Duel between Miloš Parižević and a Turk Bakota at Klis

 The fortress-town of Klis was found north of Split on the top of a steep, rocky mountain, inaccessible from all sides.  Since the time of king Trpimir in the 8th century many battles have been fought to control the "Door to Bosnia" (or to Dalmatia from the other perspective).   Due to its importance the Venetians wanted it and the Turks wanted it but they could not take it. The defensive position had such great advantage, that with a handful of brave soldiers and entire army could be stopped from advancing.  Klis stood strong above Solin and Split watching and protecting.   Many great battles against the Ottomans were fought, many pages of heroic actions written and many legends have entered the Croatian national soul.

The most heroic stories come from the time when great Croatian hero and protector Petar Kružić was captain of Klis from 1522 to the time of his heroic death in 1537.  During the siege of 1537 (or maybe 1527, it is not certain) there is a legend about the heroic duel between a Klis Uskok Miloš Parižević and a true Turkish giant named Bakota (Bagora). 

Bakota was as tall and strong as was the Biblical Goliath and like Goliath every day taunted the defenders with insults and invites to a duel calling them all cowards. The defenders were embarrassed with shame but fear and prudence kept them from venturing out of the fortress.  Then one day a young man, a refugee from a village in Bosnia, named Miloš Parižević, who served Petar Kružić as a page felt called to respond to Bakota's invite to a duel.  Miloš went to Kružić's deputy with a request to allow him to fight Bakota in a duel. At first he was dismissed with the statement that he was too bold and in no way equal to the opponent and there is no way that Miloš could prevail but Miloš replied that he had great faith in God and that he will win and if he doesn't what does it matter if he loses, there will be little harm or shame if the Turkish giant defeats a small young man.  Miloš was given permission to fight in the duel.

It can be said that Miloš was chosen by God, as a new David tasked to defeat the hubris of this Turkish Goliath.  Miloš walked out the gate of the fortress, followed by the prayers of the faithful Christians.  He entered the duel, below the walls of the fortress, with the arrogant Turk.  Up close Miloš saw how great a giant Bakota was and he said a prayer asking the Holy Mother  (Lady of Trsat) to help him.  In his prayer he vowed that if God helps him defeat Bakota that he will donate a candle, as heavy as is Bakota the giant, to the chapel.

Miloš drew his sword and the fight began.  They circled in then and in one strong strike Miloš cut off one leg of the Turk enemy but Bakota did not fall.  Bakota stood tall on his one leg and enraged kept swinging furiously in all directions at Miloš.  Towards such fury the brave Miloš could not approach to land a second strike and claim victory.  Bakota kept attacking and Miloš had difficulty to jump here and there to avoid the sword of the enraged enemy. 

Note: I doubt the leg was cut off because it would take too much force for a small guy to cut through the muscle and bone of a "giant".  Most likely Miloš inflicted a great leg wound that prevented Bakota from moving. Maybe Miloš slashed the achilles tendon. 

Bakota eventually lost his balance, on his one leg, and fell with great force to the ground.  While on the ground he still kept swinging with his sword and Miloš still could not approach.  Miloš then resorted to throwing stones at Bakota from a distance.   Stone after stone hit Bakota who stopped waving his sword and threw it to Miloš and tells him to not kill him like a dog but like a hero.  Miloš took the sword and cut off Bakota's head.  With great shouts of celebration Miloš carried the head into the fortress of Klis.

Later, Miloš fulfilled his vow and delivered to the Chapel (Church) of our Lady of Trsat, in Rijeka.  Petar Kružić donated a second candle of equal size.  To this day, a candles can be seen in the church (recorded in 17th century). 

After the fall of Klis to the Ottomans in 1537 Miloš went to Senj with the Uskoks and became a pirate.  He was later caught by the Venetians in Zadar, tried and executed (hung) on February 3, 1549

1537 - Ottomans took Klis from Croatians

1648 - Venetians take Klis from Ottomans

1797 - Austrian take it from Venetians (after Napoleon dissolves Venetian state)

1805 - French take it from Austrians

1813 - Austrians take it from the French

1815 - onwards Kingdom of Dalmatia within Austrian Empire 

1918 - Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes

1941 - Used for the last time as a military base by the Germans and Italians

Sources

Legende i predaje Hrvata, Kovačević, 1993

Legende puka hrvatskoga: sto najljepšihlegendi i povijesnih priča iz hrvatske prošlosti, Meridijani, 2005

Petar Kružić, kapetan i knez grada Klisa,1931

 Sadly, I can't find this one

A Latin epigram by Fran Trankvil Andreis, "Millos Pariseuich pugnat ex prouocatione cum Bachota Turco" (Miloš Parišević, accepting a challenge, fights with Bakota the Turk)