the Turke, yet of a hastie rashnes and vayne hope of victorie, would needes set vpon him: who if he had stayed but a litle, had prospered the better. For Ioānes Vaiuoda beyng a captaine well exercised in Turkishe warres before, was not farre of cōmyng with a sufficient power of hable souldiers. MarginaliaChristen warres againste the Turke neuer speede wel vnder the guyding of popishe prelates.But Paulus the Archbishop Colloss, a Fraunciscane Frier, a man more bold then wise, with his temeritie & rashnes troubled all their doinges: For the whole summe of the armye of the Hungarians, conteyned in all but onely. 24. thousand horsemen and footemen, who at length cōmyng vnto the battaile, and being cōpassed about wt a great multitude of þe Turkes armye, were brought into great distresse. The Turkes twise shotte of their peeces agaynst the Christiā armye: yet scarse was any Christian touched with the stroke thereof: MarginaliaChristians were the speciall Gunners to the turkes.whiche was thought to be done of purpose, because they were Christians whiche had the orderyng of the gunnes, for then the speciall gunners of the Turkes were Christians, whom for the same cause they spared. Then the Turkes horsemen commyng vpon the backe of the Christian armye, compassed them about, and by reason of their multitude, ouercharged their horsemen: MarginaliaThe rashe Archb. slayne.Amongest whom was slayne the same tyme the Archbishop Frier aforesayd, with the Bishops of Strygon and Varadine and many other nobles besides. MarginaliaKing Ludouike peryshed in warre.Also the kyng him self beyng destitute of his necessarie ayde & succor, was compelled to flye into a marishe, where he fallyng frō his horse, being heauye loden wt his harnes, was not hable to rise agayne, but there miserably perished. Solyman the Turke marueiled at the foolishnes of Ludouike the kyng, who with so small an armye would presume to encounter with such a great host of. 200. thousand. This battaile in Hungarie was fought. an. 1526.
This was the overwhelming Ottoman victory at Mohács on 29 August1526.
MarginaliaFerdinandus Kinge of Hungary.After the deceasse
From here through the siege of Vienna, Foxe is taking his detailednarrative of events from Giovann Battisto Ramusio's history as excerpted inLaonicus Chalkokondylas, De origine et rebus gestis Turcorum (Basel, 1556), pp.199-208. Foxe abridged a great deal of the detail in the account, particularly thedescription of the Ottoman army and the topography of Vienna.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaContention betwēe Ferdinandus, and Vaiuoda.In the yeare of our Lord. 1529.
In the 1563 edition, Foxe prints an account of Süleyman's1529 campaign in Hungary and the siege of Vienna. Foxe based this account on Edward Hall, The unyon of the twoo noble and illustre families of Lancastre andYork (London, 1550), STC 12723a, fos. CXLIv-CXLIIr.
Among other holdes by the way as the Turke came, there was a castle called Altenburch strōgly by nature situated, and by arte defensed, whiche castle the Turkeentendyng not to ouerpasse because he would make all thynges sure behynde him, began to make his assault and lay his ordinaunce against it. MarginaliaThe effiminate cowerdlynes of the souldiours in Altenburch.The warders and kepers of the Castle, so soone as the Turke began to lay siege agaynst them, makyng no resistaunce, of a womanly cowardnes sent their messengers to the Turke MarginaliaThe castle of Altenburch yelded to the Turke.to yelde them selues, ready to do his commaūdement and further hym with their vittaile. Amongest whom were three hundreth Bohemians, who were commaunded to folow the hoast, that the Turke by them might learne what strength was in the Citie of Vienna: also where the kyng was, and what was to be done for the wynnyng therof. Of whom when the Turke had vnderstandyng how all thinges stode, and how that there was but 20. M. mē in Vienna hable to beare armour, and that other Cities of Austria would soone yelde if that were gotten, & that Vienna was vitailed but for ij. monethes, & that þe kyng was of late in Boheme, thus þe Turke of all thynges beyng certified, hauyng no doubt in his minde of victorie, made speede toward Vienna: MarginaliaNeapolis besieged of the Turke.and first comming to Neapolis a Citie but. 8. myles distant frō Vienna, he required them to yeld them selues: who notwithstanding, withstoode them and repulsed them valiantlye. Then the Turkes assigned a place for the pitchyng of their tentes, which because it semed somthing to litle for such a great multitude, they toke in more ground to þe compasse of vij. myles circuite. MarginaliaThe Turkes army of 250. thousand armed souldiers.The multitude of his armye, which he there planted, is accoumted of some to extende to. 250. thousand souldiours. The Turke thus beyng planted, made dayly excourses ouer all the countrey of Austria, specially about the Citie of Vienna, wastinge and spoyling with great cruelty and murther, amongest the poore Christians.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaVienna besieged of the Turke.Moreouer to make all thinges more sure toward the preparatiō of the siege, scoutes were sent abroad, & bushementes were layd about the ryuer side of Danubius, to prouide that no ayde nor vitaile should be brought to Vienna. So it pleased the prouidence of the Lorde (who disposeth all thinges) that iij. dayes before the comming of the Turke, MarginaliaFridericus Earle palatine captayne of Vienna.Fridericus the Earle Palatine, whiche was then assigned by the Empire to take the charge of Vienna, was come downe by the ryuer of Danubius with. xiiij. thousand, and with a certaine troupe of horsemen well appoynted and piked for the purpose. After the cōmyng of this Friderike, prouision also of vitaile was appointed to folow shortly after, by the sayd ryuer of Danubius. In the meane tyme, they which had the cariage and transportyng therof, hearyng how the wayes were layd and all the passages. x. myles about Vienna, stopped by the Turkes, althoughe they knew the Citie to stand in great nede of vitaile, yet seyng there was no other remedy, rather then it should come to the enemyes hād, thought it best to sincke their boates with their cariage, And so they did. Wherby, albeit the Christians wanted their reliefe, yet were the Turkes disapointed of their pray and purpose. MarginaliaFridericus Earle Palatine, William Rogendorffius, Nicolaus Earle of Salme, captaines of Vienna.The captaines whiche had the kepyng of the Citie (whiche were chiefly Fridericus the Earle Palatine, Guilielmus Rogendorffius, and Nicolaus Earle of Salme, seyng them selues so straytened contrary to their expectation, although they had great causes to be discouraged, yet callyng their courage vnto them, they consulted together for the best way to be taken: and seing that the litle Citie Neapolis (aboue mentioned) being viij. myles distaunt from them, so valiauntlye withstoode the Turkes, that in one daye they susteyned vij. greuous assaultes agaynst all the maine force of the Turkishe armye: by theyr example and manfull standyng, being the more animated and encouraged, thought to abyde the vttermoste, before they woulde geue ouer, and firste pluckyng downe all the suburbes, and buildyngs without the walles, wherby the enemye myght haue any succour, they willed all
[Back to Top]