Battle of Vienna
Part of the Great Turkish War
Sobieski at Vienna by Juliusz Kossak
Date September 11th and 12th, 1683 (the siege began on July 14, 1683) Location Vienna, Austria Result Decisive Holy League victory
Combatants
Holy League: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Austria, Saxony, Franconia, Swabia, Bavaria	Ottoman Empire, Khanate of Crimea, Transylvania, Wallachia, Moldavia
Commanders
John III Sobieski, Charles V of Lorraine	Kara Mustafa Pasha
Strength
70,000, (10,000 during siege)	138,000, (200,000 during siege)
Casualties
4,000 killed	15,000 killed

The Battle of Vienna (Polish: Odsiecz Wiedeńska, German: Schlacht am Kahlenberg, Ukrainian: Віденська відсіч (Viděns'ka Vidsič), Turkish: İkinci Viyana Kuşatması) took place on September 11 and September 12, 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months.

The large-scale battle was won by Polish-Austrian-German forces led by King of Poland Jan III Sobieski against the Ottoman Empire army commanded by Grand Vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha. It took place on September 12, 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by Turks for two months. The battle broke the advance of the Ottoman Empire into Europe, and marked the political hegemony of Habsburg dynasty. // Combatants Austria with Bohemian, German & Spanish mercenaries Ottoman Empire Commanders Nicholas, Graf von Salm Suleiman I Strength over 16,000 [1] 120,000 [1] Casualties Unknown Unknown The Siege of Vienna of 1529, as distinct from the Battle of Vienna in 1683, was the Ottoman Empires first attempt to... The Great Turkish War was a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and European powers at the time (joined into a Holy League) during the second half of the 17th century. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Juliusz_Kossak_Sobieski_pod_Wiedniem. ... Juliusz Fortunat Kossak (December 15, 1824 - February 3, 1899) was a Polish painter. ... This article is about the date September 11 in general. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... During the course of the Ottoman wars in Europe, the War of the Holy League (1682 - 1699) was marked by the rise of a new Holy League initiated by Pope Innocent XI and composed of the Holy Roman Empire (headed by Habsburg Austria), the Venetian Republic and Poland in 1684... During the course of the Ottoman wars in Europe, the War of the Holy League (1682 - 1699) was marked by the rise of a new Holy League initiated by Pope Innocent XI and composed of the Holy Roman Empire (headed by Habsburg Austria), the Venetian Republic and Poland in 1684... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Free State of Saxony (German: Freistaat Sachsen; Sorbian: Swobodny Stat Sakska) is the easternmost federal state of Germany. ... Franconia (German: Franken) is a historic region in modern Germany, which today forms three administrative regions of the German federal state of Bavaria: Lower Franconia (Unterfranken), Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken), and Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). ... Germany. ... The geographic region and Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... The Crimean Khanate (Khanate of Crimea) was an independent Turkic state (khanate) founded in 1441 by Haci Giray Khan, a descendant of Genghis Khan. ... Map of Romania with Transylvania in yellow Transylvania (Romanian: or ; Hungarian: ; German: ; Serbian: / or / ) is a historical region in central and western Romania. ... Map of Romania with Wallachia in yellow. ... Moldavia (Moldova in Romanian) was a Romanian principality, originally created in the Middle Ages, now divided between Romania, Moldovan Republic and Ukraine. ... Reign From May 21, 1674, until June 17, 1696 Elected On May 21, 1674 in Wola, today suburb of Warsaw, Poland Coronation On February 2, 1676 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Noble Family Sobieski Coat of Arms Janina Parents Jakub Sobieski Zofia Teofillia DaniÅ‚owicz Consorts Marie Casimire... Charles V Leopold (April 3, 1643 – April 18, 1690), was the titular Duke of Lorraine from 1675 to 1690, a time when Lorraine was occupied by France. ... Headstone of Kara Mustafa, Edirne, Turkey Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha (1634/1635 – December 25, 1683) was an Ottoman military leader and vizier who was a central character in the empires last attempts at expansion into central and eastern Europe. ... This article is about the date September 11 in general. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Poland was ruled by dukes (c. ... Reign From May 21, 1674, until June 17, 1696 Elected On May 21, 1674 in Wola, today suburb of Warsaw, Poland Coronation On February 2, 1676 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Noble Family Sobieski Coat of Arms Janina Parents Jakub Sobieski Zofia Teofillia DaniÅ‚owicz Consorts Marie Casimire... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... A Vizier (وزير, sometimes also spelled Wazir) is an Arabic term for a high-ranking religious and political advisor, often to a king or sultan. ... Headstone of Kara Mustafa, Edirne, Turkey Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha (1634/1635 – December 25, 1683) was an Ottoman military leader and vizier who was a central character in the empires last attempts at expansion into central and eastern Europe. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ...

