Battle of Ankara
1402 CE · Turkey
The Battle of Ankara was fought in 1402 CE in Turkey between Timurid Empire vs the Ottoman Empire; decisive Timurid victory; Sultan Bayezid was captured.
Battle of Ankara: quick facts
- Date
- 1402 CE
- Location
- Turkey
- Belligerents
- Timurid Empire vs the Ottoman Empire
- Commanders
- Timur vs Bayezid I
- Result
- decisive Timurid victory; Sultan Bayezid was captured.
- Era
- ⚔️ Ottoman & Islamic Empires
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Ankara?
Timur (Tamerlane) crushed the Ottoman army and captured Sultan Bayezid I in one of the most consequential battles of the medieval period. Many Ottoman vassal troops defected to Timur during the battle, sealing Bayezid's defeat. The sultan reportedly died in captivity, and the Ottoman Empire plunged into a decade-long civil war known as the Ottoman Interregnum. The empire nearly collapsed but eventually recovered under Mehmed I.
Did you know?
The story that Bayezid I was kept in an iron cage by Timur after Ankara is likely a legend, but his captivity and humiliation were real. Some accounts say Timur used him as a footstool.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Ankara on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.