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Extremely detailed view showing the events of the Siege of Klis, an engagement in which the Ottoman army defended the fortress against the attacking Hapsburg forces in 1669.
The view shows the Klis Fortress in the center of the map placed atop a very tall promontory, with numerous armies rushing to attack and defend it from all sides. At the base of the hill lies the town of Klis, which burns as it is approached by soldiers. The crowded scene contains numerous scenes of war, with skirmishes playing out all over the hillside and an approaching German army with Turkish heads on their spears.
The Venetians fought for decades before they finally managed to re-take Klis, with the the support of the local population, particularly the Morlachs (Morlacchi), whose forces are shown toward the top left. The Venetian commander Leonardo Foscolo (Gal. Foschollo) appears at the bottom right.
The Klis Fortress, on the Croatian Adriatic coast, has always served as an important crossroads between Balkan and Mediterranean interests. The fortress was lost and regained numerous times during the 16th century, as the Ottoman Empire sought to expand even further into central Europe.
Dating is available from the lifespan of the engraver, Piccini, who is thought to have died around 1669. The map is dedicated to Signore Pietro Paulo Rodiseo. Text at the bottom of the image appears to detail the story of the battle and those who fought in it.
Rarity
The view was apparently separately issued and is unrecorded.
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