The siege itself began on 14 July 1683, by the Ottoman Empire army of approximately 138,000 men (although a large number of these played no part in the battle, as only 50,000 were experienced soldiers(Turks), and the rest less-motivated supporting troops.^[1]). The decisive battle took place on 12 September, after the united relief army of 70,000 men had arrived, pitted against the Ottoman army.

King Jan III Sobieski of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had been made Commander in Chief of July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... Reign From May 21, 1674, until June 17, 1696 Elected On May 21, 1674 in Wola, today suburb of Warsaw, Poland Coronation On February 2, 1676 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Noble Family Sobieski Coat of Arms Janina Parents Jakub Sobieski Zofia Teofillia DaniÅ‚owicz Consorts Marie Casimire... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

• his own 30,000-man Polish forces (Lithuanians did not take part in the battle),
• 18,500 Austrian troops led by Charles V, Duke of Lorraine,
• 19,000 Franconian, Swabian and Bavarian troops led by Prince Georg Friedrich of Waldeck,
• 9,000 Saxon troops led by John George III, Elector of Saxony.

The battle marked the turning point in the 300-year struggle between the forces of the Central European kingdoms and the Ottoman Empire. Over the sixteen years following the battle, the Habsburgs of Austria gradually occupied and dominated southern Hungary and Transylvania, which had been largely cleared of the Turkish forces. Charles V Leopold (April 3, 1643 – April 18, 1690), was the titular Duke of Lorraine from 1675 to 1690, a time when Lorraine was occupied by France. ... Franconia (German: Franken) is a historic region in modern Germany, which today forms three administrative regions of the German federal state of Bavaria: Lower Franconia (Unterfranken), Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken), and Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). ... Germany. ... The geographic region and Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Prince Georg Friedrich of Waldeck (* January 31, 1620 in Arolsen; † November 19, 1692 in Arolsen) was a German Field Marshal and a Dutch General. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Army of Saxony John George III, Elector of Saxony (20 June 1647 - 12 September 1691) was born into the house of Wettin. ... Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1680, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... Map of Romania with Transylvania in yellow Transylvania (Romanian: or ; Hungarian: ; German: ; Serbian: / or / ) is a historical region in central and western Romania. ...

Prelude

To capture the city of Vienna had long been a strategic aspiration for the Ottoman Empire, due to its inter-locking control over Danubean (Black Sea-to-Western Europe) southern Europe, and the overland (Eastern Mediterranean-to-Germany) trade routes. During the years preceding the second siege, under the auspices of grand viziers from the influential Köprülü family, the Ottoman Empire undertook extensive logistical preparations this time, including the repair and establishment of roads and bridges leading into Austria and logistical centers, as well as the forwarding of ammunition, cannons and other resources from all over the Empire to these logistical centers and into the Balkans. Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... The Köprülü (also Kiuprili, Koprili Kuprili and Kuprilic) was an Ottoman noble family of Albanian origin. ...

Emperor Leopold I

On the political front, the Ottoman Empire had been providing military assistance to the Hungarians and to non-Catholic minorities in Habsburg-occupied portions of Hungary. There, in the years preceding the siege, widespread unrest had become open rebellion upon Leopold I's insistent pursuit of Counter-Reformation principles and his burning desire to crush Protestantism. In 1681, Protestants and other anti-Habsburg forces, led by Imre Thököly, were reinforced with a significant force from the Ottomans, who recognized Imre as King of "Upper Hungary" (eastern Slovakia and parts of northeastern present-day Hungary, which he had earlier taken by force of arms from the Habsburgs). This support went so far as explicitly promising the "Kingdom of Vienna" to the Hungarians if it fell into Ottoman hands. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Leopold I Habsburg (June 9, 1640-May 5, 1705), Holy Roman emperor, was the second son of the emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife Maria Anna, daughter of Philip III of Spain. ... Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Silver coin of Leopold I, 3 Kreuzers, dated 1670. ... The Counter-Reformation or the Catholic Reformation was a strong reaffirmation of the doctrine and structure of the Catholic Church, climaxing at the Council of Trent, partly in reaction to the growth of Protestantism. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk (Thököly/Tököly/Tökölli Imre in Hungarian; Imrich Tököli in Slovak; Emericq Thököly according to his most frequent signature) (1657-1705), statesman, leader of an anti-Habsburg uprising, prince of Transylvania. ...

