Ottoman-Habsburg Wars (1521-1791)
Images from eight wars fought between 1570 and 1718
The capture of Klis, 1596 (Klis [Clissa], Splitsko-Dalmatinska, Croatia) 43°33ʹ34ʺN 16°31ʹ10ʺE
1596 or laterEtching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type B); gilt edges left, bottom and right | 28.2 x 31.8 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 721085
A view of the taking of the Turkish stronghold of Clissa by Croatian troops on 7 April 1596. Ottoman-Habsburg Wars: The Long War (1591-1606). Oriented with north to top.
The small stronghold of Clissa was a Turkish possession which, in 1596 was taken by Uskoks (Croation inhabitants of Habsburg lands) as retaliation for Ottoman raids. This view shows the attack in April 1596 of the Croatians, which was led by Georg Lenkowitsch (d.18 July 1601), the provincial governor of Carniola (the historical maritime border region of Slovenia). The retaking of the fortress by the Turks, in May, diverted valuable Turkish resources away from the war in Hungary.
Salona (Solin 43°32ʹ36ʺN 16°29ʹ35ʺE) is shown, bottom left and Split (Spalatro) is in the foreground. The engraver has forgotten to engrave the words ‘Strass nach Bossnia’ (in the middle background) in reverse.
? Johann Siebmacher (engraver) [bottom centre, bottom of the decorative swirled divider between the two central columns of the poem, a possible monogram:] ‘JS’.
Subject(s)
Army-Ottoman EmpireWatermark: None visible; mount: figure kneeling in shield
Condition: old repairs to tears made by laying down on paper before mounting; some foxing; brown discolouration from the adhesive used to lay the print down on paper. Verso: surface dirt; pressure marks from the mounts of items which were kept above and below this map/print in a different collection are present
20.4 x 31.8 cm (neatline)
28.2 x 31.8 cm (image and sheet)
54.3 x 40.0 cm (mount)
Printed title:
ABRIES DER HOCHEN VÖESTVNG CLISSA, DEM TVRCKEN EINGENOM[M]EN, GESCHEHEN DEN . 7. APRILIS . ANO 15·96. [in panel, across top of map]
Additional text:
[in a panel below the map, a poem giving an account of the events leading up to the siege of Klis:] Alls man Zelt fünfzehenhundert Iarr / Vnd Neuntzig Sechs die Jarr Zal war / … [followed by the initials 'ZTF'].
Annotations:
George III heading: Clissa 1596.
Other annotations: (Recto) [top right, on mount, black pencil, erased, illegible]; [top right, black pencil:] 1596. (Verso) [left, red pencil:] 1/77; [left, on mount, black pencil, erased:] I [or II]/ 81.
George III catalogue entry:
Clissa Abries der hochen Vestung Clissa, dem Turcken eingenomen, gescheden den 7 Aprilis 1596.
Subject(s)
Klis [Clissa], Splitsko-Dalmatinska, Croatia (43°33ʹ34ʺN 16°31ʹ10ʺE)
Split [Spalatro or Spalato], Splitsko-Dalmatinska, Croatia (43°30ʹ32ʺN 16°26ʹ21ʺE)
Bibliographic reference(s)
August Dimitz, History of Carniola, vol. III, Bloomington 2013, pp. 173, 264
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2730
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
