Siege of Veszprém

Siege of Veszprém
	Part of the Long Turkish War
	; Siege of Veszprém by Wilhelm Peter Zimmermann (1593)
Date	October 1593
Location	Veszprém, Military Frontier, Habsburg monarchy47°6′N 17°55′E / 47.100°N 17.917°E
Result	Ottoman victory
Territorial; changes	Ottomans capture Veszprém
Belligerents
Ottoman Empire	Habsburg monarchy
Commanders and leaders
Sinan Pasha (WIA); Hasan Pasha; Mehmed Pasha	Ferdinánd Zamaria (POW); György Hofkirchen (POW); Ferdinánd Samarjay (POW)
Strength
Tens of thousands; 30 cannons	1,200
Casualties and losses
2,000–4,000 killed and injured	Hundreds killed; Hundreds taken captive; Dozens deserted
	class=notpageimage\| Location within Europe Siege of Veszprém (Hungary)

The siege of Veszprém^[b] was a military siege undertaken by the Ottoman Empire in October 1593 against the city of Veszprém, situated on the Military Frontier and under Habsburg rule since 1566 when it was acquired from the Ottomans.^[2] The Ottoman forces were led by Koca Sinan Pasha whilst the Habsburg garrison was commanded by Ferdinánd Zamaria. The siege was the first major engagement of the Long Turkish War, and resulted in the Ottomans capturing the city.^[3]

Background

After a prolonged war against Safavid Iran from which the Ottomans emerged victorious, they turned their eyes to Central Europe. Skirmishes across the Military Frontier between the Ottoman and Holy Roman empires was commonplace; akinjis and uskoks were the main culprits.^[4] Emperor Rudolf II was also failing to pay 30,000 Hungarian ducats as annual tributes to Sultan Murad III, one of the provisions of the 1568 Treaty of Adrianople.^[5] These combined factors greatly strained relations, and with the culmination of the Battle of Sisak, the Ottomans responded by waging war against the Habsburg monarchy on 29 July 1593. Thus, the Ottoman Empire was dragged into another decades-long conflict which was to be known as the Long Turkish War.^[1]

Prelude

By October 1593, Koca Sinan Pasha amassed a force numbering tens of thousands.^[6] The pasha marched to the Military Frontier alongside his son, Mehmed Pasha, Beylerbey of Greece. After reaching İstolni Belgrad (under Ottoman control since 1543),^[7] Sinan Pasha advanced towards Veszprém with the Beylerbey of the Budin Eyalet, Sokulluzade Hasan Pasha.^[8]

Siege

Events

Having reached Veszprém, Sinan Pasha besieged it. The garrison consisted of 1,200 soldiers, most of whom were German landsknechts. They were commanded by Ferdinánd Zamaria and Baron András György Hofkirchen. Sinan Pasha launched several attacks against the castle, but had little luck at first. After it rained heavily, the pasha resumed and intensified the attacks. Although the walls had been thoroughly damaged, the guards were determined to defend the city. This prompted Sinan Pasha to bring two more siege engines carried by 100 oxen from Székesfehérvár. Thanks to the engines, one of the towers of the city was heavily damaged and large fires spread across the settlement. With the morale of the defenders plummeting, Ferdinánd Samarjay, the mayor of the city, held a speech saying that it would be better to die heroically than to cowardly escape. However, this had little effect on the diminishing optimism of the soldiers who still refused to repair the damaged walls as they were convinced all efforts would be in vain.^[9]

Acknowledging that Veszprém was on the verge on collapse, the commanders organised a meeting to devise an escape plan. Survivors were to escape through the nearby forest as the pasha divided his forces into two. A section of the wall surrounding the city was broken by the garrison to initiate the escape. Although dozens successfully escaped, many were killed after gunpowder barrels intended to trap Janissaries exploded in a market, resulting in casualties on both sides. Hearing the commotion, other Ottoman soldiers chased the escaping Germans and Hungarians, killing and capturing hundreds. All of the commanders were captured, as was the city. In total, the Ottomans had 2000–4000 injured or killed, while Sinan Pasha was said to have been seriously wounded.^[9]

Date and duration

The date of the siege is disputed. Whilst some historians claim it took place between 3 and 6 October,^[8] others have said that the siege ended on 13 October.^[10]^[11] The duration of the siege is also a matter of contention. Although some historians have written that the siege lasted three days,^[8] others have argued it lasted four days.^[12]

