several places they were, at length, laid even with the ground. The
enemy found means of secretly preparing a kind of bridge and other
apparatus. The boats which they had built were launched, and all
throughout the camp were ordered to stand to their arms. Three persons
were deputed by the enemy to go and endeavour, by offering money,
to get one or more of the besieged to desert. These persons made a
display of their ducats, and said that they expected that a Turk or two
would come and take them into the place, because they meant to become
Muselmans. Hasan Páshá, who saw through their design, said their object
was to try to get some one or more to desert to them, and ordered a
cannon to be pointed towards them. The signal for discharging it was
given, when, in a moment, the men were carried off by the shot, and
both fell in one place. The archduke was excessively chagrined when
he heard the result of this third mission. Two thousand eight hundred
chosen men, all volunteers, were put into a state of readiness for
scaling the walls. To encourage them he promised to give ten villages
to the first who should succeed in climbing the ramparts, and forty
villages to the man who would bring him Hasan Páshá. The following day
was appointed for attempting this heroic plan.
Hasan Páshá was not idle. His plans were deeply and wisely laid. As
soon as the enemy had set their boats afloat, he caused openings to be
made in the mound which surrounded Kaniza, exactly opposite the place
at which this fleet of boats was to touch, and placed large cannon, all
charged, in these openings, but in such a way as not to be discovered.
After the Páshá had seen all this accomplished, he called his principal
soldiers to him, offered up a short prayer, and afterwards addressed
them thus: “My brave fellows, let not the greatness of the multitude
of the enemy any way terrify you. God willing, we shall be revenged on
them. Every time the enemy has lighted the torch of war, God, in his
goodness, has invariably extinguished it again in their discomfiture.
Let me see you, therefore, act your part with bravery and true heroism:
let us all, in faithfulness to our religion, be firm, and oppose them
with courage. If we perish in the conflict, we shall be saints in
heaven. Our heroes, both in this world and at the day of judgment, are
truly honourable and worthy of esteem. Be then united and firm in your
efforts in your own defence, and exercise with boldness the weapons
in your hands. Let your activity manifest itself in boldly resisting
and repelling the efforts of the hateful enemy to make you slaves. I
have the utmost confidence the enemy’s machinations will be completely
frustrated.” In this way did Hasan Páshá encourage and animate his
troops and followers. These brave men and their companions in arms
entered into solemn compact, bade each other adieu, attended to all
their various duties of friendship and domestic affairs, as well as
those of eternity, and every thing seemed to bid defiance to the utmost
effort of the foe in trying to reduce Kaniza. After all things were
fully and properly attended to, they all, with firm and courageous
hearts, returned to their respective stations, and, like envious lions,
stood ready to grasp at their invading foe.
Meantime the enemy was busy. During the night season they accoutred
themselves in their various arms, and one division after another took
up its position in the trenches formerly prepared, till they were
completely filled; the boats were all manned with volunteers, and at
daylight the signal-gun was fired, the sound of which seemed to awaken
heaven and earth; and the ball passed over the wall at the gate leading
to Sigetwar, which was forty feet high, and was stopped by the odá
of Mahmúd Chorbájí. The enemy, immediately on this signal-gun being
fired, commenced an assault from five different places at once. When
their fleet of boats had sailed down opposite the fortress, the cannons
which had secretly been placed in hollows in the mound which surrounded
Kaniza, opened upon them, and soon sent them, with all on board of
them, to the bottom of the river. This powerful, but unexpected
reception, astonished the infidels completely, but it had also the
effect of rousing their fury to a greater height.
When the besieged Moslems first perceived the tumultuous assault of the
enemy, they were a little staggered and disheartened; but Hasan Páshá,
the heroic vezír, stepped in before them and stimulated their courage.
