The Siege of Vienna
Eugene arrived at last in Vienna, although the journey then consumed
much longer time than it does to-day. This had its advantages, for one
had time to consider one’s plans and to make up one’s mind whether one
were doing the right thing or not. But, as we already know, Eugene was
not the man to vacillate when once he had decided. When he had the goal
before him he made straight for it, looking neither to right nor left;
in fine, he no doubt felt that God was leading him; and this is the best
guide for us all, whether prince or beggar.
At the royal castle in Vienna he was very kindly received. He had not
grown handsomer or statelier on the road from Paris to Vienna; but
Emperor Leopold overlooked these externals and saw something deeper.
Eugene’s firmness of bearing, his directness of speech, and his whole
personality impressed him. There were other considerations also which
influenced the Emperor. Like Eugene, he had been destined in youth for
the Church; he was also pleased to have princes and cousins of the
already powerful Duke of Savoy, flocking to his banner at a time when
the operations of the rapacious and murderous Turk were becoming more
and more of a menace to Vienna. Every German sword that freely offered
itself was welcomed as a real acquisition. So thought the Emperor. To be
sure the Viennese had other ideas, for with all their amiability they
have a sense of humor.
The little Prince of Savoy-Carignan was almost too tiny for them. When
they had heard his story, they scarcely blamed the French King for
having destined this little chap for the priesthood. They insisted that
he was not fit for war. They called him “The little Capuchin”—a name
which fitted him, for he generally wore a long brown cloak which closely
resembled a monk’s habit. Very often people stopped on the streets,
shaking their heads, to gaze after him. Eugene would have had to be very
obtuse not to have noticed this. At present it could not be helped, but
he no doubt thought to himself, “Just wait, and sooner or later the
little Capuchin will show you what he can do.” There was that within him
which neither the edicts of a king of France nor the jokes of the
Viennese could subdue; genius was bound to assert itself. His
opportunity soon came.
The Turks as well as the French were enemies of the empire at that time.
Until quite recent times the German people were accustomed, in their
church prayers, to call on God for protection against both these
enemies. The French were constantly harassing the empire on its western
frontier, and the Turks on the eastern. Here and there great domains
were taken, and it is only to be wondered at that under such desperate
circumstances it did not go quite to pieces. This shows how full of
tenacity and endurance the German people were. The worst of the
situation at that time was that “the Most Christian” King of France
encouraged the Turks and was playing the game with them. He argued that
if the Germans were busy in Vienna with the Turks, the Emperor could not
send an army to the Rhine; and the beautiful country on both sides of
this river had long excited his cupidity. Shortly before this (1681)
Strasburg had fallen into his hands through abominable treachery. Such a
rich morsel had excited Louis the Fourteenth’s appetite anew.
In Hungary, which was the portal of entry into the empire for the Turks,
the ruler was an adventurous spirit and a dare-devil soldier, named
Tökely, who had been bribed by Louis. Indeed, as many historians tell
us, he had a secret understanding with the Turks for the destruction of
Germany. It was very difficult to accomplish this from the French side,
for here a stanch German prince opposed him and defended German rights
against the impious attacks of the French. This German prince was
Frederick William, the great elector of Brandenburg. You see it was even
then one of the Hohenzollerns who entered the lists in Germany’s behalf;
how long they have been misunderstood and accused of base schemes of
conquest!
But let us pass from the Hohenzollerns to the French, Hungarians, and
Turks. The Emperor had concluded a twenty-years’ armistice with the last
of these after the battle of St. Gotthard. This was now nearly at an
end. If the court of Vienna had made good use of it, the Turks never
would have dared to attack this still powerful enemy. As it was, they
had been sitting with folded hands, idle and impassive. The imperial
army was small in numbers and insufficiently fitted out. The fortresses
in Hungary were in a neglected condition, and the country itself was
kept in disorder and insurrection by Tökely and his lawless followers.
Thus it was an easy matter for the Turks to subdue not only Hungary but
other sections of Austria, and to carry the victorious crescent to the
very gates of Vienna.
It was during this period of nervous anxiety that, by imperial command,
Prince Eugene was given a lieutenant’s commission in the dragoon
regiment of his brother, Prince Julius Louis of Savoy-Carignan, in order
that he might win his spurs under the latter’s eye. The commander of the
imperial army was Duke Charles of Lorraine, who had a tale to tell of
the French King’s arrogance, as he also had been spurned in that
country. What must have been Prince Eugene’s feelings when he first
donned the imperial uniform! His entry into the Austrian army gives us
much food for thought. His future had not been foretold from the cradle;
but who knows what would have become of the German fatherland had he
gone to Spain instead of to Austria; had he never striven against the
Turks; if in the Spanish war of succession he had fought against instead
of for Germany; if the French instead of being his enemies had been his
friends?
Instantly the torch of war was ablaze. The Turks and Hungarians,
uniting, pushed forward from the lower Danube. Burning villages and
towns, desolated landscapes, hunger, misery, and all the horrors of war
marked their path. Many thousands of youths and maidens fell into their
hands, to be carried away as hostages or to be sold into slavery. All
was confusion, and no one could suggest a remedy. The whole Austrian
army numbered 35,000 men, and the Turks were 200,000 strong. What a
contrast!
The operations of the Emperor’s troops were mostly unsuccessful. They
were anxious to hinder the enemy’s advance, so that the Viennese might
have time to strengthen their intrenchments. Perceiving this, the Grand
Vizier pushed rapidly forward to the Leitha; and in order not to be cut
off from Vienna, Duke Charles of Lorraine was obliged to change his
position. He was attacked with furious impetuosity at Petronell, July 7,
1683, by the advance-guard of the Turkish army. It was a bloody
engagement, for it was necessary for the Germans to defend themselves at
any cost.
