ditch. The Austrian and other European troops were separated from
the Hungarian army, and the former were determined to reduce Kaniza,
whatever it might cost them. The Italian and French soldiers had become
so very inveterate, that they said they had come from their own country
to die, and that, therefore, they would not remove one step from Kaniza
before they had taken it.
On the seventy-fifth day of the siege, about mid-day, the heavens
became black with clouds, the wind blew from the south, and soft
showers of rain began to fall. Previously to this not a drop had fallen
for the space of three months. The rain now increased, and a most
bitterly cold wind began to blow, which made the surface of the waters
to freeze. Towards evening the rain became mixed with flakes of snow,
and about midnight the rain ceased, but the snow continued to fall.
This storm continued for three successive days and nights, and the fall
of snow was so deep as to reach a man’s waist. The enemy was now in
a very sad plight; but they were infatuated, and in their infatuation
ceased not from their hostilities.
At length, however, a report spread that the commander-in-chief had
come to Sigetwar. The enemy now thought of the contents of the letter
which had fallen into their hands, as before related, which were
confirmed by the information which the two discharged prisoners brought
them from Karah Omar. All was confusion and alarm, and every one became
concerned about his own personal safety. One company after another took
to their heels. Ferdinand tried to stop the fugitives, but without
effect. The condition of the enemy was desperate. The cattle they had
for transporting their ordnance had all fled towards Hungary during
the storm, and their ordnance remained in the ditches, and could not,
of course, be removed. Hasan Páshá knew all this, and determined on
attacking them next day. The snow ceased, and the sky became clear and
serene; but the sharp wind increased to such a degree as to freeze the
river into thick ice. In these circumstances, Hasan Páshá called the
famous Karah Omar Aghá, and ordered him to proceed with three hundred
chosen men to the enemy’s camp, supposing they had all fled. He gave
him his own standard. The Berk having been completely frozen over,
this detachment found no difficulty in crossing the river, which was
scarcely done when they were met by an infidel chief, who earnestly
entreated to be taken into Kaniza. He said he wished to embrace
Islamism, and stood before them in this imploring attitude with his
cap in his hand. Karah Omar conducted him forthwith to the páshá, who
perceiving his prisoner to have a richly ornamented head-dress on his
head, gave him a chair to sit upon. “I am,” said the supplicant, and
in answer to the páshá, “a Genoese captain, and commanded in this war
a thousand men. Forty thousand pieces of gold, besides other property,
I have left behind in my tent, and have come to embrace the Moslem
faith.” Thus saying, he wept. The páshá immediately placed one of his
extra turbans on his convert’s head, explained to him the Mohammedan
faith, then called his warriors together, and presented the convert
in his new dress. To Karah Omar he promised the sanják of Petcheví.
All the cannons and arms in the fortress were now put into a state of
readiness for commencing a pursuit after the enemy; and the whole of
the garrison had their eyes turned towards the enemy’s quarters. When
Karah Omar and his men were within a short distance of the enemy’s
ditches, all the guns and muskets in the fortress of Kaniza were
discharged at one instant. This explosion, along with the sound of drum
which accompanied it, as well as the cry of _Allah! Allah!_ from every
mouth in the garrison, made the poor devils in the enemy’s camp creep
together with absolute terror. What firmness had remained with them,
entirely vanished; they fled in all directions. Ferdinand and Mathias
issued from their tents, and endeavoured to rally their troops on the
road which led to Sigetwar. Karah Omar, on reaching their advanced
trenches, slew nine hundred of them before they had time to escape, and
took one hundred and fifty prisoners, whom he sent into the fortress.
In these trenches he seized twelve pieces of ordnance, besides other
arms and ammunition.
Hasan Páshá despatched other five hundred men to the aid of Karah Omar,
who, after having received this augmentation of force, conveyed the
whole of the cannon and ammunition which fell into his hands into the
fortress.