“My brave lions,” said he, “this day is a day of peculiar effort and
exertion: turn not away your faces from the contest, but be firm and
inflexible for one hour longer, and this impoverished straggling host
will be vanquished.” This speech, like all his former speeches, had
its desired effect upon the minds of the besieged, who became more
determined than ever to sell their lives as dearly as possible; and
they resolved to fall victims for the sake of their religion, rather
than yield up the city and fortress of Kaniza. Every assault of the
enemy was, therefore, resisted with such desperate bravery and courage
as to outmatch every thing. The commander of the janissaries and chief
of the cavalry, Sefer Aghá, performed the most astonishing feats of
bravery. He was, at that time, only a segbán báshí, but was afterwards
raised to the dignity of a páshá.
In the meantime, the artillery of the garrison committed the most
tremendous havoc among the infidels; but they were no sooner hewn down
than their places were filled up by others sent forward to maintain the
struggle. The awful sound which proceeded from the combatants on both
sides is indescribable. The confused noise of drums and trumpets, the
clash of arms, the thunder of cannon and musketry, and the bursts of
mortars, baffle all description. Heaven and earth trembled. The carnage
of that day was so awfully terrible that the compassionate angels in
the seventh heaven looked down on the scene with astonishment and
wonder, and entreated God to scatter and confound the associates of
idolatry.
The awful conflict we have just now endeavoured to delineate continued
with unremitting fury till midnight, when it pleased God to vouchsafe
his omnipotent aid to the besieged orthodox. At this moment the enemy
retreated to their fortifications, as if panic-struck, leaving behind
them eighteen thousand of their fellows, undistinguished and without
name. Among the wounded lay the brother of his holiness the Pope.
He was struck by a musket-ball, and soon afterwards perished. This
execrated wretch commanded thirty thousand troops.
After this remarkable success which had attended the Moslem arms, the
veterans approached the páshá, kissed his hand, and pronounced their
benedictions on his head. The wonderful páshá, on the other hand, was
all kindness, in return, for the honour shewn to him; and a thousand
expressions of praise and good wishes were uttered on this memorable
occasion.
When the eyes of the Moslems were opened to a clear view of the
advantages which God had afforded them, their hearts rejoiced. The awe
and terror with which the sight of so immense and desperate a host as
that which the enemy presented to their view sometimes inspired them,
now vanished completely from their minds. The heart of each of them
became firm and strong, like the tower of Alexander, and all of them
demanded to be allowed to assault the enemy in their turn.
After the victory had declared itself in favour of the orthodox
Moslems, as above described, Mathias and Ferdinand called their
princes, and held a council of war. “Although Kaniza was well supplied
with water,” it was said in the council, “the want of provisions,
however, would soon so press upon both its inhabitants and its garrison
as to force them to yield. If Turkish troops should happen to come to
their aid in their present circumstances, and we are able to beat them
off, then Kaniza would doubtless yield without further resistance. Let
us winter here,” continued the speaker, “but before the winter season
breaks let us send away our cannon.” The governor of Malta, Don Juan,
observed, “that if the cannon be removed, the Turks will rush forth,
and leave not a man of us alive upon the earth. Besides,” continued
he, “though those Turks stationed at Sigetwar may at present have no
intention of attacking us, they will, most assuredly, come and do
so, when they hear we have sent away our cannon. Without cannon, we
shall not be able to stand any time before them, and as to handling
the sword, we can have no chance whatever with them.” Such was the
manner in which this council of Austrian officers reasoned. They agreed
to continue the siege; they increased the number of their guns; they
erected a mound round Kaniza, and commenced firing at the rate of two
thousand balls per day. These did immense evil. The outer walls were
totally demolished. The houses were made level with the ground. But
the enthusiastic Moslems, such was their zeal, built up by night the
gaps and openings which these heavy cannon effected by day. From the
incessant fire which the enemy thus kept up, very many of the Moslems
fell martyrs during this period of the siege, in consequence of their
unsubdued zeal.
