Letter from Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to Emperor Maximilian II, Constantinople, 21-30 April (1 May) 1567 Großwesir Sokollu Mehmed Pascha an Kaiser Maximilian II., Konstantinopel, 21. bis 30. April (1. May) 1567 Vezir-i Azam Sokollu Mehmed Paşa’nın İmparator II. Maximilian’a mektubu, Kostantiniyye, 21-30 Nisan (1 Mayıs) 1567 Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Edition Nilab Saeedi Michael Vogelsberger Yasir Yılmaz Datenmodellierung data modeling Jakob Sonnberger Stephan Kurz Korrektur der osmanischen Transkription Proofreading of Ottoman transcription Ercan Akyol Korrektur der lat. Transkription Proofreading of Latin transcription Patrik Paštrnák Austrian Science Fund Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung https://ror.org/013tf3c58 https://d-nb.info/gnd/2054142-9 P36216 10.55776/P36216
Austria Vienna Österreichischer Wissenschaftsfonds FWF Georg-Coch-Platz 2 1010 Wien
Austrian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Habsburg and Balkan Studies Institut für Digitale Geisteswissenschaften, Universität Graz GAMS – Geisteswissenschaftliches Asset Management System Vienna 2025 Metadata in //teiHeader (except //abstract) is under public domain CC0. Abstracts, transcriptions and annotations in //abstract and //text are licensed under the terms of the Creative-Commons-License CC BY 4.0

Project partners have granted the Institute for Habsburg and Balkan Studies of the Austrian Academy of Sciences permission to publish facsimile data within the QhoD project. Employees of this publically funded institution took images of archival sources or collected digitized items, and created descriptive metadata. The contents of the archival sources are not subject to copyright restrictions under Austrian law (Urheberrechtsgesetz), as the creators both of their ideal contents and their documentary material objects passed away more than 70 years ago (§§60-61 UrhG), and these materials are considered documents for official use (§7 UrhG). However, QhoD cannot grant any licence on the image data. You may contact the archives listed in tei:sourceDesc for further information.

Die Partner des Projekts haben dem Institute for Habsburg and Balkan Studies der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften die Erlaubnis erteilt, Faksimiledaten im Rahmen des QhoD-Projekts zu veröffentlichen. Angestellte dieser öffentlich finanzierten Institution haben Bilder der Archivquellen erstellt oder gesammelt sowie deskriptive Metadaten erstellt. Die Inhalte der Quellen sind nach dem österreichischen Urheberrechtsgesetz nicht geschützt, nachdem die SchöpferInnen der Werke wie auch ihrer materiellen Träger jedenfalls vor mehr als 70 Jahren verstorben sind (§§60-61 UrhG); weiters sind diese Quellen überwiegend zum amtlichen Gebrauch hergestellt und genießen damit keinen urheberrechtlichen Schutz (§7 UrhG). QhoD kann jedoch keine Lizenz auf die Bilddaten erteilen. Kontaktieren Sie die im tei:sourceDesc-Element gelisteten Archive für weitere Auskünfte.

 o:graviz.smp.l.15670421 The Ottoman Grand Vizierate 1560s to 1760s GraViz: Das osmanische Großwesirat (1560-1760) Projektleitung project lead Yasir Yılmaz Digitale Edition von Quellen zur habsburgisch-osmanischen Diplomatie 1500–1918 Digital Scholarly Edition of Habsburg-Ottoman Diplomatic Sources 1500–1918 Habsburg-Osmanlı Diplomasisi Kaynakları Dijital Edisyonu 1500–1918 Projektleitung project lead Arno Strohmeyer AT-OeStA/HHStA Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv AT-OeStA/HHStA UR TUK 121

partly in Türkische Urkunden (outside boxes) 4, partly in Türkische Urkunden 2-1

Latin (TUK 2-1; pp. 3-5)

 Petritsch, Ernst: Regesten der Osmanischen Dokumente im Österreichischen Staatsarchiv, Bd.1 1480-1574, Wien 1991 (=Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs Ergänzungsband 10/1)

