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The Battle of Bileća was fought on 27 August 1388 between Bosniak forces led by Duke Vlatko Vuković and the Ottomans under the leadership of Lala Shahin Pasha. Vlatkos army numbered 7,000 fighters from Bosnia, and Shahin Pashas army numbered 18,000 fighters. It was the first facing of Turks at Rudine, the Bosniaks, although fewer, finally fought near the town of Bileća and gave them a defeat, which delayed the Ottomans' advances into Bosnia. Shahin Pasha escaped by fleeing, while the losses in the victorious ranks were insignificant.
The Battle has left a great impression on the people of that era who engraved at the tomb of Duke Vlatko in Boljuni near Stolac the following inscription:
Ase leži dobri čoek Vlatko Vuković. Vojvoda Vlatko je prvi pobijedio Turke kod Bileće 27. avgusta 1388. (ɖсє ʌєжн Δобϸн vоєк □ʌɖmко □ɣко□нƛ. □ʌɖmко ѣ пϸ□н побнѣΔно mɣϸкє коΔ бнʌєƛє 27. ɖɣгɣсmɖ 1388.)
(Here lies the good man Vlatko Vuković. Duke Vlatko was the first who defeated the Turks at Bileća August 27th 1388.)
Slava nasem heroju Vlatku Kosaci Bosnjaku!
Bog Bosna Bosnjaci!
EDIT: I just read on a website that Serbian forces under the command of Đurad Balšić, an independent Serb noblemen participated in the battle on the side of the Ottomans. Fun stuff, dunno if it's true.
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