Next morning Hasan Páshá, after having offered up his devotions, sat
down on the gate opposite to Sigetwar, took out two purses, the one
containing ducats, the other dollars, and scattered these pieces of
money among those of his men who had been the active agents in seizing
prisoners, or who had brought in several heads. Eighteen thousand
heads, it was conjectured, had thus been brought to him. The páshá,
without any unnecessary delay, sent off an account of their wonderful
good fortune to the commander-in-chief, and immediately mounting his
horse, rode to the enemy’s forsaken trenches, and encouraged and
praised his men. Only about six hundred remained in the fortress: the
rest were all employed either pursuing the fugitive army, or taking
possession of their trenches. Four times did Ferdinand try to rally his
forces and retake them; but Hasan Páshá, who was now master of them,
turned his own guns (about forty in number) against him. Those of the
enemy who had kept together made their way to Perzencha, where they
found some little time to reflect on what had befallen them. It was
now they perceived with some clearness the stratagem which the Turks
had so effectually laid for them. Again Ferdinand rallied his men,
and again attempted to retake his trenches; but Hasan Páshá directed
the guns of the fortress, as well as their own, which had been left
on the trenches, against them with such effect as again to repulse
them with immense slaughter. The field was literally covered with dead
bodies. More than thirty thousand heads were again collected, and laid
before the páshá. He desired his troops to carry on the pursuit with
vigour, and not to lose time in searching the enemy’s tents, as they
should find time enough for that afterwards. “The enemy, you see,” said
he, “are abandoning their tents as fast as they are able, but let us
try and surprize Ferdinand before he leaves his own.” Accordingly, a
field-piece was directed against it, but the ball, though it shattered
his tent to pieces, and killed a number who were near it, did himself
no injury. Ferdinand had now no alternative left him but flight.
Accordingly, he, and those who still remained faithful to him, mounted
their horses, but were every moment in terror lest the Turks should
intercept them and cut them off. In this terror they made to the ford
of Paulet, where Ferdinand experienced great difficulty in crossing
it, and where a hundred of his few remaining troops perished. Thus did
Ferdinand leave the whole of his camp, his ordnance, his treasures, his
splendid furniture, and his glory behind him.
Hasan Páshá, after performing his afternoon’s devotions, called Meseli
Beg and Omar Beg, and ordered them to pursue the fugitives wherever
they could find traces of them, but prohibited their taking spoil till
the infidels were wholly rooted out, or completely dispersed. After
writing out a statement of the successes which had attended the Moslem
arms, he sent it off to the commander-in-chief, and then returned to
Kaniza.
On the following morning, after offering up his devotions as usual,
the páshá mounted his horse, rode to the camp, where he was cheered,
saluted, and had his hands kissed by his victorious troops, whom he,
in his turn, praised for their heroism and bravery. On entering into
Ferdinand’s tent, he perceived a lofty throne standing in the midst
of it, every where ornamented with silver and gold: its feet and top
were garnished and variegated with precious stones and other jewels;
a diamond was fixed in each of its supporters, each one of which was
equal in value to the revenue of Rúm (Europe or the Roman empire). On
each side of this throne were twelve chairs decked with crimson silk,
the borders of which were ornamented with pearls and other jewels. In
front of the throne was a table about six cubits in length, ornamented
and decorated like the former. In this pavilion of grandeur did the
pious Hasan Páshá perform his devotions, and returned thanks to God
for the victory with which their efforts had been crowned. With tears
in his eyes he acknowledged it as a favour from God, and as a sign of
their prophet’s benevolence, miraculously interposed in their behalf.
After having ended this oration, he drew his sword and split the throne
into pieces, sat down upon one of these, and his grandees and ághás,
according to their rank, sat down on the chairs which surrounded him.