The letter, addressed to King Maximilian, emphasises mutual sincerity and the desire for peace between the Habsburg and Ottoman empires. It acknowledges the receipt of Maximilian’s letters and envoys and the Ottoman sultan’s understanding and appreciation of the matters discussed, which are consistent with the honour of both religion and state. The sultan has taken steps to promote peace, including the cessation of military action and the issuance of orders to avoid conflict. The letter stresses the importance of mutual trust and the return of captured territories to strengthen peace. It also notes that three Ottoman beys have been captured by Maximilian’s forces and that the sultan, in a show of goodwill, has ordered their release if true friendship is desired. The letter ends with an appeal to Maximilian to continue to support efforts towards true and mutual friendship.

 Sokollu Mehmed Pasha 974.10.11-20 Maximilian II Ottoman Turkish English Latin peace conflict friendship liberation territory

Transcription follows the rules of the vipa project available at https://qhod.net/o:vipa.trns.

 GraViz: Das osmanische Großwesirat (1560-1760) Letters Letters from the Sokollu Mehmed Pasha (1565-1579) period Online Edition von Quellen zur habsburgisch-osmanischen Diplomatie (1500-1918)

Project description
1567; d. 1t. Mai; Kostant(?) Traductio literarum quas scribit dominus et dominus Mehemeth Passa supremus passa vesir et consiliarius locumtenensque totius imperii et gener potentissimi imperatoris Turcharum etc. serenissimo ac ilustrissimo domino domino Maximiliano imporatori Romanorum etc.

Inter famosissimos ac illustrissimos potentissimos etiam Christianorum principes piu serenissimo potentissimo ac illustrissimo Romanorum ac potentatum omnium Christianorum imperatori Maximiliano domino et regi excellentissimo Allamanorum, cui Deus concedat perpetuo feliciter agere, post amicabilem et intimam salutationem integritate animi excelse imperiali M.ti V.rae amicabiliter notum sit, qualiter in potentissimi invictissimi monarchi moderni mundi domini nostri clementissimi, mihi etiam amicabiliter in signum benavolentiae per veredarium homines ministrum que excelse regie M.is V.rae traditae fuerunt literae.

Quibus claro optando nos admonuistis, ut studium operam pro virili mea nihil spernando praestare vellem. In iniciata ante ea communi pace et tranquillitate, quam magnopere ad bonum et perfectum finem perduci procurando optandoque significavistis, in quo negocio omnia quacunque notificavit excelsa regia M. V. sincero animo aperte comprehendimus, etiam excelsam regiam M.tam V.ram certiorem facere volumus, quod id quodcunque fide religione licitum honori, reputationi etiam altissimi potentissimi imperatori nostro dignum ac fieri possibile esse tibi proculdubio sincero et potentissimo animo acinctata manu e collecta veste exequi paratissimus sum, sicut nunc etiam, interventu harum literarum amicabile officium prestavimus penes potentissimo invictissimo nostro imperatore taliter quod in plenum satisfactum fuit, votis M.is V.rae meaque desiderio:

Et quia non solum copie et exercitus militum Turcarum quod terram mareque obumbrat et circumdat, tanquam procellosum et fluctuosum mare, iam in sublime allatum erat, sed etiam commendatum erat maximo Tartarorum chano ut personaliter cum quatuor centum millia Tartarorum more locustarum, ut omnia vastarent et funditus subverterent, cuius tempestiosa elacio prudenti consilio amicabilique delatione temperamento etiam literarum excelsae regiae M.tis V.rae nostroque studio in praesens moderata est, omnibus etiam confinium gubernatoribus iterum de novo ex parte altitudinis potentissimi imperatoris nostri mandata prohibendo misimus, ne ulla molestia confiniis excelsae M. V. affligant, donec oratore M.tis V.rae non venirent et responsum haberent, et ut omnino et interim ab armis desistant, verum tamen proculdubio non obscurum est, regie M.tis V.rae, quod vir ille qui negocium magni momenti non absque pluribus adversariis, aut qui cum diversa appendentibus negocia vel rem aliquam sit tractaturus, maxime cuiuscunque blasphemiae et querelas vitari cupiens, nisi iusta et debita occasione velut scuto munitus fuerit, quo se et amicos ab istis adversariorum legitime tueri possit, non solum absque culpa erit, sed etiam rem ad bonum et desideratum finem producere non poterit.

