Part 19

In the meantime the páshá bowed the knee twice in humble prayer. The signal was at length given: the largest, and immediately after it the rest, were fired, the roaring thundering noise of which made the earth to quake. The enemy, as might well be imagined, were struck with terror, and perceived when it was too late their mistake. Ferdinand was standing, at the moment a volley of shot from the batteries of Kaniza was poured in amongst his army, talking with four of his princes, three of whom were shot dead on the spot. Many thousands besides perished. This feast of red-hot melons made the enemy think of retiring across the river; and whilst in the act of doing so they were hotly pursued by the Moslem heroes, who fought with them till the night closed upon them. The enemy having again encamped in the direction of Sigetwar, the princes came forward and said to King Ferdinand, “Behold, sire, the stratagem the Turks have laid for us! Let there be no quarter shown to them: let us destroy them root and branch, and make them a spectacle to the world.” The king replied, that he would see how they themselves should act: it was the day of vengeance.

They now put their cannon in order, entered into the trenches, and from this moment the siege of Kaniza may be said to have been properly begun. Their first act of hostility, after commencing the siege, was the discharging of three cannon, none of which did much injury. The first passed harmlessly over the fortress: the second was not quite so harmless, for it passed through the páshá’s palace, killed one of his relations, and then rebounded towards Sigetwar: the third touched the odá of the ághá of the janissaries, but did no injury. They afterwards, at once, and from six different places, discharged forty large pieces of cannon, the noise of which seemed to indicate the total annihilation of the place.

When the enemy had laid siege to Kaniza, or at least when they first appeared before it, Hasan Páshá called a council of his grandees, to whom he observed: that though there was no scarcity of gunpowder, or any want of water, and though they had abundance of provisions, yet it was proper, he said, the commander-in-chief, Yemishjí Páshá, before he removed from Belgrade, should be made acquainted with their circumstances. Two heads of odás, one called Ahmed and the other Mohammed, were appointed to accompany Karah Punjeh, a veteran of the borders, and one who was well acquainted with all languages, with this intelligence to the commander-in-chief. They left Kaniza by night, passed through Sigetwar and Shukulwish, and arrived on the fourth day after leaving the above city at Belgrade, when they laid the passport of their mission before the commander-in-chief. The latter, after holding a council, wrote letters to Hasan Páshá, assuring him that he was on the point of coming to his assistance, and dismissed the messengers. On the return of these messengers to Kaniza, they found it so closely besieged that not even a bird could wing its way into it without being discovered. The two odá báshís remained at Sigetwar whilst Punjeh disguised himself, and by this means conveyed his despatches into Kaniza, which had the effect of animating the hopes of the besieged. But to return. The enemy having commenced, as before observed, a regular siege, their efforts became unremitting. Every day witnessed more than a thousand balls directed against the walls of Kaniza; but the brave veterans within filled up during the night the gaps which these horrible cannon effected in the day-time, with their bed-clothes, and such other things as they could find. The heroic páshá went about every where, and stimulated and encouraged the besieged. For the space of a whole week they had not shut their gates, and the foot veterans continued to make regular sorties against the besieging foe. Their cattle also went in and out regularly, and the enemy did not succeed in taking even so much as one of them, much less any prisoners.

The enemy having made no speed in their method of operations, thought proper to change it. They recrossed at a place called the ford of Mohammed Khetkhodá, and in the direction of Sigetwar effected mounds and ditches to the number of fourteen, leaving, in the direction to Vienna, where they had first taken up their position, five pieces of ordnance and six thousand troops. After having accomplished these manœuvres, they now began to throw vast quantities of rushes into the Berk, over which a covering of wicker-work was placed. Over this again they finally, though it took them more than forty days to accomplish, made a kind of road or bridge corresponding in breadth to one of their ditches, with which it communicated. They carried their materials by means of light barrels made of fir, which were easily dragged by two men. After having extended this road or bridge to the walls of Kaniza, to which they firmly fixed it by means of iron rods, and when all things were nearly in a state of readiness for commencing an assault, Hasan Páshá, who was no careless observer of their manœuvres, and who knew when and how to baffle the enemy, sent a few heroes, who had volunteered their services, in a boat by night, when the infidels were drowned in sleep, to set fire to their huge labour, and which they punctually did. The bridge, and every living infidel who happened to remain on it, perished in the flames.