He now again pronounced a long oration, and then wrote out a third
statement, giving an account of the patience, firmness, union, and
other excellent qualities of his men to the commander-in-chief. After
having finished his discourse, and had sent away the report to the
serdár, he asked who were the first who had entered into Ferdinand’s
pavilion. Three janissaries and four borderers presented themselves,
and said they were the first who had entered it. “Well then,” said
the noble-minded páshá, “with the exception of the tent itself, and
the arms that are in it, all the rest belongs to you.” As to the
rest of the tents, whether they belonged to Ferdinand or to others,
none of them were touched, but were strictly watched till such time
as the decision of the commander-in-chief could be obtained. The
forty-two pieces of cannon and five falconets which had been taken in
the trenches, were most beautifully ornamented by art, each being of
considerable value. They had the appearance of ingots of gold, and bore
the image of the emperor and of the pope, figures, which one who saw
them would have supposed had been executed or contrived by a skilful
artist who had studied the Seher Sámrí.[9] Besides this number of
cannon, fourteen thousand muskets, and as many spades and mattocks were
found in the enemy’s camp. Also several gold basins and plates: ten
thousand tents besides those which belonged to the superior officers;
weapons of all sorts and sizes; large and small drums, trumpets, bells,
chests, waggons, and carriages fell into the hands of the victorious
Moslems; but the number of all these things together is only known to
the Creator of men and angels. A vast quantity of articles of less
value fell also a prey to the conquerors, but it is not possible to
describe them all. As to articles of provision, which the enemy had
left behind them, it was quite wonderful. Viands and wine were found
preserved in silver and Chinese vessels; medicaments cherished by
caranfil (cloves), sweetmeats, other kinds of eatables mixed with
ferment, ginger, electuaries, and many other sorts, as much as would
supply the garrison of Kaniza for a whole year. The whole of the cannon
and arms were transported by order of the páshá into the fortress.
We have already noticed that Karah Omar Aghá, after the páshá had
augmented his party, was ordered to pursue the fugitive enemy. He did
so. As many of the enemy as had succeeded in reaching the ford of
Paulet were totally panic-struck, when they perceived Karah Omar with
his party of men pressing towards them. They threw away what heavy
baggage had yet remained to them, crossed the ford in the utmost hurry
and confusion, and took with them what they esteemed most valuable.
The Moslem pursuers slackened not their pace, crossed the ford after
them, and coming up to them, slew many of them. The fugitives were
now obliged, in order to escape with their lives, to throw away every
thing by which they had been encumbered, and even their arms, and took
to their heels as fast as they were able. It was not known how many of
them had perished, but about six thousand of the better sort of them
fell by the hands of their valiant pursuers. Several of their captains
were conveyed back to the páshá; but as the number of the prisoners
which were thus brought were too many to be retained, the páshá gave
orders to cut off the heads of all who were afterwards brought in on
the ditches, and to throw their bodies into the river. Some of the
prisoners, when they were asked the cause of their signal defeat and
dispersion, attributed it to the effect which the letters that had been
conveyed into their camp had had on their minds. A fearful terror, said
they, seized us, and we began to imagine we saw nothing but troops
of Turks with green turbans coming to your aid, and attacking us in
conjunction with you.
In this memorable retreat, Don Juan, Hersog of Malta, finding it
impossible to escape the danger of being taken prisoner, stripped off
his clothes, wrapped himself up in a shabby coverlet, and lay four days
in a ditch, pretending he was wounded. On the fifth day of the retreat,
some men belonging to Zerín Oghlí, who had come from Mekomúriah to
inquire into the state of matters, chanced to pass the ditch where this
helpless Hersog lay. He implored them to extricate him, which they did,
and carried him to Zerín Oghlí, who, when he learned who he was, showed
him great respect, and sent him away to his own country.
The loss sustained by the enemy in this campaign was truly great:
seventy or eighty thousand infidels, at the very least, must have
perished. Those Italian and German foot soldiers who escaped the sword
of the victorious Moslems, fell down on the roads benumbed with cold,
and remained there. The few naked and weeping wretches who had been so
fortunate as to reach their own countries, did so only with their lives.
Karah Omar Aghá of Petcheví relates the following story: “When we were
in pursuit of the infidels, flying before us, we sometimes came up to
ten or fifteen of them sitting and warming themselves before fires
which they had made; but, when they saw us approaching, they started
up upon their legs, took off their hats, and made obeisance to us. The
fact is, we were weary of cutting and slashing the poor wretches, and
therefore did not think it manly to kill men who were thus vanquished
and suffering like those just now mentioned. The like of these
creatures we passed, and went on slaughtering and hewing down all such
as still had the hardihood to carry arms. The vast quantity of articles
of value, as well as of arms, which the fugitives threw away, in their
hurry to escape, strewed the roads every where, and it required two
months’ time before they could be all collected and brought to Kaniza.”
