Battle of Szigetvár
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Szigetvár or Battle of Szigeth was a siege of the Szigeth Fortress
in Baranya
(near the present Hungarian/Croatian border) which blocked Suleiman
's line of advance towards Vienna
in 1566 AD. The battle was fought between the defending forces of the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy
under the leadership of Croatian ban
Nicholas Zrinsky
, and the invading Ottoman
army under the nominal command of Sultan
Suleiman the Magnificent ( Süleymān).
After the Battle of Mohács
in 1526, which resulted in the end of the independent Kingdom of Hungary
, Ferdinand I
was elected King by the nobles of both Hungary and Croatia
. This was followed by a series of conflicts with the Habsburgs and their allies, fighting against the Ottoman Empire. In the Little War in Hungary
both sides exhausted themselves after sustaining heavy casualties. The Ottoman campaign in Hungary ceased until the offensive against Szigetvár.
In January 1566 Suleiman went to war for the last time. The siege of Szigetvár was fought from 5 August to 8 September 1566 and, though it resulted in an Ottoman victory, there were heavy losses on both sides. Both commanders died during the battle—Zrinsky in the final charge and Suleiman in his tent from natural causes. It is generally accepted that Suleiman died in his tent behind the siege lines from natural causes, before the Turks achieved victory. According to George F. Nafziger, Suleiman died of a heart attack when learned of his victory. According to Stephen Turnbull, several contemporary accounts, such as the ones used later by Nicholas VII Zrinsky for his epic, attribute Suleiman's death to Zrinsky's hand. More than 20,000 Turks
had fallen during the attacks and almost all of Zrinsky's 2,300 man garrison was killed, with most of the final 600 men killed on the last day. Although the battle was an Ottoman victory, it stopped the Ottoman push to Vienna that year. Vienna was not threatened again until the Battle of Vienna
in 1683.
The importance of the battle was considered so great that the French clergyman and statesman
Cardinal Richelieu was reported to have described it as "the battle that saved civilization." The battle is still famous in Croatia
and Hungary
and inspired both the Hungarian epic poem Siege of Sziget and the Croatian opera Nikola Šubić Zrinski
.
forces led by King Louis II were defeated at the Battle of Mohács
by Ottoman forces led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Louis was killed in the battle which resulted in the end of the independent Kingdom of Hungary, as he died without an heir. Both Hungary and Croatia became disputed territories with claims from both the Habsburg and Ottoman empires. Ferdinand I
from the House of Habsburg
, brother of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, married the sister of Louis II and was elected King by the nobles of both Hungary and Croatia.On 1 January 1527, the Croatian nobles at Cetin unanimously elected Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria
as their king, and confirmed the succession to him and his heirs. In return for the throne, Archduke Ferdinand, at Parliament on Cetin
, promised to respect the historic rights, freedoms, laws, and customs the Croats had when united with the Hungarian kingdom and to defend Croatia from Ottoman
invasion. (R. W. Seton -Watson:The southern Slav question and the Habsburg Monarchy page 18)
The throne of Hungary became the subject of a dynastic dispute between Ferdinand and John Zápolya
from Transylvania
. Suleiman had promised to make Zápolya the ruler of all Hungary. Ferdinand set out to enforce his claim on Hungary and captured Buda
from John Zápolya in 1527, only to relinquish his hold on it in 1529 when an Ottoman counter-attack stripped Ferdinand of all his territorial gains during 1527 and 1528. The Siege of Vienna
in 1529 was the first attempt by Suleiman the Magnificent to capture the Austrian capital. This siege signalled the pinnacle of Ottoman power and the maximum extent of Ottoman expansion in central Europe.
, although Ferdinand was successful elsewhere—capturing Gran
(Esztergom) and other forts along the Danube river, a vital strategic frontier.
Suleiman's response came in 1532 when he led a massive army of over 120,000 troops to besiege Vienna again. Ferdinand withdrew his army, leaving only 700 men with no cannons and a few guns to defend Güns
(Koszeg) although Ibrahim Pasha
, the Grand Vizier of the Ottomans, did not realize how poorly defended Koszeg was. Suleiman came to join him shortly after the siege had started. For more than twenty five days Croatian captain Nikola Jurišić
and his garrison of 800 Croats
held out against nineteen full-scale assaults and an incessant bombardment by the Ottomans. As a result the city was offered a surrender on favourable terms and, although the offer was rejected, the Ottomans retreated According to Stephen Turnbull, the city was offered terms for a nominal surender. The only Ottomans who would be allowed to enter the castle would be a token force who would raise the Turkish flag. Anyway, Suleiman withdrew at the arrival of the August rains, and did not continue towards Vienna as previously planned, but homeward. leading to a peace treaty between Ferdinand and Suleiman. John Zápolya was recognized as the King of Hungary by the Habsburgs, although as an Ottoman vassal
.
