Letter from Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to Emperor Rudolf II, Constantinople, 10-18 May 1577

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-i Beç Ḳrālı İkinci Rudolfū Ḳrāl ḫutimet ʿavāḳibühū bi’l-ḫayr dostluġa lāyıḳ olan vüfūr duʿālar ve s̱enālar taḳdīm olınduḳdan ṣoñra inhā-yi muḥibbāne budur ki şimdiki ḥālde rubʿ-ı meskūn-i pādişāhīde ʿizzetlü ve saʿādetlü Pādişāhımuz eʿazzullāhu enṣārahu ve żaʿafa iḳtidārehū ḥażretlerinüñ āsitāne-i saʿādet-ʿunvān u behcet-ās̱ārları ki melceʾ-i selāṭīn-i evreng-nişīn ve melāẕ-ı ḫavāḳīn-i ʿizzet-temkīndür bundan aḳdem ābāʾ-yı kirām ve ecdād-ı ʿiẓāmları zamānlarından berü sizüñ ecdādıñuz ve babañuz itdükleri üzere sizüñ daḫı reʿāyā ve memleketüñüze merḥameten ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ ḫuṣūṣına rıżāñuz olmaġla bundan aḳdem nāme-i mürüvvet-şiʿār ve ṣadāḳat-dīs̱āruñuz ile mustaḳil ādemüñüz gelüb ʿahd ü emān ve ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ emri istircā olınmış idi saʿādetlü pādişāh-ı gerdūn-vaḳār ḥażretlerinüñ südde-i seniyye-i salṭanat-dīs̱ārları bir ʿaẓīm ve dūd-mān-ı ḫusrevānedür ki kimesnenüñ gelüb gitmesüne menʿ ve reddleri olmaduġından mā-ʿadā ḫuluṣ-ı niyyet ve ṣafā-ı ṭaviyyet ile iẓhār-ı muvālāt ve muṣāfāt idenlerüñ ricāları ve merām ü maḳṣūdları redd olınmayub ʿizz-i ḥużūr-ı fāʾiże alınur ve müstevcibü’l-ḥubūr-i şāhānelerinde ḫāʾīz-i ḳabūlde vāḳiʿ olub āsūde-ḥāl ve müreffehü’l-aḥvāl olagelmeleri ḳāʿide-i ḳadīme-i şāhāneleri olduġına bināʾen sizüñ cānibiñüzden daḫı ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ ḫuṣūṣı içün vāḳiʿ olan ricā ve iltimāsuñuz maḳbūl-ı hümāyūnları olmaġın babañuz zamānında olageldügi üzere ve babañuza virilen ʿahd-nāme-i hümāyūnda mesṭūr olan şerāʿiṭ muḳteżāsınca sekiz yıla degin ʿahd ü mīs̱āḳ olınub ol bābda mufaṣṣal ʿahd-nāme-i hümāyūnları iḥsān olınmışdı ḥālen südde-i seniyye-i ʿaẓamet- şiʿārlarına mektūb-ı mürüvvet-numūnuñuz vārid olub bizüm serḥaddımuzuñ ḫalḳı żabṭ olınur lākin sizüñ serḥadduñuzuñ ādemleri muttaṣıl daḫl ü tecāvüzden ḫālī degildür ḫuṣūṣen Kikūnām ḳalʿayı yaḳub ḫarāb idüb ve Istolnī Belġrād ʿaskeri daḫı Yānuh ve Saint Vāriye nām ḳalʿalar mā-beyninden ve sāʾīr serḥadde ḳarīb olan ḳurā ve nevāḥīden ve varoşdan küllī ādem alınub ve ṭavār sürilüb ve esbābı ġāret olınub teʿaddī ve tecāvüz olınmışdur deyü bildirmişsiz eyle ola sizüñ cānibiñüze ḫafī ve mestūr olmaya ki devletlü ve saʿādetlü Pādişāhımuz ḥażretleri ile münʿakid olan ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ ve ʿahd ü emānuñ ibtidāsından bu zamāna degin serḥadda olan ḥākimlerine ve sāʾīr ʿasker ḫalḳına defʿāt ile müʾekked aḥkām-ı şerīfleri gönderilüb mādām ki sizüñ ṭarafuñuzdan memālīk-i maḥrūseye daḫl ü tecāvüz olınmaya bu cānibden daḫı ḫilāf-ı ʿahd daḫl itmeyüb ḳāʿide-i ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa riʿāyet eyleyesüz diyü muḥkem tenbīh ve teʾkīd olınmışdur ḫuṣūṣen serḥadda olan baʿzı begler daḫı ṣulḥa muġāyir vażʿ itmek iḥtimālinden tebdīl olınub āḫar sancaġa gönderilmişdür bu taḳdīrce ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥuñ ḫilāfı bu cānibden mi olur mādām ki sizüñ ṭarafuñuzdan memālīk-i maḥrūse-i şehinşāhīye tecāvüz olınmaya bu cānibden daḫı naḳż-ı ʿahd olur ḫuṣūṣ irtikāb olınmayub ḳāʿide-i ṣulḥa riʿāyet iderler her ne ḳadar ki sizüñ serḥaddıñuza daḫl olınur ibtidāsı girü sizüñ cānibüñüzden olub bu cānibden olan tecāvüz żarūrī icāb ider ol cānibüñ itdükleri teʿaddī ve tecāvüz teẕekkür olınmayub anlar setr olınub daḫı dāʾimā bu cānibe isnād olınmaḳ münāsib degildür maʿa-hāẕā