Letter from Grand Vizier Sokollu Mehmed Pasha to Emperor Rudolf II, Constantinople, 17-26 June 1578

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 Beç Ḳrālı ve Romānīler İmparādorı İkinci Rudolfo Ḳrāl ḫutimet ʿavāḳibühū bi’l-ḫayr dostluġa ve muḥabbete lāyıḳ ve sezāvār olan vüfūr duʿālar ve s̱enālar taḳdīm olınduḳdan ṣoñra dostāne inhā ve iʿlām olınur ki ḥāliyā ʿatebe-i ʿulyā ṣavbına kitāb-ı ḫullet-niṣābuñuz vārid olub mażmūn-ı muḫāleṣet-meşḥūnunda Bosna Sancaġı Begi Ferhād Beg ṣulḥ a ṣalāḥa muġāyir ḫaylī ḳalʿalarumuz alub żabṭ idüb ve niçe biñ ādem esīr itmişdür ve her gün daḫı ġāret ve ḫasāretden ve aḳın itmekden ḫālī olmayub geçen Martda ʿaẓ̄īm ʿasker ile Drāsnīk nām ḳalʿamuzı alub żabt idüb ve Duyvāç nām ḳalʿamuzı daḫı yüriş eyleyüb ve Pojeġa ʿaskeri daḫı Ḳoproniçe nām ḥiṣārumuza gelince aḳın eyleyüb varoşın üç pāre ḳarye ile yaḳub ḫaylī reʿāyā esīr idüb bu cihetde şimdiki ḥālde serḥadlerden reʿāyā ḳalḳub göçüb ḫālī ḳalmışdur bu ṭarafdan ise ʿahd ü emāna muḫālif tecāvüz itmek münāsib görilmeyüb aña bināʾen ulaġla ādemlerümüz gönderilmişdür diyü serḥad beglerine tenbīh ü teʾkīd olınması istidʿā olınduġı iʿlām ve inhā olınmuş daḫı sizüñ mektūbuñuzda ve ilçilerüñüzüñ ve ādemlerüñüzüñ kāġıdlarında vāḳiʿ olan şikāyetüñüz ʿale’t-tafṣīl terceme ve taḥrīr itdürilüb pāye-i serīr-i saʿādet maṣīr-i pādişāhīye ʿarż u taḳrīr olınduḳda ʿilm-i şerīfleri muḥīt ve şāmil olub ol bābda ṣādır olan fermān-ı ʿālīleri üzere size nāme-i hümāyūn yazılub irsāl olınmışdur imdi żamīr-i iṣābet-pezīre ḫafī olmaya ki ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥ emrī bu cānibde daḫı kemā-kān muḳarrer olub bundan aḳdem daḫı bu maḳūle şikāyete müteʿalliḳ mekātīb ve mürāselāt vārid olmaġla Budūn muḥāfaẓasında olan Vezīr Muṣṭafā Pāşā dāimā muḳābeleye ve Bosna ve Klīs sancaḳları beglerine ve sāʾir serḥadlerde olan ümerāʾya şerāʾiṭ-i ṣulḥuñ riʿāyetinde daḳīḳa fevt itmeyüb memleket ve vilāyetlerine mābeynde olan ʿahd ü emāna muḫālif daḫl ve taʿarruż itmeyesüz diyü müʾekked aḥkām-ı şerīfe yazılub gönderilüb geregi gibi tenbīh ve teʾkīd olınmışdı ḥāliyā bu vechle kāġıdlaruñuz vārid olub devletlü ve saʿādetlü Pādişāhumuz eʿazzullāhu teʿālā enṣārahu ḥażretlerinüñ pāye-i taḫt-ı ʿālī-baḫtlarına ʿarż olınduḳda müşārün ileyh Vezīr Muṣṭafā Pāşāya ḫuṣūṣan Bosna sancaġı begi ve sāʾir ümerāʾya bir vechle tenbīh ve teʾkīd ve envāʿ-ı taḫvīf ve tehdīd ile müʾekked aḥkām-ı şerīfe gönderilmişdi ki inşāʾallāhu teʿālā min-baʿd memleket ve vilāyetüñüze daḫl itmek degil gendü yerlerinden bile ḥareket itmege cürʾet itmeyeler ammā memālīk-i Muḥammediyye-i pādişāhī serḥadlerinde olan ümerāʾ-yı kirām daḫı muttaṣıl sizüñ beglerbegiñüzden ve ḳapudānlarıñuzdan şikāyet idüb gendü ḥāllerinde olmayub dāʾimā memālīk-i maḥrūse ḥudūdı dāḫilinde olan ḳalʿalara ve vāroşlara ve ḳaryelere segirdüb envāʿ ġāret u ḫasāret ve eṣnāfa şenāʿat eyledüklerin ʿarż ve iʿlām iderler cümleden biri Beyadan Memi Ketḫüdānıñ ādemleri gemi ile ẕaḫīre getürürler iken Pāḳta nām maḥalle geldüklerinde gemilerin kenāra çeküb yaturlar iken Egri keferesi ʿale’l-ġafle baṣub bir yeñiçeri ʿavreti ile ve Os̱mān nām bir yarar yigidi daḫı diri alub gemiye varub ṣuya baturub ve Cānḳurtaranda daḫı kārbān-sarāyı baṣub bir niçe ādem alub ve Esterġon serḥadinde çayır biçer iken büyük varoş altına Tātā keferesi gelüb bir ġarībüñ başın kesüb