Monograph "The Battle of Krbava Field in 1493" by Professor Kekez Presented

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, as part of the scientific conference "From Krbava to Mohács: On the Occasion of the 500th Anniversary of the Battle of Mohács" (Od Krbave do Mohača U povodu 500. obljetnice Mohačke bitke / Krbavamezőtől Mohácsig Az 1526. évi mohácsi csata 500. évfordulója alkalmából), the scientific monograph The Battle of Krbava Field in 1493: Context, Event, Consequences and Perception by Professor Hrvoje Kekez, PhD, was presented. The book was published in 2026 in Budapest by the ELTE Research Centre for the Humanities, Institute of History, as part of the scholarly series Mohács 1526–2026: Reconstruction and Remembrance (Mohács 1526–2026. Rekonstrukció és emlékezet).

Tomislav Matić, PhD, and Antal Molnár, PhD, discussed the book and its scholarly contribution, reflecting on its foundational historiographical and methodological features. Particular attention was given to the fact that the monograph provides a comprehensive analysis of the Battle of Krbava Field, encompassing the preceding political and military context, the course of the engagement itself, its immediate and long-term consequences, and the various ways in which the battle has been interpreted and remembered over the centuries.

The discussion highlighted the importance of incorporating diverse Croatian, Hungarian, and Ottoman sources, as well as re-examining certain traditional historiographical interpretations of the Battle of Krbava Field. The monograph pays special attention to the question of battlefield localization, the composition and deployment of the opposing armies, and the responsibility for the catastrophic defeat of the Croatian forces on September 9, 1493.

Presenting the book within the framework of a conference dedicated to the Battle of Mohács further underscored the connection between the Battle of Krbava Field and the prolonged process of Ottoman pressure and warfare across the Croatian and Hungarian kingdoms throughout the late 15th and the first half of the 16th century. Furthermore, the monograph does not stop at military history, but also examines the place of the Battle of Krbava Field in shaping collective memory, national narratives, and modern Croatian historiography.

The event concluded with a discussion on the avenues for further comparative research on the battles of Krbava Field and Mohács, opening up space for viewing them within the broader context of political, military, and social transformations across Central and Southeastern Europe at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century.