The historical background
The European history of the 17th century was characterized by two main conflicts, namely by the clashes between Protestants and Catholics, which affected almost all European countries during the Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648), on the one hand and by the continuing struggle against the Ottomans, who tried to extend their territory from the Balkans towards the west during the second half of the century, on the other.
In the west of the continent, France, ruled by King Louis XIII and King Louis XIV, tried to gain supremacy in Europe and to reduce the power of the Habsburgs in Spain as well as in Germany. As a consequence - apart from the wars between France and Spain - France started to conquer territories along the Rhine and formed an alliance with the Ottomans. England and the Netherlands, the new economic powers, also took part in these events. During the fight for freedom of the Dutch against the Spanish a new art of fencing had developed as a consequence of a military reform of the Orange, which, mainly based on expert training, permitted troops greater manoeuvrability and stability.
Until the beginning of the 17th century the imperial armies varied in equipment and were only hired for the duration of a campaign. Now they formed a permanently paid standing army. Due to the lack of money of the Emperor the army was partly financed by so-called war-contractors like generalissimo Albrecht Duke of Mecklenburg, better known as Wallenstein. The peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648.
Compared to other Central European armies the Ottoman army was organized completely different and equipped with strange weapons like bows and arrows; it had been pushing forward to the west since the 60ies of the 17th century and was defeated on August 1, 1664 at Mogersdorf near St. Gotthard, situated on the river Raab.
But it was not until 20 years later that the advancement of the Ottomans entered a crucial phase, as the Turkish army, lead by Grand Vizier Kara Mustapha, marched up in front of the gates of Vienna in July of 1683. The threat of the imperial capital and royal residence threatened the whole of Central Europe. And it was not until September 12, 1683 that Vienna was relieved by a united army of imperial and Polish troops. This was the turning point as well as the beginning of the repulsion of the Turkish army. As a result of the decisive battle at Zenta, situated on the river Theiß, (1697) and the peace treaty of Karlowitz in 1699 a large part of Hungary and all of Transylvania could be regained.
These successes were mainly due to the military genius and diplomatic skills of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663 - 1736), who therewith laid the foundation of Austria's big-power status during the first third of the 18th centrury.
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The European history of the 17th century was characterized by two main conflicts, namely by the clashes between Protestants and Catholics, which affected almost all European countries during the Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648), on the one hand and by the continuing struggle against the Ottomans, who tried to extend their territory from the Balkans towards the west during the second half of the century, on the other.
In the west of the continent, France, ruled by King Louis XIII and King Louis XIV, tried to gain supremacy in Europe and to reduce the power of the Habsburgs in Spain as well as in Germany. As a consequence - apart from the wars between France and Spain - France started to conquer territories along the Rhine and formed an alliance with the Ottomans. England and the Netherlands, the new economic powers, also took part in these events. During the fight for freedom of the Dutch against the Spanish a new art of fencing had developed as a consequence of a military reform of the Orange, which, mainly based on expert training, permitted troops greater manoeuvrability and stability.
Until the beginning of the 17th century the imperial armies varied in equipment and were only hired for the duration of a campaign. Now they formed a permanently paid standing army. Due to the lack of money of the Emperor the army was partly financed by so-called war-contractors like generalissimo Albrecht Duke of Mecklenburg, better known as Wallenstein. The peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648.
Compared to other Central European armies the Ottoman army was organized completely different and equipped with strange weapons like bows and arrows; it had been pushing forward to the west since the 60ies of the 17th century and was defeated on August 1, 1664 at Mogersdorf near St. Gotthard, situated on the river Raab.
But it was not until 20 years later that the advancement of the Ottomans entered a crucial phase, as the Turkish army, lead by Grand Vizier Kara Mustapha, marched up in front of the gates of Vienna in July of 1683. The threat of the imperial capital and royal residence threatened the whole of Central Europe. And it was not until September 12, 1683 that Vienna was relieved by a united army of imperial and Polish troops. This was the turning point as well as the beginning of the repulsion of the Turkish army. As a result of the decisive battle at Zenta, situated on the river Theiß, (1697) and the peace treaty of Karlowitz in 1699 a large part of Hungary and all of Transylvania could be regained.
These successes were mainly due to the military genius and diplomatic skills of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663 - 1736), who therewith laid the foundation of Austria's big-power status during the first third of the 18th centrury.
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