Battle of Mehadiye (1789)

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Battle of Mehadiye (1789)
Part of the Austro-Turkish War (1788–1791)
Date August 28, 1789 Location Mehaiye, Ottoman Empire Result Habsburg victory
Belligerents
Habsburg Monarchy	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Count Clerfayt	Mehmed Pasha
Strength
8500	Unknown
Casualties and losses
108	1000

In 1789, the Ottomans, taking advantage of the slow assembly of Austrian forces on the southern border, concentrated their troops near Belgrade. In July, they crossed the Danube and invaded the Austrian Banat. It was only in mid-August that Emperor Joseph II was able to send a corps of 20,400 soldiers to Banat.

The Ottoman defeats at the Battle of Focșani and the Bodza Pass seemingly had a detrimental effect on the Turks' willingness to advance into the Zsupanek Valley. The commander there, Mehemed Pasha, withdrew his forces, leaving only Mehadia occupied. Upon hearing this news, Fieldzeugmeister Clerfayt decided to act immediately. On August 17, he set out from Caransebeș, drove away the Ottoman vanguard stationed at Bolvasnitzabach, captured Mehadia in the afternoon, and fortified the surrounding hills.

In the following days, reconnaissance patrols reported that Mehemed Pasha had not evacuated Banat but was advancing towards Mehadia. However, due to his lack of numerical superiority, Clerfayt decided to halt the enemy's advance Mehadia.^[1]