It was there that Eugene met the enemy for the first time and proved
himself a soldier. He fought as bravely as the best, keeping at his
brother’s side, wherever the danger was greatest. The King of France
should have seen the little _abbé_ in this wild cavalry encounter—he
would certainly have changed his mind. Despite their ardor the Turks
were obliged to retire, and this pleased Eugene mightily. But
unfortunately the joy of victory was embittered by a great sorrow. His
beloved brother Julius was a victim of the day’s work and was found,
terribly disfigured, under the horses’ hoofs. Eugene shed some bitter
tears, said a prayer for his brother’s soul, then pressed on after the
enemy.
But it was impossible to stem the tide of their superior numbers;
already they had surrounded Vienna, and a division of Turkish cavalry
had taken possession of one of the suburbs, where they were conducting
themselves in truly barbaric style. That could not be tolerated. The
Margrave, Louis of Baden, who had succeeded Prince Julius Louis of
Soissons as commander of the dragoon regiment, attacked the Turks, sabre
in hand, cut down many of them and put the rest to flight. Eugene took
part in this fight with enthusiasm; as also a few days later at
Presburg, where the Duke of Lorraine defeated the rear-guard of the
enemy. Here also the dragoons of the Margrave Louis of Baden did their
part, and Eugene distinguished himself above all the rest.
In the meantime the main army of the Turks, under command of the Grand
Vizier, Kora Mustapha, had entirely surrounded Vienna. Such peril had
never before befallen a German city. All Germany was in a fever of
excitement. It was plain that, should Vienna fall, the whole German
empire would be open to the marauding and murdering infidels; and God
knows what might come next. But it turned out differently. The mayor of
Vienna, Rudiger von Starhemberg, was a good soldier as well as
administrator. Here he encouraged, there led an attack; and the Viennese
citizens and students fought like heroes under his leadership. Although
the Turks stormed the walls and had even made a breach here and there,
they were obliged to retreat before the defenders, who were fighting for
their dearest and most sacred possessions. The good Viennese, however,
would have been obliged at last to succumb, had not help come from the
Electors of Bavaria and Saxony, the Emperor’s troops under Duke Charles
of Lorraine, and with them, of course, the chief of the dragoon
regiment, Margrave Louis of Baden, with “the little Capuchin,” Prince
Eugene, all led by King John Sobieski of Poland. The Capuchin was
already become a mighty hero; Eugene had smelled powder, and even the
dragoons, who had at first regarded him doubtfully, had quite changed
their minds about him.
The decisive battle took place September 12, 1683, under the walls of
Vienna. The assistance was timely, for the city could scarce have held
out twenty-four hours longer. The Turks had been bombarding it since the
fifteenth of July. It was a wonder that it had resisted so long. The
last day was destined to be the hardest one for the Viennese. The Grand
Vizier had divided his army. Legions attacked the deliverers on the
Kalenberg, and other legions were commanded to take the city. For a long
time the outcome was uncertain. The Turks fought with incomparable
ferocity and recklessness; and it became necessary for the Germans to
exert their strength to the utmost against their attacks. The fury and
confusion were terrible, the slaughter unparalleled. Wild cries to Allah
mingled with the groans and prayers of the Christians. Blood flowed in
streams, and the trenches were filled with the corpses of friend and foe
alike. It was well that the decisive moment was at hand, for the
defenders had expended their last effort. At length the trumpeters
sounded the glad tidings of victory from the Cathedral tower of St.
Stephen, from whence the flight of the Turks could be seen. It was
heroic work, in which every man did his share, and especially Prince
Eugene. With the Duke of Lorraine, he pushed down the steep declivity of
Leopoldsberg toward Nussdorf, then along the banks of the Danube, in
pursuit of the enemy.
Once more the Turks made a sharp and ferocious attack on the walls and
intrenchments of Vienna. Although repulsed on the outside, they were
determined to take the city. The danger increased, but little more
patience and endurance was needed, for help was at hand. Margrave Louis
of Baden detected the greatest danger-point at the Schottenthor (Scotch
Gate). With three battalions of infantry and his dragoon regiment he cut
his way to this point. He wished to outflank the enemy and give the
Viennese a breathing spell. Prince Eugene was at every point where the
danger was greatest. With his dragoons he was the first to enter the
Scotch Gate. What a slashing and butchering there was! It was necessary
to effect a meeting with Starhemberg. The long blades of the dragoons
did terrific execution among the enemy. At the head stormed the “little
Capuchin,” giving orders here and striking a blow there, until he heard
trumpet calls from the other side. It was Starhemberg, and the Turks
were between two fires; there was no longer any escape, they must go
down in this sea of fire and flame.
Vienna was saved. The Turks fled, and the dragoons kept close at their
heels. Order had now to be restored in all directions.
A little defeat which the Polish cavalry had suffered on the seventh of
October at Parkan was revenged two days later by the reunited army.
Margrave Louis of Baden took the city by storm; then Gran surrendered,
and this closed the famous campaign of the year 1683.
Before the year had closed Prince Eugene had received the thanks of the
Emperor for his gallantry. On the twelfth of December, 1683, he was
appointed Commander and Colonel of the Kuefstein regiment of dragoons;
and this fine regiment he retained without a break during his long
career. For a long time it had the honor of being a model for the whole
imperial cavalry. And is it a wonder? Prince Eugene understood his
profession and was a past master in the art of war.