The siege of Vienna / John Stoye.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Stoye, John, 1917-2016.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Vienna (Austria)--History--Siege, 1683.

Vienna (Austria).

Physical Description:

xiii, 226 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Edition:

New edition.

Place of Publication:

Edinburgh : Birlinn, 2000.

Summary:

The siege of Vienna in 1683 was the last major threat to the West from Islam and established the balance of power in Eastern Europe and the Balkans down to the end of World War I. Rivalry over control of Hungary caused the Ottoman Turks to advance on the Austrian capital at Vienna, determined to knock out their main rival in the region once and for all. The magnitude of the threat forced the previously feuding Austrians, Poles and Germans to make common cause.

The prompt arrival of European reinforcements and Turkish difficulties in transporting siege artillery so far from their homeland contributed to the Western victory. The European powers soon fell out with each other, but the threat to Western civilization was ended and the Ottoman Empire began its long downward spiral to its final defeat in World War I.

This gripping narrative has been compared to the finest works of European history.

Contents:

1 The Origins of the Ottoman Attack

I The Ottoman army enters Hungary 1

II The Ottoman constitution 7

III The defences of the Ottoman Empire 12

IV Ottoman policy in eastern Europe 1656-82 17

V Kara Mustafa's objectives 1682-3 23

2 Leopold I and the City of Vienna

I The Emperor and his court 27

II The Hofburg and the Herrengasse 34

III The fortifications of Vienna 36

IV The municipality of Vienna 40

V Burghers and noblemen 41

3 The Defence of Habsburg Interests in Europe

I The condition of the Empire 43

II Money and men 53

III Treaties with Bavaria and Hanover 63

IV Thokoly, and the treaty with Poland 66

4 The Threat to Vienna

I The campaign in Hungary 73

II Crisis in Austria 81

III The flight from Vienna 90

5 The Siege

I The first week 94

II Counterscarp and ravelin 106

6 Outside the City

I The Tartars 111

II North of the Danube 113

III The messengers to and from Vienna 119

IV The government at Passau 122

7 Warsaw, Dresden, Berlin and Regensburg

I Sobieski's journey to the Danube 129

II John George's journey to the Danube 141

III Frederick William's refusal 145

IV Leopold defies Louis XIV 148

8 The Relief of Vienna

I Leopold's journey down the Danube 151

II The Turks close in on the city 153

III The crossing of the Danube and the Wiener Wald 159

IV 12 September, 1683 166

9 The Consequences of Victory

I Rejoicing and disenchantment 174

II The death of the Grand Vezir 179

III Thokoly and Sobieski 182

IV The Holy Alliance of 1684 184

V The fall of Luxembourg 188

VI Vienna after the siege 194.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 201-217) and index.

ISBN:

1841580678

OCLC:

45867885