Sultan Mehmed IV

Yet, before the siege, a state of peace had existed for twenty years between the Habsburgs and the Ottoman Empire, as a result of the Peace of Vasvár. Mehmed IV of the Ottomans This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Mehmed IV of the Ottomans This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... ... The Peace of Vasvár was a treaty between the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire which followed the Battle of Saint Gotthard of August 1, 1664. ...

In 1681 and 1682, clashes between the forces of Imre Thököly and the Habsburgs' military frontier (which was then northern Hungary) forces intensified, and the incursions of Habsburg forces into Central Hungary provided the crucial argument of Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha in convincing the Sultan, Mehmet IV and his Divan, to allow the movement of the Ottoman Army. Mehmet IV authorized Kara Mustafa Pasha to operate as far as Győr (Turkish: Yanıkkale, German: Raab) and Komarom (Turkish: Komaron, German: Komorn) castles, both in northwestern Hungary, and to besiege them. The Ottoman Army was mobilized on January 21, 1682, and war was declared on August 6, 1682. Sultan Mehmed IV Mehmed IV (January 2, 1642—1693), also known as Dördüncü(fourth) and Avci(hunter), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1648 to 1687. ... This article should be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... // Raab redirects here. ... Komárom is a city in Hungary on the right bank of the Danube in Komárom-Esztergom county. ... January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events March 11 – Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 - Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. ... August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... Events March 11 – Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 - Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. ...

"Jan III Sobieski at Vienna"

The forward march of Ottoman Army elements did not begin until April 1, 1683 from Edirne in Thracia. The logistics of the time meant that it would have been risky or impossible to launch an invasion in August or September 1682 (a three month campaign would have got the Turks to Vienna just as winter set in). However this 15 month gap between mobilisation and the launch of a full-scale invasion allowed ample time for the Habsburg forces to prepare their defense and set up alliances with other Central European rulers, and undoubtedly contributed to the failure of the campaign. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (550x800, 68 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (550x800, 68 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Jan III Sobieski (1629-1696) (also known in English literature as John Sobieski) was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Selimiye Mosque, built by Sinan in 1575 Edirne (Greek: Αδριανούπολη, Bulgarian: Одрин) is a city in Thrace, the westernmost part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. ... Thrace is a historical and geographic area in south-east Europe spread over southern Bulgaria, north-eastern Greece, and European Turkey. ...

During the winter, the Habsburgs and Poland concluded a treaty in which Leopold would support Sobieski if the Turks attacked Kraków; in return, the Polish Army would come to the relief of Vienna, if attacked. Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Silver coin of Leopold I, 3 Kreuzers, dated 1670. ... Reign From May 21, 1674, until June 17, 1696 Elected On May 21, 1674 in Wola, today suburb of Warsaw, Poland Coronation On February 2, 1676 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Nobel Family Sobieski Coat of Arms Janina Parents Jakub Sobieski Zofia Teofillia Daniłowicz Consorts Marie... Wawel Hill. ... Polish Army (Polish Wojsko Polskie) is the name applied to the military forces of Poland. ...

In the spring, the Turkish Army reached Belgrade by early May, then moved toward the city of Vienna. About 40,000 Tatar Forces arrived 40km east of Vienna on 7 July, twice as many as the Austrian forces in that area. After initial fights, Leopold retreated to Linz with 80,000 inhabitants of Vienna. Turkish Army (Turkish: Türk Kara Kuvvetleri) is a branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. ... Belgrade (Serbian: Београд or Beograd  ) is the capital and largest city of Serbia. ... Historically, the term Tatar (or Tartar) has been ambiguously used by Europeans to refer to many different peoples of Inner Asia and Northern Asia. ... Map of Austria, locating Linz Linz is a city and Statutarstadt in northeast Austria, on the Danube river. ...

