The Decisive Battles of World History

Lecture 21: 1683 Vienna—The Great Ottoman Siege

x Within 24 hours, the Turkish engineers had dug protected positions

for their cannons, made an observation bunker for Kara Mustafa

overlooking the key zone, and begun a series of trenches toward the

walls. By July 22, the trenches had advanced within a few feet of

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mine was set off on July 23, followed by a larger one on July 25

that blew up part of a bastion. Janissaries poured into the breach but

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x On August 12, the Turks exploded two especially large mines,

blasting a clear pathway into the outwork. Despite desperate efforts

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battle lasting several hours, succeeded in capturing the ravelin. The

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x Von Starhemberg took an active role in the defense, personally

leading a countercharge against some Turks who had gained a

foothold on the walls and organizing sorties to harass the Turkish

digging parties. On August 25, one of these was so successful that

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cannons. The Viennese could not disable the guns, however, and

retreated, having suffered 200 casualties

x On August 27, von Starhemberg ordered that rockets be discharged

from the spire of St. Stephen’s Cathedral to signal that the garrison

could not hold out much longer. By September 8, both the bastions

were so heavily damaged that their effectiveness was greatly

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down to 4,000.

x While Vienna stubbornly resisted, Leopold had formed an alliance

with Poland-Lithuania and had been assembling a relief army led

by King Jan Sobieski and Charles, duke of Lorraine. They had

amassed a force of around 60,000 that was especially strong in

heavy cavalry.