The Siege of Vienna (1529): The History and Legacy of the Decisive Battle that Prevented the Ottoman Empire’s Expansion into Western Europe
Written by Charles River Editors
Narrated by Daniel Houle
4/5
()
About this audiobook
In the wake of taking Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire would spend the next few centuries expanding its size, power, and influence, bumping up against Eastern Europe and becoming one of the world’s most important geopolitical players. It would take repeated efforts by various European coalitions to prevent a complete Ottoman takeover of the continent, and one of the most important battles among those efforts took place at Vienna in 1529.
At the time, the Ottomans were led by one of their most famous sultans, Suleiman the Magnificent, and different chroniclers have analyzed Suleiman's behavior in different ways. There is a plethora of opinions as to his motives for attempting the takeover of Vienna, a well-guarded city far away from his empire's center. Had he intended to conquer the whole of the Holy Roman Empire? Had he intended to strengthen his borders? Had he acted in accordance with King Francis I’s needs in the West? No matter the reason, Suleiman did not halt in his advances, despite the fact circumstances were not favorable for the Ottomans. The summer rains had already begun when he set out for Vienna, making most of the roads inaccessible both for cavalry and moving the heavy pieces of artillery needed for a successful siege. The camels brought from Anatolia proved too sensitive for the cold, constant rain and died in large numbers, and many of the soldiers shared the same fate.
Modern historians speculate as to why Suleiman persisted with the siege even though the Ottoman forces were evidently weaker than the forces in Vienna upon their arrival. As an experienced, strategic warrior, it is most likely he realized his disadvantage and the full scale of his potential losses. It was also probable that the last burst of attacks was merely a means with which to weaken the city walls for a future siege. The second attempt, in 1532, was met with the same mix of bad luck and good defense, and Vienna marked the limit of their advances
More audiobooks from Charles River Editors
The Rape of Nanking: The History and Legacy of the Notorious Massacre during the Second Sino-Japanese War Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Project MK-Ultra: The History of the CIA’s Controversial Human Experimentation Program Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The East India Company: The History of the British Empire's Most Famous Mercantile Company Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gnosticism: The History and Legacy of the Mysterious Ancient Religion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ur: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Sumerian Capital Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Nineveh: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Assyrian Capital Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Legends of the West: Deadwood, South Dakota Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mossad: The History and Legacy of Israel’s National Intelligence Agency Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5J. Robert Oppenheimer: The Life and Legacy of the Father of the Atomic Bomb Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Denisovans: The History of the Extinct Archaic Humans Who Spread Across Asia during the Paleolithic Era Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mysteries of the South: Ghosts, Legends, and Unexplained Phenomena in Dixie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Culper Ring: The History and Legacy of the Revolutionary War's Most Famous Spy Ring Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Arnold Rothstein and Meyer Lansky: The Lives and Legacies of the Gangsters Who Reformed Organized Crime in America Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cambrian Period: The History and Legacy of the Start of Complex Life on Earth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Life and Trial of Lizzie Borden: The History of 19th Century America's Most Famous Murder Case Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mysterious Midwest: Mysteries, Legends, and Unexplained Phenomena in America's Heartland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Battle of the Somme: The History and Legacy of World War I’s Biggest Battle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung: The Pioneering Lives and Works of History’s Most Influential Psychologists Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Battle of Hamburger Hill: The History and Legacy of One of the Vietnam War's Most Controversial Battles Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Madame de Pompadour: The Life and Legacy of French King Louis XV’s Chief Mistress Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Siege of Vienna (1529)
Related audiobooks
The Byzantine Army: The History and Legacy of the Byzantine Empire’s Military during the Middle Ages Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Varangian Guard: The History and Legacy of the Byzantine Empire’s Elite Mercenary Unit Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mamluks: The History and Legacy of the Medieval Slave Soldiers Who Established a Dynasty in Egypt Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Restoration of Rome: The History of the Roman Empire during the Reigns of Diocletian and Constantine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Battle of Lechfeld: The History and Legacy of the Conflicts Between the Germans and Magyars in Western Europe Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Battle on the Ice: The History and Legacy of the Slavs’ Decisive Victory Against the Teutonic Knights Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Cumans: The History of the Medieval Turkic Nomads Who Fought the Mongols and Rus’ in Eastern Europe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Battle of Ravenna: The History of the Most Famous Battle of the Italian Wars Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Russian History 3-in-1 Bundle: From the Forgotten Rus to the Rice and Fall of the Soviet Union. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Medieval Maritime Warfare Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Constantinople: The Rise and Fall of the Byzantine Empire Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Battle of Kapetron: The History and Legacy of the First Major Battle Between the Byzantine Empire and Seljuk Turks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCola di Rienzo: The Controversial Life and Legacy of the Medieval Roman Who Attempted to Unify Italy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Byzantine-Seljuk Wars: The History and Legacy of the Battles for Asia Minor in the 11th Century Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Turkish War of Independence: The History of the Conflicts that Created the Modern State of Turkey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNapoleon’s Grande Armée: The History and Legacy of the French Army during the Napoleonic Wars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Kings of Macedonia and the Triumph of Rome Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Middle Eastern History For You
The Hundred Years' War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shortest History of Israel and Palestine: From Zionism to Intifadas and the Struggle for Peace Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Egyptian Mythology: An Enthralling Overview of Egyptian Myths, Gods, and Goddesses Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Nineveh: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Assyrian Capital Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Very Short Introduction Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Islam: A Short History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ur: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Sumerian Capital Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5In the Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Invention of the Jewish People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mossad: The History and Legacy of Israel’s National Intelligence Agency Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5From Beirut to Jerusalem Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Palestinian Delusion: The Catastrophic History of the Middle East Peace Process Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Case for Israel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In Distant Lands: A Short History of the Crusades Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Generation Kill Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Enemies and Neighbors: Arabs and Jews in Palestine and Israel, 1917-2017 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Siege of Vienna (1529)
1 rating0 reviews