ki muḳaddemā ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ ḫuṣūṣı muḳarrer olub nāme-i hümāyūn-ı ʿizzet-nişān-ı ḫāḳānī virüldüḳden ṣoñra Fülek Begi iken fevt olan Ḥasan Begün üç nefer ḥāfıẓ oġlanları ve baʿżı at ve esbāb ve ādemleri alınub ve ḥiṣār bināsına memālīk-i maḥrūse reʿāyāsından ādem sürilüb ve memleket ġāretiyçün pütre çıḳarub teʿaddī ve tecāvüz olınmaḳ ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa muġāyir vażʿ degil midür eger bu ḫuṣūṣdan bizüm ḫaberimüz āgāhımuz yoḳdur serḥadda olan ḫalḳ itmişlerdür diyü cevāb virilürse serḥadduñuzuñ ḥıfẓ ü ḥırāsetden nevʿan ihmāl ve müsāheleñüz olmaḳ lāzım gelir siz serḥadduñuz aḥvāline muḳayyed olmayub ẓabṭ ve ṣıyānet itmeyince bizüm serḥaddımuzda olan cünūd-ı muvaḥḥidīn ve ʿasākir-i nuṣret-temkīn ne vechle ẓabṭ olınur elbette cibilletlerinde mużmer olan vüfūr-ı celādet ve şehāmetlerin ve dīn bābında olan ġayret ve ḥaşmetlerin iẓhār itmek isterler ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥdan murād ṭarafeynüñ ehl-i fesādı ẓabṭ olınub reʿāyāsı āsūde olmaḳdur reʿāyā āsūde olmayub cānibeynden daḫl ü tecāvüz olacaḳ ʿahd ü emān ve ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ ne-vechle riʿāyet olınur şimdiye degin müşārün ileyhüñ oġlanları ve ṭavar ve esbābları ve ādemleri gönderilmemek ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa münāfī degil midür bu ana degin teʾḫīr olınub gönderilmedüginden ġayrı muḳaddemā gendüye daḫı ādemiñüz gönderüb niçe dürlü ʿöẕürler beyān idüb gendü cānibüñüzden olmayub olduġına daḫı rāżı olmaduġıñuz içün alınan ādem ve ṭavar ehl-i fesādıñ ellerinden alınub bi’t-tamām gönderildügin ve ehli-fesāduñ ḥaḳḳlarından geldügiñüz iʿlām itmek gerek idi henūz daḫı gönderilmeyüb ihmāl olınmışdur bu taḳdīrceʿahd ü emān niçe riʿāyet olına eyle olsa mektūb-ı vidād vuṣūl bulduḳda fī’l-vāḳiʿ saʿādetlü Pādişāhımuz ḥażretlerinüñ āsitāne-i saʿādetleri ṭarafı ile mā-beynde olan ʿahd ü emān ve ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ emrinde s̱ābit-ḳadem olub naḳż-ı ʿahde rıżāñuz olmazsa irsāl olınan nāme-i ʿizzet-ḫitāme-i şehinşāhī mūcebince serḥadda olan ehl-i fesāda oñat vechle ẓabṭ ü ḥıfẓ eyleyüb memālīk-i maḥrūse-i pādişāhīye ḫilāf-ı ʿahd ü emān daḫl ü tecāvüz itdürilmeyüb ḳāʿide-i ṣulḥı dāʾimā merʿī ve muḥterem ve müstaḥkem ṭutub ḫilāfına cevāz göstermeyesiz ve teʾḫīr itdirülmeyüb müteveffā müşārün ileyhiñ alınan oġlanları ve atları ve sāʾīr ṭavar ve esbābları gönderilüb ve min-baʿd ḥiṣār bināsına bizüm serḥaddımuz reʿāyāsına daḫl u taʿarruż olınmayub ve ġāret ve ḫasāret içün pütre çıḳarmayub ve dāʾimā şerāʿīṭ-i ʿahde riʿāyet eyleyesiz inşā’allāh bu cānibden daḫı aṣlā ḫilāfına rıżā virilmeyüb ḳāʿide-i ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ dāʾimā merʿī ṭutılur taḥrīren fī evāḫir-i şehri Ṣaferü’l-muẓaffer sene ḫams ve sitte ve tisʿa-miʾe Be-medīne-i Ḳosṭanṭiniyye el-maḥrūse el-maḥmiyye Bundan aḳdem Bosna serḥaddında alınan Zīn ve Būjīn nām ḳalʿalaruñ reddi veyā hedmi ḫuṣūṣı iʿlām olınmışdı maʿlūmuñuz ola ki bir ḳalʿa ki ehl-i İslāmuñ ẓabṭına daḫil olub içinde mescid iḳāmet olınduḳdan ṣoñra ānuñ reddine ve hedmine āyīn-i İslāmda bir ṭarīḳ olmamaġın bu bābda olan iltimāsıñuz ḳābūle ḳarīn olmamışdur ammā inşāʾ-allāh min-baʿd serḥad memleketinde daḫl ü tecāvuz olınmaya diyü muḥkem tenbīh ve teʾkīd olınmışdur ümīzdür ki geregi gibi cānibeynden ḳavāʿid-i ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ riʿāyet olına ṣaḥḥ