The King of Poland prepared a relief expedition to Vienna during the summer of 1683, honoring his obligations to the treaty. He went so far as to leave his own nation virtually undefended when departing from Kraków on 15 August. Sobieski covered this with a stern warning to Imre Thököly, the leader of Hungary (then an Ottoman satellite), whom he threatened with destruction if he tried to take advantage of the situation — which Thököly did. Poland was ruled by dukes (c. ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk (Thököly/Tököly/Tökölli Imre in Hungarian; Imrich Tököli in Slovak; Emericq Thököly according to his most frequent signature) (1657-1705), statesman, leader of an anti-Habsburg uprising, prince of Transylvania. ...

Events during the Siege

Kapikulu Soldier (Ottoman), watercolor by Haydar Hatemi, 2002

The main Turkish army finally invested Vienna on July 14. Graf Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg, leader of the remaining 11,000 troops and 5,000 citizens and volunteers, refused to capitulate. Image File history File linksMetadata Hatemisoldier. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Hatemisoldier. ... July 14 is the 195th day (196th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 170 days remaining. ...

The Viennese had demolished many of the houses around the city walls and cleared the debris, leaving an empty plain that would expose the Turks to defensive fire if they tried to rush the city. Kara Mustafa Pasha solved that problem by ordering his forces to dig long lines of trenches directly toward the city, to help protect them from the defenders as they advanced steadily toward the city.

As their 300 cannons were outdated and the fortifications of Vienna were up to date, the Turks had a more effective use for their gunpowder: undermining. Tunnels were dug under the massive city walls to blow them up with explosives, using sapping mines. Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Undermining. ...

The Ottomans had essentially two options to take the city: the first, an all-out assault, was virtually guaranteed success since they outnumbered the defenders almost 20-1. The second was to lay siege to the city, and this was the option they chose.

This seems against military logic, but assaulting properly defended fortifications has always resulted in very heavy casualties for the attackers. A siege was a reasonable course of action to minimise casualties and capture the city intact, and in fact it nearly succeeded. What the Ottomans did not take into account however was that time was not on their side. Their lack of urgency at this point, combined with the delay in advancing their army after declaring war, eventually allowed a relief force to arrive. Historians have speculated that Kara Mustafa wanted to take the city intact for its riches, and declined an all-out attack in order to prevent the right of plunder which would accompany such an assault.^[2]

The Ottoman siege cut virtually every means of food supply into Vienna,^[3] and the garrison and civilian volunteers suffered extreme casualties. Fatigue became such a problem that Graf Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg ordered any soldier found asleep on watch to be shot. Increasingly desperate, the forces holding Vienna were on their last legs when in August, Imperial forces under Charles V, Duke of Lorraine beat Imre Thököly of Hungary at Bisamberg, 5km northeast of Vienna. Charles V Leopold (April 3, 1643 – April 18, 1690), was the titular Duke of Lorraine from 1675 to 1690, a time when Lorraine was occupied by France. ... Count Imre Thököly de Késmárk (Thököly/Tököly/Tökölli Imre in Hungarian; Imrich Tököli in Slovak; Emericq Thököly according to his most frequent signature) (1657-1705), statesman, leader of an anti-Habsburg uprising, prince of Transylvania. ...

On 6 September, the Poles crossed the Danube 30km north west of Vienna at Tulln, to unite with the Imperial forces and additional troops from Saxony, Bavaria, Baden, Franconia and Swabia who had answered the call for a Holy League that was supported by Pope Innocent XI. Only Louis XIV of France, Habsburg's rival, not only declined to help, but used the opportunity to attack cities in Alsace and other parts of southern Germany, as in the Thirty Years' War decades earlier. Tulln (full name: Tulln an der Donau, Tulln on the Danube) is a town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, and the seat of the Tulln district. ... The Free State of Saxony (German: Freistaat Sachsen; Sorbian: Swobodny Stat Sakska) is the easternmost federal state of Germany. ... The geographic region and Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Baden is a historical state in the southwest of Germany, on the right bank of the Rhine. ... Franconia (German: Franken) is a historic region in modern Germany, which today forms three administrative regions of the German federal state of Bavaria: Lower Franconia (Unterfranken), Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken), and Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). ... Germany. ... During the course of the Ottoman wars in Europe, the War of the Holy League (1682 - 1699) was marked by the rise of a new Holy League initiated by Pope Innocent XI and composed of the Holy Roman Empire (headed by Habsburg Austria), the Venetian Republic and Poland in 1684... The Blessed Innocent XI, né Benedetto Odescalchi (May 16, 1611 – August 12, 1689) was pope from 1676 to 1689. ... Sun King redirects here. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... (New région flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Strasbourg Regional President Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996) Departments Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin Arrondissements 13 Cantons 75 Communes 903 Statistics Land area1 8,280 km² Population (Ranked 14th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