The garrison now began to experience a scarcity of powder. The páshá
called his artillery officers and the governor of the castle, and
conversed with them concerning this matter. The latter informed him,
that the enemy, on their lately retiring, had left an immense quantity
of sulphur and saltpetre behind them, which they had carefully removed
into Kaniza. It was very easy, he added, to make gunpowder out of these
materials. Uzun Ahmed, belonging to the fifth division of janissaries,
a Persian youth, and who had been accustomed to make this article, came
forward and informed the páshá of his skill in gunpowder, saying, at
the same time, it could easily be made by mixing the above-mentioned
materials with fine charcoal made of the nut-tree. Charcoal made of
the willow, however, would answer the purpose, he said. With this
last-mentioned sort of wood Kaniza was surrounded, and, accordingly,
orders were immediately issued to cut down for this purpose a
sufficient quantity, which was burned, and afterwards powdered in
a mortar. A sufficient number of persons were appointed to this
department of labour, and every day they delivered new-made gunpowder
in such quantities as was required.
But before proceeding any farther, we have to mention the desertion of
two of Hasan Páshá’s domestics, which bears on this part of our history.
One night, after the enemy had fully resolved on continuing the siege,
two of the páshá’s under-servants, both of them Hungarians by birth,
set off secretly to join their countrymen in the enemy’s army. This
circumstance very much distressed the besieged, for they had every
reason to fear these deserters would inform the besiegers as to the
state of the place. Hasan Páshá, always ready to take those advantages
which his own fertile mind was ever sure to point out to him, quieted
the fears of his followers, and gave them the most pointed instructions
to do what they could in trying to seize one or two prisoners. They
brought him several, to whom the páshá addressed himself thus: “I
have lately sent two confidential servants to your prince, do you
think they have met with his highness?” “Yes,” was the answer; and
then added: “that the karal (the king) asked them as to the number of
troops in Kaniza, when they said they did not know, but that they were
exceedingly numerous, and that provisions were becoming very scarce
in it. Keep up your fire,” said the two deserters, “for you have
every chance of succeeding.” Hasan Páshá again asked them what they
supposed might have been the number of Turks which had lately routed
them? Some said twenty, some thirty thousand, answered the prisoners.
The páshá then gave orders to have their hands and heads cut off, and
delivered them over to Karah Omar Aghá, but previously instructed him
to act towards the prisoners as he had done on a former occasion. Omar
knew how to act his part. He practised the same kind of deception on
these prisoners as he had done on those mentioned before, and, after
giving each of them a piece of white bread, sent them off in the same
way, telling them that the Hungarian troops had entered secretly into
friendly engagements with the troops of Sigetwar; that the páshá was
on the eve of attacking them by night with the troops of Kaniza,
whilst those of Sigetwar would attack them from behind at the same
moment. “Give my compliments,” said Omar, “to the karal, and let him be
attentive. In this place we have provisions and gunpowder for a whole
year. Let the king direct his movements accordingly.” The prisoners
returned and related to the karal what they had seen and heard, which
displeased him very much.
In the meantime Hasan Páshá called one of his scribes and dictated
the following letter to the commander-in-chief, Yemishjí Hasan Páshá,
wherein he said, after giving him all his high titles, “I have already
informed you of the state of our affairs. Thank God, our troops are
sufficient in number and in courage, and we have now abundance of
gunpowder, though at one time we had reason to fear we should run short
of that important article. The enemy, when they lately retired from
our walls, left an immense quantity of sulphur and saltpetre, of which
we prepare every day no less a quantity than two talents of gunpowder.
Our provisions are in abundance, at least for three months to come. We
have, moreover, entered into a friendly intercourse with the Hungarians
in the enemy’s army. I have just now sent out two of my domestics,
Kina’án and Khundán, two Hungarian youths who were brought up in my
service, to converse privately with the Hungarians in the enemy’s
army, and to tell the karal that both the gunpowder and provisions in
Kaniza are about finished; they are also instructed to return as soon
as they accomplish this business, or at least as soon as they can find
a fit opportunity of so doing. These two young men will tell the enemy
they have become renegadoes, and the infidels, I have no doubt, will
believe them. Be you ready to assist us if we should need your aid, and
as soon as the two men return I shall give you due notice: farewell.”
