Memoirs of Emeric count Teckely in four books, wherein are related all the most considerable transactions in Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, from his birth, anno 1656, till after the Battel of Salankement, in the year 1691 / translated out of French.

That Courier Arrived in the begin∣ning of the Year 1690, and presented to the Emperor the Grand Seiginor's Let∣ter, which contained only some General Propositions concerning the Peace. It was thought the Envoys knew something more, and because they demanded eager∣ly to know the Emperors Pretentions, that they might acquaint their Master with them, they received these Condi∣tions in Writing:

• 1. That the Grand Seignior should leave to the Emperor all that was remaining still in Hungary, with Bos∣nia, and all its Dependencies, without ever

• ...pretending any thing in it.
• 2. That Molda∣via, Walaquia, and the Republick of Ra∣gusa, should be comprehended in the Treaties of Peace, and should not be disquieted by the Turks.
• 3. That the Tartars should be sent Home.
• 4. That the Port should Pay Six Millions of Gold for the Charges of the War, and two Millions Yearly, to Purehase leave for Transporting upon the Danube what they would to Constantinople.
• 5. That they should Restore all the Christians that had been taken since the beginning of the War.
• 6. That Teckely, and all those of his Party, should be delivered into the Hands of the Emperor.

These Proposals having appeared too Excessive to the Envoys, their Answer provoked the Imperial Councel to Anger. They proposed only to quit to the Em∣peror what remained in the Ʋpper Hun∣gary, upon that Condition, they should leave Belgrade, Nissa, and all that he had conquered beyond the Save. Upon these Proposals they were ordered to get themselves ready to Depart the 25th of Jan. and at that very time they Embarkt upon the Danube, which they descend∣ed as far as Comora, where two of them being fallen Sick, they were forced to tar∣ry. The Year ensuing they were sent to Puttendorf, to Renew it, but in vain.

They disposed themselves in the mean while at Vienna, to carry on the War, as Vigorously as they could, and amongst several Opinions Startled up, two, they say, were the Chief: The first was to Continue in sending a Great Body of Troops into Servia, to Act there against the Turks, and carry further the Con∣quests they had made, and to Fortifie. Nissa. The other Advice was to leave those new Conquests, and to Exaust Ser∣via wholly, to apply themselves to For∣tifie Belgrade, which was not done. All that wanted to be done, according to the Opinion of those that proposed this Second Advice, was to Reduce Giula, Themiswear, and Great Waradin, to be quite Masters of Hungary, and keep them∣selves afterwards upon the Defensive.

Those, who were for the first Opinion, represented that it would be a shameful thing, and that it would express a great weakness, to quit what had been Con∣quered: That that Conduct would not fail to raise the Enemies Courage, and to give them some new Hopes, That in the weakness and the fear they were in, there was only need to Repel them, and that that would quite put them in Dis∣order; that so much the nearer they should approach Constantinople, so much

the more the Seditions should be more Frequent, and by Consequence the Grand Seignior should be more uncapa∣ble to gather a Powerful Army: That the Moldavians, and Walaquians, would Declare themselves for the Turks, as soon as they could perceive they were a Re∣tiring: That the places, which remain∣ed in Hungary, should fall of themselves into the Emperor's Hands, if they con∣tinued to Intercept the Provisions, and that so much the Easier, by keeping the Turkish Army farther off of the Frontiers of Hungary: That an Indifferent Army could do what they wanted, by reason that the most part of the Old Turkish Troops were dead, and that henceforth the Army could be compos'd only of Souldi∣ers newly raised by Force. They strength∣ened that Opinion with many other specious Reasons, and so much the more agreeable to them who had no Skill in Wars, that they seemed to agree with their desires, as more honourable to the Imperial Arms.

On the other side they asserted, the Turkish Forces were not so small, nor so contemptible as they thought, because, if they were helped by the Tartars, as it was probable they should be, they should be in a Case to Beat the Imperial

Armeis, whereof they were obliged to make too many Detachments, and to keep them too Remote one from the o∣ther, and that they could cut them off, if they did Fight them, one after ano∣ther, they not being able to help them∣seves reciprocally: That it was impossible to entertain an Army in Servia, because the Turks and Tartars had Ruined it, and would Ruine it still more: That if they had the worst in a Battel, as that might happen, the farther advanced they would be, the more difficult it would be to Retreat, which would put the whole Army to Flight; that they should not consider it as a small matter to reduce all Hungary into the Emperor's Hands, and to keep it so, that they should be no more in danger of loosing it; which they would be exposed to, in undertaking too much: That that very thing would keep all the Neighbourhood in its Duty, without any need of hazar∣ding any thing else. They added some other Discourses of the same nature, which aimed all to stick to the surest. But the first Opinion was esteemed best, and they did not perceive, it was main∣tained with Reasons more Specious than Solid, but after this Resolution was Em∣brac'd, there was no more time to change for the better part.

