Letter from Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to Emperor Rudolf II, Constantinople, 22-31 December 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 Rudolfo Ḳrāl ḫutimet ʿavāḳibühū bi’l-ḫayr imparādorluġuñuza lāyıḳ ve sezāvār olan duʿālar ve s̱enālar taḳdīm ve temīm ḳılınduḳdan ṣoñra inhā-yı muḥibbāne budur ki ḥālen ʿizzetlü ve mürüvvetlü Pādişāhımuz eʿazzullāhu enṣārahu ve żāʿafa iḳtidārahū ḥażretlerünüñ dergāh-ı saʿādet-destgāh ve bārgāh-ı riʿfat- penāhları ki melceʾ-i ḫavāḳīn-i ḳaviyyü’l iḳtidār ve melāẕ-ı selāṭīn-i ālī-miḳdārdur nāme-i ṣadāḳat-üslūbuñuz vārid olub devletlü ve saʿādetlü Pādişāhumuz ḥażretleri ile mābeynlerinde olan ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ ve ʿahd ü emānuñuz mūcebince gönderilü-gelen virgüñüz ḥālen irsāl olınub lākin bir miḳdār teʿḫīr olınduġına baʿżı mevānīʿ beyān idüb ve gendü serḥadduñuz tamām żabṭ olınub ehl-i islām cānibi żabṭ olınmamaġla memleketimüze külli tecāvüz ve teʿaddī iderler diyü bildirmişsiz nāme-i meveddetüñüzde her ne ki taḳrīr ve taḥrīr ve ʿayān olınmuş ise mufaṣṣalan pāye-i serīr-i saʿādet-maṣīr-i pādişāhīye ʿarż olınub cümle aḥvālüñüz ʿilm-i şerīf-i ʿālem-şümūl-i ḫüsrevāneleri muḥīṭ ve şāmil olmaġla ol bābda ṣādır olınan fermān-ı hümāyūnları mūcebince lāzım olduġı üzere nāme-i hümāyūnları yazılub irsāl olındı ammā ol cānibe ḫafī ve mestūr olmaya ki ḥālen Ḳāşa ḳapudanı olan Yānoş nām müfsidüñ ḳarındaşı olub Tuḳāy ḳapūdānı olan Ḳārlorūiz nām ehl-i fesād biñden ziyāde atlu kāfir gönderüb Ṣolnoḳ serḥaddına żarar ḳaṣdına geldüklerinde ʿasker-i İslām-ı felāḥ-fercām ile muḳābele idüb serdārları ele girüb ve Ḳāşa ḳapudanunuñ ḳız ḳarındaşı oġlunuñ başı kesilüb dergāh-ı saʿādet ve destgāh-ı pādişāhīye gönderilüb ele girüb bile kalan kefereden ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa muġāyir bu aṣl-ı fesād ve şenāʿata cürʾet itmeñüzüñ aṣlı nedir diyü suʾāl olınduḳda serḥadda olan beglerümüz maʿrifeti ile gelüb fesāda mübāşeret iderüz ḫuṣūṣen Segedīne tābiʿ Ṣupotġa nāḥiyesinden ve ġayrından dört yüz reʾs ṭavar sürüb ve Ṭolnadan Budūna giden yolcılardan ḫaylī ādem alub ve Ḳuḳmāz palanḳasunuñ varoşunda olan kārbān-sarāyı ḫaylī kāfir alay bayraġıyla baṣub ṭaşrada bulınan müslümānlaruñ altı neferin diri alub bir neferi şehīd olmışdur ve Sirem sancaġında Dükīn nām tekyenüñ şeyḫün alub ve Sirem cezīresinde defter emīnünüñ bir nefer yoldaşın şehīd idüb ve Peşte ḳalʿası ḳurbında Sefer nām zaʿīmüñ dört nefer yoldaşın ḳatl idüb sekiz reʾs atın ve cümle esbābın alub gidüb ve Egri nām ḫarbī ḳalʿanuñ ve ol serḥadda olan ḳılāʿuñ ʿatlu ve piyādesiyle begleri Ḫaṭvān ̣ġāzīlerin puṣuya çeküb üç biñ miḳdārı ʿasker ile gelüb on beş miḳdārı ġāzī şehīd olmışdur ve Peşteden Vāca giderken Şehmān nām zaʿīmüñ bir yoldaşın şehīd itmişlerdür ve Egri ve Kurvār nām ḳalʿalaruñ kāfirleri Segedīn sancaġına tābiʿ Sinvāl nām palanḳa ġāzīlerin puṣuya çeküb beşlü āġāsı Muḥammad Āġāyı on sekiz yoldaşıyla ve ālāy bayraġıyla almışlardur ve yine Egri kāfirleri Segedīne tābiʿ Nākedvār nām mezraʿadan Ṭımışvār ḫazīnesini getüren kenzler evlerine giderken on beş nefer kimesne alınmışdur ve Peşteye ḳarīb Ollī nām ḳaryede bir voyvodayı baṣub gendü ḫalāṣ olub atın ve esbābın almışlardur ve yine Egri ve Siroḳ kāfirleri Ṭolna ḳarşusuna gelüb atların bir yerde ḳoyub bir miḳdār kāfirler