Description

A rare pamphlet describes the Battle of Banja Luka, fought on 4th August 1737 between the Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungary, where the Ottomans celebrated a victory under the leadership of Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha. It is considered the biggest battle in the history of Bosniaks.

The report was written by Osman Mazhar from Herzegovina (Hersekli), from the Bosniak family Čengić and one of the leaders of the opposition against the Austro-Hungarian domination of Bosnia, living in exile in Istanbul (Philippe Gelez, Safvet-beg Bašagić (1870-1934), 2010, p. 238). The book was written to commemorate the Ottoman domination in Bosnia, which was taken over by Austro-Hungary in 1878.

The Austro-Hungarians would maintain their military presence in the region of Novi Pazar – a joining region between Bosnia and the Ottoman Empire (today Serbia) until 1908 when they agreed to withdraw from Novi Pazar in exchange for being given permanent sovereignty over Bosnia (which proved fateful, as the World War I would be sparked in Sarajevo!).  Novi Pazar and Kosovo would be conquered by Serbia during the First Balkan War (October 8, 1912 – May 30, 1913), so ending over 500 years of the Ottoman presence in the region.

The family Čengić was a prominent proud Bosnian noble family, which supported the Ottoman Empire.

We could not find any institutional examples on Worldcat.

References: ÖZEGE; 1831.