baʿdehū gerü gelüb atlar çayırda iken ṭavar sürmek ḳaṣd itdüklerinde duyılub ardlarınca Pūtreye varılduḳda pūsūda olan eşḳiyā Ḥamza Voyvodayı ve Aḥmed Voyvodayı tüfengle vurub şehīd eyleyüb bir sipāhīyi daḫı mecrūḥ idüb anlardan daḫı üç nefer şaḳīlerüñ başlar kesilüb ve Ḳomrān nām ḥarbī ḳalʿanuñ eşḳiyāsı bostānlar ḳurbında ḳarāvul bekleyen şāyḳāyı baṣub ḳırḳ nefer ġarībi ve reʿīsi ile bile alub gidüb ve Kīrölʿut ve Uyvār ve Nitre ve Şūrān ve Ḳomyātī ve Ḳomrān ve Tātā nām ḥarbī ḳalʿalaruñ atlu ve piyādesi cemʿ olub Bātūrī Kesvīr nām maḥalle gelüb pusuya girüb on altı ʿaded alay bayraġıyla ve on iki ḳıṭʿa żarbzan ʿarabalarıyla pusuda durub Cigerdelen altına segirtdüklerinde ṭuyılub yüz ḳaralıġı ile ʿavdet eyleyüb beş altı günden ṣoñra gerü Cigerdelen eṭrāfına geldüklerinde ġāziler pütre ile ardlarına düşüb Sinān Beg daḫı yetişüb ʿaẓīm ceng olub eşḳiyā münhezim olduḳlarında ʿalāmet içün on iki kāfiri bayraḳları ile āsitāne-i saʿādete göndermişdür ve Zāçesnede üç defʿa ol cānibden baʿżı eşḳiyā memālīk-i maḥrūseye aḳın idüb ḳırḳ nefer ādem ile üç biñ ḫanāzīr ve bir defʿa daḫı segirdüb yigirmi iki nefer ādem ile biñ sekiz yüz ḫanāzīr alub gidüb ve Molislavnenüñ daḫı altına üç defʿa segirdüb bir defʿa ādem alub iki defā ḥiṣāra ḳapatdurub ve Ḫatvānda on beş günüñ içinde bir defʿa segirdüb Seçen begini pusuya çeküb ve bir defʿa daḫı Ṣolnoḳluyı bozub ve bir defʿa daḫı pusuya çeküb envāʿ-ı ḥīle idüb ve Ḫaṭvān begi olan Aḥmed Begi pusuya çekmek içün üç defʿa uçurma ṣalub ʿale-l ḫuṣūs şimdiki ḥāllde Pojeġa Sancaġı begi daḫı südde-i saʿādete ʿarż-ı ḥāl gönderüb livā-yı mezbūr serḥadine Koproniçe ve Jābyāḳ nām ḥarbī ḳalʿaların keferesi livā-yı mezbūra tābiʿ Pāçūça nām ḳaryenüñ knezini on nefer ādem ile ḳatl idüb ve bāḳī reʿāyāsın daḫı ʿavret ve oġlanları ile ṭavarların ile sürüb ḳarye-i mezbūreyi iḥrāḳ idüb ve zād ü zavād içün ve el-ān üç nefer müslümān bile alınub ve Ġürūyiş ve Burūka nām ḳaryelerüñ reʿāyāsın cemʿan esīr eyleyüb ve ḳaryelerin iḥrāḳ itmişlerdür ve bunlardan mā-ʿadā Jābyāḳ ve Kopronice ve Ṭoyarlovic ve Rāsta ve Krīrofça ve Vārloşin ve Fūzma nām yedi pāre ḥarbī ḳalʿalaruñ begleri cümle ʿaskeri ile bir ay içinde üç defʿa cemʿiyyet idüb reʿāyāyı ġāret ve ḫasāret itmek tedārikiyle Pojeġa serḥaddinde ḳarīb geldükleri ḫaber alınduḳda mevcūd bulınan ʿasker-i islām ile ḥāżır olub ḳaravullar ḳomāġla fırṣat bulımayub ʿavdet itmişlerdür leyl ü nehār fesād ü şenāʿatdan ḫālī degillerdür diyü ʿarż ve iʿlām eylemişdür bu mertebeli iʿtīmād olınmamaḳ daḫı cāʾiz idi gelen gönderdükleri dillerden dīvān-ı hümāyūnda suʿāl olınduḳda bi’t-tavʿ ve’l-rıżā lā-bi’l-ikrāh ve’l-cezā beglerüñ ʿarżlarına muvāfiḳ söyledikleri eclden vuḳūʿunda ve ṣıḥḥatında tereddüd ve iştibāh ḳalmamışdur egerçi ol cānibden bir iki ḳalʿa alınmışdur lākin eṭrāfında şenlik olmayub zād u zavādeye kemāl-i mertebe iḥtiyācı var iken mücerred serḥadda ḳarīb olmaġla ol ṭarafdan olan eşḳiyā gelüb içine girüb baʿdehū ittiḥād ve ittifāḳ ile ḳalʿadan çıkub memālīk-i Muḥammedīye żarar ḳaṣdına segirtdüklerinde serḥadd ġāzīleri daḫı ḫaber alub muḳābil olduḳlarında muḳāvemete mecālları olmayub firār itmegin ġāzīler daḫı ele getürmek ümīdi ile ardlarınca segirdüb ol eşḳiyā ḳalʿaya ḳarīb varduḳlarında içinde zād u zavāde olmayub eṭrāfından daḫı ẕaḫīre getürilmege ḳābiliyyet olmamaġla ḳalʿaya girmeyüb bıraġub ḳaçduḳlarında