garrisoned it killed with their own hands their women and children
rather than let them fall into the hands of the infidels who had come
to besiege the place, and then by a desperate sortie made their way
through the enemy. One or two companies of the enemy’s swift cavalry
pursued them a whole day and night, but were at length repulsed by the
arrows and arms of the pursued.
_The base and ignoble Infidels besiege Khutván._
When Novograde fell into the hands of the enemy, the Chaúsh of the
deputy of Ramazán Zádeh was brought before the king (of Hungary, I
suppose), but was afterwards set at liberty. This man returned to
Buda in the month of Rajab, and informed his Moslem brethren that the
emperor himself (_i.e._ the Emperor of Germany) was making preparations
for coming to lay siege to the city and fortress of Buda with an
army of 200,000 swine (_i.e._ Christians). The Budians lost no time
in putting every thing in proper order for defence, and for giving
the infidels a reception. Some time before the Moslem army was put
in motion in the spring of that year, and before the new year had
commenced, the enemy fitted out two armies: the one of which was sent
against Osterghún and the other to Khutván. It was the one which was
sent against Khutván that reduced the fortress of Novograde, and the
siege of the former fortress commenced in the month of Jemadi II. The
Beg of Khutván, Arslán Páshá, was a man of some levity, but a most
excellent swordsman, and the whole of the inhabitants were warlike
and brave. By their intrepidity and quickness in firing their cannon
many of the enemy fell in the siege. They were under the necessity,
however, of sending to Buda for assistance, when, in compliance with
their request, Mohammed Páshá, Sinán’s son, the Válí of Buda, and Hasan
Páshá, on the 8th of Shabán, hastened forward to their aid with their
respective troops. Osterghún was besieged at the same time.
When this auxiliary army drew near to Khutván, they perceived a
body of the enemy stationed on the banks of the river, which flowed
a little below the city on the north side; and therefore, with the
view of accomplishing their purpose, they on the 11th went about a
mile further up the river in order to cross. The enemy thought, when
they saw this, that the Moslems fled to escape them, and immediately
pursued after them and got in front of them, when a tremendous carnage
ensued. Mohammed Páshá and his corps of Spáhís stood back, whilst
Hasan Páshá with his veteran borderers was left to cope alone with
the infidel soldiery. In this desperate contest a very great number
of the iron-cased infidels perished, and almost the whole of the
heroic borderers fell martyrs. Hasan Páshá himself, like a furious
lion, brought incredible numbers of them to the ground. His clothes
unfortunately, in consequence of the bursting of a shell, caught
fire, but were extinguished without difficulty. From the explosion of
the gunpowder he was severely injured. The commander-in-chief of the
Moslem troops, Mohammed Páshá, son of the grand vezír, when he saw his
brave associates sorely pressed by the superior force of the enemy,
heartlessly and cowardly furled his banners, and returned with his
dastardly Spáhís to Buda. Just as the remaining Moslems were about
to retire in despair, the Beg of Ancora, Neïrání Páshá, issued most
fortunately from Khutván with a party, who attacked the enemy with
such fury as to drive them back with considerable loss both of men and
cannon. The larger guns he spiked. The enemy, however, soon recovered
themselves, and returned with greater vigour and renewed strength, and
continued the siege of Khutván till the month of Ramazán, when they
became altogether disheartened. The prudence and skill of the besieged
was too much for them.
In this battle 4,000 Moslems fell martyrs, and very many of the
infidels perished. When the account of this day’s transactions was
transmitted to the court of Constantinople, the glory and honour which
Hasan Páshá had most certainly gained would have been honourably
acknowledged; but by the grand vezír’s influence, the honour and
distinction which ought to have been conferred on Hasan Páshá was
awarded to his own son Mohammed Páshá. Besides an augmentation of
authority, he received a splendidly ornamented sword set in jewels, and
a handsome robe of fur, which was sent him by the emperor.
_The Siege of Osterghún._
The body of troops sent to lay siege to Osterghún was afterwards
largely augmented by those other troops which had been engaged
against Khutván, and the siege began to assume a regular appearance
in the month of Shabán. The peasants and villagers, encouraged by
the presence of the enemy, declared in their favour, and committed
enormous excesses. About the end of this month another body of the
enemy attacked the city of Wáj, slew several of the inhabitants, and
carried off about forty or fifty horsemen, besides a number of Martloos
(Christian) women and children.
