A Description of VIENNA, in its Ancient and Present State; With an exact and compleat Account of the SIEGE thereof: Began by the Ottoman Emperour on the 16th. of July, 1683. and Continued until the [...] of September following; at which time the Siege was Rais'd, and a Total Defeat given to the Turkish Army, by the Christians.
VIENNA, hitherto look'd upon to be the Bulwark of Germany, and consequently of all Christendom, and for many years the Residence of the Emperor, is seated upon the Right-hand-shoar of the great River Danow, where the River Vien, from whence the City takes its Name, empties its self into the larger Stream, twenty six German Miles from Lintz, and ten from Polon. It was first encompasled with a Wall in the Year 1200. at a vast expence, though the Money was easily come by; for Richard the First, King of England, being taken by Arch-Duke Leopold, in his Return from the Holy Land, he would not set the King at liberty till he had paid the Ransom then demanded, which the Duke presently employed in the Fortification of his Capital Seat.
It was made an Imperial City by the Emperor Frederick the Second; since which time, as it has received many Additions of Beauty and Strength from its friends, so has it felt the Fury of many a potent Enemy.
Among the rest, it was a great Eye-Sore to Solyman the Magnificent, who desired in his Prayers that he might only live to perform three things, viz. to repair the vast Aquaeduct in Constantinosle, that conveighs the Water for above 20 Miles into the City; to repair the two Bridges in both Bays of the Sea; and to be Master of Vienna. To which purpose, in the Year 1529. he sate down before it with an Army of 300000 Men: But not withstanding the haughty Mahumetan did all that Art or Industry could do, notwithstanding that he storm'd it no less than twenty times, yet it was so well defended by the Prince Palatine Philip, that the murmuring Tyrant was forc'd to raise his Siege, after three and twenty days continual Battery, and make a hasty Retreat; never looking behind him till he got under the Walls of Buda. Yet Story affirms that the City was neither then so well fortified, nor the Garrison so numerous; which gave us a rational ground to hope that the Turk may have as little reason to boast of his gains in this his present Enterprize, as he had then. Solyman way call'd in by the Waywod of Transylvania, John of Zapolia. Nor did the present Great Turk want an Invitation in the same manner, as appears by the Confession of Count Serini; who having trayterously revolted from the Emperor, and joyned with a Body of 8000 Tartars, was set upon by General Dunwald, in the Woods not far from Vienna, defeated, and himself taken Prisoner: which successful beginning, as it was not a little advantageous to the Imperialists, and hundreds of poor Captives there by deliver'd from unspeakable Distress, so it made the Discovery of Serini's forementioned Treachery, as being the Person that had perswaded the Grand Vizier to undertake the Siege, upon assurance that the Place was unprovided. Whether He, or Teckly, or both were the Authors of it it seems the Grand Vizier soon accepted the kind invitation; and so about the beginning of July pass'd his numerous Army athis side the Raab; which the Duke of Lorain observing, sent Count Starenberg and General Captiers to Command in chief in the City, together with a Body of 10000 Men to reinforce the Garrison, which consisted before of the same Number, and so posted himself near the Bridge of Boats over the Danow, while Teckley lay encamped at Tyrnaw, upon the River Wa [...]g, vexing Silesia with his Incursions. Nor was the Emperor less careful to remove his Treasure out of Vienna to Lintz, for present Security.
Upon the 18th. of July, the Emperor receiv'd Advice that his Imperial Seat was surrounded by the Enemy, and that the Grand Vizier had taken up his Quarters in the Palace of the Empress Dowager, call'd La Favorita, Mark'd [...] with the Letter A.
In three days time the Turks had so closely begirt the Town, that it was impossible to pass in or out; which done, they made their three first Attacks upon the Island of Tabor, and the Suburbs call'd Leopoldstadt, and that so vigorously, that they became Masters of them for a time; but at length were forc'd to quit those Posts again, not without great slaughter; insomuch that as it is said, in one Sally of the Garrison, they lost no less than 8000 Men, and some of principal Quality among them.
This occasion'd the Grand Vizier to send to the Governor for a Truce for some hours, that he might have time to bury his dead Souldiers, and withal, to let the Governor understand, That if he did not surrender in time, but staid till the Town were taken by Storm, he would put Man, Woman and Child to the Sword. To which the Governor return'd a sutable Answer; That he needed no Truce, his Garrison being well; that the Vizier might well have spar'd his Menaces; and that for his part, he knew better how to defend his Charge, than to think of ever surrendring it: of the truth of which, he would soon convince him by his Actions; of which he might well be the more confident, in regard the Burgers and Students had given him their Oaths to defend the place to the last, and never to hearken to any Propositions from the Enemy, though never so advantageous. Nevertheless the Governour thought it but very necessary to take several sums of Money out of the Religious Houses for the better payment and encouragement of the Souldiers.
In the mean time, the Duke of Lorain receiving Intelligence that Count Teckely, being joyn'd with a great Body of Turks, was March'd toward Presburgh, advanc'd toward them; but the Enemy, upon News of his Advance, thought it convenient to retire. Whereupon the Duke sent 6000 Polish Horse under the Command of the Chevalier Lubomirski, to fall upon the Enemies Rear, while he followed after with his whole Army; which was by Lubomirski done with that Valour and Success, that the Turks and Hungarian Rebels were forc'd to retire with great loss of Men, all their Baggage, and a thousand Waggons laden with Ammunition and Provisions.