This letter was sealed, put into a satin bag or case, this was again
covered over with a skin, and the whole parcel put into a coarse cloth,
and was given to Karah Punjeh, with orders to convey it secretly into
the enemy’s camp, and lay it down where it might soon be discovered by
some of the enemy, who, no doubt, would carry it to their karal as some
valuable treasure. Karah Punjeh was ordered, at the same time, to make
his way, so soon as he had laid down his packet within the precincts of
the enemy’s camp, to the commander-in-chief, and request him to come
with his troops to the aid of Kaniza. Punjeh proceeded with his secret
despatches, dabbed the outside with some mud, found means of throwing
it, without being observed, into the enemy’s camp, and set off for
Sigetwar.
The stratagem succeeded to all the extent the contriver wished it;
for the packet was no sooner discovered than it was opened, and the
writing within it carried forthwith to the karal. The discoverers told
him where they had found it, but could give no account whatever as to
the way it had been brought into the camp. The contents of the letter
were no sooner read, than suspicion began to be entertained respecting
the two deserters from Hasan Páshá. They were actual spies, it was
said, and were therefore called to be examined. On being summoned they
were asked what situations they had held under the Moslem Páshá, and
what were their names. One of us, said they, is called Kina’án, and
the other Khundán; we were brought up in the páshá’s service, were
circumcised, and we became Muselmans; but now we have embraced the
religion of our fathers. Was it true, they were asked, that Kaniza had
nearly run short of gunpowder, but that that had been supplied? They
said it was true. Why, then, said the interrogators, did you say, when
you came to us, that they had little or no gunpowder? The object you
had in coming to us is too evident; and without any further enquiry
they delivered over the two unfortunate deserters to the executioner,
who immediately cut off their heads. These two heads were presented
before the walls of Kaniza, and the persons who had thus presented them
called out, at the same time, that the whole of Hasan Páshá’s stratagem
had been discovered. The people of Kaniza were no sooner made aware
whose the heads had been than they burst out in a fit of laughter, and
highly eulogized the wisdom of their páshá.
There is a different version of this story; it is as follows: The páshá
one day called together his officers, and desired them to have every
gun and musket in the place charged with powder, and to be ready to
fire them when a signal was given. This was to be done in token, as
it were, of rejoicing. About midnight, accordingly, when the signal
_Allah! Allah!_ was three times given, all the guns and muskets were
fired off, and the voice of rejoicing commenced. The intoxicated
infidels, hearing these demonstrations of joy, ran every where in order
to discover the cause of it. Hasan Páshá, in the mean time, called the
defterdár of Kaniza, Shabán Effendí, a very learned man, and after
consulting with him for some time in private, desired him to draw out
a letter for the commander-in-chief, which was as follows:—“You have
at last come to Sigetwar: may your arrival be propitious! The three
hundred and fifty janissaries, under the command of an ághá; the one
hundred thousand ducats; the one hundred talents of gunpowder; the
eighty talents of lead; and the one hundred talents of biscuits, came
all, without the least knowledge of the enemy, safe to hand about the
middle of the night of last Monday. You have been very generous; but
we were not in actual want of any of the things you have sent us. We
had provisions for a whole year; our gunpowder was abundant; and we had
thirty thousand heroic troops. At the same time, however, we have to
request you to send with our lieutenant, Iskender, fifteen thousand
chosen volunteers, to be here early on the morning of Sunday; but do
not you take the trouble of coming yourself. The Hungarian princes in
the enemy’s camp are our old friends and allies. Thousands of their
subjects come over to us every night, and they inform us of what
is going on without. We have also entered into compact with thirty
thousand Hungarian soldiers in the camp of the enemy, who are under
the command of the above princes. On Sunday morning, at daybreak,
when Iskender arrives from Sigetwar, we in the garrison of Kaniza and
the Hungarians in the camp will all at once commence an assault on
the hateful enemy within their strong-holds. We hope we shall not be
forgotten in your best wishes.”