Some time previous to this, 2,000 horsemen, sent from Bosnia and
Semendria, were appointed to settle themselves any where about
Osterghún, and were allowed to profit by any thing the chance of war
might put in their way. These perfidious wretches, however, entered
into a treacherous correspondence with the enemy, who had, by that
time, surrounded the city. They shot at the rate of 1,800 cannon-balls
per day against the walls of the city and fortress.
In the mean time a body of experienced Janissaries and other troops
were sent to their assistance. Three times did the Beg of Rhodes
convey to them, in galleys and other boats, timely aid; and completely
prevented the enemy from benefiting by any assistance sent them by
water, besides a variety of other important services which he had
rendered to the besieged.
The enemy, intent on reducing Osterghún, and after several days’
battering with their cannon, at length commenced an assault, but
were driven back with immense loss. The Hungarians, who acted at
some considerable distance, directed their guns against the place,
and succeeded in laying several portions of the walls level with the
ground. They now attempted to deceive. They told a thousand idle
stories about the propriety of following the example of the people of
Felk and Novograde, and thus to yield and give up the fortress; but
the heroic Moslems answered: “We are Romelian heroes and true-hearted
veterans, and shall never yield nor give up the place: we are resolved
on continuing our resistance. Behold, you accursed! you deride us by
saying that an army of Tátárs, riding on tortoises, are coming to our
aid; but we are sure of immense succours from Buda, either to-day or
tomorrow: and then we shall be swine if we don’t mount you all on
tortoises and send you to hell.” Such was the reply of the besieged
to the enemy, who finding their fraudulent attempts to deceive were
in vain, pushed on the siege with all their vigour, and advanced to a
third general assault. Among their leaders one was observed who was
very active in stimulating the soldiery on to the assault, and who wore
a breast-plate, and a gold chain suspended from his neck. The Beg of
Osterghún observed to those around him, that if that execrated wretch
could be disposed of, the infidel army would immediately retreat.
“Whoever lays him flat in the dust,” said he, “shall receive a sanják,
and whatever else he may ask.” This was so sooner uttered than one
Osmán, a brave man, and an excellent marksman, levelled his piece
at the gold-chained infidel, cried “Yá allah,” and in a moment shot
him through the breast, when he sank from his horse, and was dragged
along the ground. The besiegers were now panic-struck, and retired
in the greatest precipitation towards their fortifications; but were
hotly pursued by the veteran Moslems, who rushed out after them,
and slew very many of them. The enemy, however, soon rallied again.
Every peasant in the country round about, able to handle a sword,
was collected; and with this augmentation of new strength they again
returned to the siege and work of destruction. The unfortunate Moslems,
notwithstanding the heroism they had displayed, and the firmness with
which they had acted, were at length, by famine and hard labour,
reduced to complete weakness; whilst the troops acting under the King
(of Hungary) joined the besiegers. Thus strengthened, the enemy began
to set the city on fire in several places.
At this critical moment an army under the command of the válís of
Temishvar and Bosnia, and which had been sent off by order of the
Serdár in the month of Ramazán, reached Pest in time enough to hear
the sound of the cannon from Osterghún; but it was the middle of
the month before the vanguard of this army advanced so far as to be
discovered by the enemy. This new appearance of assistance in favour
of the Moslems in the city of Osterghún so dismayed the enemy, that
they immediately relinquished their object, forsook their tabúr or
fortifications, and fled away in the utmost precipitation. Now was the
time for taking revenge. The Moslems, like raging wolves, rushed out of
their strong-hold, slew about a thousand of the enemy, did what damage
they were able to their fortifications, took a number of captives,
spiked their field-pieces, seized all the powder and goods they could
easily carry, set fire to what remained, and returned to the city in
triumph with the spoil they had taken. But the enemy, after recovering
from the panic into which they had been put, and after the army which
had come from Buda had returned back, retraced their steps, and again
took possession of their tabúr or fortifications, exercising violence
and cruelty on those who had been hired by the month in the villages
belonging to Buda.
