Annals of the Turkish Empire, from 1591 to 1659. Mustafa Naima
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were again put into motion; but they left their heavy baggage behind them. The emperor, with his right and left-hand troops, marched at a slow pace, and halted at so great a distance from the enemy as to secure himself from the reach of their cannon. This, however, was considered to be a disgrace; and it was after showing him the impracticability of any contact whatever at such a distance, that he ventured a little farther in advance, when he ordered a general halt.
The royal personage now took up his position in front of his own standard, and was supported by six divisions of his troops. The vezírs, according to their rank, stood on his left, and the reverend prelate Sa’d-ud-dín and two military judges on his right. The whole of their cattle and such heavy baggage as they were obliged to carry along with them, were put under the charge of a party of cavalry in the rear. The Janissaries, full of enthusiasm, and ardent for contest and battle, were placed in advance. The cannon-waggons were all chained and bound together in front of the monarch and his royal suite. Hasan Páshá, Válí of Romeili, and the Beglerbeg of Temisvar, took up their position on one side; and the Beglerbeg of Anatolia, Lála Mohammed Páshá, the Beglerbeg of Caramania, the Beglerbeg of Haleb, and the Beglerbeg of Merœsh, in conformity with ancient custom, took up their position on the other side (i.e. these chiefs commanded the right and left wings which were composed of their respective troops). The advance guard was put under the command of Jaghaleh Zádeh.
The Battle of the first Day.
After the two hostile armies were once confronted, Sinán Páshá, belonging to the Cherkess (Circassian), Fateh Gheráí and Murád Páshá, the Beglerbeg of Diárbeker, besides some other valiant and heroic chiefs, rode forth in front on their prancing horses, and giving the cry of war, rushed forward, sword in hand, to the bloody conflict and to death. They were, however, very much impeded in consequence of the marshy nature of the ground. This marsh, which resembled a small river, and which could only be forded at certain places, was occasioned by water which issued from the valley of Mehaj, and in which the enemy’s camp was strongly fortified. The conflict, however, was begun, and became hotter and hotter. The vezírs stepped alternately forward and encouraged and animated the divisions, as they moved onwards to the mighty contest, and returned again to the emperor and reported progress. In consequence, however, of the enemy’s cannon doing execution at a great distance, the orthodox troops were not able to get sufficiently close to their antagonists. About mid-day a cannon-ball passed over the emperor’s head, but fortunately it did harm to no one; though it clearly showed that the emperor’s person was in a dangerous situation, and therefore his majesty was conveyed to a tent which belonged to Yúnus Aghá, the commander of the cavalry, who afterwards fell a martyr. The well-ordered divisions, nevertheless, maintained their ranks unbroken, and continued firm.
On the opposite side of the marsh there was a dilapidated church which formed a covert to thousands of the enemy, and against whom the Cherkajís had hitherto directed their efforts. It happened, however, that the body defended by this church rushed forth to the amount of several thousands, and like wild swine, or as if enraged with wine, commenced fording the marsh or river, in the intention of coming into close quarters with their assailants. At this favourable moment, the Moslems showered volleys of ball amongst them, and Jaghaleh Zádeh, who was posted behind a hillock, coming up at the same time with his Cherkajís, did immense execution, wounding and killing vast numbers of them: so much so indeed, that he almost filled that part of the marsh with their carcasses. Their drums and kettle-drums were seized, and such of their officers as were taken alive, were conducted before the royal presence. Those of them who escaped were terror-struck, and endeavoured to regain their strong-hold, but were intercepted by a body of Tátárs who made them all prisoners, and brought them bound in chains to the emperor, who commanded that their bonnets (i.e. their heads) should be made to roll on the ground.
Fortune, hitherto, declared herself in favour of the orthodox army; but night coming on, and the atmosphere becoming dark and cloudy, both sides retired from the conflict for the night. Several of the Musselman veterans threw down their burdens on the spot, and waited with cheerfulness of mind for a renewal of the contest. Others, however, pitched their tents and went to rest. But, in fact, such was the tumult and confusion altogether, that the greater part of the cavalry chose to rest all night in their saddles. The sentinels were every where placed, and silence at length ensued, till the following morning when the battle was renewed.
The Battle of the second Day.—The Defeat of the Enemy.
The morning at length arrived. It was the 5th of the month, and the day of the Sabbath (Saturday). His imperial majesty was on horseback by daylight; the drums were ordered to beat; the victorious troops were arranged in proper order; and, placing their confidence in God, they advanced with boldness to meet the enemy of their religion. They perceived that none of the enemy occupied the position where the church, which yesterday afforded them shelter, stood, but that a great number of them had concentrated themselves near a church on the plain, about half a league distant from the left ford, finding it impracticable to defend the other fords. The orthodox army, like the raging sea, rushed forward, crossed the river, and prepared to attack their fortifications: the Janissaries put their hands to their muskets; the field-pieces were properly stationed, and each man stood in his place ready to commence at the first signal. The emperor himself did not cross the river, but remained in a tent which was erected for him on the bank. Jaghaleh Zádeh, who commanded the Cherkajís or vanguard, took up his position immediately in front of the enemy.
Notwithstanding all this hostile attitude in which the Moslem, the orthodox troops, arrayed themselves before their enemies, they, singularly enough, never once showed their faces till about mid-day, though in fact they had made every preparation. Suddenly, however, about that time of the day, their foot soldiery came pouring forth in chariots, and after them the iron-cased dragoons, troop after troop, to the amount in all of fifteen or sixteen thousand, and formed, as it were, an irresistible barrier. Their field-pieces were placed in the most excellent order. At every step almost they fired their muskets and discharged their cannon, and continued advancing on the Moslem army like a horde of swine, whom even Rustam and Zál5 would hardly think of resisting. Their columns resembled mountains of iron, and their lines seemed incapable of being broken. The right wing of the Moslems gave way, and were thrown into confusion: the left, composed of the household troops, after making a mighty and heroic resistance, was overpowered, when the enemy forced their way to the Moslem side of the marsh. At this moment of vehement struggle and impetuous movement, the Tátár troops advanced and supported their chief Fateh Gheráí, and thus checked, in some degree, the progress of the enemy. That part of the enemy which had succeeded in throwing the right wing into confusion made a strong effort to reach the royal tent, and was only restrained for a short time by the Romeilian troops, brought up by Hasan Páshá, who with the utmost celerity attacked them in the rear, but was again repulsed by the briskness of the enemy’s fire. The Spáhís, weakened by the fatigue they had undergone, and hopeless of victory, were obliged to withdraw. The rest of the troops, perceiving the field thus clear of their companions in arms, conjectured at once that the emperor had fled, and therefore immediately turned about, some taking the road to Belgrade, some to Buda, and thus leaving the enemy complete masters of the field. The victorious enemy now commenced the work of spoliation: they entered the Moslem tents and laid their hands on every thing which came in their way. Five thousand of these wretches came within bow-shot of the emperor’s sejada, or prayer-carpet, when the most desperate struggle ensued. Musselman and Káfir, laying aside their muskets, betook themselves to their swords, and fell to cutting and slashing each other with the most deadly animosity. The vezírs and nobles rallied round his majesty’s person, and defended him with the most heroic bravery; and when some of the execrated wretches endeavoured to cut the cords of the royal tent, the ághás who were within it rushed out and slew them. It was a period which might be called an antetype of the day of the resurrection, wherein these Moslems, a mere handful, evinced