Some time before this event in the history of this memorable siege, Hasan Páshá wrote again to the commander-in-chief by the aforesaid Punjeh. In these communications he urged Yemishjí Páshá to come at least to Sigetwar, that by doing so he might encourage the spirits of the besieged. “If this fortress should happen to be taken out of our hands,” said he, “it will not easily again be retaken, and you will find some difficulty in exonerating yourself.” Karah Punjeh proceeded with this message, taking his two former companions along with him from Sigetwar, where they had stopped, and met the serdár at Usk. Instead of complying with the earnest request of Hasan, and fulfilling his former promise, the serdár only sent him an encouraging letter, telling him he was on his march to Alba Julia, but would, on his return, afford him the aid he demanded. Karah Punjeh returned to Kaniza, and delivered, secretly, his dispatches to Hasan Páshá, who, on reading them, immediately had them copied, and added, as if from the serdár, that he would soon arrive to the aid of the garrison. Next day he called a council, made this copy, or rather forged letter, to be read in their hearing, which produced all the effect the sagacious páshá wished. The people were overjoyed, and resolved, every man of them, to hold out, at the expense of life and all that was dear to them, to the very last; but they anxiously looked for the arrival of the serdár.

The enemy, after the burning of their bridge, tried to repair their loss by building another, in which labour they spent another twenty days; but it also met with the fate of the former. Finding themselves thus a second time foiled in their attempts, they commenced building boats of fir-wood at the head of the Berk, which they covered over with boards, over which they again placed cow-hides, with the view of preventing the small arms of the besieged injuring those on board of them. After having launched this flotilla, each of which carried one hundred men, the infidels, on the night on which this took place, began to make great rejoicings. Hasan Páshá, in the meantime, and on the same night, sent out a party to try and seize some prisoners, who returned with two. On their being presented before the páshá, he asked one of them, privately, the cause of the enemy’s rejoicing; and was answered that it was owing to the great success which had attended their arms at Alba Julia. “How comes it to pass,” asked the páshá, “that all the prisoners which we have hitherto taken belong to your nation (Germany)? Are there no Hungarians and Croatians among you?” “Why,” answered the prisoner, “the Hungarians are favourable to the Turks, and therefore none of them are allowed to straggle from the camp.” The páshá again asked him what number of Hungarians there might be in the army? He was told, that besides Croatians, there were about thirty thousand in it. After having thus questioned the first prisoner, he called the other and questioned him in the same way, and he returned similar answers to those given a little before by his fellow prisoner. The páshá, with a stern voice, ordered the prisoners to be led forth, and to have their heads struck off; secretly intimating, however, to Karah Omar, to whom this order was given, to take the prisoners and show them the one hundred and fifty pandúrs and the five hundred Hungarian horsemen who had accompanied the waggons of provisions which had entered Kaniza about the time the siege was begun, and whom the páshá had retained. “Tell them,” said the páshá to Karah Omar Aghá, “that they are all Hungarians, and that we expect a thousand volunteers of the same race to join us in two or three days more. Say to them,” continued the sagacious páshá, “that you yourself are one of their nation (Germany), but that you have been in the service of the páshá since your youth; that you have a thousand men under your command; that you have got so much property that you cannot think of relinquishing it: that you will be extremely happy if the German army succeed in taking Kaniza, but that there are many amongst them who wish for no such thing; that there is provision in the garrison of Kaniza sufficient for a whole year to supply the number of inhabitants within it, who amount to thirty thousand Turks alone; that there is abundance of gunpowder in it also: then invite them to wait till the ice is formed, when you will let them away. Our páshá, you will say to them, desired to have your heads, but I have interceded with him in your behalf: I now release you, and you may go when you please; but be sure to tell your superiors, when you reach your own camp, of the kindness I have shown to you.” Karah Aghá acted his part most masterly, gave them some pieces of white bread, and sent them away, secretly, as it were, in a boat to their own army. These two men had no sooner reached their companions, than they went to inform Ferdinand of the history of their captivity, which very much grieved him. The intelligence which the two captives seemed to have in their power to communicate was any thing but pleasing to King Ferdinand; and it was no less astonishing, when compared with his former information, than it was unwelcome and distressing.

One morning, about this time of the siege, a voice was heard as if coming from the enemy’s camp, which said, “Do not fire any of your guns; we (there were more than one) have something to tell you.” “What is it?” was the reply. “Why,” said these early visitors, “be it known unto you that your commander-in-chief, Yemishjí Hasan Páshá, has been completely defeated and routed at Alba Julia. The heads of Mohammed Ketkhodá and of Mohammed Páshá, the governor of Buda, have been sent to our commander-in-chief, thanks be to God. Behold, here they are!” and then held them up to the view of the besieged Moslems at the end of long poles. “To-morrow,” continued the early vagrants, “tomorrow our whole force will be brought to bear upon you. In whom is it that you place your reliance? Your commander-in-chief has been defeated and has fled. Deliver up this city and fortress, which belongs to our king, and save yourselves from certain and inevitable destruction. Your governor, Hasan Páshá, is a vain man, and seeks to ruin you: pay no further regard to him. Save yourselves and your property; for the king promises to secure both if you hearken to our advice. To-morrow, when Duke Mathias returns to us from Alba Julia, no mercy will be shown to you. If you stand in doubt with respect to the two heads now exposed to your view, let any one of your number, who was acquainted with their possessors, come forth and examine them, and satisfy himself. He shall sustain no injury: on the contrary, our king will confer favours upon him.”