Before finishing this paragraph we must add, by way of postscript,
that the enemy continued their hostile operations against Khutván
and Osterghún till they learned that the grand vezír was marching
with the royal army to Buda, when they removed to Komran, where they
concentrated their forces. The Válí of Temishvar who had came to aid
the city of Osterghún, and who was at this time in Pest, heard that a
palanka in his own government had revolted and declared for the enemy.
He returned and executed the whole of them.
_The Request of the Prime Minister—the Succour of the Magnificent
Emperor._
In consequence of the several disasters which the Moslem arms had
sustained during the late spring, the evils and oppressions to which
the garrisons on the frontiers had been exposed, and also because
the contest was not yet ended, the mind of the grand vezír, when he
considered all these things, was very much afflicted; and therefore,
as the most effectual remedy for his grief, and for securing a more
favourable state of things, he sent, at once, an account of the whole
state of matters, and also a statement of the finances, and that of
the army, to the court of Constantinople. The grand vezír found, it
would appear, that military movements were a difficult thing to attend
to, especially every time a fixed period was necessary to be observed
with respect to those movements. Besides, the army of Romeili had been
precluded from attending to their harvest. In short, all these things
together had a powerful effect on Sinán Páshá’s mind, and led him to
regret his having had any thing to do with the war at all.
In these circumstances, and being no way prepared to prosecute the
war, he called together his emírs, commanders of castles, chiefs of
the army, nobles, and other great and learned men, to consult them
as to the steps which ought, in their situation, to be adopted. But
fortunately, at this time, the succours, as to men and money, which his
letters requested from the government of Constantinople, were hastening
towards him.
It may be observed here, that it was not customary for the ághás of
the Janissaries to go forth to war, except along with the emperor. On
this occasion this rule was departed from, and Sáleh Mohammed Páshá was
appointed to conduct the Janissaries to join the grand vezír Ibrahím
Aghá, superintendent of the armoury, with a thousand men-at-arms, and a
sufficient number of portable tents were attached to this expedition.
They set out for Belgrade on the 1st of Rajab. On the Segbán Báshí, the
commander of the guard, devolved the duties belonging to Sáleh Mohammed
Páshá’s office during his absence from Constantinople.
Before these arrangements took place, however, Kapúdán Jeghala Zádeh
was ordered out to sea with a fleet of five galleys carrying troops,
who reached the Mediterranean before the middle of Shabán. Ghází Gheráí
Khán of the Crimea, was also required to join the grand vezír, and
assist him by his counsels and by his arms.
About the middle of the above-mentioned month, the grand vezír, Sinán
Páshá, began to collect his troops from their winter quarters, and
commenced pitching his tents in the plains of Serim, when he ordered
distribution of provision, &c. to be made to the men under his own
command; where also he was soon afterwards joined by the following
chiefs: viz. Mohammed Páshá, Válí of Sivás; Mohammed Páshá, Válí of
Merœsh; Alí Páshá, Válí of Vœrka; Ahmed Páshá, the serdár or
commander-in-chief of Buda; and Ahmed Páshá, governor of Bosnia: and
where, too, the ághá and his Janissaries, sent from Constantinople,
joined his camp.
The grand vezír and his associates in arms, after having consulted
as to the mode of commencing their operations, resolved on attacking
Yanuk first, and accordingly sent off their heavy baggage towards Tata.
Mohammed Páshá, the grand vezír’s son, was appointed to command the
artillery; the Governor of Buda, Hasan Páshá, to head the Cherkají
troops or Iägers; the Governor of Bosnia, the advance guard; the
Beglerbeg of Anatolia was appointed to command the right wing; another
Beglerbeg was to command the left wing; and the Páshá or Válí of
Merœsh, in conformity to ancient custom, was appointed to command
the rear-guard.
On the 14th of Shevál the grand army advanced to the plains of Tata.
Tata lies in a plain in the vicinity of mountains near the Danube,
opposite to Komran, an island in the Danube, about two leagues from
Tata. The enemy, who had posted themselves on the opposite side of the
river, had also extended their lines as far as Tata; but this place
after three days’ siege, yielded to the conquerors. A garrison was
thrown into it, and such of the enemy as escaped from it fled to Komran.