ġāzīler ḳalʿayı ḫālī bulub żabṭ itmişlerdür ne ān ki mābeynde olan ʿahd ü emāna muḫālif ṭop çeküb dögüb almış olalar bu ṭarafdan daḫı sizüñ ʿaskeriñüz baʿżı ḳaryeler iḥrāḳ ve niçe żarar ü ziyān eyledükleri maʿlūmuñuzdur eger bu ẕikr olunan fesād ve şenāʿatlarından ġayri memālīk-i maḥrūseye aḳınlar idüb ṭavarlar sürüb ādemler esīrüb ḳatl-ı nüfūs ve ġāret-i emvāl eyledükleri müfredātı ile yazılmalu olsa nāmelere ve kāġıdlara ṣıġmaḳ iḥtiyācı olmamaġın bu miḳdār ile iḫtiṣār olundı ḥaḳḳ ʿalīm u dānā ve kefā bihī şehīdendir ki ol cānibiñ eşḳiyāsı żabṭ olınmayub muttaṣıl fesād ve şenāʿatları ʿarż olunduḳca bu muḫliṣüñüzüñ daḫı ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥuñ beḳāsı murādı olub ṭarafeynüñ reʿāyāsı ve berāyāsı āsūde-ḥāl olmaḳ müntehā-yı āmālümüz olmaġın saʿādetlü pādişāh-ı rubʿ-ı meskūn ḥażretlerinüñ pāye-i serīr-i āʿlālarına her birinde envāʿ ḥüsn-i taʿbīr ile ʿarż ve taḳrīr olınmaġla bir miḳdār āteş-i ġażabları munṭafī olmışdur bu muḳaddimeden ġaraż oldur ki çünkü cānibeynden ʿahd ü emānuñ ḫuldı murād u maḳṣūddur ve münāsib olan meżā mā meżā ile ʿamel olınub şimden ṣoñra ʿahd ü emāna muḫālif evżā u eṭvār ẓuhūr iderse iʿtibār olınub emre imtis̱āl itmeyenlerüñ geregi gibi ḥaḳḳlarından gelinmek lāzımdur eyle olsa mektūb-ı muḥabbet-üslūb vuṣūl bulduḳda āsitāne-i saʿādet- āşiyānelerine olan vüfūr muvālāt ü kemāl-ı muṣāfātıñuz muḳteżāsınca irsāl olınan nāme-i hümāyūnları mūcebince ʿamel olınub mā-teḳaddemden südde-i sidre-mis̱ālleri ṣavbına iblāġ ve irsāl olına gelen virgüñüzüñ teʾḫīri revā görilmeyüb her sene vaḳti ile gönderilüb ve bu cānibden serḥad umerāsına tenbīh olınduġı üzere sizüñ ṭarafıñızdan daḫı serḥadlerde olan beglerüñüze ve ḳapudānlarıñuza ve sāʿir ḳılāʿ ve buḳāʿ żābıṭlarına geregi gibi tenbīh ü teʿkīd ve muḥkem taḫvīf ü tehdīd olınub min baʿd ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa muġāyir memālīk-i muḥammedīyye-i pādişāhīye segürdim ve aḳın itdürilmeyüb ehl-i fesād ve eşḳiyā her vechle żabṭ olınub memnūʿ olmayanlaruñ ḥaḳḳlarından gelinüb ṭarafeynden şerāʾit-i ṣulḥ u ṣalāḥa riʿāyet olınmaġla mābeynde emn ü emān üzere olub reʿāyā vü berāyā ü fuḳarā vü żuʿafānıñ āsūde-ḥāl olmaları bābında envāʿsāʿī cemīleñüz vücūda getürile taḥrīren fī evāsıṭ-ı şehr-i Rebī’ü’l-āḫir sene sitte ve ѕemānīn ve tisʿa-miʾe. Be-medīne-i Ḳosṭanṭiniyye el-maḥmiyye

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 Vienna and Romans,King Rudolph II – may he end his days propitiously. Following the presentation of abundant prayers and praises worthy of friendship and mutual love, here is the friendly communication: A letter from you, written with sincerity, has arrived at the sublime threshold. In its contents, you have expressed the following: “The District Governer (sanjak-bey) of Bosnia, Ferhad Bey, contrary to peace and accord, has seized and captured many of our fortresses, taking thousands of our people as prisoners.He has not refrained from daily acts of plunder and infliction of harm. In March of last year, he advanced with a large force and took possession of the fortress known as Drašnik.He also launched an assault on our fortress named Dubovac. The forces of the district (sanjak) of Požega attacked our stronghold of Koprivnica, burned three villages in the vicinity of the fortress, and took the inhabitants as captives. As