The Annals of the Turkish Empire: 1591 - 1659. Mustafa Naima
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Sa’d-ud-dín, was not wanting in his duty: he translated, explained, and enforced the following sentiment: “Victory is gained by patience, and after difficulty comes prosperity,” which was calculated both to console and tranquillize the afflicted monarch’s mind: he augured, also, a happy reverse.
The despicable but now triumphant infidels, thinking themselves perfectly secure from any further annoyance from the defeated Moslems, were intent only on acquiring spoil. God did not let them, however, escape without a mark of his signal vengeance. They dispersed themselves among the tents of the royal camp in search of booty, and thus became divided. Their minds were engrossed wholly in this way, and it so happened, by the providence of God, whilst fearlessly thus employed, that the grooms, cooks, muleteers, camel-drivers, grooms, and other servants which remained in the camp, perceiving the scattered condition of their vile visitors, seized, some on axes, some on knives, or whatever other weapon fell into their hands, and fell upon these regardless spoliators, and slew as many of them as they were able. This unlooked-for retaliation so terrified these robbers that they all fled, and never halted till they got beyond their own fortifications. The cry that the infidels were routed was now sounded, and spread like wildfire every where. The affrighted Moslems returned from their hiding-places and commenced pursuing the fugitives, and slew immense numbers of them. According to the most authentic accounts it appears, that in this pursuit the pursuing army, lately vanquished but now triumphant, killed no less than 100,000 of these infidels. The victory was most decisive: the fear of the Moslems so seized upon them that they fled in all directions. The Moslem pádisháh (emperor) was declared conqueror in the battle of Mehaj: his righteous cause triumphed, and the fame of Islamism and that of the Ottoman empire was raised to the highest renown. Never at any former period did any emperor, by so simple and so extraordinary a means, acquire so much glory. Some, however, have given a very different account of this battle.
The Defterdar (treasurer or recorder) Ibrahím Effendí, who himself was present in this war, relates it thus: On the morning of that day (i.e. on which the Moslems were defeated, but afterwards became conquerors, as above related), the Moslem army directed their movements towards the church situated near the lake; but finding the enemy had retreated within their fortifications they advanced, after having crossed the ford in that quarter, towards the enemy’s strong-hold, keeping their cannon in the rear. The enemy, keeping close within their fortifications, did not venture to show themselves till near mid-day, when they began to issue forth in multitudes. 1st. The German foot soldiers, all of them covered with mail and carrying arms. 2d. Another body of the same race covered with breast-plates of iron, carrying arms called muskets, which were capable of discharging ten, fifteen, or twenty drachms weight. 3d. A body of Hungarians, consisting of one hundred companies, each company amounting to five hundred men, on foot and carrying fire-arms. 4th. The Hungarian cavalry, whose display of standards and flags made them resemble a mountain covered with trees. Besides all these there were also Germans, Bohemians, Poles, and men of other nations, who were mounted on horses, and carrying some three, some four, some five Hungarian fire-arms. The whole of this immense army exceeded fifty divisions.
This immense number of troops is stated in the infidels’ own history of events belonging to the period referred to. The karals (kings) and dukes of different nations and states who aided the Emperor of Austria in this war, caused the number of their respective troops to be taken down, and the whole put together amounted to more than two hundred legions, besides another army which they say had not reached the field of battle. But to continue. The hostile divisions advanced, maintaining as they did so a constant fire of musketry and other fire-arms. Murád Páshá and the Bostánjí báshí, Alí Páshá, were sent to support Sinán Páshá; but the dreadful effect of the musketry was such that they found it impossible to withstand it, and therefore retraced their steps across the marsh, when they dispersed themselves through the fields. The enemy continued to press forward, with drums beating and the constant roar of cannon and of musketry, directly towards the royal camp. Hasan Páshá and his Romeilian troops were ordered to take up their position at the head of the ford on the right, and oppose them; but this effort proved ineffectual. The showers of musketry which were poured in amongst them prevented their maintaining their ground for a moment, and therefore they retired and joined the main body. The fearless and inconsiderate infidels no sooner reached the royal camp, though the Moslems were by no means broken and dispersed, than they recklessly gave themselves over to the work of spoliation and plunder. Two regiments of them made towards the imperial treasures, dispersed the Janissaries and Spáhís who had been appointed to guard them, drew out the coffers from the tent in which they were placed, threw down their cross-bearing banners, and began to dance for joy; but their joy was not of long duration.
These disastrous appearances altogether were truly afflicting, and to none did they appear more so than to Sa’d-ud-dín Effendí. He counselled his majesty to continue firm and to maintain his position. “Such is the state of matters at present,” said he to his majesty, “and such they frequently were in the days of your illustrious progenitors; but depend upon it,” continued the reverend prelate, “depend upon it, that by a Mohammedan miracle the Mohammedan people, God willing, will yet obtain the victory: keep up, therefore, sire, your spirits, and be of good courage.” It is related that the emperor was informed of the disasters which befell his army whilst he was sitting on horseback, and the reverend prelate standing at his stirrup, to whom he dictated a humble and earnest supplication, which the prelate offered up to God. The Germans have recorded that this prayer or supplication was heard.
Of the enemy’s entering the royal camp, and of their having given themselves over to the work of spoliation, we have already spoken. The enemy were astonished beyond bounds at the sight of the vast riches and wealth which the Osmánlí camp presented to their view. In fact, their eyes had never before seen such a quantity of wealth. In their thirst and greediness to acquire the valuables they every where saw around them, they forgot, or laid aside the art of war. The repulsed Moslems, seeing how their enemies were engaged, and watching their every motion, began to reflect how they might recover their property which their enemies were busily employed in appropriating to themselves. Just at this moment, and towards evening, an army raised up by God himself accomplished the destruction of these wretches. The grooms, cooks, and other menials who belonged to the camp, and who still remained in it, were roused to indignation. Some seized on axes, some on spades, or similar instruments, and fell, with undaunted fury, on the robbers, and slew many of them. The barbarians, by this circumstance, were panic-struck, and began to run away. The cry now resounded that the enemy had fled: the Moslems, who through fear had fled from the field of battle, returned at this exhilarating sound, fell with exasperated rage on the fugitives, and killed every one they were able to overtake. Not a few even of those of them who wore chains perished from fear and palpitation of heart. It may be affirmed, without incurring the charge of overstepping the bounds of truth, that fifty thousand of these hateful wretches fell by the edge of the sword. Very many of them stuck in the mud, and were there beheaded. Twenty thousand of their cavalry perished in one short hour on the right of the camp, by the heroic bravery of Sinán Páshá and his men. Vast numbers of them were drowned in the marsh. To complete their ruin, Fateh Gheráí, with his Tátár troops, pursued them even to their own fortifications, where they attempted to offer resistance, but again their courage failed them. They left all, and escaped only with their heads to the surrounding mountains. Ten thousand ducats, ninety-seven pieces of ordnance, with the whole of their magazines of powder, their mortars, their light guns, and in short, the whole of their arsenal fell into the conquerors’ hands. Thus did these wretches meet with retributive justice. To have slain so many in so short a period, it has been observed, could not have been the work of mere mortals. Those who were eye-witnesses, and who related these other facts, declared, that there was no comparison between the number who died in actual battle to the number that perished otherwise.
This victory was gained on the 5th of Rabia II., 1005 of the Hejirah.
The Premiership conferred on Jaghaleh Zádeh Sinán Páshá.
After having finally defeated and put to flight the enemy, as above related, Jaghaleh happened to reach