Ottoman-Habsburg Wars (1521-1791)
Images from eight wars fought between 1570 and 1718
Siege of Sziget, 1566
Disegno de Seghet uenuto nouamente di ongaria / Nel qual siuede come uieu batuto e da qual banda / Vedesi ancora la batalia dove fu preso il gran basa / Capitan de ianiceri da una inboscata fata da cristiani, /...
1566 or laterEtching with engraving; printed on paper | Scale: Scala de 100 pasa ueneciani [23 mm =] | RCIN 721045
A low oblique map/view Siege of Austrian Habsburg Szigeth, commanded by the Croatian General Nikola Šubić Zrinski (1508-7 September 1566), from 6 August to 8 September 1566, by the Ottoman forces under Suleiman I [the Magnificent] (6 November 1494-7 September 1566) who died of natural causes just before the Ottoman victory at the Battle of Szigeth on 7 September, the day before the end of the siege. Ottoman Wars in Europe: Suleiman’s later wars in Europe (1537-1566). Oriented with east to top (compass points are written to the edges: LEVANTE, OSTRO, PONENTE, TRAMONTANA).
Although the Ottomans won this battle, it exhausted their resources and stopped their advance on Vienna which remained safe from Ottoman threats until the Great Siege of 1683 (see RCINs 724018-724024).
Although the layouts of the fortifications are drawn in the same position on this map/view as they are on RCIN 721044, the orientation is differently given. It would appear that the orientation of this map/view is more correct.
This map shows the tripartite division of old Szigetvár, set in the midst of marshes and a lake, the walled and bastioned town and castle connected by a wooden walkway to the central part of the new fortification which, in turn, is connected by a short wooden walkway to the southernmost area of the fort. This view shows an early stage in the siege: the fortress walls are not yet battered to the ground and the town and castle are still intact.
A palisade, broken in several places, surrounds Sziget; it is not present on the marshland areas which provide a natural defence. The Turkish infantry camp is shown to the south-west (bottom right) with the pavilions of the officers to the south-east (top right). An ammunitions dump, encircled by a fence is to the east and, just above this is a figure on a horse which may be a depiction of Suleiman I.
Anonymous (cartographer)
Watermark: Mermaid in circle, six-pointed star above [see Woodward nos 91, 92]
Condition: one fold line; four worm holes; not mounted; no gilt edges; an impression from the mount of an item which was kept below this map in a former sequence is pressent on the verso
Scale: Scala de 100 pasa ueneciani [23 mm =]
29.3 x 41.4 cm (image)
29.5 x 41.7 cm (platemark)
39.1 x 53.0 cm (sheet)
Printed title:
Disegno de Seghet uenuto nouamente di ongaria / Nel qual siuede come uieu batuto e da qual banda / Vedesi ancora la batalia dove fu preso il gran basa / Capitan de ianiceri da una inboscata fata da cristiani, / Fato con tute le sua strade ponti fiumare e paludi con / Iusta misura cosa ch ne li altri sin ora non si ritroua. [top left, in cartouche ornamented with strapwork]
Annotations:
George III heading: Zigeth 1566.
Other annotations: (Recto) [bottom right, black pencil:] 1566. (Verso) [top left, red pencil:] 1/41; [top left, black pencil:] II/42; [top right, black pencil, erased:] Seghet.
George III catalogue entry:
Zigeth A Plan of Zigeth with the Attacks of the Turks in 1566.
Subject(s)
Szigetvár, Baranya, Hungary (46°02ʹ55ʺN 17°48ʹ19ʺE)
Bibliographic reference(s)
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2693
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