The treaty did not satisfy either John Zápolya or Ferdinand and their armies began skirmishes along the borders. In 1537 Ferdinand attacked John’s forces at Osijek
in violation of the treaty. The siege was a disaster of similar magnitude to that of Mohács, with an Ottoman relief army smashing the Austrians. Rather than attack Vienna again Suleiman attacked Otranto
in southern Italy
. Nonetheless, an Ottoman victory at the naval Battle of Preveza (1538) gave the Habsburg-led coalition another defeat.
John Zápolya died in 1540 and was succeeded by his infant son John II Sigismund Zápolya
. For much of his reign the country was governed by his mother Isabella Jagiellon, with continued support from Suleiman. John II remained as nominal King of Hungary until he abdicated in 1570 and returned the country to Habsburg rule.
A further humiliating defeat was inflicted on the Habsburgs in the Siege of Buda (1541)
when the Ottomans responded to a request for help from Isabella Jagiellon. In April 1543 Suleiman launched another campaign in Hungary, taking back Bran and other forts so that much of Hungary returned to Ottoman control. In August 1543 the Ottomans succeeded in the Siege of Esztergom (1543)
which was followed by the capture of three Hungarian cities: Székesfehérvár
, Siklós
and Szeged
, offering better security for Buda.
Another peace agreement between the Habsburgs and the Ottomans lasted until 1552 when Suleiman decided to attack Eger
. The siege
proved futile and the Habsburg victory reversed a period of territorial losses in Hungary. The survival of Eger gave the Austrians good reason to believe that Hungary was still a contested ground and the Ottoman campaign in Hungary ceased, until its revival in 1566.
In January 1566 Sultan Suleiman I had ruled the Ottoman Empire for 46 years and went to war for the last time. He was 72 years old and, although having gout to the extent that he was carried on a litter, he nominally commanded his thirteenth military campaign
. On 1 May 1566 the Sultan left Constantinople
at the head of one of the largest armies he had ever commanded.
His opposite number, Count Nicholas Zrinsky, was one of the largest landholders in Croatia
, a seasoned veteran of border warfare, and a Ban
(Croation royal representative) from 1542 to 1556. In his early life he distinguished himself in the Siege of Vienna
and pursued a successful military career.
Suleiman's forces reached Belgrade
on 27 June after a forty nine day march. Here he met with John II Sigismund Zápolya
who he earlier promised to make the ruler of all Hungary. Learning of the Zrinsky's success in an attack upon a Turkish encampment at Siklós
, Suleiman decided to postpone his attack on Eger
and instead attack Zrinsky's fortress at Szigetvár to eliminate him as a threat.
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, the real operational commander of the Ottoman forces.
Count Zrinsky found himself besieged by a hostile army of at least 150,000 soldiers with powerful artillery. Zrinsky had assembled a force of around 2,300 Croatian
and Hungarian soldiers prior to the siege. These consisted of his personal forces and those of his friends and allies. The majority of the defenders were Croatian, with a significant Hungarian contingent represented in both the men-at-arms and the leadership.
Szigetvár was divided into three sections divided by water: the old town, the new town and the castle—each of which was linked to the next by bridges and to the land by causeway
s. Although it was not built on particularly high ground the inner castle, which occupied much of the area of today's castle, was not directly accessible to the attackers. This was because two other baileys had to be taken and secured before a final assault on the inner castle could be launched.
When the Sultan appeared before the Fortress he saw the walls hung with red cloth, as though for a festive reception, and a single great cannon thundered once to greet the mighty warrior monarch. The siege began on 6 August when Suleiman ordered a general assault on the ramparts, although the attack was successfully repulsed. Despite being undermanned, and greatly outnumbered, the defenders were sent no reinforcements from Vienna by the imperial army.
After over a month of exhausting and bloody struggle the few remaining defenders retreated into the old town for their last stand. The Sultan tried to entice Zrinsky to surrender, ultimately offering him leadership of Croatia under Ottoman influence, Count Zrinsky did not reply and continued to fight.
The fall of the castle appeared inevitable but the Ottoman high command hesitated. On 6 September the Suleiman died in his tent and his death was kept secret at great effort with only the Sultan's innermost circle knowing of his demise. A courier was dispatched from the camp with a message for Suleiman's successor, Selim
. The courier may not even have known the content of the message he delivered to distant Asia Minor
within a mere eight days.
The final battle began on 7 September, the day after Suleiman's demise. By this time, the fortress walls had been reduced to rubble by mining with explosives and wood fueled fires at the corners of the walls. In the morning an all-out attack began with fusillades from small arms, "Greek fire
", and a concentrated cannonade.According to Robert William Fraser, more than 10,000 large cannon balls where shot into the fortress during the siege. Soon the castle, the last stronghold within Szigetvár, was set ablaze and cinders fell into the apartments of the count.
The Ottoman army swarmed through the city, drumming and yelling. Zrinsky prepared for a last charge addressing his troops:
Zrinsky did not allow the final assault to break into the castle. As the Turks were pressing forwards along a narrow bridge the defenders suddenly flung open the gate and fired a large mortar loaded with broken iron, killing 600 attackers. Zrinsky then ordered a charge and led his remaining 600 troops out of the castle. He received two musket wounds in his chest and was killed shortly afterwards by an arrow to the head. Some of his force retired into the castle.
