Battle of Vienna (1683), Now vs Then #shorts

The Battle of Vienna, also known as the First Siege of Vienna, was fought on September 12, 1683, between the Holy Roman Empire, led by Charles V, Duke of Lorraine and King Jan III Sobieski of Poland, and the Ottoman Empire, led by Grand Vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha. The battle was a significant turning point in the Great Turkish War, as it marked the first time the Ottoman Empire's advance into Europe was stopped and ultimately ended their 150-year expansion into Central Europe. The battle began before all units were fully deployed, with the Ottomans attacking at 4:00 am on September 12th, seeking to interfere with the deployment of Holy League troops. The Germans were the first to strike back, with Charles of Lorraine leading the imperial army on the left and other imperial forces in the center. After heavy fighting and multiple Ottoman counterattacks, the imperial army took several key positions, specifically the fortified villages of Nussdorf and Heiligenstadt. By noon, the imperial army had already severely mauled the Ottomans and came close to a breakthrough. While the Ottoman army was shattered, they did not crumble at that moment. Mustafa Pasha launched counterattacks with most of his force but held back some of the elite Janissary and Sipahi units for a simultaneous assault on the city. The Ottoman commanders had intended to take Vienna before Sobieski arrived, but time ran out. Their sappers had prepared a large, final detonation under the Löbelbastei to breach the walls, but ten mines were disarmed by the defenders. In the early afternoon, a great battle started on the other side of the battlefield as the Polish infantry advanced on the Ottoman right flank. Instead of concentrating on the battle with the relief army, the Ottomans continued their efforts to force their way into the city. This allowed the Poles to make good progress, and by 4:00 pm they had taken the village of Gersthof, which would serve as a base for their massive cavalry charge. The Ottomans were in a desperate position, between Polish and Imperial forces. Charles of Lorraine and John III Sobieski both decided, on their own, to continue the offensive and finish off the enemy. The imperial forces resumed the offensive on the left front at 3:30 pm. At first, they encountered fierce resistance and were stopped, but by 5:00 pm they had made further gains and taken the villages of Unterdöbling and Oberdöbling. They were now very close to the central Ottoman position (the "Türkenschanze"). As they were preparing to storm it, they could see the Polish cavalry in action. It is recorded that the Polish cavalry slowly emerged from the forest to the cheers of the onlooking infantry, which had been anticipating their arrival. At 4:00 pm the hussars first entered into action, obliterating the Ottoman lines and approaching the Türkenschanze, which was now threatened from three sides (the Poles from the west, the Saxons and the Bavarians from the northwest, and the Austrians from the north). At that point, the Ottoman Vizier decided to retreat to his headquarters in the main camp further south. However, by then, many Ottomans were already leaving the battlefield. The allies were now ready for the last blow. At around 6:00 pm the Polish king ordered the cavalry attack in four groups, three Polish and one from the Holy Roman Empire—18,000 horsemen charged down the hills, the largest cavalry charge in history. Sobieski led the charge at the head of 3,000 Polish heavy lancers, the famed "Winged Hussars". The Muslim Lipka Tatars who fought on the Polish side wore a sprig of straw in their helmets to distinguish them from the Tatars fighting on the Ottoman side. The charge easily broke the lines of the Ottomans, who were exhausted and demoralized and soon started to flee the battlefield. The cavalry headed straight for the Ottoman camps and Kara Mustafa's headquarters, while the remaining Viennese garrison sallied out of its defenses to join in the assault. The Ottoman troops were tired and dispirited following the failure of the attempt at sapping, the assault on the city, and the advance of the Holy League infantry on the Türkenschanze. The cavalry charge was the final blow and the Ottomans were routed from the battlefield. The Battle of Vienna marked the end of the Ottoman Empire's expansion into Central Europe and marked the beginning of its decline as a major military power. It also established the Holy League as a dominant force in Europe and solidified the alliance between Poland and the Holy Roman Empire. The battle was not without its casualties, with both sides suffering heavy losses. The Ottomans lost an estimated 20,000 soldiers, while the Holy League lost around 5,000. The city of Vienna itself also suffered significant damage during the siege, with many buildings destroyed and the population greatly reduced.

[luthercharles]

This was a great battle. Not sure if many people remember this. Polish winged hussars were like the elite unit of those days.

[ahmedshaharyarejaz]

Sad thing is that 100 years later Austria would help destroy Poland and the last of the Winged Hussars would fall to their guns. Smh😢

[democraticrepublicofsprout]

🇵🇱: Sorry but Vienna is not yours to conquer

[charmityambassador]

WHEN THE WINGED HUSSARS ARRIVED. COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAINSIDE.

[MM-zizz]

How about the battle of Hodów?
400 Poles (100 Winged Hussars + 300 Pancerni) against 40.000 Tatars. That was the most incredible victory ever while being outnumbered 100:1.

[johnrambo]

People really forget that there were far more troops then just the winged Hussars. German, polish and even some Italian infantry fought for hours against the ottomans and pushed then back before the Hussars dealt the death blow

[Knnn]

That's the power of christians ✝

[megalodon]

Casualties for the ottomans May have been as high as 50, 000 also it’s kinda sad that Poland came to keep Austria independent from ottoman Muslim rule then 100 years later their allu Austria betrayed them and annexed them with Prussia aka Germany And Russia and Poland would not be independent again until after WWI.

[mariuszhanc]

I potem odwdzięczyli nam się w typowo germański sposób rozbierając Polskę wraz z rosją i prusami czyli naszymi wrogami

[thevoiceofmotivation]

The king leading his soldiers. Can you imagine today that the president was leading the army?
Once upon a time, a king had to have balls and fight with his soldiers. Jan 3 Sobieski, king and hetman of the hussars.

[veyselkarakoyun]

How fair is the holy alliance against a superpower (all of Europe). There are also Polish people who are proud of this. They may not know it themselves, but you were under Ottoman protection in 1576 and 1676. In fact, the Ottomans were making you fight with Russia like two dolls, until they finally took over Ukraine.

[amihernandez]

Battle of viennaBattle of Vienna[a] took place at Kahlenberg Mountain near Vienna on 12 September 1683[2] after the city had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months. The battle was fought by the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarchy and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, both under the command of King John III Sobieski) against the Ottomans

[SlavEditor]

Jan III Sobieski was the greatest leader of Poland🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱

[theexlle]

now mustafa make me kebab in poland :) its a joke i still respect turkis people they have rules

[Dutchmapper]

When the battle happened the Turkish almost entered the city but in shock the polish elite troops came in with horses and snatches the Turkish heads the war resulted in a Turkish defeat and marked the start of the decline of Ottoman Empire.

[tonicsmily]

As a thank you, Austria preceded to split Poland into 3 with Prussia and Russia

[invinciblesun]

19 ft Hussar lances would skewer up to 5 ottomans. Horses were armored and were bred for power and speed

[YogsenForfoth]

To have seen them charging downhill towards the Ottomans must have have been otherworldly.

[valeriodelaurentiis]

"Ottomans vs Europe💀" mfers when they realise the Ottomans had the Balkans, middle east, north africa, Tartars and French support and Europe had Germany, parts of Italy, Austria and Poland

[LucasCorsomething]

It’s Polish Lithuanian commonwealth or PLC. I see how you con get the confusion or a preference but please recognize that it was also Lithuania 🇵🇱🇱🇹