August 26 - First major assault

Scene - First major assault on outer fortress

August 26

South of Outer Citadel, bastions and walls

Before sunrise Ali Portuk sent the command to move the giant siege platform into position.  Hundreds of rayah and Ottoman workers pushed the ramp against the wall of the citadel.  The platform was both a raised platform for the artillery and Janissaries with muskets to fire at the defenders and it was a ramp and bridge to help soldiers cross the mud and get them to the top of the bastion (wall).

As the sun rose another hot sunny day came to life. After prayers and meals were had the Ottoman soldiers mobilized.  The large kos drum beat, the mehter band played and the Janissaries, led by Ali-aga, charged with great enthusiasm shouting "Allah! Allah! Allah!".  Across the raised path across the swamp they charged towards the crumbling walls of the southwest bastion.  The first wave ran with shovels to fill the moat and then attack the walls to open a larger path for those behind them. Quickly they filled the citadel moat across which they had to cross from the embankment to the breach in the citadel bastion.  Many fell from gunfire coming from the fortress but they did not stop.

When Ali Portuk's siege ramp was at the wall he commanded his cannons and musketmen to fire into the fortress as soldiers ran up the ramp to get to the top of the wall. The Siget defenders knew that Ali Portuk's ramp was a significant threat and cannons from the fortress began to fire at it. Nasuh-bey's artillery, firing from the Linden Forest (northwest of fortress), was not effective in suppressing the defender artillery in the fortress.  Defender grapeshot shredded the soldiers and cannon balls began to tear apart the wooden structure but soldiers continued to run up the ramp to the wall.  Those that managed to get to the wall were met by defenders with pikes, axes and swords pushing the attackers back.

Sofi Ali-pasha[1], a kind, respected and much loved pasha, the former governor of Egypt and Alexandria, came to Siget from Cairo to help Suleiman in the campaign.   The defenders learned of him and called him the Egyptian Pasha[2]. 

He was on the front lines with the soldiers to give them guidance and courage. (Need more details about what he did)

At the southwest bastion Ottoman gunfire shot over the heads of the workers and the advancing Janissaries in an attempt to suppress the fire coming from the fortress but with little effect.  Zrinski and his soldiers were ready - cannons were positioned to fire on the damaged area of the bastion where the Janissaries would be concentrated as they tried to enter the bastion.  The defenders showered the Janissaries with bullets, grapeshot and cannon balls as they charged with swords drawn towards the bastion.

Like a sea of soldiers, wave after wave, with brave hearts and determination they charged into the gunfire coming from the fortress. In spite of the large losses suffered by the first wave more Ottomans charged fighting even more fiercely to avenge their fallen comrades.  As Janissaries fell more charged forwards.  They hoped the defender gunfire would slow but it did not.  Those that were fortunate to not be hit by gunfire fell by the swords and axes of the defenders on the walls and the inside the breached bastion.

Cannon and musket fire continued towards the ramp.  Cannon balls hit the wood structure caused wood shrapnel to fly with great force causing much harm to soldiers standing nearby.  While Ali Portuk coordinated the movements of his soldiers he was struck by a cannon ball shot from the fortress.  The cannon ball hit him in the face tearing off his chin (along with his beard) and damaged a part of his throat - blood was everywhere.  Ali Portuk was taken to the camp doctor but he was beyond help and bled to death in great pain[3] hours later. 

When the Janissaries saw Ali Portuk wounded in such a gruesome and painful way they became more enraged and attacked in a frantic fury.  The defenders, encouraged by their success in the first wave of the assault, fought more strongly with greater enthusiasm. Eventually the Ottomans entered the bastion and ferocious hand to hand fighting began.  The sounds of battle; shouting of orders, the clanging swords, the cries of pain, muskets and cannons firing must have been incredible. Both sides fought with great passion and the fight becoming fierce and deadly. 

Scene: How thick was the fog of war in the fortress?  European gunpowder created dark grey (black?) smoke.  What were the wind conditions like?  If there was little wind then what was the air like in the fortress from all the cannon and musket fire?

After about two hours of fierce fighting and great losses the Ottoman assault eventually slowed.  Leadership disappeared as some officers were killed and others lost in the fray. Chaos and confusion developed and the assault fall apart.   No one knew what was happening but they knew they were not winning.  Panic struck and the construction crews dropped their shovels and digging equipment with which they came to attack the walls and ran. When the Janissaries saw the first group retreating they also began to retreat.

It was a cruel massacre that continued even in retreat. As the Ottomans fled in panic many unfortunate soldiers stumbled from the causeway into the swamp bed and there, while struggling slowly in the sticky mud, they became sitting ducks for the Siget marksmen that shot into their backs.  Bodies filled the breach and moat and littered the swamp by the path to the southwest bastion.   Among the dead bodies was found Sofi Ali-pasha, known across the Ottoman Empire for his wisdom and kindness.  In the camp his personality and great courage created an atmosphere of confidence and high morale.  His death caused great sadness.

After the retreat mortar fire continued from the fortress.  Fireballs were shot at the wooden siege structures setting many on fire.  Ali Portuk's great siege tower burned.

