The Turkish Empire, Its Growth and DecayEversley, G. Shaw-Lefevre (George Shaw-Lefevre), Baron
History
The Turkish Empire, Its Growth and Decay
Eversley, G. Shaw-Lefevre (George Shaw-Lefevre), Baron
Turkey -- History
Before striking the camp all the immense booty taken in the campaign
was burnt. The prisoners, most of them the peasantry of the district
round Vienna, were massacred. Only the fairest of the young women were
carried off captives to be sold as slaves. The Sultan returned to
Constantinople. There was no pursuit of his army. It came back intact.
It was a slur on the fame of Solyman that he endeavoured to conceal
his failure to capture Vienna by lying accounts of success, and by a
popular celebration of triumph, on return to his capital. There was
this much to be said for him, that he had flouted the Austrians, by
invading their country and devastating it up to the walls of Vienna,
without any attempt, on their part, to meet him in the field or to
follow him up on his retreat.
Three years later, in 1532, Solyman, with another immense army,
again invaded Hungary, with the avowed object of marching to Vienna
and attacking the army of the Emperor. Charles V, on this occasion,
took command of the Austrian army. It was expected that a trial of
strength would take place between the two potentates, and would decide
which of them was the stronger. But Solyman’s progress was delayed
by the heroic defence for three weeks of the small fortress of Guns.
After its capture Solyman made no further advance towards Vienna, but
turned aside and devastated Styria, and then led his army homeward.
The Emperor, on his part, made no effort to meet his foe and join
conclusions with him. It was evident that both of them were anxious to
avoid the issue of a great battle.
Though the Sultan had retreated and had returned to Constantinople,
peace was not concluded, and a desultory war was continued for some
years between Ferdinand and Zapolya. Peace was concluded in 1538, under
which Zapolya was to retain the title of King of Eastern Hungary and
Transylvania and Ferdinand was acknowledged ruler of the western half.
In 1566 Solyman again invaded Hungary, on his thirteenth and last
campaign, to which we will revert later.
We have thus described briefly the course of events between the Turks
and the Hungarians, supported by Austria. Though the conquests of
Solyman in this direction had been arrested by his failure to capture
Vienna, he succeeded in securing virtual possession of the greater part
of Hungary.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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