ile Ṭūna ṣuyın geçüb ġuzāz-ı Muḥammed çavūşı çalub bir gözin şehīd itmişlerdür ve Ḳuyūn nām varoşdan Budūna giden bir gemiye baṣub müslümānlaruñ baʿżın diri alub ve baʿżın şehīd idüb dört nefer ḫātūn alub gemilerin baturmışlardur ve Budūn alay begi Budūn sarāyınuñ taʿmīri içün reʿāyā sürmege çıḳdıḳda bir miḳdār kāfir puṣudan çıḳub iki nefer sipāhiyi şehīd idüb ve Şehmān nām zaʿīmüñ elin çalub atların almışlardur ve Segedīn beginüñ voyvodasın alub yoldaşın şehīd idüb gendünüñ bir elin çalub ʿamel-mānde itmişlerdür ve Arşāh nām köy sākinlerinden bir müslümānuñ evün baṣub esbābın ġāret itmişlerdür ve ḫavāṣṣ-ı hümāyūndan Koroş nām varoş mültezimi olan ʿAbdīnüñ iki nefer yoldaşın almışlardur ve Egri kāfiri reʿāyānuñ iki yüzden ziyāde ṭavarın sürüb giderken Peşte ḳapudanı irişüb ellerinden almışlardur ve Cigerdelen pārḳānı altına iki biñ sekiz yüz atlu ile segirdüb Esterġon begini dögüşmege daʿvet itmişlerdür ve Tātādan Esterġon altına yigirmi beş atlu segirdüb Esterġon begi aḳrabāsından Ḥamza Voyvoda bir voyvodasıyla daḫı ve iki nefer ādemisiyle şehīd itmişlerdür ve Esterġon ̣azeblerinden ḳaravul bekleyenlerden ḳırḳ dört neferi bir şāykasıyla almışlardur ve sancaġında ḫavāṣṣ-ı hümāyūndan bir ḳarye iḥrāḳ itmişlerdür ve bir defʿa daḫı Vāl pārḳānı altına segirdüb ṣạgīrlerin sürüb beşlü aġası İbrāhīm Āġāyı şehīd itmişlerdür ve Tātādan on iki nefer kāfir Badūn varoşunuñ bir bodurumuna pūṣūya girüb Budūn beglerbegisi rāst gelüb almışlardur ve varoş ḳurbunda iki nefer atlu kāfirler beşlülerinden Divāne Caʿferi şehīd itmişlerdür ve Ḥamza Begüñ sarāyı olduġı köyüñ cümle ṭavarların Ḳomorān ve Tātālu ṣürmüşlerdür ve Tātālı ve Ḳomorānlı Budūnuñ dört beş defʿa oduncıların baṣub nice kimesne diri almışlardur ve bir defʿa daḫı İstolī Belġrāduñ oduncıların baṣub nice ādemlerin ḳırub ve giriftār idüb nice ṭavarların sürmüşler ve Budūnuñ ön kapusında olan varoşunda sākin olan Ḥasan Çāvūşuñevün baṣub ādemlerin ḳırub ṭavarların alub gitmişlerdür ve bi’l-fiʿl Tātādadur ve Segedīn sancaġına tābiʿ Ṣuputḳa nāḥiyesinden üç dört yüz ṭavar sürmüşlerdür ve Ṭūlnadan Budūna giden yolcılardan alınan müslümānlaruñ nihāyeti yoḳdur bu ẕikr olınan ḥāller Budūna ḳarīb olan yerlerde vāḳiʿ olmışdur ve Klīs serḥaddında İġşbār Īvān beş on ḳıṭʿa ṭob ve żarbzan ile vilāyet-i pādişāhī ḫasāretine müteveccih olmışken münhezim olub ve Zāçesneserḥaddında daḫı ʿahde muḫālif ḥareketden ḫālī olınmaduġından ġayrı Ḳūpān ve Peçūy ve Şamonṭorna ve Sigetvār veFilek veSeçen ve Noviġrād sancāḳlarında itdükleri fesād ve teʿaddīlerinüñ nihāyetleri yoḳdur diyü taḳrīr iderler bu ḫuṣūṣlar ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa muġāyir vażʿdegil midür sizüñ serḥadduñuzda olan ādemlerüñüz bu aṣl ḫilāf-ı ʿahd ü emān teʿaddī ve tecāvüz idecek devletlü Pādişāhumuz ḥażretlerünüñ serḥadda olan ʿasker-i islāmı niçe żabṭ olınur dāimā ṣulḥa muġāyir bir teʿaddī ve tecāvüz sizüñ cānibüñüzden ẓuhūr ider bu ḫuṣūṣlar ṣaḥīḥ idügine iştibāh olmayub daḫı ve min-baʿd ʿasker-i islām żabṭ olınub menʿ olınmaġa mecāl yoḳdur sizüñ gendü serḥaddüñüzi żabṭ itmeyecek bizüm serḥaddumuzuñ ʿasker-i islāmı cibilliyetlerinde olan şecāʿat ve şehāmetleri mūcebince ne vechle żabṭ olınmaġa ̣ḳābil olurlar be-heṛ ḥāl anlar daḫı var maḳdūrlerin ṣarf itmege saʿy iderler mā-beynde olan ṣulḥ u ṣaḷāḥ emri muḳarrer olıcak