Gazimestan
Gazimestan is a monument in Serbia, which commemorates the Battle of Kosovo. It is located 6-7 kilometers northeast of the actual site of the battle, 5 kilometers northwest of Pristina, next to the Pristina-Kosovska Mitrovica highway. On the monument is written the text of the Kosovo Oath, given by Prince Lazar before the battle.
History
On June 28, 1389, the troops of the Ottoman Empire in their conquest of the Balkans met with the army of the Serbian alliance, which in addition to the Serbs included the troops of Bosnia, Albania and others. The Serbian troops were commanded by Prince Lazar, while the Turkish troops were commanded by Sultan Murad I.
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The number of soldiers is not known exactly, according to one data the sultan had 30 thousand people, and the Serbs 15-20, according to others up to 300 and 80 thousand respectively. But it is known for sure that the Sultan’s troops outnumbered the Serbs 1.5-3 times. At the beginning of the battle, the Sultan was killed. According to some sources, he was killed by Serb Milos Obilic, who, pretending to be a defector, entered the sultan’s tent and stabbed him to death. However, immediately after the death of the Sultan, the Turkish army was led by his son Bayazid. The Serbian army was defeated, Lazar was captured and executed, and Lazar’s daughter Olivera was sent to the Sultan’s harem. The Serbs were forced to pay tribute to the Turks and supply troops to the Ottoman army.
After the Battle of Kosovo Field, Serbia became a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, and was incorporated into it in 1459.
.This first battle still plays a significant role in Serbian folklore, Lazar and Miloš Obilić are honored as saints by the Orthodox Church.
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