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 king of the province of Vienna, King Rudolph II – may he end his days propitiously. Following the presentation of abundance of prayers and praises worthy of friendship, here is the friendly communication: You informed us that, as the honorable ancestors and esteemed forefathers of His Majesty and your ancestors and father have done, you also consent out of mercy to your subjects and country, in the current state of affairs, to peace and amity with our honorable and prosperous Ruler – may God glorify his supporters and multiply his power – whose felicitous and joyful court is the refuge of enthroned sultans and the shelter of honorable and dignified rulers. Previously, you sent an agent who brought your generous letter displaying your loyalty and declaring your desire to conclude a treaty and have peace and amity. The imperial presence of our exalted and majesticRuler,who is as dignified as the heavens, is a great and royal residence, to which no one is forbidden or denied entry. The requests and desires of those who display their loyalty and pure intentions and demonstrate friendship and amity are not rejected. It has been a long-standing royal custom to accept those requests to the brilliant glorious shadow of the imperial excellence so that they may be approved at the imperial presence, impelling happiness, and those who submitted them may live in peace and comfort. Accordingly, the request and petition submitted by you about the renewal of peace and amity has been accepted by his majesty. As in your father’s time and per the terms of the imperial letter of agreement granted to him, an elaborate imperial letter of agreement was issued which will be valid for eight years. Your generous letter was delivered to the lofty and august threshold. You reported the following in it: “The people living on our borderlands are under control, but your people always commit border violations and transgressions. They burned and destroyed the Kiku Fortress. Troops from Székesfehérvár raided the area between Jánosháza and Szentgyörgyvár and other villages, suburbs, and settlements along the frontier and captured men, driving away their herds and plundering their goods. It should not be a secret to you that ever since the peace and treaty was concluded with His Majesty, our most excellent and prosperous Ruler, firm imperial orders have been repeatedly sent to the governors in charge of the borderlands and to the troops under their command urging them not to violate the peace, unless there were no border violations into the well-protected lands and transgressions by your side. They have been firmly warned that they should observe the terms of the peace and treaty. Indeed, some border commanders were appointed to other territories (sanjaks) for they were suspected of acting contrary to the peace. In this case, is our side still responsible for the violations of peace and amity? If there are no transgressions into the well-protected imperial dominions from your side, there will be no acts contrary to peace from our side and our people will observe the terms of peace. Whenever there is a border crossing into your territory by our people, the initial provocation originates from your side, making transgressions from our side compulsory. It is inappropriate not to mention transgressions and excesses committed by your side and to conceal them, while always attributing them to our side. Now, [we ask you:] after the initial establishment of peace and amity and the bestowal of the imperial letter of honor, isn’t it contrary to peace to take the