bu maḳūle naḳż-ı ʿahd olur ḫuṣūṣlara rıżā virülmek cāʾiz degildür saʿādetlü Pādişāhumuzḥażretlerünüñ bu ḫuṣūṣda aṣlen rıżā-yı şerīfleri yoḳdur dāʾimā nāmeñüz gelüb aḥvālüñüz pāye-i serīr-i saʿādet-maṣīr-ı şāhānelerine ʿarż olınduḳda ṣulḥ u ṣaḷāḥ ḫuṣūṣında s̱ābit-̣ḳademlerdür ḫilāf-ı ʿahd iş itmez diyü ʿarż olınur ve bundan aḳdem Sulṭān Bāyezīd merḥūmuñ zamānında Bosna Begi olan Yaʿḳūb Beg merḥūm Derençin Banmünhezim ḳılduḳda Bāḳ nām ḳalʿayı fetḥ idüb yıḳub ḫarāb idüb seksen yıldan berü ḫarāb yatur iken siz ʿahde muġāyir ādem ḳoyub ẓabṭ eyleyüb ḫilāf-ı ʿahd niçün böyle idersüz diyü suʾāl olunduḳda "eger biz ādem ḳomayayduḳ siz ādem ḳoyub ẓabṭ iderdiñüz ol taḳdirce bizüm Seknām ḥiṣārumuza mużāyaḳa virürdüñüz” diyü cevāb virilür ol-miḳdār zamāndan berü ḫālī ṭuran ḳalʿaya ḥālen siz ʿahde muġāyir ādem ḳoyub ẓabṭ itmeñüz cāʾiz degildür bu ḫuṣūṣ ʿahde muġāyirdürPādişāh-ı ʿālem-penāh ḥażretlerinüñ rıżā-yı şerīfleri yoḳdur mektūb-ı vidād vuṣūl bulduḳda bu bābda muḳayyed olub mābeynde münʿaḳid olan ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ mūcebince ḳalʿa-ı mezbūreden ādemiñüz iḫrāc eyleyüb ve yapılan yirlerin yıḳub gerü üslūb-ı sābıḳ üzere ḥālī üzere ḳoyub naḳż-ı ʿahd olur ḫuṣūṣlara rıżāñuz gösterilmeye ve ḳalan virgüñüz daḫı tedārik olınub gönderülmek ile esās-ı ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥuñ istiḥkāmına saʿy eyleyesiz ki reʿāyā vü berāyā eyyām-ı ʿadālet-i hümāyūn-ı pādişāhīde āsūde-ḥāll ve müreffehü’l-aḥvāl olub kār ü kesblerinde olalar mādām ki ol cānibden naḳż-ı ʿahd olur ḫuṣūṣlara mübāşeret olunmaya bu cānibden daḫı ḳāʿide-i ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ riʿāyet olınub esās-ı ʿahd ü emān münhedim olduġına rıżā-yı şerīf-i pādişāhī olmaduġı maʿlūmuñuz ola ḫuṣūṣen sābıḳā Klīs begi olan mezbūr Muṣṭafa Begüñ bu defʿa dergāh-ı muʿallāya vārid olan mektūbunda meẕkūr İşbār Ġār Yovān on ḳıṭʿa żarbzandan ġayrı ḳırḳ nefer boy begleri ve ḳırḳ alay bayraġı ve beş biñden ziyāde atlu ve piyāde ile mażarratı ḳaṣdına geldüklerinde ʿasākir-i islām irişüb muḥkem ceng ü cidāl olub āḫer kāfir-i mezbūr muḳāvemete ḳādir olmayub firār eyledüklerin bildirüb ve meẕkūr Filek sancaġınuñ serḥaddında vāḳiʿ olan Ṣopotḳa ḳalʿasınuñ daḫı altına sekiz yüz nefer kāfir segirdüb mażarrat ḳaṣd itdüklerine Ferhād Beg ḫaberdār olub ʿale’ṣ-ṣabāh varub baṣub dört yüz neferden ziyādesin ḳılıçdan geçirüb mażarrat ve fesādların defʿ ü refʿ eylemişdür eyle olsa bu maḳūle naḳż-ı ʿahd müʾeddī olur ḳażiyyelerden ġāyet ile ictināb ve iḥtiyāṭ olınmaḳ gerekdür şöyle ki ol cānibden ʿahd ü emāna muġāyir evżāʿ ve eṭvār ẓuhūr ide bu cānibden daḫı ʿahd u emāna riʿāyet olınmaġa imkān ḳalmaz aña göre muḳayyed olub bünyān-ı ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa ḫalel getürür efʿāl ve evżāʿdan kemāl mertebe iḥtirāz olına taḥrīren fī evāsiṭ-i şehri Şevvālü’l-mükerrem sene ḫams ve ѕemānīn ve tisʿa-miʾe Be-medīne-i Ḳosṭanṭiniyye el-maḥmiyye ḥamiyet ʿani’l-beliyye

