War on the Steppes: Three Accounts of the War Against the Turks 1588 - 1683

Translated by George Nafziger.

This is three contemporary accounts of the wars of the 16th and 17th centuries.  The first pertaining to Zamoyski's campaign against the Tartars in 1588, the next two from the siege of Vienna in 1683.  One from outside the city and the second from inside

Zamoyski and the Defeat of the Tartars in 1588. Is an anonymous contemporary pamphlet on the campaign against the Tartars in 1588

The next are translations of two works published within the year of the siege of Vienna, 1683.  The first starts with much of the European politics surrounding Austria in 1683 and the reason why all of Europe did not go to Vienna’s relief.  It then begins a study of the maneuvers of the Christian army, Turkish siege operations, the defense of the city, and the great battle that relieved the city and broke the back of the Turks.

The second work is probably the more interesting in that it was written by a Frenchman who spent the siege within the walls of Vienna.  He relates details of how the city was defended and actions taken by its commander, plus the situation of the Christian army, issues with the Hungarians, who were Turkish allies, the siege from both sides, and the climactic battle that ended the siege.