Karah Omar Aghá was rewarded for his services in this campaign with the
sanják of Petcheví.
_Some further account of the affairs relative to Kaniza.—The arrival of
the Commander-in-chief at Sigetwar._
The commander-in-chief, Yemishjí Hasan Páshá, notwithstanding the
opposition which had been manifested against his marching towards
Kaniza, during the cold season, forced his way as far as Sigetwar.
After the weather had become more intensely cold, a spirit of envy
and insubordination began to manifest itself among his troops.
They assembled together in a tumultuous manner, and attacked the
Commander-in-chief’s tent with stones; and three days afterwards,
when order seemed to have been restored, they broke loose and set off
for Belgrade. This took place on the 12th of Jemadi II. However, the
commander-in-chief received a letter from Hasan which announced to him
the success which had been obtained over the enemy in their expulsion
from Kaniza, and which gave him great joy. On the same day, towards
evening, he received another from the same quarter, intimating the
complete dispersion and defeat of the whole of the enemy’s army, a copy
of which he immediately transmitted to Constantinople. He afterwards
issued orders to the various troops to go into winter-quarters. He
himself remained at Shuklúshka. On the 15th of the above month, one
division of the troops, on its return, reached the bridge of Usk,
and passed over in safety; but the next division was not quite so
fortunate. Owing to the great and severe frost which had commenced, the
river Drave was frozen over, and on the 20th, when the next division
was crossing this bridge, it fell. All that were on it, at the time,
perished. It was repaired, however, in two or three days afterwards.
Hasan Páshá, the celebrated governor of Kaniza, went to Shuklúshka
to pay his respects to the commander-in-chief, who, in return, showed
to the heroic Páshá every mark of esteem, and granted a favourable
reception to every request he made to him. The government of Kústandil
was conferred on Meseli Beg, and Korah Omar Aghá was confirmed in the
sanjakship of Petcheví. To each of the veteran soldiers who sustained
the siege along with him five pieces of money were allowed, besides
the provisions which were due. Hasan Páshá dispatched his lieutenant,
Iskender Páshá, to court, whose arrival there gave the emperor the
sincerest joy. He approved of the distribution and appointments
which had been made, and raised Hasan to be one of his favourite
vezírs. Three robes of honour, a richly ornamented sword, and three
beautiful horses, were sent as presents to the celebrated páshá. The
commander-in-chief, in like manner, conferred marks of esteem upon him,
and sent his lieutenant, Mustafa Khetkodá, to Petcheví, to furnish
provisions for Kaniza, and then set out for Belgrade.
In consequence, however, of the violence of the mountain-like masses
of ice which drifted down the Save, the bridges on that river were
broken down, and the returning troops had to cross it in boats.
In this journey they suffered great hardship, and had to overcome
many difficulties before they reached Belgrade. About this time
the ághá of the janissaries, Alí Aghá, was sent to Constantinople
in order to negotiate a marriage between Yemishjí Hasan Páshá, the
commander-in-chief and prime minister to the Ottoman emperor, and the
sultana, the widow of the late prime minister, Ibrahím Páshá.
The following is a copy of a letter from the grand sultán to Hasan
Páshá in reference to his brave and wise conduct during the siege of
Kaniza. After having referred to the great glory which had accrued
this year, by his instrumentality, to the Ottoman empire, he says,
that the celebrated name of his choice servant, his prudent vezír, the
beglerbeg of Kaniza, Hasan Páshá, was to be inserted among the other
great and celebrated names recorded in the annals of the empire. He
then proceeds: “I have appointed you a vezír; and may my servants who
were with you in the siege of Kaniza, and who, in a peculiar sense,
are my children, receive a benediction; who, beyond all conception,
exemplified the most strenuous courage, not regarding their own lives
in their faithfulness to their religion and to us; who in the most
arduous struggle of human exertion never once flinched from the dangers
of either fire or water; who manfully and heroically maintained their
ground on the batteries of Kaniza; who in open battle, on the field
of blood, discomfited, routed the hateful enemy, and hewed them down
whenever they attempted to rally; who caused the iron-cased host to
fly, leaving all their valuables a prey to their pursuers; and, in
one word, who acquired peculiar glory by their unexampled heroism.