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 your empire, here is the friendly communication: Your letter declaring loyalty has reached the felicitous court of our esteemed and honorable sultan – may God glorify his supporters and multiply his power – whose court is the shelter of the exalted and serves as a refuge for powerful rulers and high-ranking sultans. You have stated that, according to the peace and concord and the treaty and security established between our fortunate and felicitous sultan and yourself, your tribute is currently being dispatched but it has been delayed due to certain reasons. You have reported that your border territories are fully under control, that the lands of the Muslim community are not under control in the same manner, and that there have been collective assaults and invasions. Everything written and conveyed in your friendly letter has been thoroughly presented to the sultan’s felicitous foot of the throne, and the noble and universal knowledge of the sultan has comprehended all your affairs. Consequently, per the imperial order issued on this matter, a sultanic letter has been written and sent to you. Additionally, the following matters should not be hidden from you: Karlović, the captain of Fort Tokaj and brother of the current captain of Fort Košice, the notorious János, sent over a thousand horsemen to cause harm to the Szolnok borders. The Muslim soldiers, in defending themselves, captured their leaders. The nephew of the captain of Košice was beheaded and his head was sent to the felicitous court of the sultan. When the captured infidels were asked why they dared to commit these atrocities against the peace and amity, they responded that they were directed by the commanders of the border territories and engaged in these acts of corruption. A herd of more than four hundred animals has been driven away from Szabadka/Subotica and other regions in Szegedin. Many travelers have been taken captive on the route from theTolna to Buda. Infidel troops raided the traveler in the suburb of Kukmaz palanka; six Muslims were captured, and one was martyred. In Syrmia, the Sheikh of a dervish lodge named Dükin was taken captive and an intendant of account books was killed. Near the fortress of Pest, four companions of a fief-holder named Sefer had been murdered and their eight horses were taken along with all their possessions. Horsemen and infantry from Eger castle and surrounding fortresses ambushed the ghazi warriors at Hatvan. They came with a force of about three thousand soldiers, killing fifteen warriors. While traveling from Pest to Vác, a companion of a fief-holder named Şehman was martyred. Infidels from Eger and Kővár castles with their regiment banners ambushed the ghazis of the Sinval palanka, subordinate to the province/territory (sanjak) of Szeged, capturing the captain of the mercenaries, Muhammed Agha, and eighteen of his companions. Additionally, infidels from Eger captured fifteen treasurers from the settlement named Nádudvar, subordinate to the Province/territory (sanjak) of Szeged,while they were returning home after delivering the Timişoara treasury. In a village named Olli near Pest,they raided a voivode. The voivode was later released, but his horse and belongings were taken. Again, the infidels from Eger and Bretnov reached the banks of the Tolna. Having left their horses, some crossed the Danube and captured the captain of the ghazi warriors named Muhammad, blinding him in one eye. They attacked a ship traveling from the suburb of Kuyun to Buda, capturing some Muslims, martyring others, and taking four women captive before