Itaque legitima principalisque occasio ad confirmandam hanc iniciatam deliberatamque pacem et communem tranquillitatem meo iudicio, hoc est, ut a nonnullis castelliolis absistatur. Qua de re multa collocuti fuimus cum domino oratore M.tis V.rae praesidente in potentissima aula imperatoris, dominique nostri invictissimi, verum est quod etiam si aliter concludi possit, nihilominus nunquam firma et permanens esse potest, propter malevolos detrectatores qui undique huic rei obviantes omnia perturbabunt, quemadmodum ante ea non pauci principes et magnatissimi etiam domini non invenientes meliorem nec salubriorem viam atque in castris & ditionibus eorum pro libertate beneficio tranquillitatisque subditorum quiete usi fuerunt, hoc remedio, utinam ex nostra parte tali consilio ad executionem deduci possit, ut tandem universo orbe genus humanum leticia fructuque pacis perpetuo frui possit. Et eo maxime, quia non alienum ab amicitia quin immo necessarium amicum amico morem gerere, et mutuo sibi invicem complacere.

Quamobrem elapso anno ex nostris fueruent capti tres subditi. Cum allate fuerunt literae regiae M.tis V.rae de earum tenore penes nostrum invictissimum imperatorem sermonem habuissem, responsum mihi ab altitudine sua fuit, ut libertatem dictorum sanziachorum gratia ab excellentissima regia M. V. peterem, et dixitque quod prout literae sonant se pacem corde animo appetitur eos non negabit, nos quoque vice eorum captivos nonnullos libenter condonabimus, taliter ut reciproca condonatione fundamentum et inicium capiat amicitia nostra, qua de re etiam cum praenominato domino oratore excelsae regie M.tis V.rae collocuti fuimus, non dubitantes regiam majestatem vestram signum daturam aequitatis et integritatis animi sui in corroboratione inchoatae amicitiae, et nos prosequemur in eiusdem reciproca confirmatione, taliter ut fructus praefatae amicitiae hoc principio manifestetur, interim ego etiam coram potentissimo et invictissimo nostro imperatore omnem occasionem que ad pacem corroborandam attineat proponere non gravabit. Et in faelicem finem et effectum cum hoc amicabili principio detinere integro animo studebo, caeterum excelsae regiae M.tis V.rae consideranda relinquo. Bene regia M. V. valeat.

Datum Constantinopolim prima die Maii anno Domini millesimo quingentesimo sexagesimo septimo. Ex comissione illustrissimi ac magnifici domini Mehemet Passae. Per me Ibrahimum Begum traducte mutefarica sub assii ac supremus interpres aulae imperatoris Turcharum. (1567 1. März IV 21-30)

Translatio literarum latina Mehmeth Passae ad sacram caesaream M.tem die 1. Maii anno MDLXVII

