Battle of Kerh (1516)

Battle of Kerh - Ottoman soldiers commanded by Circassian Husayn Beg, ambushed by Safavid forces resulted in the destruction of almost all Ottoman soldiers.

Battle of Kerh (1516)
Part of Ottoman-Persian wars
Date April,1516 Location Diyarbakır, Turkey Result Safavid Victory
Belligerents
Safavid Iran	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Mahir Qarakhan	Circassian Husayn Beg † Mehmed Çelebi †
Strength
Unknown	Unknown

Battle

Bığlı Mehmet Pasha, who was expecting help from Karaman and Istanbul, wanted to defeat Ustajlu Qarakhan, who was getting stronger, in one game. As a result of this, a fake attack will be made with two thousand cavalry, after the Safavid forces gather, these troops will retreat and trap the Safavid army under the command of Bığlı Mehmet Pasha. Maulana Idris opposed this decision. The reason was that the roads were muddy due to the season and there was a long distance between the Kerkh position and Qantara, where the main army was waiting. Bığlı Mehmet Pasha did not accept the protests and left the mentioned forces under the command of Harpud sanjagbey Circassian Husayn. Garakhan, who heard about the raid through scouts, evacuated the camp and hid around it. Thinking that the camp was empty, the Ottoman army started looting it. Thinking that the main army was coming from behind, the Safavid army allowed the Ottoman army to seriously destroy their camps. When they realized that the main army would not come and that these forces were alone, they came out of hiding and attacked. The Ottoman cavalry, who were oppressed in a moment, could not resist any longer, and began to flee. Mavlan Idris was right, the cavalry could not escape because the roads were muddy. When a reporter named Nizamuddin told Bigli Mehmet Pasha that the Ottoman army had broken up and fled, Pasha returned to Diyarbakir. Some Ottoman soldiers who managed to reach the Tigris did not see the friendly soldiers around them and tried to cross the river. Most drowned in the flood, or were killed or captured by the Safavid forces.

Hoca Sadeddin Efendi wrote these verses about the battle in his book "Tâc üt-Tevârîh".

Köprü başı ardtan önden ele geçmişti
Düşman baskısından hiç kes erişmemişti
Meğer o kimse ki kendüsin suya sala
Ya da çaresiz kalınca artuk canın vire.

See also

• Ottoman-Persian wars