(1347 - 1403)sultan of the Turks (1389 - 1402) who greatly extended the Turkish territories through military conquest. He was known as the Thunderbolt because of the rapidity of his military tactics. When his expansion presented a threat to Europe, Sigismund (1368 - 1437), the king of Hungary and Germany, organized a crusade against Bayazid. In 1396, Bayazid defeated this large army composed of Hungarians, Poles, Germans, French, English and Venetians and extended his area of control even further. At the sametime, a threat was developing in his rear from Tamerlane, who defeated and captured Bayazid in 1402. Bayazid died in March 1403 while still a prisoner in Tamerlane's camp. See also Tamerlane in this glossary.—Conquest of Chaos Approved Glossary (8.7.92)