In the mean time the Khán of the Tátárs reached the royal camp. He
was seated on a beautiful horse, and alighted from it at the door of
the grand vezír’s pavilion. After having rested himself on a suitable
sofa, and taken some refreshment, a handsome ewer ornamented with gold
was presented before him, in which he washed his hands, and which was
afterwards handed to his armour-bearer. The Khán was also presented
with a sword adorned with jewels, a bridle ornamented with gold, a
two-edged dagger, a club with an iron head, and a most beautiful
charger. Five thousand pieces of pure gold were also presented to him.
The whole of the begs or princes, and such of the ághás as were present
on this august occasion, conducted the Khán to his own royal tent. The
fortress of Semarin, in the neighbourhood of Tata, was evacuated by the
enemy and taken possession of by the Moslem troops.
_Yanuk besieged._
This fortress, formerly called Kilvár, is situate on the banks of the
Raab, which pours its waters into the Danube, and was on this occasion
surrounded on the land side by an immense ditch filled with water,
across which was a drawbridge which led into the city and fortress.
The Moslem army commenced their offensive operations by first attacking
those of the enemy on the outside, and seized a number of prisoners.
On the 18th of Dhu’l Kada, after the siege was regularly formed,
skirmishing became general. The division of the Spáhís under the
command of the Salihdár watched the trenches, and two other divisions
were appointed to guard the camp and money-chest. A thousand men were
employed in carrying earth from two different quarters, who daily threw
a thousand _bedalooshkas_ into the fosse. On the opposite side of the
Danube, the enemy erected their tabúr or fortifications, directly
opposite the fortress, and constructed also a bridge which communicated
with the tabúr and the fortress, but which was not allowed to remain
open for either man or beast. Twenty days thus passed away in mutual
hostilities and skirmishing, when, behold, Duke Mathias, the brother
of the Emperor of Austria, encamped in the vicinity of Komran with an
army of 100,000 German, Hungarian, and similar infidels. A man of high
rank, a Count, son-in-law to the King (of Hungary), was governor of
the city and fortress. On one of the first ten days of the lunar month
(_i.e._ on the 10th of Dhu’l hijjah), ten thousand of these execrated
wretches rushed out and slew three thousand Moslems, whilst engaged in
performing the duties and ceremonies of their religion on that solemn
day, and committed, besides, some other injuries. They were, however,
soon obliged to retrace their steps and hide themselves within their
strong-holds, but it was found impossible to get them to shut the gate
and prevent annoyance from that quarter.
It appeared to have become necessary, from some reason or other, to
effect some changes. Accordingly we find, that the offices held by the
son of the grand vezír and Hasan Páshá were exchanged, the one for the
other. The government of Romeili was, therefore, transferred to Hasan
Páshá, and that of Buda to the vezír’s son. Hasan Páshá, in consequence
of this exchange, entered the trenches opposite the gate, and by a
well-directed fire of ten field-pieces, forced the besieged to close
their gate. In short, Hasan manifested to every unprejudiced person
what force, properly directed, might effect.
_The Moslem Warriors begin an assault._
The appearance of the Duke Mathias with his many thousand infidels
encouraged the besieged, and supported them in their obstinacy, and
therefore it was evidently seen that, unless the Moslems crossed to the
other side of the river and defeated this host, they would never be
able to reduce the place. Accordingly, and in conformity to this view
of the matter, materials which had been ordered from Buda and Osterghún
for the purpose of erecting three bridges, were immediately put in
requisition, and every effort made to get them ready for immediate use.