It was a great victory brought about by diligent preparations followed by strength and endurance.  Two purple Ottoman standards were captured and flown inside the fortress in defiance of the Ottomans -  a great embarrassment for the Janissaries.  Later that day, to celebrate the great victory, Zrinski told his soldiers to blow their horns in triumph.  Later that night they lit great bonfires and the defenders rested. 

The defenders suffered many losses in the victory but not as many as they had previously.  Zrinski and the garrison mourned the death of one of the best commanders, of noble descent, Andrija (András) Bika as well as Péter Orosztonyi. The men died at the same time and were buried at the same time.

Zrinski wrote a report to the emperor describing the two-hour assault stating that more than 2,000 Ottomans, most of them Janissaries, were killed and that a number of officers won the "wreath of martyrdom"[4].   So far, as a result of all the assaults, not less than 14,000 Ottoman soldiers are dead.  Once again he asked for aid.

Suleiman

Needless to say Suleiman was probably not very happy later that afternoon after his soldiers returned to camp in defeat.  The Ottoman chroniclers do not record his emotional state (shocked, livid, confused?) and what happened but we can use our imagination.

He wanted vengeance and wanted it soon.

Suleiman departed Constantinople in grand celebration prophesizing a great victory.  His force of will had overcome many obstacles and won great victories in the past.   It was impossible for this army to fail while he was in command, yet it did.  He was now overcome by difficulty and slow progress.  When the reports were tabulated about how many soldiers were lost to date Suleiman thought that he required more troops to replace the ones he lost.  While the siege at Gyula was still underway after 7 weeks and the army at Szekesfehervar had to stand on guard to stop any moves by Maximilian his only option was to send a letter to Constantinople requesting replacement troops to be sent to Siget.   Unfortunately it might take up to a month for soldiers to arrive from Constantinople.

Suleiman mourned the death of Ali Portuk, a commander that brought him many victories and a person that he liked and respected.  Ali Portuk did not have an opportunity to enjoy the 200 ducat reward Suleiman gave him for taking Old Town.  Suleiman appointed Seifeddin pasha, Ali Portuk's student, to replace Ali Portuk as commander of the siege artillery and engineers.

Suleiman grew suspicious that his deputies did not advise him well when they urged him to attack Maximilian.

Obituary of Ali Portuk

Ali Portuk was taken from his homeland of Portugal (Lusitânia) by sea pirates and given as a gift to Hayreddin Barbarossa ("Redbeard" in Italian).  Under Barbarossa Ali Portuk was converted to Islam, circumcised and learned the art of warfare.  He received his military training from many great soldiers and then became a great leader on land and sea. Ali Portuk was also a friend of the great pirate warrior Dragut (Turkish: Turgut Reis).

Ali Portuk's death was similar to the death of Dragut who died while commanding an attack in Malta the previous summer.  Dragut received his death-wound when a cannon-ball fired from the Castle of St. Angelo shattered a rock near which he was standing and the fragments of stone struck the old seaman's head.

Trivia - Ali Portuk may have been hit by a cannon ball from the great cannon named "Margit" which was made while Bálint Török was in command of Siget (sometime around 1540 and named after his daughter).  The cannon was hit and damaged in the siege of 1556 but repaired.

Maximilian at Gyor

When news of the successful defense reached the emperor in Gyor there was much happiness but deliberations were still ongoing with the German princes little interested in helping the Hungarians in the small garrison.

Extended (speculative)

It is said that Suleiman was superstitious.  "Seers" of fortune tellers using astrology and geomancy were popular in Suleiman's time.   There is a possibility that during Suleiman's anger that day a seer or geomancer may have been brought in to calm Suleiman. 

The geomancer told Suleiman that his star would shine bright on August 29 and that it would be a great day as it had in the past.  This was the anniversary of his victories at Belgrade (1521), Mohács (1526)[5] and Buda (1541).  Suleiman was so happy with the prophecy that he gave the seer a gift and promised that if the prophecy was true that he would be very richly rewarded and promoted.

Suleiman believed that August 29 was his lucky day and he ordered the next great assault to happen on that day. He told his commanders and they told their soldiers that soon they will have victory.

Questions:

·      Where was Seyh Nuruddin, the religious zealot, during these events?

·      At what point did Suleiman starting to lose faith in his new Grand Vizier? Was he maybe getting paranoid that Sokolovic was working against him?

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[1] Maybe Sofu or Sufi, nicknamed Akil-pasha (wise, sage).  Hungarian accounts call him "purрuratus Memphiticus“.  He was a devsirme slave taken from Bosnia. Was a sanjak-bey in Bosnia in 1547 and then a tutor to Selim II. In April 1566 recalled from Egypt and named sixth vezir; first time there were six rather than 5 viziers.

[2] Pаšа misirski

[3] By another account Ali Portuk may have been killed by an indirect hit when a cannon ball hit the ramp and wood shrapnel struck him in the face and neck.

[4] or "crown of martyrdom"

[5] Suleiman thought fondly of his youth when in 1526 Louis II of Hungary died at the Battle of Mohacs and almost the entire Hungarian Royal army was massacred.