Letter from Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to Emperor Maximilian II, Constantinople, 27 July-5 August 1576

İftiḫārü’l ümerāi’l-ʿiẓāmi’l-ʿīseviyye muḫtārü’l-küberāi’l-fiḫāmi fīʾl-milleti’l-mesīḥiyye muṣliḥü meṣāliḥi cemāhīri’ṭ-ṭāifeti’n-naṣrāniyye ṣāḥibü eẕyāli’l-ḥaşmeti ve’l-veḳār ṣāḥibü delāyili’l-mecdi ve’l-iftiḫār vilāyet-iBeç ve Alāmān ve Nemçe İmparādorı Maksimilyānūş Ḳrāl ḫutimetʿavāḳibühū bi’l-ḫayr mā-beynde olan muṣāfāta lāyıḳ u sezā-vār olan ḫayr duʿālar ve s̱enālar taḳdīm olınduḳdan ṣoñra dostāne inhā olınur ki ʿizzetlü ve saʿādetlü pādişāhımuz eʿazz’alllāhu enṣārahū ve żāʿafa iḳtidārehū ḥażretlerinüñ āsitāne-i saʿādet-āşiyāneleri ile olan dostluġıñuz ve ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥıñuz ḫuṣūṣında çoḳluḳ saʿyımuz sebḳat idüb mā-beynde olan ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥuñ istiḥkāmı ve münʿaḳid olan ʿahd ü emānuñ ѕebātı emrinde ne ḳadar zaḥmet çekildügi maʿlūmuñuz olmışdur Şu elf-i eyyām ve sevābıḳ-ı aʿvāmdan ilā hāẕe’l-ān dūd-mān-ı salṭanat-ı ḳāḥireleri cānibine olan dostluḳ ve iḫtiṣāṣıñuz mūcebince ʿādet-i maʿhūdañuz üzere irsāl olınagelen virgüñüz vaḳti ve mevsimi ile gönderilmeyüb bu zamāna degin teʾḫīr olınduġı ʿahd ü emāna muḫālif olub saʿādetlü pādişāhımuz ḥażretlerinüñ ḳudret u ḳuvvetleri bi-ḥamdi’llāhi’l-meliki’l-müteʿāl kemālde olub her ḳanġı cānibe teveccüh-i hümāyūnları olsa in-şāaʾllāhu teʿālā māniʿleri olmayub eṭrāf u cevānibde dostluḳ umūrunda ѕābit-ḳadem ü rāsiḫ-dem olan ekāsire-i rūzgār ve ḳıyāṣire-i nāmdārdan mā-beynlerinde münʿakid olduġı dostluḳ müddeʿāsınca virgüleri vaḳtinde ve mevsiminde gelmekle envāʿ-ı ʿināyāt-ı pādişāhīye maẓhar olub mādām ki gendüler cānibinden maʿhūd olan virgüleri vaḳtiyle getürilüb ve naḳż-ı ʿahd olur ḫuṣūṣa irtikāb olınmaya ʿaẓametlü pādişāhımuz ḥażretleri cānib-i şerīflerinde daḫı ḫilāfına rıżā-yı hümāyūnları olmaz ammā şöyle ki ḫilāf-ı ʿahd olur ḫuṣūṣ ṭaraf-ı āḫirden ẓuhūr eyleye ḥaḳḳ sübḥānehü ve teʿālā celle-ẕikrihü ḥażretlerinüñ ʿināyet-ı bī-ġāyeti ile aḥvāllerine muḳayyed olub dostluḳ emri ber-ṭaraf olub çoḳluḳ nedāmet çekilür eyle olsa eṭrāf u cevānibüñüzde dostluḳ ṣūretinde olan düşmānlaruñuz saʿādetlü pādişāhımuz ḥażretleriyle olan dostluġuñuzı istemezler ve her biri bir ṣūret ile ṭarіḳ-i iḫlāle sālik olurlar ve şimdiye degin ol maḳūle dostlardan ne ḳadar muʿāvenet olınub ve ne ḳadar fevāʾid ẓuhūr eyledügi maʿlūmuñuzdur südde-i saʿādette olan ilçiñüzüñ bu ḫuṣūṣa tamām maʿlūmı olmaġla irsāl olınagelen virgüñüz şimdiye degin teʾhīr olınduġına mużṭaribü’l-ḥāl olub ādem göndermege isticāze idüb ve bu cānibden mektūb göndermege iltimās itmegin pāye-i serīr-i saʿādet-maṣīr-i pādişāhīye ʿarż olınub ruḫṣat-ı icāzet-i hümāyūnla gönderilmişdür inşā’allāhu teʿālā varub vuṣūl bulduḳda bu bābda oñat mülāḥaẓa oluna ki dostluḳ ṣūretinde olanlar ki bī-tedbīr ilḳālarıyla naḳż-ı ʿahd idüb mā-beynde olan bünyād-ı ittiḥād ḫalel-peẕīr olmaya dostluḳ esāsınuñ inhidāmı āsāndur ammā bir ṭarīḳle miḥnet olduḳdan ṣoñra istiḥkāmı ġāyetle müşkildür bu naṣīḥatdan murād mā-beynde ḳavāʿid-i ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥı dāʾimā merʿī itmekle bā‘is̱-i ẕikr-i cemīl olmaḳdur yoḫsa saʿādetlü pādişāhımuz ḥażretlerinüñ ʿasākir-i encüm-şumārları ve rāyāt-ı nuṣret-āyātları dāʾimā ḥāżir u āmāde olub ḳudret-i şevket ü ḳuvvet ü ṣalābeleri ne mertebe idügi ve vāridīn ve ṣādırīnden her-vechle maʿlūmuñuz olmışdur beyāna ihtiyāc yoḳdur ve el-ḥāleti hāzihi ʿizzetlü pādişāhımuz ḥażretlerinüñ fermān-ı şerīfleri ile vilāyet-i Lehe ḳrāl naṣb olınan iftiḫārü’l ümerāi’l milleti’l Mesīḥiyye İstefān Ḳrāl ḫutimet ʿavāḳibühū bi’l-ḫayr āsitāne-i saʿādet-āşiyānelerine mektūb gönderdüb fermān-ıʿālīşānları mūcebince vilāyet-i mezbūreye vāṣıl olub āyīnleri üzere ḳrāllıḳ tācı giyüb beyne’l-aḳrān ve’l-emѕāl mümtāz u ser-firāz olmaġla kemāl-i ḥıfẓ ü ḥirāset-i memleket ve żabṭ-ı ṣiyānet-i reʿāyā aḥvāline ve sāʾir memleket umūruna mecd-i sāʿy olub lākin baʿzı ehli fesād taḥrīk ü iġvāsı ile sizüñ ṭarafıñuzdan vilāyet-i Lehe tābiʿ baʿzı maḥalle żarar ḳaṣdında olduġıñuz işʿār eyledi eyle olsa saʿādetlü pādişāhımuz ḥażretleri ile mā-beyniñüzde ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ emri vāḳiʿ olub ʿahd-nāme-i hümāyūnların virdüklerinde