The Battle of Vienna took place in both 1529 and 1683. This documentary depicts the battle from 1529. The final battle in 1683 broke the advance of the Ottoman Empire into Europe, and marked the beginning of the political hegemony of the Habsburg dynasty in Central Europe.
The large-scale battle was won by Polish-Austrian-German forces led by King of Poland John III Sobieski against the Ottoman Empire army commanded by Grand Vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha.
The siege itself began on 14 July 1683, by the Ottoman Empire army of approximately 150,000 men. The besieging force was composed of 60 ortas of Janissaries (12,000 men paper strength) with an observation army of c.70,000 men watching the countryside. The decisive battle took place on 11 and 12 September, after the united relief army of approximately 80,000 men had arrived.
The battle marked the turning point in the OttomanHabsburg wars, the 300-year struggle between the forces of the Central European kingdoms and the Ottoman Empire. Over the sixteen years following the battle, the Habsburgs of Austria gradually occupied and dominated southern Hungary and Transylvania, which had been largely cleared of the Turkish forces. The battle is also notable for including the largest cavalry charge in history with some 20,000 Polish and Austrian-German cavalry involved.
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