---
title: "Battle of Vaslui"
year: 1475
country: "Wallachia"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1475/battle-vaslui"
slug: "battle-vaslui"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1475-01-01"
---

# Battle of Vaslui

> Stephen the Great's decisive victory against Ottoman forces secured Wallachian independence and became a pivotal moment in Eastern European resistance to Ottoman expansion.

On January 10, 1475, Stephen III of Moldavia led roughly 40,000 troops against an Ottoman force commanded by Hadım Suleiman Pasha near the town of Vaslui. Despite being outnumbered, Stephen's army achieved a decisive victory that temporarily halted Ottoman expansion into Eastern Europe and became a defining moment in Moldavian resistance.

## Summary

The Battle of Vaslui was a battle that was fought on 10 January 1475, between Stephen III of Moldavia and the Ottoman governor of Rumelia, Hadım Suleiman Pasha. The battle took place at Podul Înalt, near the town of Vaslui, in Moldavia. The Ottoman troops numbered up to 30,000 or 120,000, facing about 40,000 Moldavian troops, plus smaller numbers of allied and mercenary troops.

## Key facts

- **Date**: January 10, 1475
- **Location**: Podul Înalt, near Vaslui, Moldavia
- **Moldavian Commander**: Stephen III (Stephen the Great)
- **Ottoman Commander**: Hadım Suleiman Pasha
- **Moldavian Force Size**: Approximately 40,000
- **Ottoman Force Size**: 30,000 to 120,000 (estimates vary)
- **Battle Outcome**: Moldavian victory
- **Ottoman Casualties**: Estimated 6,000 to 24,000 killed

## Timeline

- **1475-01-09** - Ottoman Force Approaches
  Hadım Suleiman Pasha's army advances toward Moldavia, prompting Stephen III to mobilize his forces for defense.
- **1475-01-10** - Battle of Vaslui
  Stephen III's Moldavian forces engage the Ottoman army at Podul Înalt. Despite numerical disadvantage in some accounts, the Moldavians achieve victory through superior tactics and terrain knowledge.
- **1475-01-11** - Ottoman Retreat
  The defeated Ottoman forces withdraw from Moldavian territory, ending the immediate threat.
- **1475-06** - Treaty Negotiations
  Stephen III negotiates with the Ottoman Porte, eventually accepting Moldavian vassal status to secure a lasting peace.

## Impact

The battle stands as one of the few decisive victories against Ottoman forces in 15th-century Eastern Europe. Stephen III's win bought Moldavia time but didn't prevent eventual Ottoman suzerainty-the region remained contested territory for centuries. The engagement demonstrated that Ottoman military dominance wasn't inevitable and became legendary in regional memory.

## Sources

- [Battle of Vaslui](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vaslui) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/1475/battle-vaslui