Aftermath

Remaining only two days in Veszprém, Sinan Pasha made his way to Várpalota and successfully besieged it in two days.^[9]

Meanwhile, Veszprém was made a Sanjak of the Budin Eyalet, and a Sanjak-bey by the name of İskender was appointed to overrule the territory.^[2]

Notes

^ The exact date and duration of the siege is disputed. See the date and duration of the siege for more information.
^ Turkish: Vesprim Kuşatması; German: Belagerung von Wesprim; Hungarian: Veszprém ostroma

Citations

^ ^a ^b Imber, Colin (2002). The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650: The Structure of Power. New York City: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 67. ISBN 9780333613863.
^ ^a ^b Géza, Dávid (1994). "The Sancaq of Veszprém". Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 47 (1–2). Akadémiai Kiadó: 65. JSTOR 23658129.
^ Cartledge, Bryan (2011). The Will to Survive: A History of Hungary. New York City: Columbia University Press. p. 100. ISBN 9780231702249.
^ Shaw, Stanford J.; Shaw, Ezel K. (1976). History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey. Vol. 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780521291637.
^ Setton, Kenneth M. (1984). The Papacy and the Levant (1204–1571), Volume IV: The Sixteenth Century from Julius III to Pius V. Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society. p. 921. ISBN 0-87169-162-0.
^ Pálffy, Géza (2021). Hungary Between Two Empires 1526–1711. Translated by David R. Evans. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. p. 115. doi:10.2307/j.ctv21hrjwj. ISBN 9780253054678. JSTOR j.ctv21hrjwj.
^ Hegyi, Klára [in Hungarian] (2019). "Ottoman Defence System in Hungary". In Fodor, Pál (ed.). The Battle for Central Europe. Leiden: Brill. pp. 309–319. doi:10.1163/9789004396234_016. ISBN 978-90-04-39623-4.
^ ^a ^b ^c Horváth, Jenő (1897). Magyar Hadi Krónika: A Magyar Nemzet Ezeréves Küzdelmeinek Katonai Története [Hungarian War Chronicle: The Military History of the Thousand-Year Struggles of the Hungarian Nation] (PDF) (in Hungarian). Vol. 2. Budapest: Hungarian Academy of Sciences. p. 113.
^ ^a ^b ^c Bánlaky, József [in Hungarian]. "A Magyar Nemzet Hadtörténelme" [The Military History of the Hungarian Nation]. arcanum.com (in Hungarian).
^ Somel, Selçuk A. [in Turkish] (2010). The A to Z of the Ottoman Empire. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. XL. ISBN 9780810875791.
^ İnalcık, Halil (2013). The Ottoman Empire: The Classical Age, 1300-1600. Paris: Hachette UK. p. 139. ISBN 9781780226996.
^ Ágoston, Gábor (2021). The Last Muslim Conquest: The Ottoman Empire and Its Wars in Europe. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 251. ISBN 9780691159324.

[1] The exact date and duration of the siege is disputed. See the date and duration of the siege for more information.

[3] Turkish: Vesprim Kuşatması; German: Belagerung von Wesprim; Hungarian: Veszprém ostroma

[Imber,_2002-2] Imber, Colin (2002). The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1650: The Structure of Power. New York City: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 67. ISBN 9780333613863.

[Géza,_1994-4] Géza, Dávid (1994). "The Sancaq of Veszprém". Acta Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 47 (1–2). Akadémiai Kiadó: 65. JSTOR 23658129.

[5] Cartledge, Bryan (2011). The Will to Survive: A History of Hungary. New York City: Columbia University Press. p. 100. ISBN 9780231702249.

[6] Shaw, Stanford J.; Shaw, Ezel K. (1976). History of the Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey. Vol. 1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 184. ISBN 9780521291637.

[7] Setton, Kenneth M. (1984). The Papacy and the Levant (1204–1571), Volume IV: The Sixteenth Century from Julius III to Pius V. Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society. p. 921. ISBN 0-87169-162-0.

[8] Pálffy, Géza (2021). Hungary Between Two Empires 1526–1711. Translated by David R. Evans. Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press. p. 115. doi:10.2307/j.ctv21hrjwj. ISBN 9780253054678. JSTOR j.ctv21hrjwj.