The Turks took the castle and most of the defenders were slain. A few of the captured defenders were spared by Janissaries
who had admired their courage, with only seven defenders managing to escape through the Ottoman lines. Zrinsky's corpse was beheaded and his head taken to the Emperor while his body received an honourable burial by a Turk who had been his prisoner, and well treated by him.
The Vizier Ibrahim's life was saved by one of Zrinsky's household who warned him of the trap when the Vizier and his troops searched for treasure and interrogated the survivors. While inquiring about treasure the prisoner replied that it had been long expended, but that 3,000 lbs
of powder were under their feet to which a slow match had been attached. The Vizier and his mounted officers had just enough time to escape but 3,000 Turks perished in the explosion.
s, 7,000 Janissaries
and 28,000 other soldiers are said to have perished. Sources vary on the exact number with estimates ranging from 20,000–35,000.
After the battle the Grand Vizier forged bulletins in the Sultan's name, proclaiming victory. These announced that the Sultan regretted that his current state of health prevented him from continuing with the successful campaign. His body was returned to Constantinople while the inner circle of officials pretended to keep up communication with him. Turkish sources state that the illusion was maintained for three weeks and that even the Sultan's personal physician was strangled as a precaution.
It is likely that the long journey and the siege had a detrimental effect on the Sultan's health. His death meant that any advances were postponed as the Grand Vizier had to return to Constantinople for the succession of the new Sultan, Selim II
. Even if Suleiman had lived his army could not have achieved much in the short time that remained between the fall of Szigeth and the onset of winter. The prolonged resistance at Szigeth delayed the Ottoman push to Vienna.
Two ambasadors were sent by Emperor Maximilian
: Croatian Antun Vrančić
and Styrian Christoph Teuffenbach. They arrived in Istanbul on 26 August 1567 and were well received by Sultan Selim II. An agreement ending the war between the Austrian and Ottoman empires was reached on 17 February 1568, after five months of negotiations with Sokollu Mehmed Pasha. The Treaty of Adrianople was signed on 21 February 1568. Sultan Selim II agreed to an eight-year truce, although the agreement brought 25 years of (relative) peace between the Empires until the Long War
. The truce was conditional and Maximilian agreed to pay an annual tribute of 30,000 ducats.
The Croatian Renaissance
poet and writer Brne Karnarutić
, from Zadar
, wrote The Conquest of the City of Sziget sometime before 1573. His work was posthumously published in 1584 in Venice
. This is the first Croatian historical epic dealing with national history and the Battle of Szigetvár. It was inspired by Marulić's
Judita.
The battle was also immortalized in the Hungarian epic poem Szigeti Veszedelem ("Peril of Sziget"), written in fifteen parts by Zrinsky's great-grandson Nicholas VII of Zrin
(also a Ban of Croatia) in 1647 and published in 1651. This was one of the first such epics in the Hungarian language and was also inspired by Marulić's Judita. Kenneth Clark
's renowned history Civilisation lists the Szigeti Veszedelem as one of the major literary achievements of the 17th century. In spite of the author and other members of Zrinsky family being fierce enemies of the Turks, the poem never demonizes them. The Turks are portrayed as human beings and a love story between Deliman the Tatar and the Sultan's daughter Cumilla is interwoven into the main plot.
Peter Zrinsky
, the brother of Nicholas VII of Zrin, published Opsida Sigecka (1647/8) in the Croatian language—not surprising since the Zrinsky family were bilingual.
Another Croatian nobleman warrior-poet Pavao Ritter Vitezović
(1652–1713) wrote about the battle. His poem Odiljenje sigetsko ("The Sziget Farewell"), first published in 1684, reminisces about the event without rancour or crying for revenge. The last of the four cantos is titled "Tombstones" and consists of epitaphs for the Croatian and Turkish warriors who died during the siege, paying equal respect to both.
Ivan Zajc
's 1876 opera Nikola Šubić Zrinski
is his most famous and popular work in Croatia. This recounts the heroic defiance of the Croats
towards the Turks, as a metaphor for their later nationalist impulses within the Habsburg monarchy
.
Zrinski is depicted in the plot as a 16th-century Croatian hero who defeated the Turks a couple of times before perishing sacrificially, along with his family and close supporters, in the siege of Szigeth castle. The opera is patriotic with a famous aria "U boj, u boj
".
Szigetvár
-History:The town's fortress was the setting of the Battle of Szigetvár in 1566. It was a sanjak centre at first in Budin Province , later in Kanije Province .There was already a bum in the marshland back in the Celtic and Roman times...
in Baranya
Baranya (region)
Baranya or Baranja is a geographical region between the Danube and the Drava rivers. Its territory is divided between Hungary and Croatia...
