Historica Wiki
Advertisement

The Battle of Gökçedam (Turkish: Gökçedam Savaşı, Persian: Nabard Goksdam, نبرد گوکسدام), also known as the battle of Hemite (Turkish: Hemite Savaşı, Persian: Nabard Cpehmit, نبرد همیت) was a battle fought on August 2, 1393 between the mercenary forces of Gualtieri Orsini and the Qasimids near the modern town of Gökçedam in Osmaniye Province, Turkey. Orsini's company had been hired by the Latin Empire in their war against the Qasimids. Having already served in northern Anatolia against the Empire of Nicaea, Gualtieri had become somewhat of a favourite for the Latin emperor. His contract was extended, and the company was instructed to raid along the Anatolian coast. With support from client states in western Turkey, as well as naval assistance from the Hospitaller Order of Rhodes, Gualtieri ravaged the ports of Cilicia, a vassal of the Qasimid dynasty.

Having raided the territory surrounding Tarsus in late July, Gualtieri's company passed along the coast of Adana until they were confronted with a Qasimid force under command of Özdemir ibn Shahab. The company retreated north, before entrenching at the town of Gökçedam. The battle resulted in a victory for Orsini's company and was an example of early gunpowder tactics. Unable to break Orsini's defences, even after repeated cavalry charges, the Qasimids broke and were pursued by the company's light cavalry. Though victorious, Gualtieri's position was tenuous and he was forced to retreat back west, commandeering a number of Cilician vessels with aid from the Hospitallers and, after recouping on Rhodes, returning to Constantinople.

Advertisement