[9] Hegyi, Klára [in Hungarian] (2019). "Ottoman Defence System in Hungary". In Fodor, Pál (ed.). The Battle for Central Europe. Leiden: Brill. pp. 309–319. doi:10.1163/9789004396234_016. ISBN 978-90-04-39623-4.

[Horváth,_1897-10] Horváth, Jenő (1897). Magyar Hadi Krónika: A Magyar Nemzet Ezeréves Küzdelmeinek Katonai Története [Hungarian War Chronicle: The Military History of the Thousand-Year Struggles of the Hungarian Nation] (PDF) (in Hungarian). Vol. 2. Budapest: Hungarian Academy of Sciences. p. 113.

[Bánlaky-11] Bánlaky, József [in Hungarian]. "A Magyar Nemzet Hadtörténelme" [The Military History of the Hungarian Nation]. arcanum.com (in Hungarian).

[12] Somel, Selçuk A. [in Turkish] (2010). The A to Z of the Ottoman Empire. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield. p. XL. ISBN 9780810875791.

[13] İnalcık, Halil (2013). The Ottoman Empire: The Classical Age, 1300-1600. Paris: Hachette UK. p. 139. ISBN 9781780226996.

[14] Ágoston, Gábor (2021). The Last Muslim Conquest: The Ottoman Empire and Its Wars in Europe. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 251. ISBN 9780691159324.

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v t e Major sieges involving the Ottoman Empire by century
13th-14th	1285 Kulaca Hisar 1326 Bursa 1328–1331 Nicaea 1333–1337 Nicomedia 1360s Adrianople 1385 Sofia 1393 Tarnovo 1394–1402 Constantinople
15th	1411 Constantinople 1422 Constantinople 1422–1430 Thessalonica 1428 Golubac 1440 Belgrade 1440–41 Novo Brdo 1448 Svetigrad 1450 Krujë 1453 Constantinople 1455 Berat 1456 Belgrade 1461 Trebizond 1462 Mytilene 1463 Jajce 1464 Jajce 1466–67 Krujë 1467 Krujë 1470 Negroponte 1474 Scutari 1477–78 Krujë 1478–79 Scutari 1480 Rhodes 1481 Otranto 1484 Chilia
16th	1500 Cephalonia 1517 Cairo 1521 Belgrade 1522 Knin 1522 Rhodes 1529 Peñón of Algiers 1529 Vienna 1531 Diu 1532 Güns (Kőszeg) 1532 Maribor 1533–34 Coron 1534 Tunis 1534 Baghdad 1537 Klis 1537 Corfu 1538 Diu 1539 Castelnuovo 1541 Buda 1543 Nice 1543 Esztergom 1548 Aden 1548 Van 1551 Tripoli 1552 Muscat 1552 Hormuz 1552 Temesvár 1552 Eger 1556 Oran 1559 Bahrain 1563 Oran 1565 Malta 1566 Szigetvar 1570–71 Famagusta 1574 Tunis 1578 Gvozdansko 1592 Bihać 1593 Sisak 1596 Eger
17th	1601 Nagykanizsa 1621 Khotyn 1638 Baghdad 1663 Uyvar 1664 Novi Zrin 1648–1669 Candia 1672 Kamenets 1683 Vienna 1684 Buda 1684 Santa Maura 1685 Érsekújvár 1686 Buda 1686 Pécs 1688 Negroponte 1688 Belgrade 1690 Belgrade 1695 Azov 1696 Azov
18th	1711 Brăila 1715 Nauplia 1716 Corfu 1716 Temeşvar 1717 Belgrade 1733 Baghdad 1734–35 Ganja 1737 Ochakov 1739 Belgrade 1788 Ochakov 1788 Khotin 1789 Belgrade 1789–90 Izmail 1799 El Arish 1799 Jaffa 1799 Acre
19th	1801 Cairo 1806 Belgrade 1821 Patras 1821–22 Acropolis 1821 Tripolitsa 1822 Missolonghi 1823 Missolonghi 1825–26 Missolonghi 1826–27 Acropolis 1828 Kars 1828 Varna 1854 Calafat 1854 Silistra 1854–55 Sevastopol 1855 Kars 1877 Plevna
20th	1912–13 Scutari 1912–13 Adrianople 1915 Van 1915–16 Kut 1916–1919 Medina
Ottoman defeats shown in italics.