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Description

The Battle That Saved The Civilization – Szigetvár, 1566

Fine image of the Battle of Szigetvár, drawn from Histoire generale des Turcs, contenant l'histoire de Chalcondyle, traduite par Blaise de Vigenaire.

The battle was one of the most important military confrontations of the 16th century, as it marked the end of Suleiman the Magnificent's campaign to conquer Europe.

The view shows the battle formation of Suleiman's army, which was arrayed in a traditional Ottoman formation known as the "crescent." The crescent formation was designed to create a flexible and dynamic front line, with elite troops positioned at the center and wings formed by lighter troops. The Ottoman army was known for its use of highly skilled archers, cavalry, and Janissaries, who were elite infantry soldiers drawn from the Ottoman Empire's Christian subjects.

The view depicts the Ottoman army in battle formation, with the front line consisting of Janissaries armed with muskets and swords. The view shows the army about to engage the Habsburg defenders of the fortified city of Szigetvár.   Behind them are different groups of soldiers and cavalry is arranged on the wings, with the light cavalry positioned on the outer edges.

The importance of the battle of Szigetvár cannot be overstated. The Ottoman Empire had been expanding into Europe for centuries, and Suleiman's campaign to conquer Hungary was a critical phase of this expansion. The battle of Szigetvár was the final confrontation of the campaign, and it marked the end of Suleiman's ambitions to conquer Europe. Suleiman himself died during the battle, which was a significant blow to the Ottoman Empire and its military power.

Rarity

The view is virtually unknown to modern collectors.  We find several references to the view in 19th Century catalog entries.  It seems to be very similar to a view by Paolo Forlani.