Title
Letter from Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to Emperor Maximilian II, Constantinople, 24 October-2 November 1576
creator
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha
archive
AT-OeStA/HHStA Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv
Collection
AT-OeStA/HHStA UR TUK 179 R
Edition  
Nilab Saeedi, Michael Vogelsberger
data modeling 
Jakob Sonnberger, Stephan Kurz
Proofreading of English translation 
Samuel Huckleberry
project lead 
Yasir Yılmaz
Abstract
Sokollu Mehmed Pasha responds to Rudolf II, first recapitulating Rudolf’s extensive complaints. Rudolf expresses grievances about Muslim raids and the capture of several castles, which led him to withhold the regular tribute. He intends to resume the tribute once the raids cease and the castles are returned. Regarding Poland and Transylvania, Rudolf assures that the grand vizier has nothing to fear; a military assembly in Germany is focused on the war in France and the Netherlands. The grand vizier counters that the unrest originated from Habsburg territory, necessitating a response from Muslim soldiers, who consequently seized some castles. He also complains about Habsburg soldiers committing arson, abducting sheep, and taking Muslim prisoners, noting that even Christian prisoners admitted that their commanders ordered the raids and looting. Additionally, he criticizes that Gáspár Bekes was not properly punished and reports that the voivode of Transylvania preemptively occupied the castle of Husst and that Mustafa Pasha of Buda has also captured some castles belonging to the rebellious son of Jánoš Balassa. The emperor is advised not to heed the German princes, who would not assist him in times of need, but to instead maintain strong border control. With the assurance that the tribute will be sent, the peace can be reaffirmed, and Habsburg border commanders should be instructed not to break it under any circumstances.
Keywords
tribute wd:748289, border area wd:4944632, peace wd:454, castle wd:23413, prisoner wd:1862087, kidnapping wd:318296, livestock wd:103459, sheep wd:7368
Suggested citation
Letter from Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to Emperor Maximilian II, Constantinople, 24 October-2 November 1576, edition: Nilab Saeedi, Michael Vogelsberger, data modeling: Jakob Sonnberger, Stephan Kurz, in: The Ottoman Grand Vizierate 1560s to 1760s, project lead: Yasir Yılmaz (Digital Scholarly Edition of Habsburg-Ottoman Diplomatic Sources 1500–1918, project lead: Arno Strohmeyer, Project 6), Vienna 2025.
Available online : https://gams.uni-graz.at/o:graviz.smp.l.15761024
permalink/handle: hdl:11471/1020.70.43
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