During early September, the experienced 5000 Turkish sappers repeatedly blew up large portions of the walls, the Burg bastion, the Löbel bastion and the Burg ravelin in between, creating gaps of about 12m in width. The Austrians tried to counter by digging their own tunnels, to intercept the depositing of large amounts of gunpowder in subterranean caverns. The Turks finally managed to occupy the Burg ravelin and the Nieder wall in that area on 8 September. Anticipating a breach in the city walls, the remaining Austrians prepared to fight in Vienna itself. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with combat engineering. ... The point of a bastion on a reconstructed French fort in Illinois. ... The point of a bastion on a reconstructed French fort in Illinois. ... A ravelin is a triangular fortification, detached outwork in front of the bastions. ... A ravelin is a triangular fortification, detached outwork in front of the bastions. ...

Staging the battle

Siege of Vienna

The relief army had to act quickly to save the city from the Turks and to prevent another long siege in case they would take it. Despite the international composition and the short time of only six days, an effective leadership structure was established, indisputedly centered on the King of Poland and his heavy cavalry. The motivation was high, as this war was not as usual for the interests of kings, but for Christian faith. And, unlike the crusades, the battleground was in the heart of Europe. Image File history File links Vienna_Battle_1683. ... Image File history File links Vienna_Battle_1683. ...

Kara Mustafa Pasha, on the other hand, was less effective, despite having months of time to organize his forces, ensure their motivation and loyalty, and prepare for the expected relief army attack. He had entrusted defence of the rear to the Khan of Crimea and his cavalry force, which numbered about 30,000. Headstone of Kara Mustafa, Edirne, Turkey Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha (1634/1635 – December 25, 1683) was an Ottoman military leader and vizier who was a central character in the empires last attempts at expansion into central and eastern Europe. ...

There are serious questions as to how much the Tatar forces participated in the final battle at Vienna. Their Khan felt humiliated by repeated snubs by Kara Mustafa and reportedly refused to make a strike against the Polish relief force as it crossed the mountains, where the heavy cavalry would have been vulnerable to such an assault from the lighthorse Tatars.^[2] Nor were they the only component of the Ottoman army to openly defy Mustafa and to refuse assignments.

This left vital bridges undefended and allowed passage of the combined Habsburg-Polish army, which arrived to relieve the siege. Critics of this account say that it was Kara Mustafa Pasha, and not the Crimean Khan, who was held responsible for the failure of the siege.

The Holy League forces arrived on the "Kahlen Berg" (bare hill) above Vienna, signaling their arrival with bonfires. In the early morning hours of 12 September, before the battle, a mass was held for King Sobieski. During the course of the Ottoman wars in Europe, the War of the Holy League (1682 - 1699) was marked by the rise of a new Holy League initiated by Pope Innocent XI and composed of the Holy Roman Empire (headed by Habsburg Austria), the Venetian Republic and Poland in 1684... Kahlenberg with the tower, church, and scenic overlook Kahlenberg is a mountain (484 m, 1588 ft) located in Döbling, Vienna, Austria. ...

The Battle

Battle of Vienna, painting by Józef Brandt

The battle started before all units were fully deployed. Early in the morning at 4:00, Turkish forces opened hostilities to interfere with the Holy League's troop deployment. A move forward was made by Charles, the Austrian army on the left, and the German forces in the center. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Józef Brandt Signature of Józef Brandt Józef Brandt (b. ...

Mustafa Pasha launched a counter-attack, with most of his force, but holding back parts of the elite Janissary and Sipahi for the invasion of the city. The Turkish commanders had intended to take Vienna before Sobieski arrived, but time ran out. Their sappers had prepared another large and final detonation under the Löbelbastei,^[4] to provide access to the city. While the Turks hastily finished their work and sealed the tunnel to make the explosion more effective, the Austrian "moles" detected the cavern in the afternoon. One of them entered and defused the load just in time. Chamberlain of Sultan Murad IV with janissaries. ... Woodcut by Melchior Lorch (1646), originally engraved in 1576. ...

