Just a few days ago, we marked the anniversary of the start of the Ottoman Empire’s famous Second Siege of Vienna. For those who may not know, the failed siege would become one of the defining moments in the history of the empire, as it was the last great push of Ottoman expansion into the west.
So, I’d like to tell you the story of this famous siege.
Although the reign of Sultan Mehmed IV (1648-1687) was overshadowed by eight years of instability, under the capable leadership of the Köprülü father-and-son grand viziers, the empire sought to regain its strength, drawing the attention of Europe. And for a while, it appeared as though the empire’s days of glory had returned.
When Köprülü Fazıl Ahmed Pasha died in 1676, he was succeeded as grand vizier by his brother-in-law and stepbrother, Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha. By this time, Sultan Mehmed IV had entrusted virtually all affairs of state to the grand vizier, preferring to devote himself to hunting, a pastime that earned him the epithet “Mehmed the Hunter.”
Kara Mustafa Pasha was an experienced soldier and a successful commander; however, he also displayed avarice, pride, arrogance, and, above all, boundless ambition. He sought a military triumph that would eclipse the achievements of all his predecessors, including those of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