We therefore request that in every thing they continue to manifest
towards you the most implicit obedience, which will secure to them our
approbation. You will read this letter, which contains the expression
of our will, in the presence of our brave veterans, and cause them to
understand it. We sanction, by our royal authority, the distribution
of money, &c. to be made to our servants at Kaniza under your command.
We commend you all to the true God.”
The day on which this letter was read in Hasan Páshá’s diván there was
not one in it who did not weep; and many a kind and benevolent wish was
offered up for the happiness of the emperor of the Moslems. This solemn
scene was afterwards changed into that of joy, the demonstrations of
which were every where manifested. Three full months were spent in
collecting and bringing into Kaniza the cannon, arms, ammunition,
tents, &c. which the enemy had left behind them.
Many of the illustrious European young men who were employed in this
war lost their hands and feet by reason of the severe frost; and
several of them were killed in order to relieve them from pain and
sufferings. The Franks formerly mentioned purchased, at a low price,
about two hundred of the Spanish and Italian prisoners.
Before the spring of the following year commenced, about three thousand
villages put themselves under the protection of the Ottomans; and more
than two thousand peasants came from Usk, from Púzgha, from Petcheví,
from Shuklúwish, and from Bosnia, to repair the fortress of Kaniza.
Its outer works these labourers greatly enlarged and strengthened with
trees cut down for the purpose. They surrounded the whole with a line
of fortifications; erected minarets on its walls; built a mosque, a
palace, and an arsenal within the citadel; erected sheds over the guns,
and made a new bath. The successful warriors, however, never ceased to
make excursions into the enemy’s territories, almost as far as Vienna,
and uniformly returned with much booty and many captives.
_State of matters in the East.—Concerning Scrivano._
It had been determined by the court of Constantinople that Hájí
Ibrahím Páshá should go and have an interview with the late governor
of Baghdád, Hasan Páshá, the commander-in-chief in the east, and,
along with him, attack Karah Yázijí (Scrivano). Instead of paying
regard to these injunctions, however, he marched directly to Cæsarea,
where he gave the rebels battle, was routed, and at last obliged to
take refuge in the fortress of Cæsarea. When Hasan Páshá heard of this
terrible disaster, he, without loss of time, removed to Elbastan on
the 12th of Sefer of this year, met the rebel army at a place called
Sepetlú, where he arranged his troops in order of battle. The enemy did
not decline the combat. Early next morning at sun-rise the two armies
commenced a bloody contest, which continued without intermission till
after mid-day, when victory declared itself in favour of Hasan Páshá.
The rebels were routed with great slaughter, leaving one third of their
number, which had amounted to 30,000, lifeless on the field of battle,
besides the whole of their tents and baggage. Karah Yázijí fled with
the remnant of his broken forces into the Jánbeg mountains, where he
fortified himself. The victorious páshá pursued the rebels as far as
Tokat.
_Some other events of this year.—Karah Yázijí dies in the mountains of
Jánbeg._
Towards the end of Jemadi II. information was brought to the Moslem
authorities by some of the rebel chiefs, that Karah Yázijí had died in
the mountains, whither he had fled, in the month of Ramazán, but that
his brother, Delí Hasan, had succeeded him in the command of the rebels.
Háfiz Ahmed Páshá, third vezír and the governor of Anatolia, passed
over to Uskadár (Scutari) and proceeded to Kutahia. On the 12th of
Shevál the káímakám, Khalíl Páshá, was removed from office, and was
succeeded by Hasan Páshá, who at that time was the third vezír.