At that time, above the "subterranean battlefield", a large battle was going on, as the Polish infantry had launched a massive assault upon the Turkish right flank. Instead of focusing on the battle with the relief army, the Turks tried to force their way into the city, carrying their crescent flag.

After 12 hours of fighting, Sobieski's Polish force held the high ground on the right. At about five o'clock in the afternoon, after watching the ongoing infantry battle from the hills for the whole day, four cavalry groups, one of them Austrian-German, and the other three Polish, totaling 20,000 men, charged down the hills. The attack was led by the Polish king in front of a spearhead of 3000 heavily armed winged Polish lancer hussars. This charge broke the lines of the Ottomans, who were tired from the long fight on two sides. In the confusion, the cavalry headed straight for the Ottoman camps, while the remaining Vienna garrison sallied out of its defenses and joined in the assault. Polish Hussar Hussar (original Hungarian spelling: huszár, plural huszárok) refers to a number of types of cavalry used throughout Europe since the 15th century. ...

The Ottoman army were tired and dispirited following the failure of both the sapping attempt and the brute force assault of the city, and the arrival of the cavalry turned the tide of battle against them, sending them into retreat to the south and east. In less than three hours after the cavalry attack, the Christian forces had won the battle and saved Vienna from capture.

After the battle, Sobieski paraphrased Julius Caesar's famous quote by saying "veni, vidi, Deus vicit" - "I came, I saw, God conquered" Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC – March 15, 44 BC), often simply referred to as Julius Caesar, was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in world history. ...

Aftermath

"Return from Vienna" by Józef Brandt, Polish-Lithuanian army returning with loot of the Ottoman forces

The Turks lost about 15,000 men in the fighting, compared to approximately 4,000 for the Habsburg-Polish forces. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Józef Brandt Signature of Józef Brandt Józef Brandt (b. ...

On 25 December 1683, Kara Mustafa Pasha was executed in Belgrade by order of the commander of the Janissaries. December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... Events June 6 - The Ashmolean Museum opens as the worlds first university museum. ... Headstone of Kara Mustafa, Edirne, Turkey Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha (1634/1635 – December 25, 1683) was an Ottoman military leader and vizier who was a central character in the empires last attempts at expansion into central and eastern Europe. ... Chamberlain of Sultan Murad IV with janissaries. ...

Significance

"Sobieski Sending Message of Victory to the Pope" by Jan Matejko

"Sobieski meeting Leopold I" by Artur Grottger

Although no one realized it at the time, the battle shaped the outcome of the entire war as well. The Ottomans fought on for another 16 years, losing control of Hungary and Transylvania in the process, before finally giving up. The end of the conflict was finalized by the Treaty of Karlowitz. Sobieski Sending Message of Victory to the Pope, after the Battle of Vienna by Matejko This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Sobieski Sending Message of Victory to the Pope, after the Battle of Vienna by Matejko This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Jan Matejko , self-portrait. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 510 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1020 pixel, file size: 435 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) العربية | Česky | Deutsch | English | Ελληνικά | Español | فارسی | Français | עברית | Indonesian | Italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | Magyar | Nederlands | Polski | Português | Românǎ | Русский | Slovenščina | Српски | Sunda | 简体中文 | 正體中文 | Türkçe | Русский | Українська +/- File... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 510 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1020 pixel, file size: 435 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) العربية | Česky | Deutsch | English | Ελληνικά | Español | فارسی | Français | עברית | Indonesian | Italiano | 日本語 | 한국어 | Magyar | Nederlands | Polski | Português | Românǎ | Русский | Slovenščina | Српски | Sunda | 简体中文 | 正體中文 | Türkçe | Русский | Українська +/- File... The Treaty of Karlowitz was signed in 1699 in Sremski Karlovci (a city in modern-day Serbia and Montenegro) (German: Karlowitz, Turkish:Karlofça), concluding the Austro-Ottoman War of 1683–1697 in which the Ottoman side was defeated. ...

The Battle of Vienna is seen by many historians as marking the beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire.^{[citation needed]} The battle also marked the historic end of Turkish expansion into southeastern Europe.

