A. D. 1693. Fire at Conftantinople. Jeno ta ken. "had prompted him to the firft journey thither, would not permit a fecond 8." MEAN time a fire happened at Conftantinople, which burnt down 20,000 houfes and fhops. This difafter was fucceeded by the news that the new Amir of the Arabs, defcended from Mohammed, threatened to befiege Baffora (or Bafrah), in the Perfian gulf, to which he pretended an hereditary right: fo that the Soltan was obliged to fend troops over, under the command of the Pafba of Bofnia, to reinforce the militia of thofe quarters. But, being arrived in the neighbourhood of that city, which is all a flat country, the Arabs let out the river by fluices; which overflowing the camp of the Turks, fix or seven thousand of them perished in the waters, and the reft were all put to the fword. SINCE the taking of Great Waradin, Ghiula and Jeno had been much freightened by the imperialists. The latter particularly having been for fome time blocked-up by Heufler, that general, on the 16th of June, began to attack its fuburbs, which he took; and, having, in a few days more, by his bombs and cannon, made a breach in the city-walls, the Turks, not willing to abide a storm, capitulated on the 27th of the fame month. Presently after which he went, and took the fortrefs of Philagoras". Belgrade ABOUT the fame time, the Wazir marchés from Adrianobefieged. ple, with a design to penetrate, by Tekeli's route, into Tranfilvania (A). But, hearing at Diftra, that the Germans, after taking Gena and Villagothwar, had befieged Belgrade, he returns towards Chenghe Dâghlari, and, with no lefs danger than difficulty, conducts his army through the straits of thofe mountains, fcarce wide enough for an unarmed man to pass. The German general, being informed that the Wazir was attempting the conqueft of Transilvania,went loiteringly on with the fiege, which had continued twenty days already (B). But, when he found Buyukli Moftafa had paffed the mountains, he pushed it with fuch vigour, that, by his cannon and mines, he had, in eight days, not only demolished the outer walls, but also fhaken the inner, in fuch a manner, as seemed to render him master of the city, although defended by fixteen thousand Othmâns; if the Wazir, leaving behind him his baggage, and larger cannon, had not, on the eighth day, advanced to its relief. A. D. 1693. THE Germans, perceiving, from the fmallness of their num- The Tatars bers, that they could not, at the fame time, carry on the overfiege, and make a stand against the Wazir, who was about to thrown. attack their camp, break-up, and pafs the Save with their whole army. The Othman general, taking their retreat for a flight, informs the Soltân, that he had gained a victory: but, not daring to cross the river, and attack their camp, he fends Selim Gyeray Khân, with his Tatars, to ravage the adjacent provinces of Hungary, and cut-off the Germans from all opportunity of procuring provifions. The Khan, roving about incautiously, is furrounded at Khonad by the imperialists appointed to guard thofe parts, under the command of Hofkirkhen; and fhut up in fo narrow a space, that he could not make use of his horse, or find any means of escape. Being thus reduced to the neceffity of fubmitting, or ftarving, if he continued in this fituation, and, finding no other way to get out of it, he engaged the Tatars in a project never before heard of, or practifed, among them: this was, to kill their borfes, and fall upon the enemy on foot with their fwords. So unexpected an attack, at firft, confounds the Germans, till, refuming their courage, they inclose them a fecond time, now almost escaped; and make fuch a flaughter, that, excepting the Khân, and a few of his attendants, scarce a man of them was faved 1. RIC AUT gives no account of this action, but does of Defeated another of the fame general, before Giula, on the 19th of a Giula, October, citing his letter to the duke of Croy; in which he fays, that he fell on the Turks and Tatars unexpectedly, drove them beyond the first Palanka, and made his dragoons pafs the ditch on foot: that the enemy were very strong, confifting of 40 troops of horfe, 1200 Janizaries, and 2800 Tatars, who came to convoy provifions into the fortrefs that 1000 of these last were killed, 2500 beasts taken, and all their provifion burned. He adds, that he was preparing to follow the Tatars who were marching to Debrezin; and : perhaps A. D. perhaps the defeat of them may be the action ascribed to Hoff1693. kirken by the Turkish hiftorians." THE imperialists had this year one other piece of fuccefs Brunzen against the Turks: for count Batheim, Ban of Kroatia, DalMaydan matia, and Sclavonia, having marched from the river Unna taken. Poles, Venetians. ed. and Koftannizza, on the 19th of September arrived at Brunzein Maydan (C); which was ope of the Soltan's magazines, and famous for the iron and copper mines in its neighbourhood. Next day the artillery began to play; and for two hours the Turks defended themfelves bravely: but, at laft, the pallifades being cut down, the city-walls were forced, and above 500 men and women put to the fword, among whom were two chief commanders, and a third taken, with many other perfons of note. They found a great number of bombs, fome 200 weight, store of brass curiously wrought, and other rich plunder, which they carried off, and then burned the city, with its fuburbs, to afhes. This lofs chagrined the Porte: but they were more alarmed at a fire which happened at Conftantinople on the 26th of Auguft, and burned down one fourth part of the city *. WHILE the imperialifts were revenging on the Tatars the many defeats given by them to the Polish armies, the Poles themselves, either amufed with new offers from Selim Gyeray, or deterred by former misfortunes, continue unactive (D). The Venetian arms are likewife quiet in Greece. However, in Dalmatia, they befiege Klobukhi, under the conduct of