In the Month of February, the Tar∣tars, who had consumed all that they could find of Provisions in Servia, re∣passed the Danube, and went to look for some in Walaquia. The Imperialists quar∣tered there, but not finding themselves Capable to stop their Inroads, retired into the Transilvanians Territories, and gave an opportunity to the Walaquians to Reproach them; that it happened no∣thing otherwise than what they had forewarned, and that they had refused them what they had promised them. Some thought the Hospodar kept a Cor∣respondence with the Tartars, and that he had drawn them to drive away the Imperialists. However it were, by this it Manifestly appeared, that they were grasping at more than they could keep; and they were not displeased to Mortifie the Walaquians. The Tartari∣ans retired soon after, and the Imperia∣lists, who feared least the Turks should attack Nissa, or Widdin, called into Servia the Troops they had in Transilvania, to secure those Places.

Canisa, after having suffered a blockade almost without Intermission since the ta∣king of Buda, surrendred it self at last to the Emperor, for want of Victuals, as soon as they lost all the hopes of receiving any Succours.

The Surrender of that Town pleased the the Imperial Court mightily so, much the more, that they hoped Themiswear, and Waradin would follow its Example, which nevertheless did not happen, those places having been victualled many times.

A little after the surrender of Canisa, Michael Abaffi dyed at Alba-Julia, after having been a long while Sick, and dying, recommended his Children to the Em∣peror, as to the Power then most capable to support them, and get his eldest Son to succeed him in the Principality. The Turks had made him Vaivode, as you may have seen in the first Book of this History, and the Malecontents of Hungary had protected him, as it has been told in the Second, against the intrigues of the Im∣perial Court. Because he had been in the Party of both, during many Years. But the Emperor having made himself Master of all the Ʋpper Hungaria, after the raising of the Siege of Vienna, he began to keep fair with him, rather by necessity than by Inclination, for fear least he should act again for the Turks, or for the Malecontents; and to be reven∣ged for what was past, they filled Tran∣silvania with Imperial Garrisons, and the Transilvanians were not much better used than the Hungarians.

Charles the fourth Duke of Lorrain dy∣ed also, in the beginning of that Cam∣pagne, and the Imperial Court was de∣prived of a most able and zealous Ge∣neral for the House of Austria, whose Interests his Relations were bound to. The Duke of Bavaria was named to command in his room upon the Rhine, while Prince Lewis of Baden was com∣ing to take the Command of the Army in Hungary. 'Tis reported for certain that this last should excuse himself, be∣cause although he had met with such good Success in the last Campagne, his Army wanted many necessary things; so that it had been impossible to do a∣ny thing, if the Turks had used a better Conduct than they did. The Imperial Army conquered a good part of Servia, and often routed the Turks; but this was not effected without exposing them∣selves to great Hazards, and by a time∣ly laying hold of those Opportunities which the Slowness and Consternation of the Turks have long ago furnished them with. If it happened that the Turks should take better Measures, and act with more Vigour, there was cause to fear, least the Imperial Arms should not be so dreadful as before: It seemed in∣deed the Grand Vizier was a preparing

himself to do better in this Campagne, than his predecessors had done for some Years past: he was a gathering his Troops at Nicopoli in Servia, whither he had given a Rendezvous to a grand num∣ber of Saiques.

While they were expecting the o∣pening of the next Campagne, every Party named a Vaivode of Transilvania. The Emperour declared himself for the eldest Son of the deceased Abaffi; and the Grand Seignior for Teckely: for al∣though that Principality was Elective, the States have used to choose ordinari∣ly him they think to be the strongest, or the best supported, to provide in the same time for the Security of the Coun∣try, and keep to themselves a Shadow of Liberty, which they shall enjoy in Reality, when they be able to do it with Security. Abaffi had a strong Party in the Country, and got himself to be cho∣sen according to the usual Formalities, in spight of the Manifesto Teckely had sent thither, by which he declar'd he had been made Vaivode by the Grand Seignior, un∣der whose Protection Transilvania was.

He forbid the Transilvanians also to acknowledge the Emperour of Germany's Orders, o•• his Commanders, neither should they furnish them with any thing

whatsoever; ordering them to keep their Provisions for the Turks and Tar∣tars Armies, which were going to enter their own Country, to deliver them from the Germans Yoak.