Miḥrāb-u’s-selāṭīn-i fiḫām-ı ʿīseviyye Rīm ḫalḳınuñ ve cemīʿ-i eḳvām-ı naṣārānuñ imparādorı ve ḳrālı ḥażret-i Maksimilyānūş Ḳrāl ḫutimet ʿavāḳibühū bi’l-ḫayr envāʿ-ı teḥāyā-yi muṣādaḳat-numūn iblāġından ṣoñra ber-mūceb-i muṣāfāt u muvālāt işʿār olınan oldur ki ḥāliyen evrāḳ ile südde-i saʿādet-āşiyān ṣavbuna irsāl olınan ādemleriyle bu ṭarafa daḫı mektūb-ı nevāziş-maṣḥūbuñuz gönderüb pādişāh-ı cihān-penāh ḥażretlerinden meʾmūl ü mesʾūl olınan ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥuñ mübāşeret ü itmāmında maḳdūrımuz mebẕūl ḳılınması āmāl-i şerīfiñüz olduġı işʿār ḳılınmış ol bābda her ne ẕikr ü inhā olınmış ise bi’t-tamām maʿlūm olub şol vażʿda ʿarż-ı dīn ü devlete ve nāmūs-ı saʿādete lāyıḳ u muṭābıḳ ola ḥaḳḳan budur ki ol bābda egi ittiklerimüz beyān olduġı ẓāhir üʿayān ola bu defʿa der-saʿādete vārid olan nāme-i muvālāt-ʿunvānıñuz pāye-i serīr-i saʿādet-maṣir-i şehriyārīye aḥsen-i taʿbīr ve eymen-i taḳrīr üzere ʿarż olınub ʿasākir-i İslām ki berr ü baḥri iḥāṭa eylemişdür emvāc-i deryā gibi ḫurūş u cūşda iken hüsn-i tebdīr ile tuhūra żuhūra getürdikleri esbāb-i muṣāfāt ü inḳiyād ü muvālāt ile mertebe-i iskāna teveccüh itdürildi ḥattā devlet- meʾāb-ı emāret-niṣāb-i cāh-i aʿẓam ḥażretlerine fermān-ı hümāyūn ki irsāl olındı dört kerre yüz biñ Tātār-ı ṣabā-reftār ile hücūm itmek buyurulmış iken anuñ yürümesi ḫuṣūṣında şitāb eylemeye taʿvīḳ içün tekrār emr buyuruldı serḥadd-i memālīk ḥükkām u żābiṭlerine ḫod ikinci defʿa evāmir-i pādişāhī yazılub gelecek ilçilere cevāb-ı müsteṭāb-ı pādişāhī vāṣıl olınca daġdaġa vü ceng ü cidāldan el çeküb durmaḳ içün muḥkem tenbīh olındı ve ḳrāl ḥażretlerinüñ żamīr-i şerīflerine düşenlerde teskīn-i şūr u fitne ḫidmetinde olanlaruñ ellerinde ālāt-i muṣāfāt ve esbāb-ı muvālāt ḥāżır ü müheyyā olınca her ne maḥallden fitne vü nifāḳ ẓuhūr eyleye ʿale’-l-fevr teskīn ve ʿilācı ḳābil ü mümkündür ve illā bünyān-ı ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ istiḥkāmına bāʿiѕ olıcaḳ bir ḳaç ḥiṣār ve ḳışlādan geçmek ehemm-i mühimmātdan olduġı bi’-l-fi’l südde-i saʿādetde olan ilçiñüze işrāb olınmuşdur çāḳ ol maṣlaḥat itmāma irişmeye ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa tezelzül virür niçe bed-hᵛāhlar ẓuhūr ider nitekim selāṭīn-i ʿāḳibet-bīn bu ʿilāc ile emn ü emān ḥiṣārlarına girüb memālīk ve reʿāyalarıyla āsūde-ḥāller olmaḳ içün niçe memleket vilāyetden ve ḳılāʿdan geçmişlerdür evvelā ki bu maʿnānuñ ẓuhūrı ol ṭarafdan daḫı vücūd bulup cemīʿ işler ve cünbüşler eyülüklere yüz duta ḫuṣūṣen muṣāfāt müddeʿāsında olan dostlar birbirine nevāziş ü mülāṭafat yöninden ḳażā-i ḥācet itmek lā-buddur eyle olsa geçenlerde üç beg giriftār olmuş-idi dostluḳ kelimātı pāye-i serīr-i aʿlā-ya ẕikr ü beyān olınduḳda devletlü ve saʿādetlü pādişāh-ı cem-cāh ḥażretleri ol begleri ṭaleb eylemek muvālāt ve muṣāfāta raġbet ve taḳviyyetleri olmuş ise anları iṭlāḳ ider ol ṭaraf esīrlerden daḫı murād olınur esīr var ise dirīġ olınmaduġın iʿlām olmaḳ bābında fermān-ı şerīfleri ẓāhir oldı bu ḫuṣūṣ daḫı mūmā-ileyh ilçiñüze işrāb olınmuşdur ḳrāl ḥażretlerinden meʾmūl ve melḥūẓ olan oldur ki esbāb-ı muṣāfātda her vechle bu ṭarafa taḳviyet virmege himmet olına tā ki pāye-i serīr-i saʿādet maṣir-i şehriyārīde murād olınduġı ḫidmetler ḫayrıla ẓuhūra getürilmekle ḳābil ola bāḳī ne dimek lāzımdur ḫutimet bi’l-ḫayr Be-maḳām-ı Ḳosṭanṭinīye