(near the present Hungarian/Croatian border) which blocked Suleiman
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I was the tenth and longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1520 to his death in 1566. He is known in the West as Suleiman the Magnificent and in the East, as "The Lawgiver" , for his complete reconstruction of the Ottoman legal system...
's line of advance towards Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1566 AD. The battle was fought between the defending forces of the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
under the leadership of Croatian ban
Ban of Croatia
Ban of Croatia was the title of local rulers and after 1102 viceroys of Croatia. From earliest periods of Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by Bans as a rulers representative and supreme military commander. In the 18th century, Croatian bans eventually become chief government officials in...
Nicholas Zrinsky
Nikola Šubic Zrinski
Nikola Šubić Zrinski , was a Croatian nobleman and general in service of Habsburg Monarchy, ban of Croatia from 1542 to 1556, and member of the Zrinski noble family...
, and the invading Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
army under the nominal command of Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Suleiman the Magnificent ( Süleymān).
After the Battle of Mohács
Battle of Mohács
The Battle of Mohács was fought on August 29, 1526 near Mohács, Hungary. In the battle, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent....
in 1526, which resulted in the end of the independent Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
was elected King by the nobles of both Hungary and Croatia
Kingdom of Croatia (medieval)
The Kingdom of Croatia , also known as the Kingdom of the Croats , was a medieval kingdom covering most of what is today Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Balkans.Established in 925, it ruled as a sovereign state for almost two centuries...
. This was followed by a series of conflicts with the Habsburgs and their allies, fighting against the Ottoman Empire. In the Little War in Hungary
Little War in Hungary
The Little War is a name given to a series of conflicts between the Habsburgs and their allies and the Ottoman Empire between 1529 and 1552...
both sides exhausted themselves after sustaining heavy casualties. The Ottoman campaign in Hungary ceased until the offensive against Szigetvár.
In January 1566 Suleiman went to war for the last time. The siege of Szigetvár was fought from 5 August to 8 September 1566 and, though it resulted in an Ottoman victory, there were heavy losses on both sides. Both commanders died during the battle—Zrinsky in the final charge and Suleiman in his tent from natural causes. It is generally accepted that Suleiman died in his tent behind the siege lines from natural causes, before the Turks achieved victory. According to George F. Nafziger, Suleiman died of a heart attack when learned of his victory. According to Stephen Turnbull, several contemporary accounts, such as the ones used later by Nicholas VII Zrinsky for his epic, attribute Suleiman's death to Zrinsky's hand. More than 20,000 Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
had fallen during the attacks and almost all of Zrinsky's 2,300 man garrison was killed, with most of the final 600 men killed on the last day. Although the battle was an Ottoman victory, it stopped the Ottoman push to Vienna that year. Vienna was not threatened again until the Battle of Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
in 1683.
The importance of the battle was considered so great that the French clergyman and statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
Cardinal Richelieu was reported to have described it as "the battle that saved civilization." The battle is still famous in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and inspired both the Hungarian epic poem Siege of Sziget and the Croatian opera Nikola Šubić Zrinski
Nikola Šubić Zrinski (opera)
Nikola Šubić Zrinski is an opera written and composed by Ivan Zajc in 1876. It is a retelling of the Battle of Szigetvár of 1566, in which Nikola Zrinski, Ban of Croatia and captain of the assembled Croatian and Hungarian forces, took a heroic last stand against overwhelming Ottoman forces, led...
.
Background
On 29 August 1526 the HungarianKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
forces led by King Louis II were defeated at the Battle of Mohács
Battle of Mohács
The Battle of Mohács was fought on August 29, 1526 near Mohács, Hungary. In the battle, forces of the Kingdom of Hungary led by King Louis II of Hungary and Bohemia were defeated by forces of the Ottoman Empire led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent....
by Ottoman forces led by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. Louis was killed in the battle which resulted in the end of the independent Kingdom of Hungary, as he died without an heir. Both Hungary and Croatia became disputed territories with claims from both the Habsburg and Ottoman empires. Ferdinand I
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
from the House of Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
, brother of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, married the sister of Louis II and was elected King by the nobles of both Hungary and Croatia.On 1 January 1527, the Croatian nobles at Cetin unanimously elected Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
as their king, and confirmed the succession to him and his heirs. In return for the throne, Archduke Ferdinand, at Parliament on Cetin
Parliament on Cetin
The Parliament on Cetin was a gathering of the Croatian nobility in the town of Cetin caused by a monarchical crisis after the death of their king Louis II and a major defeat of the Kingdom of Hungary at the Battle of Mohács...