A little while after, during the time the Serasquier besieged Widden, and the Vizier Nissa, Teckely appeared upon the Fronteers of Transilvania. The General Heusler, who commanded four thousand Men of the Imperial Troops, had made himself Master of the Passages, with some of the Country Millitia. Teckely who was coming from Walaquia with an Ar∣my of fifteen or sixteen thousand Men, composed of Hungarians, Turks, and Tar∣tars, besides some Transilvanians and Wa∣laquians, caused his Transilvanians to go across some Hills, whither the Horse could not pass: When he thought they were come to the place, whereby they should attack the Enemy in the Reer, he assaulted them in the Front with the main of his Army, the twenty second of August: The Transilvanian Militia, that were not concerned in the defending of the Germans, run presently away; and the Imperialists encompassed about, were almost all cut off; General Heusler him∣self fell Prisoner into Teckely's hand, who made him Prisoner of War, and used him very civilly.

That Victory of Teckely, which he ac∣quainted the Grand Vizier with, and which they took care to publish every∣where, engaged Prince Lewis of Baden to pass the Danube at Semandria, to protect Abaffi and the other Transilvanians of the Imperial Party against Teckely, who was come before Cronstadt, without being able to storm that place for want of Cannon. In the mean while Nissa, where Count Guido of Staremburgh commanded, was surrendred with himself the eighth of September, making an honourable Ca∣pitulation; and whereof the chiefest Ar∣ticles were, That the Garrison should be conducted safely to Belgrade; which was not exactly well observed. The Garri∣son of Widden surrendred itself too the twenty nineth of the same Month, and was conveyed more safely as far as Or∣sowa. The Grand Vizier, having had notice the Prince of Baden had passed the Danube, to defend Transilvania, went from Nissa streightway to Belgrade, the Breaches whereof he knew to be unre∣pared still.

In the same time Teckely did forget nothing to engage the Transilvanians to acknowledge him for Viavode, promising all sort of Advantage to them, who would declare themselves for him; and

threatning to use as Rebels those who would stand against him. Some Coun∣ties of Transilvania acknowledged him, and sent him Envoys; but the most part of the Transilvanians took the Party of Abaffi, and desired the Succours from the Emperour. The Marquess Doria, who had been made a Prisoner by the Tartars and redeemed by Teckely, went to Vienna upon the General Heusler's word, to get some Money for his Ran∣som: He carried a Letter to the Prin∣cess Ragotski from her Husband, to whom he brought soon after an Answer, wherein she expressed to have a great mind to be exchanged for General Heu∣sler a Prisoner.

The Grand Vizier marching towards Belgrade, attacked so suddenly the Pa∣lank of Semandria, that the Garrison, which had order to quit it, and ruine the place, had not the time to do it: Having taken the Resolution to defend itself, and not having taken well its Measures, it was forced the fourth day, and put to the Sword. The Turks found in it some Pieces of Cannon, and a few Ammunitions, because they had carried into Transilvania, and elsewhere, what they had before in it. The very second of Octob. he laid the Siege to Belgrade, which

he assaulted very briskly; and which the General Aspremont, who had thrown him∣self into it, defended as well as he could. The Duke of Croy entred into it a little while after with seven or eight hundred Men. But because the old Breaches were but pallisadoed, and the place ill fur∣nished with Pioneers, and Tools to work the Ground; there was no likelihood to hold out long, although they had e∣nough of other necessary Provisions. And yet one would never have thought the Turks had been able to make them∣selves Masters of it, after six days siege; but an Accident that happened, was the cause that that place fell the eighth of October into their hands, a Bomb having fallen upon a Tower where the Maga∣zine of the Powder was, which should have been in Cellars, overthrew not only that Tower with horrible. Noise and Damage, but destroyed many neigh∣bouring Houses, and set some others on fire. The Turks laying hold on the Dis∣order which that occasioned, they as∣saulted the Palisadoes with such a Fury, that they took the place, without ha∣ving made yet in it any Breach, and put to the Sword all that they met; and forced the Commander to run away o∣ver the Danube, upon some Saiques, with

seven or eight Hundred Men. They retired to Esseck, to make their endea∣vours to keep that Post, which they had not Fortifyed yet; by reason they thought the Turk would never come so far. Therefore it wanted but a little, but they had lost it some while after. The Vizier having caused some of his Troops to pass the Save, sent them that way, to attack that Place, which they expected to carry easily. But having not done it with the Vigor that was re∣quired, they had Advice, that a great many Imperal Forces were a coming to Succour it; and they say, they thought them already come, hearing the sound of the Trumpets and Kettle-drums, which by way of Amusement had been sent out of that place the Night be∣fore, with an order to return with a great Noise through the Morass Way. Upon that false Suspicion they went a∣way the 6th of November with so great a Precipitation, that they left their Cannon, and one part of their Bagage, to reach the sooner to Belgrade, whither they speeded away.