sinking the ship. When the regiment commander of Buda went out to gather peasants for the repair of theBuda palace, the infidels ambushed them, martyring two horsemen(sipahi), and cutting off one hand of Şehman, a fief-holder, before taking their horses. They attacked the voivode of the bey of Szeged , stealing his clothes, martyring his companion, and cutting off one of his hands, rendering him incapable of work. They raided the house of a Muslim resident of the village named Arshah, stealing his belongings. From a suburb called Koroş which belong to the imperial crown lands, they captured two companions of the tax-farmer named Abdi. While more than two hundred cattle belonging to the peasants were being driven away by the infidels in Eger, the captain of Pest intercepted and retrieved them. Two thousand eight hundred horsemen arrived at the Párkány fort, challenging the commander of Esztergom to battle. From Tata, twenty-five horsemen came to Esztergom, martyring a voivode named Hamza, a relative of the Commander of Esztergom, along with one of his voivodes and two men. They also captured fourty-four patrolling frontier commanders and their boats. They burned a village from the imperial crown lands in the district, and on another occasion, they raided the fort named Vál, taking away the young ones and martyring the mercenary captain İbrahim Agha. Twelve infidels from Tata set an ambush in a hidden place (bodūrum) in the suburb of Buda, but the governer-general (beylerbeyi) of Buda encountered and defeated them. Near the suburb, two mounted infidels wearing royal gear on their heads martyred Di. Folks from Tata and Komárom drove away all the cattle from the village where Hamza Beg has his palace. They also frequently raided the woodcutters of Buda, taking many as captives. On another occasion, they raided the woodcutters of Székesfehérvár, killing many of their men, capturing others, and driving away numerous cattle. They raided the house of Hasan Çavuş, who lives in the suburb around the main gate of Buda, killing his men and taking his cattle, which are now located in Tata. Between three hundred and four hundred cattle were herded away from the Szabadka district, a subdivision of Szeged Province(Sanjak). There is no end to the Muslim captives taken from travelers who travel to Buda via theDanube. The mentioned events have occurred in areas close to Buda. Near the Klis border, Ishbar Johan attempted to damage the sultan’s lands with five to ten pieces of artillery but was defeated. There are also frequent violations of agreements along the Cernik border. Furthermore, reports have indicated that there is no end to the disturbances and attacks committed in the districts of Kupinovo, Pécs, Simontornya, Szigetvár, Fiľakovo, Szécsény, and Novigrad. Are these not actions contrary to peace and reconciliation? If your border inhabitants commit such violations and attacks in defiance of treaties and guarantees, how can the troops on the borders of our fortunate sultan be restrained? These violations and attacks contrary to peace continuously arise from your side. There is no doubt about the accuracy of these reports, and henceforth we will not be able to restrain and prevent the Islamic troops. If you do not control your border