Siege of Érsekújvár (1663)


Siege of Érsekújvár refers to capture of Érsekújvár by Ottoman Turks in 1663.

Background

In the first half of the 17th century, a stalemate was reached between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Austria. But after peaceful years, border clashes began. John Kemény the Habsburg candidate to Transylvania throne, was trying to defeat the Ottoman vassal Michael I Apafi. Although Apafi won the throne with Ottoman support, Austrians captured the forts of Kolozsvár and Székelyhíd. They also built the fort of Zrínyiújvár facing the Ottoman fort of Kanije. Meanwhile, the Ottoman army was already marching to Dalmatia in the scope of Cretan War against Venice. Ottoman sultan Mehmet IV gave the priority to Austrian front and the army changed its course.

Peace talks

The commander of the Ottoman army was grand vizier Fazıl Ahmet Pasha. He began marching to Austrian front. The Austrians appealed for peace. There were three series of talks, the first in Belgrad, the second in Eszék and the third in Budapest. The Ottoman side asked for reparations and the withdrawal of the Austrian army, which the Austrian side rejected.

Siege

Fazıl Ahmet Pasha decided to march to Érsekújvár. Uyvar was a major fort in Northern Hungary. It was fortified and in the 16th century several times the Ottomans had tried to capture it in vain. The popular saying "Strong as a Turk in front of Nové Zámky", reflects the memory of conquest determination of the Ottomans. Before the army reached to Érsekújvár on August 7 the commander of Érsekújvár Ádám Forgách tried to raid the Ottoman camp. But this attempt was disastrous to Austrian side. The siege began in August and the fort was captured on 13 September. According to the treaty of surrender, the residents of Érsekújvár were given free passage to Austria and a letter was written to the Austrian government to certify that the fort was defended bravely.

Aftermath

Fazıl Ahmet Pasha further captured Nógrád. Uyvar and the neighbouring area was declared a seat of beylerbey, as the Uyvar Eyalet of the Empire.
The subsequent clashes in the winter of 1663-1664 and in 1664 ended with the Peace of Vasvár.