The Besiegers all this while playd upon the Town incessantly from seven Batteries, and sprung two Mines; by the first of which, they lost many Men, as being counter-min'd; by the latter they had better Success; for by the help of it, they lodg'd themselves in the Ditch, but were beaten out again with great loss. All this was signify'd by Letters of the 14th. of August from Passaw.
By Letters of the 27th. of Aug, came other Intelligence, that the Turks had made a most fierce Assault upon the 16th instant, and had sprung several Mines, by means whereof they had blown up part of a Ravelin between the Scotch Gate, Mark'd C. and the Palace-Gate, Mark'd and lodg'd themselves upon the Counterscarp, but the Besieged would not suffer them to continue long there; for they presently sally'd out 4000 strong, and with great slaughter of Men beat them from the posts they had taken; nevertheless the Turks were resolved not to part so; for being re-inforc'd with a fresh Body of Men, they endeavour'd to recover their losses, which occasion'd a very fierce Dispute, that lasted for five or six hours; the Victory enclining sometimes to the one, sometimes to the other side; but in conclusion the Turks were forc'd to retire, with the loss of near 3000 Men. In this Dispute the Besieged lost 500 Men, and several Officers; amongst the rest, Count Lesly, with the Barons Rottolinski, and Walter, Lieutenant Colonels, with several inseriour Officers. The Governour also himself was slightly hurt in the Shoulder; but Count Zouches desperate'y wounded in the Head; of which he afterwards died.
Of this Action the Governour fail'd not to give Advice by the help of two men, whom he got to swim the River, to the D. of Lorain, to the end he might the better understand the condition of the Place
In all these Attacks, as a Janizary, being taken Pris'ner, confirm'd to the Governor, the Enemy lost 11000 Men, with the Basha's of Mesopotamia and Albania. Soon after this the Turks sprang a Mine under the other part of the same Ravelin, made an Attack no less than 11000 strong, and with that force an inconsiderable Lodgment, with the loss of 300 Men; but the next Morning the Governour sprang another Mine, which not only dislodg'd, but buried a great number of the Enemy among the Ruines.
In the mean while, by Letters from Lints, comes Intelligence of more Field-Action, how that upon the March of 15000 Turks and Tartars toward the Imperial Army, to attack them before their conjunction with the King of Poland, and the Troops of the Empire; the Duke of Lorain Order'd the Chevalier Lubomirski with the Polish Horse to advance toward the Enemy; and in case he found them too strong for him, to retire, and draw the Enemy after him. Which Orders he accordingly executed with good Success; for the Enemy believing the Poles had fled, follow'd them with great fury and eagerness so far, till the D. of Lorain, who was prepar'd to receive them, easily surrounded them, and cut the greatest part of them in pieces: The rest fled in so great confusion, that they who escap'd the Sword, were drown'd in the River Mark. The Basha's of Canisia and Erla commanded these Forces; of whom the one was drown'd in swimming the River, the other was kill'd.
In the heat of these Field-Transactions, the Grand Vizier was not idle; but fuming to be repuls'd so vigorously, and that his Mines took no better effect, he resolv'd upon an Enterprize that might have prov'd fatal to the City, had not Providence prevented it: To which purpose he set his Miners at work a second time, to dig once more under the Court-Bastion, who went so low, that they tapp'd under a water that ran beneath the Foundation of the Bastion.
The Besieged heard them at it, and briskly countermin'd them, but when they had broke into the Mine, and saw the fatal Preparations of the Turk, there was not one that would adventure to step into the Mine to prevent the dismal Blow, till Count Starenburgh put himself at the Head of his dastardly Miners, and undauntedly led them into the Train. Then Shame and a brave Example inspir'd with re-inforcements of new Courage, that having besought the Governour to retire, they entred the Enemies Mine, wash'd and swept away the Train, and brought out of the Mine fifty Quintals of Gunpowder, every Quintal containing a hundred weight.
But now this Siege must have an end; for the Confederates being all joyn'd together under the King of Poland, the Duke of Lorain, and the Duke of Bavaria, &c. they presently advanc'd to the relief of a City that was almost ready to drap into the Enemies handstand so upon the 12th. of this Month, the King of Poland leading the Van, attacqu'd the Grand Vizier's Quarters, call'd La Favorita, Mark'd A. The Duke of Lorain, assisted by the Dukes of Bavaria and Saxory, and leading the Main Battel, fell upon the Trenches next the Court-Bastion, Mark'd B. [...] Count Waldeck assisted by the Prince of Saumes, Count Lewis [...] of Baden, and the Marquis of Brandenburg, and leading the Rear-guard, assaulted the Enemies Quarters next the Scotch Gate, Mark'd C. [...] some small Parties Marching before to clear the way. In a short time the Turkish Guards of their Trenches giving way, put all the rest into confusion: Upon which the Grand Vizier fled with his Horse, leaving all his Foot, to the number of 25000. to be cut in pieces, together with all his Artillery, Baggage, and Treasure, with the Spoil of his own Pavilion, to reward the Courage of the Victor.
LONDON, Printed for Randolph Taylor near Stationers-Hall, 1683.