The niche of the great Christian sultans, the emperor and king of the Roman people and the whole of the Christian people, His Majesty King Maximilian – may he end his days propitiously; having communicated kind greetings that manifest mutual sincerity, the following is reported as per true and mutual friendship: You have recently sent your men with documents and your complimentary letters to the threshold of the house of felicity and you informed us of your noble desire from his majesty the sultan, who is the shelter of the world, to increase our efforts to initiate and conclude the peace and amity that is expected and desired. What has been mentioned and communicated about that matter is now completely comprehended by us; they conform to and they are worthy of the breadth of religion and state and the honor of the sultanic court. The right thing is that the goods we committed are evident and clear, as we [have previously] declared. This time, your letter declaring mutual confidence and reliance is presented with the best interpretation and the most fortunate words to the sultan’s felicitous foot of the throne. [Upon your letter] that conduces to reasons for true friendship and that declares mutual confidence and reliance, the troops of Islam – who surrounded the land and sea – have been reverted to a passive stance though they were full of excitement and enthusiasm like the waves of a sea. Moreover, an imperial edict has been dispatched to his majesty the[Tatar Khan], [possessor of] the most excellent and highest ranked proper rule. Although he was formerly commanded to attack with four hundred thousand swift-paced Tatars, he was again ordered not to hurry and delay their march. I myself have written an imperial command to the frontier governors and officers for a second time and firmly warned them to withhold from combat, turmoil, and dispute until they receive [a copy of] the sultan’s response to the envoys who will come [from Austria]. In this way, we illuminated the noble heart of his majesty the sultan. If those who struggle to calm the turmoil and disorder have at their disposal the instruments of true friendship and the means of mutual confidence and reliance readily available, it is feasible and possible for them to immediately calm and cure the disorder and enmity from whichever direction they arise. Nonetheless, we indicated to your envoy who is currently at our feliticous court that it is the most essential for important matters to relinquish several forts and barracks to strengthen the structure of peace and amity. If the affair is not resolved soon, many bad circumstances would appear that would harm peace and amity. Indeed with such solutions many foresighted sultans have entered the fortress of safety and security, ceding many lands, provinces and castles so that they be in s state of tranquility in their lands with their subjects. It is hoped that this idea will materialize on your side, too, and that all affairs and complications will take a turn for the better In particular, it is indispensable for those friends who claim mutual sincerity to perform necessary tasks of kindness and politeness to each other. Accordingly, when recently three [Ottoman] lords [begs] were captured [by you], upon the mentioning and expression of friendly words to the foot of the throne of excellence, His Majesty the most excellent and prosperoussultan, who is of the rank of Jamshid, issued an imperial edict and declared that if you have desire and support for true and mutual friendship, the begs would be released and that – if there are captives requested by you – they would not be withheld [by us]. The matter has been also communicated to your aforesaid envoy. It is hoped for and expected from His Majesty the King to support us and endeavor in all ways for the means of true friendship such that the affairs desired at the sultan’s felicitous foot of the throne would be also fulfilled favorably. What else should be said? May [all things] end propitiously. At the adobe of Constantinople