three guardsmen of Hasan Beg – who died as the commander of Fiľakovo – and to take his goods and servicemen, to force the subjects of the well-protected dominions to work in fortress construction, and to gather troops from among people to plunder, and, in this way, to commit transgressions and excesses? If you respond, saying “we do not know of these incidents; they were carried out by the inhabitants of the frontier,” then you are neglecting the protection and control of your borders and being tolerant to your folk along the frontier. How are we supposed to hold back our forces who act in unity and prudently rely on God’s help? Indeed, they wish to demonstrate the abundant courage and valor embedded in their nature and show their religious zeal and grandeur in the service of religion. The purpose of peace and amity is the curb troublemakers and ensure the tranquility of subjects on both sides. If the subjects are not at peace and there is interference and transgressions from both sides, how can the agreements, treaties, and peace and amity be upheld? Is it not contrary to peace and amity that the guardsmen, herd, and goods of the aforesaid [Hasan beg] have not yet been returned? Until now, let alone delaying to return them, you should have previously sent him an agent and apologized to him, declaring that the perpetrators were not from your side. Besides, to show that you do not consent to what happened you must have taken the captured men and herds from the troublemakers, returned them completely, punished those troublemakers, and reported these to us. A letter is yet to be sent. It appears that the matter has been ignored. In this case, how can one still speak of adhering to the peace and treaty? Should the anticipated letter arrive now, our felicitous Ruler steadfastly adheres to the treaty, peace, and amity between the two sides. If you do not consent to treaty violations, as per the content of the imperial letter of honor, the troublemakers at the borders must be curbed and controlled decisively. They should not be permitted to cross the border into the well-protected domains and commit transgressions contrary to the agreement between us. The principles of peace must always be upheld and respected. Anything contrary to them shall not be tolerated. Without delay, you shall promptly return the guardsmen, horses, herds, and goods of the deceased [Hasan Beg]. From now on, you shall not force the subjects living within our borders to work in fortress construction, you shall not gather people for plunder and destruction, and you shall always adhere to the terms of the conditions of the treaty. God willing, there will be no violations on our side, and we will always uphold the principles of peace and amity. Written on the last third of the glorious month of Safar in the year 985. . At the well-protected and glorious city of Constantinople Previously, you wrote to us regarding the return or demolition of the fortresses named Cazin and Bojná, which took place on the Bosnian frontier. As you know, once a fortress has been captured by the people of Islam and a mosque has been established within it, there is no provision in Islamic law for its return or demolition. Therefore, your request on this matter was not accepted. However, God willing, we have sent firm warnings and instructions to ensure that there will be no further incursions and violations in the frontier territories. It is hoped that both sides will adhere properly to the terms of peace and reconciliation.