a result, the lowly subjects living in the border region have been forced to abandon their homes and migrate elsewhere, leaving them dispossessed. On our side, however, it was deemed inappropriate to violate the terms of the treaty and oath by retaliating against your side. Therefore, a messenger has been sent along with our men. We request that instructions and warnings be issued to the border commanders.” The complaints expressed in your letter and those recorded in the documents of your envoys and men have been thoroughly translated, written down, and presented to the felicitous foot of the sultan’s throne. The sultan’s noble wisdom has comprehended the matter and, per the imperial decree commanded on this subject, a royal letter has been written to you and dispatched. Let it not be concealed from your discerning mind that the matters of peace and accord remain valid on our side, as they have in the past. Previously, we received letters and dispatches from your related to these same complaints. In response, we continuously instructed Vizier Mustafa Pasha, the Commander of Buda, to maintain communication with you. Additionally, we issued firm noble orders to the district governers (sanjak-beys) of Bosnia and Klis, as well as to the commanders in the frontier regions, requiring them to adhere strictly to the terms of peace without a single minute delay and to refrain from any violation of the treaty by encroaching upon or attacking your lands and provinces. They were duly instructed and admonished as necessary. Again, your dispatches were received and presented to our fortunate and felicitous sultan’s foot of the throne – may God glorify his supporters. Consequently [by the sultan’s command], such stern noble orders, severe warnings, and various threats were sent with clear admonitions to the aforementioned Vizier Mustafa Pasha and particularly to the district governer (sanjak-bey) of Bosnia and the other commanders that – God willing – from now on, let alone encroaching upon your lands and provinces, they will not even dare to move from their positions. Nonetheless, the noble commanders stationed on the borders of the sultan’s territories who follow Muhammad, continuously complain about your lords (beys) and captains. They report that “they do not remain at peace, but constantly launch attacks on the fortresses, outskirts, and villages within the well-protected dominions, committing various acts of plunder and causing harm, and they mistreat the local merchants.” To give an example: As the agents of the steward named were transporting grain by ship, they arrived at a place called Pakta. As they pulled their ship ashore and rested, the infidels from the fortress of Eger attacked them in a state of unawareness, capturing the wife of a Janissary and a brave man named Osman, and sinking their ship. Additionally, in Adony, they attacked a caravanserai and took many people captive. While people were cutting grass near Esztergom’s frontier, the infidels from Tata arrived and beheaded a poor man there. Later, it was heard that they returned and attempted to drive away cattle grazing in the meadow. A pursuit followed them as far as Putra, during which the bandits in ambush shot and martyred Voivode and Ahmet Voivode with muskets and wounded a horseman (sipahi). In the skirmish, three of the bandits were also beheaded. The bandits from your fortress named Komárom attacked a boat near the gardens and captured forty poor soldiers along with the captain of the boat. Subsequently, the infantry and cavalry from the fortresses of Köbölkút, Nové Zámky, Nitra, Šurany, Komjatice, Komárom, and Tata gathered together. They came to a quarter called Bátorove Kosihy, laid an ambush with sixteen regimental flags and twelve artillery wagons. They then advanced towards Štúrovo. Upon hearing of their arrival, they disgracefully retreated. Five or six days later, when they returned to the vicinity of Štúrovo, the ghazi warriors assembled a levee en masse and pursued them. Sinan Beg caught up with them, leading to a fierce battle, and the bandits were routed. As evidence, twelve infidels and their flags were sent to the felicitous court. At Černík, some bandits from your side have conducted raids into the well-protected domains three times. On one occasion, they captured forty men along with three thousand pigs; on another occasion, they took twenty-two men and one thousand eight hundred pigs. They attacked Moliclavne three times, capturing prisoners once and barricading the inhabitants in the fortress on two other occasions. Fifteen days later, they launched an attack in Hatvan, ambushing the Bey of Szécsény and defeating the soldiers of Szolnok in a separate incident. They defeated the Szolnok forces on one occasion. On another occasion, they ambushed and employed various deceitful ploys, including flying kites three times to lure the Bey of Hatvan, Ahmed Bey, into an ambush. The Bey of Požega has petitioned the felicitous court, reporting that the infidels from the fortresses of Koprivnica and Žabljak, located at the border of Požega, killed the knez of the village of Pučišća and ten of his men. They also took the remaining subjects, women, and children along with cattle, burning the village. Additionally, they captured three Muslim individuals for food and supplies, completely taking the subjects of the villages of Guruyiş and Buruka and burning the villages. Furthermore, the beys of seven of your fortresses – Žabljak,Koprivnica,Toyarlovic, Rastište, Križevci(?), Varlosin, and Füzér – united with their entire forces three times within a month. When they approached the border of Požega, the available troops of Islam were mobilized, but [your side’s forces] were unable to deploy patrols and were forced to retreat. They persistently engage in acts of malice both day and night. It was deemed inappropriate to believe that the reports were accurate at such a level. However, when the captives were interrogated at the imperial council, they confirmed, “by desire and consent, not by compulsion and punishment” what the border commanders had written. Therefore, we have no doubt or hesitation regarding the authenticity of the reports and their actual occurrence. If a few fortresses have been captured by your forces, the reason is that these fortresses – located in inhospitable areas and requiring substantial provisions – were initially seized by your bandits solely because they were near the border. After occupying the fortresses, these bandits – in unity and alliance – emerged to attack the lands of the followers of Muhammad with