These tidings greatly alarmed the inhabitants. “The serdár has been defeated; our provisions and our gunpowder will fail us if that mighty army should come against us,” said the frightened inhabitants to Hasan Páshá, the intrepid governor, who had a mind ready to act in every emergency. “My brave veterans, you all know,” said he, “that the accursed enemy has promised us nothing. Do not let the sight of the heads of the infidels, or their threatenings, by any means terrify you. I have a few things to say to you—hear me, therefore, patiently. Renew your engagements with me. Whether the heads which the infidels have shown you be really the heads of the persons they have said they are, is yet to be discovered. To ascertain this, let us send Karah Punjeh, who will bring us correct information on this point. And should it even turn out that they are the very heads of the two men above-mentioned, that is no reason why we should be any way discouraged. It is not on their account we have shut ourselves up in Kaniza. Long live the emperor! If the meanest slave were desired to sacrifice his life, he would willingly give his head, as those men gave theirs. We are here for the defence of our religion, though now cooped up within the narrow limits of this place. But I have some reason to think that this city and fortress, God willing, will not fall into the hands of the enemy. One of my reasons is as follows. When Ibrahím Páshá was, on a former occasion, employed for the same length of time we have been besieged in reducing a fortress, he would never have gained the victory, had he not said: ‘if God will prosper my undertaking, I shall devote this place to the illuminated city, Medina;’ when shortly afterwards it fell into his hands. It is hoped that he who has devoted himself to the Sultán of the prophets will not fall before the infidel. Another reason is: the enemy commenced the siege on the night of the 12th Rabia I., which is the birth-night of our prophet. There is, therefore, hope to his followers, who have been besieged on the very night which is held sacred to the memory of him who came into the world on that night to bless it, and is the rejoicing of all the prophets. Again: you, every evening, sound the Mohammedan signal or watch-word, _Allah! Allah!_ and though the enemy were at once to discharge his forty pieces of cannon, yet God will manifest his care over those who trust in his name. I pray God, that as he has not permitted us to fall into the hands of the enemy, so this hateful army may never get away in safety.” This speech of the páshá had a powerful effect on the minds of the besieged, who were not only animated by it, but also prognosticated important good from it. He again counselled them to pay no regard to the words of their morning visitors, who had no other object, he said, but that of deceiving them. “Show them your swords,” cried he again, “and these dastardly fellows will see what metal you are of.”

The páshá, after having delivered the animated speech which we have here recorded, proposed sinking the two heads into the river, on the banks of which they were still exposed. He had scarcely spoken, when a cherí báshí came forward and proposed to direct a cannon against them. “Do so,” said the páshá, “and God prosper you.” The cherí báshí immediately pointed the cannon called Bulbul at them, and in a moment the two heads were at the bottom of the river. The infidels to whom the charge of the heads had been given, and who spoke in the ears of the besieged the speech on the occasion of their being first presented to them, returned to their camp vexed and disgraced. The successful cannoneer was honoured by the páshá with an annual pension.

When Ferdinand was informed of the result of his messengers’ embassy, he became enraged, and said he would present ten villages to any one who would bring him a prisoner from Kaniza. None of the infidels, however, though they did all they could to accomplish the king’s wishes, were able to succeed. God prevented them.

_Arrival of the Archduke Mathias._

Early in the morning of the day the events of which we have just described, a movement was discovered among the enemy’s troops, and soon after their foot and horse moved in the direction of Komran. About mid-day the archduke, with his army and heavy baggage, made his appearance, and soon encamped. His army, one division after another, took up its position, and displayed immense pomp; no doubt with the view of inspiring the besieged with an idea of their might, and thus of dispiriting them.

These manœuvres and movements being over, the duke called a general council of his great men, in which a variety of matters were discussed. No one, however, could give him anything like a correct account of Kaniza. Ferdinand declared, weeping, that in all his life he had never met nor seen people like the Kanizians. “Whenever we speak in a friendly manner to them,” said the indignant Ferdinand, “they brandish their swords.” The duke replied in very harsh terms: accused him of having acted himself some way or other treacherously, or “you are not,” said the noble duke, “acquainted with the operations of war. I have been up the country, and have reduced a city like Alba Julia, and have contended all this while with Turkish armies. Several of their chief men I have beheaded. It is now three months since you commenced your operations, and you have not been able to take so much as one palanka.” Such were some of the subjects which occupied the noble duke’s great council. Ferdinand and his officers were indignant at the treatment they had received from the archduke, and proposed, as they had nothing, to leave him and his troops to carry on the siege which they had so inauspiciously begun.