Leh ve Erdel ḳrālları dāḫil ḳadīmden āsitāne-i saʿādet-ʿunvānlarıyla kemāl-i iṭāʿat ve ʿubūdiyyet üzere olub her ḫuṣūṣda fermān-ı hümāyūnları ile ʿamel idegelmegin ol vilāyetler dāḫil-i sāʾir memālīk-i maḥrūselerinden olmaġın bir ḳabża ḫākına daḫl ve tecāvüz olınduġına riżā-yı şerīfleri olmaduġı virilen ʿahd-nāme-i hümāyūnda ṣarāḥaten ḳayd olınduġına bināʾen ḥālā ḫāṣṣeten bu ḫuṣūṣ içün size nāme-i hümāyūn-ı ʿizzet-mürüvvetleri tesvīd olınub irsāl olınmuşdur bu bābda dāimen ḫilāf-ıʿahd iş olduġına ruḫṣat virilmeyüb ḳāʿide-i ṣulḥa ke-mā huve ḥaḳḳuhū riʿāyet eyleyesiz ki mā-beynde münʿakid olan ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥun tabāh olmasına sebeb olmayalar ve ḥālā cenāb-ı emāret-meāb ḫān ḥażretleri daḫı āsitāne-i saʿādet-medārlarına mektūb gönderüb yigirmi neferden ziyāde yarar oġullarum ḳulları irişmişdür her biri kemāl-i ʿubūdiyyet ve ṣadāḳat üzere uġur-ı hümāyūna bezl-i maḳdūr iderler diyü bize Budūn serḥaddında ʿināyet-i ʿaliyye-i pādişāhīden Segedin sancaġına ṣadaḳa olınmasına iltimās eylemişler lākin Tātār ṭāʾifesi cibilliyyetleründe merkūz olduġı üzere bir yerde ḳarār itmeyüb memleketi tālān ve tārāc itmeleri ʿadeti meʾlūfeleridür ol ṭarafa varduġı taḳdirce reʿāyā ne ḳadar ḥużūrda olacaġı maʿlūmıñuzdur aña bināʾen henūz daḫı ʿarż olınmayub teʾhīr ḳılmışdur ve’l-aṣl mā-beynde olınan dostluḳ umūrı kemā-kān icrā olunmaḳ murādıñuzla aṣlā teʾhīr ü tevaḳḳuf itmeyüb irsāl olınagelen virgüñüz bi’t-tamām gönderilüb iẓhār-ı muṣāfāt eyleyesiz ki bu ḫuṣūṣda ẓuhūra gelen fevāid sizüñ cānibiñüze ʿāid idügi aṣlā iştibāh olınmaya taḥrīren fī evāil-i şehr-i Cemāẕiye’l-evvel sene rābiʿ ve ѕemānīn ve tisʿa-miʾe Bi-medīnet-i Ḳosṭanṭiniyye el-maḥrūse

Laudable pride of the great commanders of Christendom, the elite of the illustrious magnates in the community of the Messiah, arbiter of the universal affairs of the community of the Nazarene, possessor of the trains of majesty and glory, possessor of manifestation of splendor and laudable pride, the emperor of the province of Vienna, Germany, and the Roman lands, King Maximilian – may he end his days propitiously. Following the presentation of prayers and praises worthy and deserving of the true friendship between us, here is the friendly communication: Our abundant efforts to secure your peace, friendship, and amity [between you] and the prosperous throne of his majesty, our honorable and prosperous Ruler – may God exalt and glorify his allies, and may God increase his power – have prevailed over [all else]. Now you are aware of the tenacity with which we strived to reinforce peace and friendship, and the preservation of agreements and treaties between us. Your tax, which has been regularly sent according to the established tradition from the earliest days to the present as a requirement of your friendship and utmost care with the mighty sultanate has not been sent in its time and season and the delay until now is contrary to peace and [our] treaty. By the grace of Almighty God, our fortunate Ruler, his majesty, possesses power and strength in perfection. In whichever side he directs his imperial attention, by the will of Almighty God, there is nothing to stand in front of him. On all sides and in all directions, many powerful Khusraws and famous Caesars who are steadfast and firm in matters of friendship send their taxes in its time and season, based on the claim of friendship established between them and the sultan. In return, they are granted various kinds of imperial favours. If they send the taxes promised by themselves on time and do not commit any action that would cause a breach of the treaty, likewise, our glorious sultan will not consent to any action that would violate the treaty. However, if any matter contrary to the treaty arises from any other party – by the endless grace of the praiseworthy God – the sultan will tend to their affairs and put aside friendship which will cause great regret. If that happens, your enemies around you who pretend to be friends will not want your friendship with his majesty, our prosperous Ruler and each of them will follow a different path to transgressions. By now, you should know how much help and benefit come from such