Siege of Temeşvar (1716)

Siege of Temeşvar (Timișoara)
Part of the Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718)
Siege of Temeşvar, anonymous engraving
Date 31 August – 12 October 1716 Location Temeşvar, Ottoman Empire 45°45′22″N 21°13′41″E / 45.756°N 21.228°E / 45.756; 21.228 Result Habsburg victory
Belligerents
Habsburg Monarchy	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Eugene of Savoy Alexander von Württemberg Count von Mercy Count János Pálffy	Mustafa Pasha
Strength
45,000	16,000
Casualties and losses
2,407 killed 4,190 wounded[1]	3,000 killed 3,000 wounded[2]

The siege of Temeşvar took place from 31 August to 12 October 1716 during the

The siege began on 31 August. Between 1 and 15 September, the armies prepared for the battle. 3,000 people dug zigzag and parallel trenches alongside Palanca Mare. On 5 September, the first two batteries with nine cannons were installed and on 6 September there was another battery with five cannons whose fire covered the military works. On 8 September, the trenches almost reached the palisade and began the filling of the moat with fascines. To prevent this, on the night of 9 September, the Ottomans attacked the trenches with torches to ignite the fascines but they were repulsed because the torches indicated the target's position. On 10 September, the Schönborn Dragoon Regiment fought off another Ottoman attack.^{[5][16][17][18]}

Beginning 16 September, the bombardment spread on the battlefield, growing in intensity as the cannons arrived and were installed. The first proposition to surrender was addressed on 17 September and was refused by the Ottomans. Between 20 September and 22 September the first breaches appeared in the walls and the wife and two sons of the beylerbey had been killed in their own house during the bombardment.^[5][16][17]

In the meantime, another army corps consisting of 14 cavalry squadrons, 4 infantry battalions, 3 companies of grenadiers and 2 regiments of cuirassiers fighting under the command of General Count Étienne de Stainville, the commander of the imperial troops arrived in Timișoara from Alba Iulia. At the time, Eugene of Savoy controlled 70 regiments; 32 of which were infantry (69 battalions), 10 dragoon regiments (60 squadrons), 22 cavalry regiments (134 squadrons) and 6 hussar regiments (31 squadrons).^{[5][16][17][18][19][20][21]}

On 25 September the bombardment from both sides was very intense. The following day, the Ottoman troops from Belgrade arrived; they attempted to supply the fortress and attacked three times from the south to break through the encirclement. Simultaneously, the defenders of the fortress attacked but the rescuing troops attacked before the agreed time and, with no help from inside the fortress, were pushed back. The attack from the fortress had also been repulsed because of the lack of organization, so the rescuing party was forced to turn back.^{[5][16][17][18]}

On 30 September the counterguard was conquered at the cost of 455 deaths – of which 64 were officers – and 1,487 wounded, including 160 officers. Between 1-10 October, new preparations were being made and cannons were being placed. On 11 October, a new, massive bombardment with the aim of destroying the fortifications began. The attack was carried out by 43 pieces of heavy artillery and continued throughout the night.^{[5][17][22][23]}

Aftermath

On 12 October at 11:30, the white flag of surrender appeared on a bastion.^{[5][17][22][23]} The terms of surrender were:^{[1][2][24][25][26]}

• The Ottoman army could leave with their families and belongings;
• The Ottoman army could leave with their weapons and make their way to Belgrade in eight stages (
  Timiș River – Șag – Jebel – Deta – Margita – Alibunar – Pančevo – Borča – Zemun
  ) under escort until reaching Borča if they left hostages in Timișoara until they crossed the Danube;
• The Ottoman army would be provided with 7,000 wagons for transportation – an unrealistic request as ultimately they were provided with what could be found, namely 1,000;
• The Ottoman army would be provided with food along the way at a decent, proper price (not profiteering);
• The Ottoman army convoy would be safe from attacks en route;
• The Ottoman army could not take the artillery and ammunition, which were considered spoils of war; all of the cannons – of which about 120 had the Habsburg emblem on them, won over during the years – as well as 280 tons of gunpowder and 170 tons of lead, were left behind;^[27][28]
• All of the other individuals would be allowed to leave or to stay – permitted for
  deserters
  ;
• The Kurucs were also allowed to leave or stay;
• Those individuals who chose to leave were allowed to sell whatever they wished;
• The guarantee of this understanding.

The Ottoman army left the fortress on 17 October; Mustafa Pasha, the commander of the fort, in gratitude for being allowed to withdraw his forces undisturbed, presented the prince with a horse.^[29] The following day, Eugene of Savoy entered the Timișoara Fortress. 466 Romanians and Orthodox Serbians, as well as 144 Jews and 35 Armenians, remained in Timișoara.^[17][27][30]

After Belgrade's conquest by the Austrians in 1718, the Austro-Turkish war ended and the Treaty of Passarowitz confirmed that Banat of Temeswar – including Timișoara Fortress – belonged to the Habsburg Monarchy.^[13] The city remained under military administration until 6 June 1778, when it was handed over to the Hungarian administration.^[31][32] The fortress, however, remained under the Austrian military command until 27 December 1860, when the Banat was incorporated into the Kingdom of Hungary.^[33]

Citations