Erizzo, governor of Katarri (or Kattaro), but are repulfed with confiderable lofs by the Pafbâ of Hercegovina; who, notwithstanding, is foon after defeated by Canegotti. The Wa- MEAN time the Wazir returns to Adrianople: but, while zîr chang- he expects to be rewarded for raising the fiege of Belgrade, and driving the enemy from the borders of the empire, he is deprived of his dignity on a very flight occafion. For, going out one day to divert himself with hawking, the Koltuk Wazirleri, who had long been his enemies, take a handle from hence to perfuade the eafy Soltán, that he neglected the affairs of ftate, and minded nothing but his pleafures. Hereupon Ahmed takes from him the imperial feal, and gives it to Shâm KRICAUT ubi fupr. (C) It ftands on the river Sana, between Kaftanovitz and Bibacz, to the east. (D) Ricaut obferves, that the French ambaffador procured an ambaflador from the Porte to be fent to Warsaw; fo that it was generally believed a peace would be concluded: but he fays, the Venetians neither did, nor attempted, any thing in the year 1693. Tarabalus Tarabolus Ali Pafbà (E). However, not to feem ungrateful A. D. for his fervices, the Soltân takes away neither his eftate, nor 1693, his liberty, but makes him alfo governor of Damaskus, a rare example among the Turks. ALI Pafa, confidering the distressed state of the empire, Peace of and defpairing of victory, as foon as he is advanced to the Wazirship, endeavours to make peace with the Germans and pofed. Poles (F), exclusive of the Venetians: but, as on one hand, the emperor refused to treat on any terms, unless they were parties; and, on the other, the French ambaffador, by prefents, and great promifes, had gained both the nobles and Ulema firmly on his fide, they unanimously opposed that defign. The Wazir, being thus disappointed, in the end of the year 1105, fends the Serafkier into Hungary, who, af- Hej. 1105. faulting Titul, is repulfed with great lofs by Caprara, general A. D. of the imperialists: but the Germans were not able to im- 1694. prove this victory; the emperor, intent on the war with France, having left but a small army in Hungary. TITUL, in the Turkish account, feems to be a mistake The Ger mans at for Peterwaradin; and one of the most famous actions in all this war is here paffed over in filence. The imperial army tacked in 1694, not being fo numerous as it used to be, the marfhal count Caprara, who commanded it, understanding, that the Wazir intended to attack Peterwaradin, entrenched himself about that place. In effect, the Wazir did arrive with his army in view of the imperialists: but, inftead of falling on them, he also entrenched himfelf; and, what till then was unheard-of, began his approaches against the retrenchments of the enemy. Count Caprara, furprised at this novelty, found it expedient to make another retrenchment between the former and the town: to which, upon occafion, he might re 1 CANT. p. 390, & feqq. (E) That is, Ali Pasha, governor of Tripolis in Syria. (F) Ricaut fays, that about May 1694. the Polish ambaffador was difmiffed from Adrianople, re infecta; and that the mystery of his embaffy (which was properly to the Tatar Khan, who gave him audience, his letter being directed to that prince), could never be unravelled; for that, though he pretended to treat of peace in the name of all : the confederates, the rest knew A. D. 1694. at Peterwaradin by the Wa zîr: tire; and to furnish it with mines before the ditches, in order to stop the Wazir's progrefs. To this general account of the matter given by count Marfiglim, wlto, according to his method, has alfo inferted a plan of the whole with explanations, we shall add the particulars from Ricaut. THE imperial troops, increasing but flowly, they refolved. to act only upon the defenfive, and therefore to remain encamped at Peterwaradin, within the retrenchment of last year. On the 9th of September the Turkish army, arriving from Belgrade, under the Wazir Ali Pafbá of Tripoli (G), appeared in fight of the imperialifts, who had fcarce time to repair the damages made the day before by a storm; which had carried away all their tents, broken their bridge of boats, and funk feveral of their fhips. On the 10th, the whole army came within half an hour's march of the imperial intrenchments: the foot took their quarters next to the German front; the horse to the left of their foot; and, on the left of thofe, was camped the Tatars. Their fleet, confifting of 110 came likewife within cannon-fhot of the imperial fhips, and caft anchor in a line of battle. NEXT day it was thought the Turks would have stormed the imperial camp; for they appeared within 800 paces of the retrenchment, behind the earth of a ditch, which covered them fo well, that the imperial guns could but little annoy them. On the 12th, the camps and fleets began to fire furiously on each other: the attack of the Turks feeming to be a formal fiege both of Peterwaradin, and the imperial camp; for they plied both with their bombs and cannon till the 18th, when they fhewed themfelves beyond the imperial intrenchments, but were quickly driven back by the Huffars. They likewise drew a new parallel line 60 paces nearer to the imperial camp, and were busy to close it with their line of communication. On the 19th, the German left wing, with great guns and muskets, from an eminence, very much annoyed the first line of the Turks, who ran, horfe and foot from all fides, to ftrengthen their left wing; and that evening, fix battalions of Brandenburg foot arriving, the enemy feemed lefs brisk in their attack. m L'Etat. Milit. emp. Oth: p, 98, & feqq. part ii. (G) According to Ricaut, this Pasha of Tripoli was different from the Ali of the Turkish historians. That author makes to of the name, and fays, one was made Wazir early in March; and, being foon after depofed, was fucceeded by the fecond Ali of Tripoli, who arrived from Afia the 18th of April following. BUT |