friends. Your envoy at the threshold of felicity is well-informed about this issue and he suffers from the delay in the delivery of the tax you have been regularly paying. He asked for permission to dispatch an agent to you and also asked us to send a letter of our own. The matter was presented to the felicitous throne of our sultan who authorized the sending of the agent and a letter from us. When the agent and letter arrive, God willing, the matter should be treated in the best way possible; so that those who pretend to be friends, being left unattended, shall not violate the treaty and weaken the foundation of accord between us. It is easy to destroy the foundations of friendship, but once difficulties arise, it becomes immensely difficult to strengthen it. Our goal with this advice is that observing the pillars of peace and amity among us will be the basis of favorable view of each other. Otherwise, you must have certainly heard from those who come and go to your court that the troops of our majesties the prosperous sultan whose numbers reach the stars and his victorious banners are always ready and prepared. You must have likewise heard the extent of his power and glory and his might and harshness which do not require any explanation. Recently, a letter was sent to our prosperous court by King Stephen, the laudable pride of the great commanders of the community of the Messiah – may he end his days propitiously – who was appointed as king to the province of Poland with the noble decree and favor of our honorable ruler. As per the illustrious decree of his majesty, King Stephen arrived in that province and wore the crown according to their customs, gaining a distinguished and eminent status among his equals and peers. Then, he began to work diligently for the preservation and protection of the country and for the control and safeguarding of the subjects’ affairs as well as for other matters of the state. However, King Stephen reported that, incited and provoked by some troublemakers, there is an intention on your side to raid certain localities under the jurisdiction of the province of Poland. Now, if such attack happens, peace prevails for the moment between our esteemed sultan and your court. It has been recorded in the imperial decree that was bestowed upon you that, since old days, the provinces of Poland and Transylvania and their kings have always been in complete obedience and loyalty to the sultan’s benevolent authority and they acted in all matters in accordance with his decree. These provinces are one of the many other well-protected lands of the sultan, who will not consent to an intervention in or aggression on even an inch of its land. This matter has been explicitly recorded in the imperial letter of agreement. Specifically about this matter, a gracious and august imperial letter was penned and sent to you. In this regard, do not permit any act that is contrary to the treaty and observe the conditions of peace accordingly so that such acts may not disrupt the established peace and amity between us. Furthermore, his majesty the Tatar Khan keeps sending letters to our prosperous court, saying: “More than twenty capable young sons have now reached adulthood, their arms skilled in wielding swords. Each of them desires to serve the sultan with utmost loyalty and sincerity.” They write petitions to us for the Sanjak of Szeged to be granted to them from the sultan’s grace as an act of benevolence. However, restlessness is in the nature of the Tatars. They are unable to stay in one place and their habitual plundering and pillaging of a country is well-known. You know how comfortable the subjects could be once they get to those quarters. For that reason, their petition has not been presented to the sultan and delayed. In short, if you wish the friendship between us to continue as before, without delays or holding off, send your tax that has been regularly dispatched by you. In this way, show your true friendship and, thus, let there be no doubt that the benefits arising in this matter are thanks to your side. Written in the first third of the month of Jamadi ul Awwal in the year 984. At the well-protected city of Constantinople.