, promised to respect the historic rights, freedoms, laws, and customs the Croats had when united with the Hungarian kingdom and to defend Croatia from Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
invasion. (R. W. Seton -Watson:The southern Slav question and the Habsburg Monarchy page 18)
The throne of Hungary became the subject of a dynastic dispute between Ferdinand and John Zápolya
John Zápolya
John Zápolya was King of Hungary from 1526 to 1540. His rule was disputed by Archduke Ferdinand I, who also claimed the title King of Hungary between 1526 and 1540. He was the voivode of Transylvania before his coronation.- Biography :...
from Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. Suleiman had promised to make Zápolya the ruler of all Hungary. Ferdinand set out to enforce his claim on Hungary and captured Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
from John Zápolya in 1527, only to relinquish his hold on it in 1529 when an Ottoman counter-attack stripped Ferdinand of all his territorial gains during 1527 and 1528. The Siege of Vienna
Siege of Vienna
The Siege of Vienna in 1529 was the first attempt by the Ottoman Empire, led by Suleiman the Magnificent, to capture the city of Vienna, Austria. The siege signalled the pinnacle of the Ottoman Empire's power, the maximum extent of Ottoman expansion in central Europe, and was the result of a...
in 1529 was the first attempt by Suleiman the Magnificent to capture the Austrian capital. This siege signalled the pinnacle of Ottoman power and the maximum extent of Ottoman expansion in central Europe.
Little War in Hungary
The years from 1529 to 1552 were known as the "Little War in Hungary". Following Suleiman's unsuccessful siege of Vienna in 1529 Ferdinand launched a counter-attack in 1530 to regain the initiative. An assault on Buda was driven off by John ZápolyaJohn Zápolya
John Zápolya was King of Hungary from 1526 to 1540. His rule was disputed by Archduke Ferdinand I, who also claimed the title King of Hungary between 1526 and 1540. He was the voivode of Transylvania before his coronation.- Biography :...
, although Ferdinand was successful elsewhere—capturing Gran
Esztergom
Esztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
(Esztergom) and other forts along the Danube river, a vital strategic frontier.
Suleiman's response came in 1532 when he led a massive army of over 120,000 troops to besiege Vienna again. Ferdinand withdrew his army, leaving only 700 men with no cannons and a few guns to defend Güns
Koszeg
----Kőszeg is a town in Vas county, Hungary. The town is famous for its historical character.- History :The origins of the only free royal town in the historical garrison county of Vas go back to the third quarter of the 13th century...
(Koszeg) although Ibrahim Pasha
Pargali Ibrahim Pasha
Pargali Ibrahim Pasha , also known as Frenk Ibrahim Pasha , Makbul Ibrahim Pasha , and referred to him as Maktul Ibrahim Pasha after his murder in the Topkapı Palace, was the first Grand Vizier in the Ottoman Empire appointed by Suleiman the Magnificent...
, the Grand Vizier of the Ottomans, did not realize how poorly defended Koszeg was. Suleiman came to join him shortly after the siege had started. For more than twenty five days Croatian captain Nikola Jurišić
Nikola Jurišic
Baron Nikola Jurišić was a Croatian nobleman, soldier, and diplomat, who led the armies of the territory of the Croatian Krajina in defense against the invasion of the Ottoman Empire under Suleiman I, advancing towards Vienna.After the Battle of Mohács in 1526, Jurisic's vote helped Ferdinand of...
and his garrison of 800 Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
held out against nineteen full-scale assaults and an incessant bombardment by the Ottomans. As a result the city was offered a surrender on favourable terms and, although the offer was rejected, the Ottomans retreated According to Stephen Turnbull, the city was offered terms for a nominal surender. The only Ottomans who would be allowed to enter the castle would be a token force who would raise the Turkish flag. Anyway, Suleiman withdrew at the arrival of the August rains, and did not continue towards Vienna as previously planned, but homeward. leading to a peace treaty between Ferdinand and Suleiman. John Zápolya was recognized as the King of Hungary by the Habsburgs, although as an Ottoman vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
.
The treaty did not satisfy either John Zápolya or Ferdinand and their armies began skirmishes along the borders. In 1537 Ferdinand attacked John’s forces at Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
in violation of the treaty. The siege was a disaster of similar magnitude to that of Mohács, with an Ottoman relief army smashing the Austrians. Rather than attack Vienna again Suleiman attacked Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Nonetheless, an Ottoman victory at the naval Battle of Preveza (1538) gave the Habsburg-led coalition another defeat.
John Zápolya died in 1540 and was succeeded by his infant son John II Sigismund Zápolya
John II Sigismund Zápolya
John II Sigismund Zápolya was King of Hungary from 1540 to 1570 and Prince of Transylvania from 1570–1571.-Family:The son of King John I and Isabella Jagiełło, he succeeded his father as an infant...
. For much of his reign the country was governed by his mother Isabella Jagiellon, with continued support from Suleiman. John II remained as nominal King of Hungary until he abdicated in 1570 and returned the country to Habsburg rule.
