In the spring of 1682, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Kara Mustafa, had a great opportunity to expand his empire. The Protestants and Catholics were fighting in Hungary, and the Protestants came to him and asked for help. So with 200,000 troops, Mustafa swept through Hungary and set his eyes on a bigger prize: all of Europe. All he would have to do is take Vienna. Vienna controlled the overland trade routes between Germany and the Mediterranean, and it also had a strategic command of boat traffic along the Danube River. Take Vienna—the “Golden Apple”—and the rest would be easy.
And in 1683, Vienna was ripe for the picking. A terrible wave of the plague had been affecting the city for several years, and the alliance with Hungarian Protestants gave the Ottomans the ability to stockpile resources. Word of the impeding attack got to Rome, and Pope Innocent XI worked to recreate the Holy League, and sent out a desperate plea for help.
As the political gears slowly turned and Vienna prepared to defend itself, in July of 1683 Mustafa marched on the city and laid siege to it, and quickly realized it wouldn’t be over as quickly as he hoped. The Ottomans dug in, and attacks on the city began with ground troops, artillery, and also by digging tunnels to breach the city walls.
Honoring their treaty with the Holy League, about 75,000 Polish forces were dispatched by King Sobieski on August 15th, the feast of the Assumption. Among the Polish troops were the famed Winged Hussars, mounted cavalry with large feathered wings mounted to their armor that made a roaring sound as they rode into battle.
In the city, things were looking grim. Food, fresh water, and ammunition were running out, and the plague and dysentery were taking their toll. Not a moment too soon, the Poles arrived. A Capuchin friar named Marco d’Aviano celebrated Mass and gave an impassioned homily, inspiring the troops to defend their faith and their Christian brothers against the Ottoman Turks.
Around 4 o’clock in the morning on September 11th, the battle began. The Poles attacked the Ottoman army’s camp, which was lightly guarded, and by the afternoon a final charge by the Winged Hussars sent the Ottomans running for their lives, leaving everything behind: gunpowder, food, water, and dark roasted beans that the Turks would grind and boil with water for a strong, bitter drink.
The next day, the bakers in Vienna made flakey rolls in the shape of a crescent to celebrate their victory over the Turks and the crescent moon they had on their battle flags. As for that strong, bitter drink… friar d’Aviano added a little honey and some warm milk, until it was the same color as his Capuchin habit.
While we sometimes forget that as Catholic Christians we are hated because of our faith, every now and then we are tragically reminded of that fact. So the next time you’re having a croissant and a cappuccino, remember the words of Tertullian who said, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians,” and pray for the gift of fortitude to stand strong in the defense of our faith and in defense of our Christian brothers against all our enemies.