Murad II

Reign: 1421 – 1444; 1446 – 1451
Life: 1404–1451

Many Ottoman soldiers joined him, and he defeated and killed the veteran general Bayazid Pasha , whom Murad had sent to fight him. Murad II then formed a new army called Azeb in 1421 and marched through the Byzantine Empire and laid siege to Constantinople . Murad had to abandon the siege of Constantinople in order to deal with his rebellious brother. Murad II won the Crusade of Varna in 1444 against John Hunyadi . In 1448 he defeated the Christian coalition at the Second Battle of Kosovo (the first one took place in 1389). In 1450 Murad II led his army into Albania and unsuccessfully besieged the Castle of Krujë in an effort to defeat the resistance led by Skanderbeg .

During Murad II's reign, Henry VI of England ruled England, Charles VII of France ruled France, and John I of Portugal ruled Portugal.

Want to learn more? Further reading

The Ottoman Centuries by Patrick Kinross

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The World During Their Reign

The most notable rulers who held power elsewhere at the same time, from European courts to Ottoman, Mughal, and Chinese thrones.

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The Ottoman Centuries

Patrick Kinross

Kinross on the dynasty's rise, Murad II's long reign prepared the ground for Mehmed's conquest.

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