A further humiliating defeat was inflicted on the Habsburgs in the Siege of Buda (1541)
Siege of Buda (1541)
The Siege of Buda in 1541 resulted in the capture of the city of Buda by the Ottoman Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent, as he invaded central Hungary. The battle is part of the Little War in Hungary.-The Siege :...
when the Ottomans responded to a request for help from Isabella Jagiellon. In April 1543 Suleiman launched another campaign in Hungary, taking back Bran and other forts so that much of Hungary returned to Ottoman control. In August 1543 the Ottomans succeeded in the Siege of Esztergom (1543)
Siege of Esztergom (1543)
The Siege of Esztergom occurred between 25 July and 10 August 1543, when the Ottoman emperor Suleyman the Magnificent besieged the city of Esztergom in modern Hungary. The city was captured by the Ottomans after two weeks.-Background:...
which was followed by the capture of three Hungarian cities: Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around southwest of Budapest. It is inhabited by 101,973 people , with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion. The city is the centre of Fejér county and the regional centre of Central Transdanubia...
, Siklós
Siklós
Siklós is a town in Baranya county, Hungary. It is located around .-Notable people:* George Mikes , Hungarian-born British author most famous for his humorous commentaries on various countries....
and Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, offering better security for Buda.
Another peace agreement between the Habsburgs and the Ottomans lasted until 1552 when Suleiman decided to attack Eger
Eger
Eger is the second largest city in Northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings , and red and white wines.- Name :...
. The siege
Siege of Eger
The Siege of Eger occurred during the 16th century Ottoman Wars in Europe. It was a major Hungarian victory after a series of crushing defeats at the hands of Ottoman forces and checked the Ottoman expansion into both Central Europe and Eastern Europe....
proved futile and the Habsburg victory reversed a period of territorial losses in Hungary. The survival of Eger gave the Austrians good reason to believe that Hungary was still a contested ground and the Ottoman campaign in Hungary ceased, until its revival in 1566.
Campaign of 1566
Military campaign
In the military sciences, the term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plan incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war...
. On 1 May 1566 the Sultan left Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
at the head of one of the largest armies he had ever commanded.
His opposite number, Count Nicholas Zrinsky, was one of the largest landholders in Croatia
Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg)
The Kingdom of Croatia was an administrative division that existed between 1527 and 1868 within the Habsburg Monarchy . The Kingdom was a part of the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen, but was subject to direct Imperial Austrian rule for significant periods of time, including its final years...
, a seasoned veteran of border warfare, and a Ban
Ban of Croatia
Ban of Croatia was the title of local rulers and after 1102 viceroys of Croatia. From earliest periods of Croatian state, some provinces were ruled by Bans as a rulers representative and supreme military commander. In the 18th century, Croatian bans eventually become chief government officials in...
(Croation royal representative) from 1542 to 1556. In his early life he distinguished himself in the Siege of Vienna
Siege of Vienna
The Siege of Vienna in 1529 was the first attempt by the Ottoman Empire, led by Suleiman the Magnificent, to capture the city of Vienna, Austria. The siege signalled the pinnacle of the Ottoman Empire's power, the maximum extent of Ottoman expansion in central Europe, and was the result of a...
and pursued a successful military career.
Suleiman's forces reached Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
on 27 June after a forty nine day march. Here he met with John II Sigismund Zápolya
John II Sigismund Zápolya
John II Sigismund Zápolya was King of Hungary from 1540 to 1570 and Prince of Transylvania from 1570–1571.-Family:The son of King John I and Isabella Jagiełło, he succeeded his father as an infant...
who he earlier promised to make the ruler of all Hungary. Learning of the Zrinsky's success in an attack upon a Turkish encampment at Siklós
Siklós
Siklós is a town in Baranya county, Hungary. It is located around .-Notable people:* George Mikes , Hungarian-born British author most famous for his humorous commentaries on various countries....
, Suleiman decided to postpone his attack on Eger
Eger
Eger is the second largest city in Northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings , and red and white wines.- Name :...
and instead attack Zrinsky's fortress at Szigetvár to eliminate him as a threat.
Siege
The advanced guard of the Turks arrived at on 2 August 1566 and the defenders made several successful sorties causing considerable loss to the Turks. The Sultan arrived with the main force on 5 August and his big war tent was erected on the Similehov hill, giving him a view of the battle. The Sultan had to stay in his camp where he received verbal battle progress reports from his Grand VizierGrand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha, the real operational commander of the Ottoman forces.
Count Zrinsky found himself besieged by a hostile army of at least 150,000 soldiers with powerful artillery. Zrinsky had assembled a force of around 2,300 Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
and Hungarian soldiers prior to the siege. These consisted of his personal forces and those of his friends and allies. The majority of the defenders were Croatian, with a significant Hungarian contingent represented in both the men-at-arms and the leadership.
Szigetvár was divided into three sections divided by water: the old town, the new town and the castle—each of which was linked to the next by bridges and to the land by causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
s. Although it was not built on particularly high ground the inner castle, which occupied much of the area of today's castle, was not directly accessible to the attackers. This was because two other baileys had to be taken and secured before a final assault on the inner castle could be launched.
When the Sultan appeared before the Fortress he saw the walls hung with red cloth, as though for a festive reception, and a single great cannon thundered once to greet the mighty warrior monarch. The siege began on 6 August when Suleiman ordered a general assault on the ramparts, although the attack was successfully repulsed. Despite being undermanned, and greatly outnumbered, the defenders were sent no reinforcements from Vienna by the imperial army.