After the dismissal of the above-mentioned diván, the archduke tried his own skill in manœuvring. He sent a message to the besieged, the purport of which was: that their commander-in-chief, Yemishjí Hasan Páshá, after having been defeated by him (the duke), had gone to Sigetwar; that there were now two mighty armies ready to co-operate against them; that the seven (European) kings were present, and sent them their salam (salutations); that if they were determined to maintain their integrity to their own sovereign, they might do so, and yet deliver up Kaniza to its legitimate sovereign; that the winter had arrived, when they would have no chance whatever of being supplied with provisions. “Leave, then Kaniza,” continued the duke’s messengers, “in peace and safety; not a hair of your head will we injure;” and much more in the same strain, and requested a favourable answer. The besieged, however, appeared to be firm and fearless. They brandished their swords in token of defiance, which so provoked the messengers that they cocked their pieces, but afterwards retired expressing their contempt. It is certainly true, however, that when the Turks in Kaniza saw the immense number of the enemy’s army they became afraid, and seemed disposed, through fear, to yield to the enemy. They dreaded that as soon as the messengers returned to Mathias, he would become so enraged as never to stop till he reduced the city and fortress, and killed them all.

From the continued effect of the cannon on the walls of Kaniza, in several places they were, at length, laid even with the ground. The enemy found means of secretly preparing a kind of bridge and other apparatus. The boats which they had built were launched, and all throughout the camp were ordered to stand to their arms. Three persons were deputed by the enemy to go and endeavour, by offering money, to get one or more of the besieged to desert. These persons made a display of their ducats, and said that they expected that a Turk or two would come and take them into the place, because they meant to become Muselmans. Hasan Páshá, who saw through their design, said their object was to try to get some one or more to desert to them, and ordered a cannon to be pointed towards them. The signal for discharging it was given, when, in a moment, the men were carried off by the shot, and both fell in one place. The archduke was excessively chagrined when he heard the result of this third mission. Two thousand eight hundred chosen men, all volunteers, were put into a state of readiness for scaling the walls. To encourage them he promised to give ten villages to the first who should succeed in climbing the ramparts, and forty villages to the man who would bring him Hasan Páshá. The following day was appointed for attempting this heroic plan.

Hasan Páshá was not idle. His plans were deeply and wisely laid. As soon as the enemy had set their boats afloat, he caused openings to be made in the mound which surrounded Kaniza, exactly opposite the place at which this fleet of boats was to touch, and placed large cannon, all charged, in these openings, but in such a way as not to be discovered.

After the Páshá had seen all this accomplished, he called his principal soldiers to him, offered up a short prayer, and afterwards addressed them thus: “My brave fellows, let not the greatness of the multitude of the enemy any way terrify you. God willing, we shall be revenged on them. Every time the enemy has lighted the torch of war, God, in his goodness, has invariably extinguished it again in their discomfiture. Let me see you, therefore, act your part with bravery and true heroism: let us all, in faithfulness to our religion, be firm, and oppose them with courage. If we perish in the conflict, we shall be saints in heaven. Our heroes, both in this world and at the day of judgment, are truly honourable and worthy of esteem. Be then united and firm in your efforts in your own defence, and exercise with boldness the weapons in your hands. Let your activity manifest itself in boldly resisting and repelling the efforts of the hateful enemy to make you slaves. I have the utmost confidence the enemy’s machinations will be completely frustrated.” In this way did Hasan Páshá encourage and animate his troops and followers. These brave men and their companions in arms entered into solemn compact, bade each other adieu, attended to all their various duties of friendship and domestic affairs, as well as those of eternity, and every thing seemed to bid defiance to the utmost effort of the foe in trying to reduce Kaniza. After all things were fully and properly attended to, they all, with firm and courageous hearts, returned to their respective stations, and, like envious lions, stood ready to grasp at their invading foe.

Meantime the enemy was busy. During the night season they accoutred themselves in their various arms, and one division after another took up its position in the trenches formerly prepared, till they were completely filled; the boats were all manned with volunteers, and at daylight the signal-gun was fired, the sound of which seemed to awaken heaven and earth; and the ball passed over the wall at the gate leading to Sigetwar, which was forty feet high, and was stopped by the odá of Mahmúd Chorbájí. The enemy, immediately on this signal-gun being fired, commenced an assault from five different places at once. When their fleet of boats had sailed down opposite the fortress, the cannons which had secretly been placed in hollows in the mound which surrounded Kaniza, opened upon them, and soon sent them, with all on board of them, to the bottom of the river. This powerful, but unexpected reception, astonished the infidels completely, but it had also the effect of rousing their fury to a greater height.