The behaviour of Louis XIV of France also set the stage for centuries to come: German-speaking countries had to fight wars simultaneously in the West and the East. While German troops were fighting for the Holy League, Louis ruthlessly used the occasion, before and after the battle of Vienna, to annex territories in western Europe, such as Luxembourg, Alsace with Strasbourg, etc. Due to the ongoing war against the Turks, Austria could not support the interest of German allies in the West. The biography of Ezechiel du Mas, Comte de Melac illustrates the devastations of large parts of Southern Germany by France. Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ... Throughout history there have been many alliances and organizations known as the Catholic League, including: Catholic League (USA) - Civil rights group in the United States. ... (New région flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Strasbourg Regional President Adrien Zeller (UMP) (since 1996) Departments Bas-Rhin Haut-Rhin Arrondissements 13 Cantons 75 Communes 903 Statistics Land area1 8,280 km² Population (Ranked 14th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... City flag City coat of arms Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region Alsace Department Bas-Rhin (67) Intercommunality Urban Community of Strasbourg Mayor Fabienne Keller  (UMP) City Statistics Land area¹ 78. ... Ezechiel du Mas, Comte de Melac (about 1630 - May 10, 1704) was a career soldier in the French army under King Louis XIV and war minister Louvain, where he rose to the rank of a General. ...

Austrian Memorial to Sobieski

In honor of Sobieski, the Austrians erected a church atop a hill of Kahlenberg, north of Vienna. The train route from Vienna to Warsaw is also named in Sobieski's honour. The constellation Scutum Sobieskii (Sobieski’s Shield) was named to memorialize the battle.^[5] Because Sobieski had entrusted his kingdom to the protection of the Blessed Virgin (Our Lady of Czestochowa) before the battle, Pope Innocent XI commemorated his victory by extending the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, which until then had been celebrated solely in Spain and the Kingdom of Naples, to the universal Church; it is celebrated on September 12. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (543x949, 190 KB) Opis Tablica pamiatkowa umieszczona na fasadzie koÅ›cioÅ‚a polskiego na Kahlenbergu (WiedeÅ„) Autor: Piotr Tysarczyk Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Battle of Vienna ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (543x949, 190 KB) Opis Tablica pamiatkowa umieszczona na fasadzie koÅ›cioÅ‚a polskiego na Kahlenbergu (WiedeÅ„) Autor: Piotr Tysarczyk Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Battle of Vienna ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1242x830, 456 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Vienna Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Kahlenberg with the tower, church, and scenic overlook Kahlenberg is a mountain (484 m, 1588 ft) located in Döbling, Vienna, Austria. ... Warsaw (Polish: , , in full The Capital City of Warsaw, Polish: ) is the capital of Poland, its largest city, and a gamma world city. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Scutum (Latin for shield) is a small constellation. ... Blessed Virgin Mary A traditional Catholic picture displayed sometimes in homes. ... The Blessed Innocent XI, né Benedetto Odescalchi (May 16, 1611 – August 12, 1689) was pope from 1676 to 1689. ... The Kingdom of Naples was born out of the division of the Kingdom of Sicily after the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. ...

The period of Polish-Austrian friendship did not last long, as Charles V of Lorraine began downplaying the role of John III Sobieski and his troops in the battle. Neither Sobieski nor the Commonwealth profited significantly from saving Austria, on the contrary, the battle of Vienna also cleared the path towards the forming of the future Austrian Empire (1804 to 1867) and the destruction of the Commonwealth. In 1772 and 1795 the Habsburg Monarchy took part in the first and third partitions of Poland, which wiped the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth off the maps of Europe. Anthem: Volkshymne (Peoples Anthem) Capital Vienna Language(s) German Religion Roman Catholic Government Monarchy History  - Established 1804  - Disestablished 1867 Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy The Crown of the Austrian Emperor The Austrian Empire (German: ) was an empire centred on what is modern day Austria that officially lasted from 1804... Year 1772 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1795 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Partitions of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Polish: Rozbiór Polski or Rozbiory Polski; Lithuanian: Lietuvos-Lenkijos padalijimai, Belarusian: Падзелы Рэчы Паспалітай) took place in the 18th century and ended the existence of the sovereign Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. ...