After over a month of exhausting and bloody struggle the few remaining defenders retreated into the old town for their last stand. The Sultan tried to entice Zrinsky to surrender, ultimately offering him leadership of Croatia under Ottoman influence, Count Zrinsky did not reply and continued to fight.
The fall of the castle appeared inevitable but the Ottoman high command hesitated. On 6 September the Suleiman died in his tent and his death was kept secret at great effort with only the Sultan's innermost circle knowing of his demise. A courier was dispatched from the camp with a message for Suleiman's successor, Selim
Selim II
Selim II Sarkhosh Hashoink , also known as "Selim the Sot " or "Selim the Drunkard"; and as "Sarı Selim" or "Selim the Blond", was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1566 until his death in 1574.-Early years:He was born in Constantinople a son of Suleiman the...
. The courier may not even have known the content of the message he delivered to distant Asia Minor
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
within a mere eight days.
Final battle
Greek fire
Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning while floating on water....
", and a concentrated cannonade.According to Robert William Fraser, more than 10,000 large cannon balls where shot into the fortress during the siege. Soon the castle, the last stronghold within Szigetvár, was set ablaze and cinders fell into the apartments of the count.
The Ottoman army swarmed through the city, drumming and yelling. Zrinsky prepared for a last charge addressing his troops:
Zrinsky did not allow the final assault to break into the castle. As the Turks were pressing forwards along a narrow bridge the defenders suddenly flung open the gate and fired a large mortar loaded with broken iron, killing 600 attackers. Zrinsky then ordered a charge and led his remaining 600 troops out of the castle. He received two musket wounds in his chest and was killed shortly afterwards by an arrow to the head. Some of his force retired into the castle.
The Turks took the castle and most of the defenders were slain. A few of the captured defenders were spared by Janissaries
Janissary
The Janissaries were infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops and bodyguards...
who had admired their courage, with only seven defenders managing to escape through the Ottoman lines. Zrinsky's corpse was beheaded and his head taken to the Emperor while his body received an honourable burial by a Turk who had been his prisoner, and well treated by him.
Powder magazine explosion
Before leading the final sortie by the castle garrison, Zrinsky ordered a fuse be lit to the powder magazine.According to Francis Lieber, explosion of the powder magazine is somewhat disputable. After cutting down the last of the defenders the besiegers poured into the fortress. The Ottoman Army entered the remains of Szigetvár and fell into the booby trap, thousands perished in the blast when the castle's magazine exploded.The Vizier Ibrahim's life was saved by one of Zrinsky's household who warned him of the trap when the Vizier and his troops searched for treasure and interrogated the survivors. While inquiring about treasure the prisoner replied that it had been long expended, but that 3,000 lbs
Pound-force
The pound force is a unit of force in some systems of measurement including English engineering units and British gravitational units.- Definitions :...
of powder were under their feet to which a slow match had been attached. The Vizier and his mounted officers had just enough time to escape but 3,000 Turks perished in the explosion.
Aftermath
Almost all of Zrinsky's garrison was wiped out after the final battle. Ottoman casualties were also heavy. Three pashaPasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
s, 7,000 Janissaries
Janissary
The Janissaries were infantry units that formed the Ottoman sultan's household troops and bodyguards...
and 28,000 other soldiers are said to have perished. Sources vary on the exact number with estimates ranging from 20,000–35,000.
After the battle the Grand Vizier forged bulletins in the Sultan's name, proclaiming victory. These announced that the Sultan regretted that his current state of health prevented him from continuing with the successful campaign. His body was returned to Constantinople while the inner circle of officials pretended to keep up communication with him. Turkish sources state that the illusion was maintained for three weeks and that even the Sultan's personal physician was strangled as a precaution.
It is likely that the long journey and the siege had a detrimental effect on the Sultan's health. His death meant that any advances were postponed as the Grand Vizier had to return to Constantinople for the succession of the new Sultan, Selim II
Selim II
Selim II Sarkhosh Hashoink , also known as "Selim the Sot " or "Selim the Drunkard"; and as "Sarı Selim" or "Selim the Blond", was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1566 until his death in 1574.-Early years:He was born in Constantinople a son of Suleiman the...
. Even if Suleiman had lived his army could not have achieved much in the short time that remained between the fall of Szigeth and the onset of winter. The prolonged resistance at Szigeth delayed the Ottoman push to Vienna.
Two ambasadors were sent by Emperor Maximilian
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...