There was a report then that they had offered to make Peace with Teckely, and that they were willing to know from him, what it was he expected from the

Emperor. Some Articles too, have been published, wherein he asks not only the Principality of Transilvania, but also the restoring of all his States, and the Restauration of the Priviledges of Hungary, many places in that Kingdome, to be made a Prince of the Empire, and other things, that seems to be so unlikely, that we will say no more of it. The Prince of Baden having received all the succours he expected, advanced with an Army stronger than that of Teckely, both for the Number and Qua∣lity of the Troops, to offer him Battle; but Teckely knew how to avoid it, and chose rather to Retire upon the fron∣tiers of Moleavia, than to hazard any thing. If the Vizier had had any great skill in Warlike Affairs, he should have presently after the taking of Belgrade, followed the Prince of Baden, or march∣ed in order to joyn with Teckely, and ren∣der himself Master with him of Transil∣vania. But the Turks can, no more than some other Nations, make so good use of their advantages, as to boast them∣selves of their Victories. All that they did, was to take Lippa, and to throw some Provisions and Troops in Giula, Themiswear, and Waradin. Those Gar∣risons being increased made several in∣roads

in many places of the Ʋpper Hun∣gary, and into Transilvania also, without the Prince of Baden's Power to hinder it, who had already divided his Troops, wearied by the long Marches they had undergone, to put them into Winter Quarters, to hinder it.

All the remedy they found against it, was to gather as many Troops as they could, and to follow the Turks in their retreat; which they did happily e∣nough, seeing they killed many of those who were the slowest, and that they delivered a considerable number of Prisoners.

During the time the Turks were en∣tring into Transilvania, on the side of Hungary, Teckely entred into it too through Walaquia. They sent to meet himtthe Prince of Auguste of Hanover, Serjeant General of Battle at the Head of a Thousand Horses. That Prince having attacked Fifteen Hundred Men, who were intrenched in a passage Rashly, was wholly defeated, and himself kil∣led upon the Spot. And yet Teckely made no use of that Defeat, by reason of the hardness of the Season, which hindered him from engaging himself further into Transilvania, having heard besides the Turks were retired. He re∣turned

into Walaquia, and the Prince of Baden took his way towards Vienna.

The Young Abaffi and his Friends, supported by the Imperial Troops, be∣gan then to search out those that had declared themselves for Teckely. They used them no less roughly than they had done the Rebls in Hungary, as if the Emperor had had more right to raise Abaffi to the dignity of Vaivadoe, than the Grand Seignor had to invest Teckely with it. But it is no new thing, that the party which has the better, has the Justice and Reason on his side. The States of Transilvania followed the choyce of Vienna, and gave their con∣sent, that Abaffi should be their Prince, under the Emperor's protection. Not being come yet to age fit to govern by himself: they named a Chancellor, and a Council, composed of Transilvanians, who took upon themselves the charge of the Affairs. They promised also to the Emperor's Commissioners, to give their Master two Hundred Thousand Livers per annum in Silver, and so much in Corn, while the War should last, a Tribute much larger than that the Vaivodes of Transilvania had used to pay before to the Port.

The Turks encouraged, by the advanta∣ges of the last Campaign, made incursions during the Winter, and took several pla∣ces, round about those they had in Hun∣gary. The Imperialists on their side plun∣dered upon the Turks, and till the Cam∣paign was opened, many actions hap∣ned, whereby both Parties had by turn, the advantage and disadvantage over the other: Teckely kept in play the Troops of Transilvania, during the Winter and the Spring; and the Report that the Grand Seignor was to give him Twenty Thou∣sand Men, to enter into that Princi∣pality, caused General Veterany to ask the Emperor for some new Troops, his being extreamly fatigued. The Turks, on their side, making great pre∣parations, the Emperor gave order to Fortify Esseck, after the Strongest and the most Expeditious way they could to withstand the Infidels the better. He committed the defence of Germany to several Princes, and Towns, which en∣gaged themselves to keep an Army up∣on the Rhine. In the mean while, some new troubles, which arose at Constan∣tinope, hindered the Turks from making the necessary preparations, and stopped their design. Count Teckely, instead of having an Army sufficient to render

himself Master of Transilvania, or at least to keep his ground against the Imperialists, was reduced to the neces∣sity of making some Excursions towards Themiswear with his Malecontents, which were not many in Number.