VENECIJA I OSMANSKA OPSADA BEČA (1683)
VENICE AND THE OTTOMAN SIEGE OF VIENNA (1683)

Summary/Abstract: The decision of the Sublime Porte to become involved in the fate of Imre Thokoly had its outcome beneath the walls of the city of Vienna. This was the second attempt in their history (the first being in 1529) to capture the capital of the Habsburg Empire. After the attacks were repelled and Vienna was defended, Leopold I (1658-1705) decided to join an alliance known as the Holy League in order to continue the war against the Ottoman Empire. This marked the start of a conflict better known as the War of Vienna or the Great Turkish War (1683-1699). This paper represents an analysis of how the Venetian oligarchy and public opinion viewed the siege of the City of Vienna and their initial reactions following the withdrawal of the Ottomans. The resulting support, based on the high reputation of the Austrian branch of the Habsburgs, resulted in Venice making a speedy decision to join the Holy League. After Venice reached a peace with the Ottoman Empire in 1669, thus ending the twenty-five-year War of Candia, it had to give up a part of territories conquered during that conflict. The loss of certain fortifications in Dalmatia was especially difficult to swallow, as well as the loss of Candia (Crete). Members of its oligarchy remained very dissatisfied and they attempted to make use of even the smallest sign of weakness of the Ottomans to stir up the public to rise up and regain what was lost. The reputation of Leopold I, which grew after the Ottomans were repelled from Vienna, caused certain people in Venice to view this as hope for possible retaliation. The fact that Venice was uncertain in which direction the Sultan’s troops would go is reflected in the decision of the Senate to step up the defense positions in the region of Friuli (Venezia Giulia region) and the Senate was able to breathe a sigh of relief only after the army reached Vienna. However, reports about the Christian victory which started coming in in the middle of September of 1683, divided the senators and some of them started calling for a war against the Ottomans. The initial hesitation was replaced by the firm resolve to join the Holy League. This marked the start of a new conflict better known as the Morean War (1684 – 1699).

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