Lecture 21: 1683 Vienna—The Great Ottoman Siege
x As the Turkish army steadily advanced, Leopold and his advisors
dithered over what the Turks’ objective was, thus preventing any
decisive steps to defend Vienna. When Leopold was indecisive,
he relied heavily on prayer; during the crucial last month before
the Turks arrived, rather than fortifying the defenses or bringing
in reinforcements, Leopold ordered that prayers be recited in St.
Stephen’s Cathedral 24 hours a day and that all members of the
city’s guilds attend.x Leopold not only attended services but continued his normal
routine, even going hunting outside the city as late as July 6. The
next day, new reports testifying to the rapid approach of the Turks,
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broke through. Suddenly acknowledging the reality and proximity
of the threat, Leopold abruptly announced that the royal family and
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had to be summoned. Von Starhemberg faced a daunting task: The
Turks would arrive in six days, the garrison numbered only about
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had not been fully provisioned for a siege.x By the time the Turks
arrived on July 14,
Vienna’s garrison
numbered about
15,000 men, and more
than 300 cannons of
various sizes were
available to the
defenders.x The defenders’
greatest concern was
the city walls.Another crucial weapon in good supply
was hand grenades—80,000 had been
stockpiled, and nearly all would be
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