Nikola Jurišic
Encyclopedia
Baron
Nikola Jurišić (c.
1490, in Senj
, Croatia
- 1545, in Kőszeg
, Hungary
) 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 Habsburg
gain the Hungarian crown. Later Jurisic was sent to Constantinople
to negotiate with the Ottomans for peace.
(Kingdom of Hungary
) with only 700-800 soldiers with no cannons and few guns, preventing the advance of the Turkish army of 120,000-140,000 toward Vienna
.
There are two legendary versions of that battle.
In 1538, the king made him the supreme army commander of the armed forces defending the borders. He spent the last years of his life as a secret adviser at the court in Vienna.
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
Nikola Jurišić (c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1490, in Senj
Senj
Senj , German Zengg, Hungarian Zeng and Italian Segna) is the oldest town on the upper Adriatic, and it was founded in the time before the Romans some 3000 years ago on the hill Kuk. It was the center of the Illyrian tribe Iapydes. The current settlement is situated at the foot of the slopes Mala...
, 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 ...
- 1545, in Kőszeg
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...
, 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...
) was a 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...
nobleman, soldier, and diplomat, who led the armies of the territory of the Croatian Krajina
Croatian Krajina
The Croatian Military Frontier was a territory in the Habsburg Monarchy, including the Austrian Empire and Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.-History:...
in defense against the invasion of the Ottoman Empire
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...
under Suleiman I, advancing 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...
.
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, Jurisic's vote helped Ferdinand of Habsburg
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...
gain the Hungarian crown. Later Jurisic was sent to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
to negotiate with the Ottomans for peace.
Siege of Kőszeg (Güns) in 1532
In 1532, Captain Nikola Jurišić defended the small border fort of KőszegKoszeg
----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...
(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...
) with only 700-800 soldiers with no cannons and few guns, preventing the advance of the Turkish army of 120,000-140,000 toward 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...
.
There are two legendary versions of that battle.
- In one version, after Suleiman I led an army of 140,000 towards ViennaSiege of ViennaThe 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...
, Nikola Jurisic and his 800 soldiers responded to the calls of the Habsburg Emperor to defend the city. While passing through western Hungary they saw helpless women and children in the small fort of Koszeg, and decided to defend it. The fort was on the route to Vienna, so Suleiman II attacked it, and after three days of fighting Jurisic wrote: "...Me and 89 of my knights are tired and low on supplies. If we hold another day it will be a miracle..." Before the final charge women and children prayed to Saint MartinMartin of ToursMartin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
for two hours, and the final battle started. After ten minutes of battle the Turks retreated, and reported they saw a flaming knight with flaming sword.
- In the second version, the Turks decided to negotiate with the defenders after three days. Grand VizierGrand VizierGrand 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...
Ibrahim PashaPargali Ibrahim PashaPargali 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...
wanted to attack Vienna at any cost and offered to Jurisic the option of simulating a Turkish victory, enabling Suleiman II to continue to Vienna. A few Turkish soldiers pretended to guard the city, and the bulk of the Turkish forces proceeded toward Vienna. The next day defenders took down Turkish flag.
In 1538, the king made him the supreme army commander of the armed forces defending the borders. He spent the last years of his life as a secret adviser at the court in Vienna.
External links
- Pallas Nagy Lexikona (Hungarian)