Editing Battle of Varna (section)

==Background==
The Hungarian Kingdom fell into crisis after the death of King [[Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor|Sigismund]] in 1437. His son-in-law and successor, King [[Albert II of Germany|Albert]], ruled for only two years and died in 1439, leaving his widow [[Elizabeth of Luxembourg|Elizabeth]] with an unborn child, [[Ladislaus the Posthumous]]. The Hungarian noblemen then called the young King [[Władysław III of Poland]] to the throne of Hungary, expecting his aid in defense against the Ottomans. After his Hungarian coronation, he never went back to his homeland again, assuming rule of the Hungarian Kingdom next to the influential nobleman [[John Hunyadi]].

After failed expeditions in 1440–1442 against [[Belgrade]] and [[Transylvania]] and the defeats of the Turks during Hunyadi's "[[long campaign]]" in 1442–1443, the Ottoman sultan [[Murad II]] signed a [[Peace of Szeged|ten-year truce]] with Hungary. After he had made peace with the [[Karamanids|Karaman Emirate]] in [[Anatolia]] in August 1444, he resigned the throne to his twelve-year-old son [[Mehmed II]].

Cesarini insisted that the Hungarian King Władysław III should break the treaty, arguing that it was not valid due to the fact that it had been made with infidels.<ref name="Modern Warfare">{{cite journal |last1=Pogãciaş |first1=Andrei |title=The Campaign of Varna, 1444: An Example of How to Lose a Victory |journal=Medieval Warfare |date=2011 |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=43–48}}</ref> Hungary co-operated with [[Venice]] and [[Pope Eugene IV]] to organize a new [[Crusades|crusader]] army led by Hunyadi and Władysław III. On receipt of this news, [[Çandarlı Halil Pasha the Younger|Çandarlı Halil Pasha]] recalled Murad II against the Christian Coalition, even though Mehmed II did not accept this and wanted to fight himself.{{fact|date=July 2023}} As a result, Murad II commanded the [[Military of the Ottoman Empire#Army|Ottoman army]].