not only was Europe unable to mount a united front against the Ottoman advance, but that the French were even encouraging it as the frontier lands were under the control of various Hapsburg princes or their spouses. King Louis was killed, and Hungary was eventually divided between the Hapsburgs, the Ottomans, and Transylvania which accepted Ottoman overlordship.