the intent to cause harm. Upon hearing of this, the ghazi warriors at the border marched on them. But the bandits, too weak to resist, fled. The warriors then pursued the bandits in hopes of capturing them. When the bandits reached the vicinity of the fortress that they had captured earlier, due to the lack of provisions and the impossibility of acquiring them from the surroundings, they did not re-enter the fortress and instead abandoned it. When the ghazis found the fortress deserted, they captured it. You are well aware that whenever the ghazis, in violation of the truce and trust between us, have attacked a fortress with cannonballs and taken it, it was because your soldiers had burned some of our villages and caused considerable damage and loss. If one were to detail the raids conducted by [the bandits on your side] into the well-protected domains, including the cattle they have driven away, the people they have captured, the population they have killed, and the property they have plundered, it would be impossible to fit all of this into letters and papers. We have therefore confined ourselves to summarizing these events. God is all-knowing and wise, and He is sufficient as a witness that, while the bandits on your side have remained unchecked and continued their acts of corruption and malice, this loving friend of yours has consistently sought the preservation of peace and harmony, striving for the well-being of the tax-paying and non-tax-paying subjects of both sides. For this reason, every petition received has been submitted to the threshold of the felicitous Ruler of the inhabited quarters with various favorable interpretations, in the hope of tempering the flames of his wrath. Our intention and purpose in this introduction is to ensure the permanence of the treaty and the mutual trust between us. It is appropriate to approach matters with a mindset of “what is done, is done.” Henceforth, should any actions or circumstances arise that contravene the treaty and the trust, they must be duly considered, and those who fail to comply with the terms should be dealt with accordingly. Therefore, when this letter filled with goodwill reaches you, may your sincere friendship and perfect amity toward the threshold of the abode of happiness guide your actions as per the directives of the sultanic letter. From now on, ensure that your tribute – traditionally sent to [our] gate akin to the Lote Tree – is dispatched without delay and on time. As we have issued instructions to the commanders on our borders, you should similarly admonish and strictly instruct your lords and captains on the frontiers, as well as the village and land officials, so that they do not in any way launch attacks or raids on the lands of Muhammad’sfollowers in violation of peace and harmony. The brigands and bandits should be subdued by all means necessary and those who cannot be restrained should be appropriately dealt with. By adhering to the terms of peace and concord on both sides, let there be security and safety between us and may you undertake every noble effort to ensure the well-being of the tax-paying and non-tax-paying subjects, the poor and the weak. Written in the second third of the month of Rabi’al-Akhir, in the year 986. At the well-protected city of Constantinople.