: Croatian Antun Vrančić
Antun Vrančić
Antun Vrančić also Antonio Veranzio was a prelate, writer, diplomat and Archbishop of Esztergom of the 16th century. Antun Vrančić was from Dalmatian town of Šibenik , then part of the Republic of Venice...
and Styrian Christoph Teuffenbach. They arrived in Istanbul on 26 August 1567 and were well received by Sultan Selim II. An agreement ending the war between the Austrian and Ottoman empires was reached on 17 February 1568, after five months of negotiations with Sokollu Mehmed Pasha. The Treaty of Adrianople was signed on 21 February 1568. Sultan Selim II agreed to an eight-year truce, although the agreement brought 25 years of (relative) peace between the Empires until the Long War
Long War (Ottoman wars)
The Long War took place from 1591 or 1593 to 1604 or 1606 and was one of the numerous military conflicts between the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire that developed after the Battle of Mohács.- History :The major participants of this war were the Habsburg Monarchy ,...
. The truce was conditional and Maximilian agreed to pay an annual tribute of 30,000 ducats.
Depictions in art
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
poet and writer Brne Karnarutić
Brne Karnarutic
Brne Karnarutić was Croatian Renaissance poet and writer.He was born in Zadar probably in 1515 as a descent of old noble family. After schooling in Zadar he studied law, probably in Padua...
, from Zadar
Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...
, wrote The Conquest of the City of Sziget sometime before 1573. His work was posthumously published in 1584 in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. This is the first Croatian historical epic dealing with national history and the Battle of Szigetvár. It was inspired by Marulić's
Marko Marulic
Marko Marulić |Split]], 18 August 1450 – Split, 5 January 1524) was a Croatian national poet and Christian humanist, known as the Crown of the Croatian Medieval Age and the father of the Croatian Renaissance. He signed his works as Marko Marulić Splićanin , Marko Pečenić, Marcus Marulus ...
Judita.
The battle was also immortalized in the Hungarian epic poem Szigeti Veszedelem ("Peril of Sziget"), written in fifteen parts by Zrinsky's great-grandson Nicholas VII of Zrin
Miklós Zrínyi
Miklós Zrínyi or Nikola Zrinski was a Croatian and Hungarian soldier, statesman and poet, member of the Zrinski noble family....
(also a Ban of Croatia) in 1647 and published in 1651. This was one of the first such epics in the Hungarian language and was also inspired by Marulić's Judita. Kenneth Clark
Kenneth Clark
Kenneth McKenzie Clark, Baron Clark, OM, CH, KCB, FBA was a British author, museum director, broadcaster, and one of the best-known art historians of his generation...
's renowned history Civilisation lists the Szigeti Veszedelem as one of the major literary achievements of the 17th century. In spite of the author and other members of Zrinsky family being fierce enemies of the Turks, the poem never demonizes them. The Turks are portrayed as human beings and a love story between Deliman the Tatar and the Sultan's daughter Cumilla is interwoven into the main plot.
Peter Zrinsky
Petar Zrinski
Petar Zrinski was a Croatian Ban and writer. A member of the Zrinski noble family, he was noted for his role in the attempted Croatian-Hungarian rebellion of 1664-1670 which ultimately led to his execution for high treason.-Zrinski family:Petar Zrinski was born in Vrbovec, a small town near...
, the brother of Nicholas VII of Zrin, published Opsida Sigecka (1647/8) in the Croatian language—not surprising since the Zrinsky family were bilingual.
Another Croatian nobleman warrior-poet Pavao Ritter Vitezović
Pavao Ritter Vitezovic
Pavao Ritter Vitezović was a noted Croatian writer, historian, linguist and publisher.-Early life:Pavao Ritter Vitezović was born in Senj to a family of a frontier soldier. His father was descended from a German immigrant from Alsace, and his mother was Croatian...
(1652–1713) wrote about the battle. His poem Odiljenje sigetsko ("The Sziget Farewell"), first published in 1684, reminisces about the event without rancour or crying for revenge. The last of the four cantos is titled "Tombstones" and consists of epitaphs for the Croatian and Turkish warriors who died during the siege, paying equal respect to both.
Ivan Zajc
Ivan Zajc
Ivan Dragutin Stjepan Zajc or Ivan pl. Zajc , was a Croatian composer, conductor, director and teacher who for over forty years dominated Croatia's musical culture...
's 1876 opera Nikola Šubić Zrinski
Nikola Šubić Zrinski (opera)
Nikola Šubić Zrinski is an opera written and composed by Ivan Zajc in 1876. It is a retelling of the Battle of Szigetvár of 1566, in which Nikola Zrinski, Ban of Croatia and captain of the assembled Croatian and Hungarian forces, took a heroic last stand against overwhelming Ottoman forces, led...
is his most famous and popular work in Croatia. This recounts the heroic defiance of the Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
towards the Turks, as a metaphor for their later nationalist impulses within the Habsburg monarchy
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
.
Zrinski is depicted in the plot as a 16th-century Croatian hero who defeated the Turks a couple of times before perishing sacrificially, along with his family and close supporters, in the siege of Szigeth castle. The opera is patriotic with a famous aria "U boj, u boj
U boj, u boj
"U boj, u boj" is a Croatian patriotic song. It was written and composed by Ivan Zajc in 1866, who later incorporated it as an aria into his opera Nikola Šubić Zrinski where it is sung by a male choir....
".