inhabitants, how can our troops – who are naturally brave and valiant – be restrained? Naturally, they will also strive to do what they can. If the state of peace and amity between us is to continue as it is, it is unacceptable to condone such treaty violations. His Majesty the sultan does not give noble consent to these matters under any circumstances. Whenever your letter arrives and the situation is presented to the prosperous foot of the throne, his majesty decrees, “They are steadfast in matters of peace and reconciliation; do not act contrary to the treaty.” Previously, during the time of sultan Bayezid (r.1481-1512),the late Yakup Bey, who was the Governor of Bosnia, defeated Ban Emerik Derenčin, captured, destroyed, and devastated the fortress named Baka(Udbina) which has lain in ruins for eighty years. When you, in violation of peace, placed men in it and we asked, “Why do you act contrary to the treaty?”, you responded, “If we had not placed men in it, you would have, and thereby started to trouble our fortress of Senj.” It is unacceptable for you to currently place men in that long-abandoned fortress and occupy it in violation of the treaty. This action is contrary to the agreement. His majesty the sultan does not give his noble consent to this matter. When this friendly letter reaches you, take heed of this matter and, following the peace and amity established between us, remove your men from the fortress. Demolish the constructed parts and leave them abandoned as they were before. Do not consent to actions that would violate the treaty. Ensure that you provide the remaining taxes to strengthen the foundations of peace and reconciliation so that the subjects and common people may live in tranquility and prosperity under the just rule of the sultan, attending to their affairs and livelihoods. Be assured that if no actions are undertaken on your part that would lead to a breach of the treaty, we too will adhere to the principles of peace and amity. The sultan does not consent to any actions that would undermine the foundations of the treaty and guarantee. In particular, in a letter received by the sublime court from Mustafa Bey, the former Governor of Klis, it was reported that the aforesaid Ishbargar Johan, had come with ten cannons, forty commanders, forty regiments flags, and over five thousand cavalry to capture . The army of Islam arrived and engaged in a fierce battle, but ultimately, was unable to withstand and fled. Moreover, when eight hundred infidels attempted to besiege Sobotka (Rimavská Sobota), located in the Fiľakovo district, to cause harm. Ferhat Bey was informed and launched a dawn raid, killing over four hundred men and thus thwarting their attack. It is imperative to exercise extreme caution and vigilance regarding such incidents that could nullify the treaty. If any breaches of the treaty and guarantees occur on your part, it will become impossible for us to adhere to the treaty and guarantees on our side. Therefore, be mindful of this situation and avoid any actions or conditions that could harm the structure of peace and reconciliation to the highest degree. Written in the second third of the esteemed month of Shawwal in the year 975. At the protected city ofConstantinople, may it be protected from evil.