A party of Tátárs who had swam on their horses across to the enemy’s
side, were no sooner discovered than they were checked by a body of
horse and foot, which so frightened them that they turned about and
swam back again. Several of them, however, perished. In order to
prevent occurrences of this nature, the enemy made themselves trenches
along the bank of the river: but their trenches were of no use to
them. Two thousand men volunteered their services, and crossed over
in boats; and before the enemy had time to look about them, they made
themselves masters of these trenches, and completely routed their
occupiers. The Moslems now commenced with all speed to erect their
bridges; and to prevent their being annoyed in this work, and in order
to scare the enemy, they placed some of their largest cannon on an
eminence on the brink of the river, and commenced firing. The enemy,
blind to their preparations, again endeavoured to gain possession of
the brink of the river: but were repulsed with immense slaughter, when
they were obliged to fall back on their fortifications. The Moslems,
in consequence of this victory, succeeded in finishing their bridges,
and, under covert of the night, accompanied by a body of Tátárs,
crossed to the other side, approached the enemy’s fortifications, put
the infidels to flight, who, it must be observed, destroyed the bridges
which they themselves had erected in the vicinity of the fortress.
The victorious Moslems returned with immense booty: such as cannons,
powder, arms, waggons, and other heavy articles, besides a great number
of loaded waggons full of valuable stores. Three hundred boats, and
four hundred cannon, were taken possession of in the river, besides
powder, ball, and three thousand tents: all which became the property
of the Ottomans. The Archduke Mathias himself was wounded; and the
brother of the Duke, who commanded the French troops, was shot dead
by a cannon-ball, and ten thousand other infidels perished on this
occasion. Many captives were also taken. After obtaining this singular
and splendid victory over Mathias, the Moslems returned to the siege,
and continued their operations against the city and fortress till the
following year, when they took it; but of this more afterwards, when
we have said a few things with regard to the notorious rebel Michael,
Waiwode of Valachia.
The Waiwodas of Valachia were in the habit of providing horses and
oxen for the purpose of conveying cannon and other apparatus of war
when they were required to do so. But when messengers from Belgrade,
in the name of the grand vezír, required them to supply the army
before Besperim with three hundred of those animals, for the purpose
of conveying provisions and money, they manifested no small degree of
tardiness in complying, for which they were severely reprimanded.
And again, when they were required to send four hundred waggons with
food and money to the troops before Yanuk, they played the same trick,
for which neglect the drivers were ordered to be executed; but by
the intervention and intercession of the grand vezír’s son, Mohammed
Páshá, their lives were spared, but the presents which they carried
along with them were rejected with disdain. It was inconsistent, it was
said, that a country like Valachia should be controlled by one or two
indolent infidels, and therefore they might expect that next spring
the war would be carried thither. The men who had their lives spared
to them were kept prisoners, but were afterwards set at liberty. But
the prevaricator Michael, and this is the chief point to be observed,
became so enraged at the disgrace and dishonour thus manifested, that
the incorrigible wretch raised the standard of defiance, and became the
ostensible instigator of the rebellion which afterwards broke out in
Valachia in the following year, and to which, when we relate the events
of that year, we shall advert.
The arrival of Ghází Gheráí Khán from a country in which never infidel
stepped, and whose splendid achievements in war it is impossible fully
to delineate, relates chiefly to the same period.
About the middle of Rabia II., Fatima, daughter of the august and noble
monarch of the world, was united by marriage to the vezír Khalíl Páshá
in the old palace. At the commencement of the same month ambassadors
from Abdullah Khán, sultán of Transoxania, arrived in Constantinople.
About the same time, also, the admiral, Jeghala Zádeh, sailed with a
fleet to Messina, put the inhabitants into great fear, carried off
several galleys, and returned. The Jews and Christians hitherto wore
blue and yellow turbans; but it having been determined to humble and
disgrace them, they were ordered, in future, to wear fillets made of
black and scarlet cloth.
EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1003 H.
_The conquest of Yanuk._
The siege of Yanuk, at the commencement of this year, 1003 of the
Hijrah, had continued a month. By the batterings of the cannon and
the springing of mines, both the outside and inside of Yanuk were
completely damaged. On the 17th of Moharrem (the first month of
the year), and after an immense quantity of earth had been thrown
into the fosse, and when a breach had been effected in the walls or
ramparts, a general assault was announced. This news fearfully alarmed
the besieged. They considered the defeat of the archduke’s army, and
thought of the vast numbers that had already perished in the siege.
Their fears increased; their condition, they saw, was perilous. To try
to escape by means of planks would be both difficult and dangerous.
Their courage altogether failed them; and many, for fear of the cannons
of the Osmánlís, hid themselves within the inner works in ditches. In
short, all resistance ceased.