Before this, however, two men had been sent into the enemy’s camp
with the view of seeking a fit opportunity of assassinating the karal
Ferdinand; but by the providence of God these poor fellows fell martyrs
to their zeal. Two other men were sent with a similar purpose; and
one Samúskú was hired to convey a letter, similar also to the one
before-mentioned, into the enemy’s camp. Great promises of reward
were made to this man if he accomplished the undertaking committed to
him; but when he was about half way he threw down the letter on the
road, and set off for Perzencha; next day, however, one of the enemy’s
cavalry happened to pass that way and found the letter. After looking
at it, he perceived it to be written in Turkish, brought it immediately
to the karal, and told him he had taken it by force from a Turk he had
met on the road; but that whilst looking at the writing, in order to
discover what it might be, the Turk had escaped. An interpreter was
called to decypher the contents of the letter. The interpreter said
it was a letter from Hasan Páshá to the commander-in-chief, and that
it contained some things which it would be improper to make public;
he therefore went aside and explained to the karal the whole of the
secrets in it, which absolutely astonished and counfounded him to such
a degree, that he did not know what to say or do. He called his vezír,
and consulted with him on the subject of the letter. The vezír said,
“our trusty friend, Karah Omar, among our enemies, sent us information,
you well remember, before this, of the defection of the Hungarians.
What he said is clearly verified. What steps shall we take?” “The very
first thing to be done,” said Ferdinand, “is to collect the whole
of our tents into one place, surround them with a ditch, then hold
a general council, and afterwards slay every one of these Hungarian
princes; and if the Turks should offer to attack us, we will give them
battle.” Thus saying, he rewarded the bearer of the letter with great
honours and said, “that had it not been for this letter, so opportunely
brought him, he must have fallen into very great difficulties. Christ
has had compassion on us,” said he; and then ordered the tents to be
collected into one place, and a mound to be thrown up around them, as
before stated.
Hasan Páshá, perceiving the motions of the enemy, sent out a party
by night in order to seize one or two prisoners: they returned with
two, and presented them before the illustrious páshá. The páshá spoke
kindly to them, and then inquired of them as to the state of affairs
in their camp. The prisoners related what they knew: they informed him
concerning the impression the letter which had fallen into the karal’s
hand, as above described, had had on his mind, and that the whole of
the Hungarians had fled, leaving all their tents and baggage behind
them. This news had such an effect on Hasan’s mind that he clasped his
hands together. But it was only in appearance. He wet his eyes, and
appeared to weep. He asked again and again, whether the account they
had given was true. The prisoners affirmed it as frequently; and added,
that they themselves had seen the Hungarian tents taken possession of
by the rest of the army. Hasan caused a black cloth, moistened with
the juice of onions, to be brought to him, with which he occasionally
wiped his eyes. This at once gave him, in the sight of the prisoners,
the appearance of one weeping and mourning, but it was no more than
appearance. After having satisfied himself with questioning the
prisoners, he ordered their heads to be cut off, delivered them over
to Karah Omar, and instructed him how to act. Omar played his part
to perfection. After dealing with them in the same manner as he had
done, in similar cases, on two former occasions, which the reader will
remember, he sent them away secretly; telling them, at the same time,
of the páshá’s intended plan of attacking them on the morning of the
following Sunday. “There can be no doubt, now that the Hungarians have
fled,” said the artful Omar, “but the páshá will pay you a visit in the
way I have said. Go your ways.”
The prisoners returned to their own camp, informed Ferdinand of
their history, and what Karah Omar had said to them. Ferdinand was
particularly grateful to this man, Karah Omar, who had so frequently
duped him; ordered bastions to be every where erected along his
ditches; promised each of his artillery-men a reward of a hundred
ducats, by way of stimulating their zeal; in short, the enemy began to
fire double the number of shots they had formerly done.
We have already related the enemy’s determination of wintering at
Kaniza, and what preparations they had made for this purpose: also, how
Karah Punjeh had deposited the deceptive letter in the enemy’s camp,
and his subsequent journey to the commander-in-chief to obtain aid for
the Kanaizians. The serdár made many promises; ordered the troops under
his command to be paid their wages, and said he would set out next
morning for Kaniza. His officers, however, remonstrated against his
resolution, by alleging that the weather being so very bad the thing
could not be even attempted. The serdár appeared determined, and swore
to the messengers, Karah Punjeh and his two companions, that though the
army to a man should refuse to go to the aid of Kaniza, he and his own
suite would most assuredly go. The messengers returned with this answer.