On 12 September 1683, the Battle of Vienna was fought between the Holy League under John III Sobieski against the Ottomans under Kara Mustafa Pasha during the Ottoman-Habsburg Wars.
Why did it happen?
In March 1683, the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed IV sent a large army from Constantinople to conquer Vienna and expand into central Europe. Upon receiving word of the Ottoman advance, the Austrians evacuated Vienna’s population while 12,000 soldiers were garrisoned in preparation for the eventual siege. On 14 July, after the Austrian garrison refused an offer of surrender, Mustafa Pasha set up camp in front of the city and began the siege. For two months, the Ottomans focused on mining the heavily fortified walls of the city rather than breaking down the walls with artillery fire. Finally, on 8 September, the walls were breached, and a series of attacks were launched to sap the strength of the city’s defenders, which now numbered no more than 4,000. Finally, on 11-12 September, Polish and Imperial reinforcements under John III Sobieski and the Duke of Lorraine arrived from the north to relieve the city.
Who was involved?
The Holy League forces at Vienna numbered 54,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, and 370 artillery. Of this number, 4,000 were positioned in the city, while 70,000 were arrayed north of Vienna on Kahlenberg Hill. The Duke of Lorraine led the left wing, Georg Frederick of Waldeck the centre, and John III Sobieski the right wing. The Ottoman army at Vienna numbered 120,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry, and 160 artillery. About 15,000 continued the siege of Vienna, while 135,000 confronted the relief army. Abaza Hussein led the left wing, Kara Mustafa Pasha the centre, and Ibrahim Pasha the right wing. As pointed out by R.G. Grant, “One army was fighting for its faith and the survival of its homeland; the other was divided and unsure why it was there” (Grant, 2011, p.378-9).
What happened?
The Ottoman cavalry on the right wing under Ibrahim Pasha launched an attack on the Holy League’s position before it could arrange its battle formations. The Duke of Lorraine managed to repel the attack. Meanwhile, 15,000 Ottoman troops stationed around Vienna attempted to storm the city, only to be pushed back by the city’s 4,000-strong garrison into the main Ottoman army, causing panic amongst its ranks. The Duke of Lorraine ordered a counterattack, charged the Ottoman right wing, and broke it. After several hours of fierce fighting, the Polish and German cavalry in the centre and right wing moved around to occupy the Kahlenberg Heights. The Holy League’s infantry engaged the Ottoman Janissary soldiers. At that point, morale in the Ottoman army fell when its Crimean Tatar cavalry fled the battlefield. Finally, the Holy League’s 20,000-strong cavalry force charged down the Kahlenberg Heights towards the Ottoman army, killing many and scattering the rest southwards in disarray. Ottoman casualties during the battle numbered 15,000 killed and 5,000 captured, while Holy League losses numbered 4,500 killed.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of Vienna was a Holy League victory. In the aftermath of the battle, the Ottoman army retreated to Constantinople, and Mustafa Pasha was executed on 25 December by being ritually strangled with a bowstring. The Austrians set about repairing the city’s defences in anticipation of a second attack. However, no attack came, and the Siege of Vienna was the last time the Ottoman army would try to take the city. As stated by Richard Overy, “The victory of a Christian ‘Holy League’ composed of Poles, Germans and Austrians against a huge Ottoman army marked the end of the centuries-long expansion of Ottoman Turkish power in southeastern Europe and saved central European Christianity” (Overy, 2014, p.57). The Ottoman army went into a slow decline until its collapse following the end of the First World War.
Bibliography
Anonymous. “Battle of Vienna 1683—Last Great Ottoman Attack.” Battles and Campaigns. Last revised December 19, 2016. www.battlesandcampaigns.wordpress.com/2016/12/19/battle-of-vienna-1683-last-great-ottoman-attack/
Butler, Rupert. 100 Battles: Decisive Conflicts That Shaped the World. Bath, Parragon, 2013.
Dyck, Ludwig Heinrich. “The 1683 Relief Battle of Vienna: Islam at Vienna’s Gates.” Ludwig H. Dyck’s Historical Writings. Last revised March 26, 2016. www.ludwigheinrichdyck.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/the-1683-battle-of-vienna-islam-at-viennas-gates/
Grant, R.G. 1001 Battles That Changed the Course of History. London, Cassell Illustrated, 2011.
Overy, Richard. A History of War in 100 Battles. London, William Collins, 2014.
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