Legends

Several culinary legends are related to the Battle of Vienna: Food from plant sources Food is any substance normally eaten or drunk by living organisms. ... Look up Legend in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

• One legend is that the croissant was invented in Vienna, either in 1683 or in an earlier siege in 1529, to celebrate the defeat of the Turkish siege of the city, as a reference to the crescents on the Turkish flags. Although this version is supported by the fact that croissants in French Language are referred to as Viennoiserie and the French popular belief that Vienna born Marie Antoinette introduced the pastry to France in 1770, there is no further evidence that croissants existed before the 19th century.
• Another legend from Vienna has the first bagel as being a gift to King Jan Sobieski to commemorate the King's victory over the Turks that year. The baked-good was fashioned in the form of a stirrup, to commemorate the victorious charge by the Polish cavalry. The truth of this legend is very uncertain, as there is a reference in 1610 to a similar-sounding bread, which may or may not have been the bagel.
• After the battle, the Austrians discovered many bags of coffee in the abandoned Turkish encampment. Using this captured stock, Franciszek Jerzy Kulczycki opened the third coffeehouse in Europe and the first in Vienna, where, according to legend, Kulczycki himself or Marco d'Aviano, the Capuchin friar and confidant of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, added milk and honey to sweeten the bitter coffee, thereby inventing cappuccino.
• They also say that when the Turks were pushed away from Vienna, the military bands left their instruments on the field of battle and that is how the Holy Roman Empire (and therefore the rest of "Western" countries) acquired Cymbals, Bass Drums, and Triangles.

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Battle of Vienna

A croissant. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France and Archduchess of Austria (born November 1755 – executed 16 October 1793) Daughter of Maria Theresa of Austria, wife of Louis XVI and mother of Louis XVII. She was guillotined at the height of the French Revolution. ... One Montreal-style bagel with mun (poppyseeds) and two with sesame seeds from R.E.A.L Bagels in Montreal, Canada. ... Haniwa horse statuette, complete with saddle and stirrups, 6th century, Kofun period, Japan. ... Volunteer Representative Squadron of City of PoznaÅ„ in uniforms of 15th PoznaÅ„ Uhlans Regiment Polish Cavalry (Polish: ) can trace its origins back to the days of Medieval mounted knights. ... A cup of coffee Coffee is a widely consumed beverage prepared from the roasted seeds—commonly referred to as beans—of the coffee plant. ... Franciszek Jerzy Kulczycki of Sas Coat of Arms (1640-1694; his name often rendered Kolschitzky in German) was a Polish 17th century merchant, spy, diplomat and soldier. ... Coffeehouse in Damascus // A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or cafe (also spelled as café from the French, Spanish, and Portuguese or caffè from the Italian) shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant. ... Marco dAviano, Capuchin friar, 1631-1699. ... Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor Silver coin of Leopold I, 3 Kreuzers, dated 1670. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

See also

• Ottoman wars in Europe
• Great Turkish war
• History of Vienna
• Battles of macrohistorical importance involving invasions of Europe

The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe marked the better part of the history of southeastern Europe, notably, giving infamy to the Balkans. ... The Great Turkish War was a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and European powers at the time (joined into a Holy League) during the second half of the 17th century. ... The history of Vienna has been long and varied, beginning when the Roman Empire created a military camp in the area covered by Viennas city centre. ... This is a list of battles which at least two historians have written were of macrohistorical importance between European nation-states—or European polities recognized by historians as independent nation-states—and invading outside forces. ...

Notes

1. ^ Türkenbelagerung - Die Heere (German). Wein-Vienna. Retrieved on 2006-08-28.
2. ^ ^{a b} Bates, Brandon J. (2003). The Beginning of the End: The Failure of the Siege of Vienna of 1683 (English). Brigham Young University. Retrieved on 2006-08-28.
3. ^ Ripperton, Lisa. The Siege of Vienna (English). The Baldwin Project. Retrieved on 2006-08-28.
4. ^ Duell im Dunkeln (German). 2DF (2005-11-06). Retrieved on 2006-08-28.
5. ^ Grzechnik, Slawek K.. Hussaria – Polish Winged Cavalry (English). Retrieved on 2006-08-28.

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ...

References

• Bruce, George (1981). Harbottle's Dictionary of Battles. Van Nostrand Reinhold. 

External links

• (German) http://www.turkin.net/kunst/osmanen_belagerung2.htm
• (German) http://www.wien-vienna.at/tuerkenkriege.htm
• (German) German TV: Türken vor Wien
• (German) Arte TV: Türken vor Wien