Obilic Milos: the heroic deed of the Serbian hero

The Serbian national hero Obilic Milosz became famous for his feat during the battle on the Kosovo Field. Due to the lack of documents relating to his era, many facts of his biography are unknown.

The Personality of Obilich

Serb Obilich Milos devoted his life to military affairs. The exact date of his birth is unknown. He lived in the second half of the 14th century, when his native country was under the blow of the Ottoman Empire. This state became an increasing threat to the inhabitants of the Balkans. First, the Byzantine Empire served as a shield between the East and the West . When Obilic Milos became a knight (yunak), this state was already hopelessly weakened. Byzantium had to fall - it was only a matter of time.

The Ottomans, not waiting for the seizure of Constantinople, began to conquer the states located on the Balkan Peninsula. The first in 1366, his dependence on the Sultan recognized the Bulgarian king Shishman III. Then followed the turn of Serbia. At this time Obilich Milos served as a knight at Prince Lazar.

In 1387 the first serious battle took place between the Serbs and the Turks. The battle took place on the bank of the river Toplitsy. The Slavs managed to defeat the enemy army. However, the threat of re-invasion has not gone away.

Turkish invasion

The medieval history of Serbia is full of civil strife and feudal war between each other. They (the Bans) fiercely feuded among themselves, challenging the primacy in the country. Internal wars prevented the state from rallying its forces for a decisive war against a real threat - the Ottoman Empire. For the Slavs, the recognition of dependence on the Sultan could be a fatal catastrophe. The Turks differed not only in terms of nationality, they were also Muslims, which did not bode well for the Serbian Orthodox Church and the entire mentality of the people.

The Turkish sultan Murad I quickly regained his strength after the defeat on the river Toplice. He owned the human and natural resources of the whole of Asia Minor. The fragmented Serbia was noticeably weaker than its might. In the summer of 1389 the Turkish army again invaded the Slavic principality. The decisive battle took place on July 15 on the Kosovo Field. Among the defenders of his homeland was Milos Obilic. The biography of this knight until that time was little known. But it was on Kosovo that he immortalized his name.

Battle of Kosovo Field

The army of Prince Lazar was built on the bank of the Lab River. This waterway crossed the Kosovo field, at the opposite end of which was the Ottoman squad. In the army of Serbs were also Bosnians and representatives of some other small Balkan peoples. Later they will betray Lazarus, which will complete his rout.

Prior to this day, the history of Serbia did not yet know such fateful battles. Even when her people were in a dependent position from Byzantium, it was only for the benefit of the nation, since it was the Greeks who gave them literacy and many cultural realities. The Turks could simply destroy the Serbs.

The army of Sultan Murad sent his main blow to the right flank, where the best Slavic soldiers were. There was among them Milos Obilic, whose years of life were spent in constant battles and sechah.

Murder of the Sultan

Initially, the Serbs successfully repulsed the attacks of the Ottomans. However, the Sultan continued to bring into battle all the new reserves that the Slavs did not have because of a lack of people. Gradually, the Turks began to press their enemies.

Obilic, realizing that defeat would be a disaster for the motherland, decided on a desperate act. He surrendered to the Turks. Yunaka was brought into the tent of the Sultan, so that he swore to him in loyalty. Obilic said that he accepted Islam and wanted to serve Murad. As a sign of his obedience, the Serb had to kiss the foot of the Sultan. However, at the decisive moment, the unarmed Milo Obilic suddenly snatched a poisoned dagger from his sleeve. A deadly blow followed, which took Murad's life.

Defeat of the Slavs

Serb hoped that the death of the Emperor would bring confusion to the ranks of the Ottomans. However, this did not happen. At a decisive moment the Turks learned that their son was led by the son of Sultan Bayazid. The battle continued at the same pace. The Serbs were defeated. They were defeated also because of the betrayal of some escaped feudal lords and Bosnians.

The defeat on the Kosovo Field remains the main national disaster for all this South Slavic people. After the battle, the Serbs were helpless before the Turkish expansion. Murad's successors gradually took away from the principality of freedom and in the 15th century they finally annexed him to the Ottoman Empire.

Milos Obilic is known in historiography as the greatest hero of his people, who decided to sacrifice himself for the illusory hope of defeating the invaders. It is not known exactly how he died, one can only guess. Either the bodyguards chopped him in place, or the knight was executed later after numerous sadistic tortures.

Order of the Dragon

It is interesting that Serbian folklore also attributes Obilich the creation of the knightly order of St. George. It included the twelve best warriors of the country. The symbol of a closed society was a shield with a bright sun. Another distinctive sign of the order was the dragon, which was painted on helmets.

There are several points of view about the future of the organization after the tragic death of Obilic. All the knights of the order were on the battlefield and died in the battle. Survived only one companion of Milos - Stefan Lazarevich. He was wounded and was sent home by a miracle. Later, he went to the service of the Hungarian King Sigismund. The knight hoped that the neighboring monarch would help the Serbs in their struggle against the Ottomans. In the early fifteenth century, Sigismund recreated the Order of the Dragon in the image of the community that existed at Obilic. The question of its succession remains controversial.