Sack of Sarajevo

Sack of Sarajevo
Part of the Great Turkish War and the Ottoman–Habsburg wars
Depiction of Eugene of Savoy in Bosnia
Date 23 October 1697 Location Bosnasaray, Ottoman Empire present-day Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 43°51′23″N 18°24′47″E / 43.85639°N 18.41306°E / 43.85639; 18.41306 Result Sarajevo is successfully sacked
Belligerents
Habsburg Monarchy	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Prince Eugene of Savoy	Bosnians
Strength
6,500 infantry 12 small cannons	Unknown

The sack of Sarajevo took place on 23 October 1697 and was committed by raiding Austrian troops led by Prince Eugene of Savoy. At this time the Great Turkish War was being fought. Shortly after the Austrian victory at the Battle of Zenta (today: Senta, Serbia), an opportunity arose for the Austrians to launch a surprise attack into Ottoman Bosnia.

The intrusion into Ottoman Bosnia and the subsequent sacking of Sarajevo left the city plague-infected and burned to the ground. After Prince Eugene's men had thoroughly looted the city, they set it on fire and nearly destroyed all of it in one day. Only a few neighbourhoods, some mosques, and an Orthodox church were left standing.^[1] As the Austrians were leaving Bosnia, 40,000 Catholics left with them to populate Slavonia that was left deserted after the Ottoman retreat. This exodus of Catholics made them the 3rd religious group in Bosnia and Herzegovina.