Battle of Bizani

Battle of Bizani
Part of the First Balkan War

Crown Prince Constantine watching the heavy guns shelling Bizani, by Georges Scott.
DateMarch, 4–6 [O.S. February, 19–21] 1913
Location
Bizani, Janina Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
(now Greece)
39°33′58″N 20°53′33″E / 39.56611°N 20.89250°E / 39.56611; 20.89250
Result

Greek victory

  • Capture of Ioannina
  • End of First Balkan war
Belligerents
Greece Greece  Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Greece Crown Prince Constantine
Greece Konstantinos Sapountzakis		 Ottoman Empire Esad Pasha (POW)
Ottoman Empire Wehib Pasha (POW)
Units involved
Army of Epirus Yanya Corps
Strength
4 infantry divisions
41,000 soldiers
1 cavalry brigade
1 cavalry regiment
105 guns		 4 infantry divisions
35,000 soldiers
Unknown number of irregulars
162 guns
Casualties and losses
500 killed and wounded[1]
  • 2,800 killed[1][2][3]
  • 8,600 captured
  • 1,000 officers, 32,000 soldiers surrendered and 108 guns captured[4] [a][5]

Total: 44,508

The Battle of Bizani (Greek: Μάχη του Μπιζανίου, Máchi tou Bizaníou; Turkish: Bizani Muharebesi) took place in Epirus on 4–6 March [O.S. 19–21 February] 1913. The battle was fought between Greek and Ottoman forces during the last stages of the First Balkan War, and revolved around the forts of Bizani, which covered the approaches to Ioannina, the largest city in the region.

At the outbreak of the war, the Hellenic Army on the Epirus front did not have the numbers to initiate an offensive against the German-designed defensive positions in Bizani. However, after the campaign in Macedonia was over, many Greek troops were redeployed to Epirus, where Crown Prince Constantine himself assumed command. In the battle that followed the Ottoman positions were breached and Ioannina taken. Despite having a slight numerical advantage, this was not the decisive factor in the Greek victory. Rather, "solid operational planning" by the Greeks was key as it helped them implement a well-coordinated and executed assault that did not allow the Ottoman forces time to react.[3] Furthermore, the bombardment of Ottoman positions was the heaviest in world history up to that time.[6][citation needed]

  1. ^ a b Hall (2014), p. 153.
  2. ^ Hooton (2017).
  3. ^ a b Erickson (2003), p. 304.
  4. ^ a b Military Museum of War 1912-13 - History.
  5. ^ Like Today on 21/02/1913.
  6. ^ Joachim G. Joachim, Bibliopolis, 2000, Ioannis Metaxas: The Formative Years 1871-1922, p 131.


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