A small Serbian insurgent force of 300 halted Ottoman relief troops, enabling the continued siege of Šabac during the First Serbian Uprising.
Key Facts
- Date
- 28 April 1804 (Lazarus Saturday)
- Serbian force size
- 300 hajduks
- Nickname
- Serbian Thermopylae
- Location
- Near Monastery of Čokešina, Loznica
- Outcome
- Serbian strategic success; near-total insurgent casualties
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the early phase of the First Serbian Uprising against the Dahije (renegade Janissaries), Serbian insurgents sought to maintain the siege of Ottoman-held Šabac. Ottoman Bosnian troops were advancing to relieve the besieged garrison, requiring the Serbs to intercept the relief force before it could break the siege.
On 28 April 1804, approximately 300 Serbian hajduks under the Nedić brothers engaged a superior Dahije and Ottoman Bosnian force near the Monastery of Čokešina. After a full day of fierce combat, the small Serbian contingent was overwhelmed and nearly annihilated, but the battle delayed and effectively stopped the Ottoman relief column.
Although almost all Serbian insurgents perished, their sacrifice prevented the relief of the Ottoman garrison at Šabac, allowing the siege to continue. The engagement became a symbol of Serbian resistance and was dubbed the 'Serbian Thermopylae' in recognition of the defenders' sacrifice against a far larger force.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Nedić brothers.
Side B
1 belligerent