The text at the top of this popular print is a German translation purported to be of an official letter written by Ibrahim Pasha, commander of the Ottoman army, to the commanders of Vienna during the siege of 1529.
- German text
Sendbrieff / so Ibraym Wascha / den Herrn kriegscommissarien zü
Wien mit seynem handtzeygen versygelt / zü geschickt.
Ibraym Wascha von Gots gnaden / höchster veririscher Secretari /
Oberster Rath des durchleüchtigen und unuberwindlichsten Keysers
Sultan Selleyman / Haubtman und Gubernator des gantzen seynes Keyserthümbs /
und aller seyner sachen. Ir Wolgebornen / Großmechtigen / Obersten unnd
Haubtlewt / Als uns ewer schreyben durch ewern Potten zü kumen / haben wir
alle sachen verstanden / Und wisst / das wir nicht kummen seyn / ewer Städt
eyn zü nemen / sonder zü suchen ewern Ertzhertzogen Ferdinandus / Aber
denselben nicht gefunden / darumb seyn wir so vil tag da belyben / und auff in gewart / aber er ist nicht kummen. Und als gestern / haben wir drey ewer lewt gefangen / ledig gelassen / Der gleychen wöllet ir mit den unsern gefangen auch handeln / wie wir dann ewerm Potten solchs euch mündtlich an zü zeygen bevolhen haben. So mügt ir deßhalben eynen von euch herauß zü uns / sich der gefangen zü erkündigen / allzeyt schicken / Unnd ir in solchem fall / keyn solrg oder forcht / unsers trawen und glaubens halben / tragen / Dann das denen zü Ofen / von uns nicht glawben gehalten worden / ist nicht unser / sondern ir eygen schuldt gewesen / Geben vor Wien in mitten Octobrio Anno 1529
- English translation
Letter sent by Ibrahim Pasha to the War Commissioners in Vienna, under his seal.
Ibrahim Pasha, by the grace of God chief secretary and supreme minister of the serene and most invincible Emperor Sultan Suleiman, commander and governor of all his empire and all his affairs. Your excellencies, mighty leaders and commanders, when your letter was delivered to us through your emissary, we understood all its contents, and would like you to know that we have not come to take your cities, but only to seek your Archduke Ferdinand, but could not find him; this is why we have stayed so many days, waiting for him, but he would not come. And yesterday we released three of your men who were our prisoners, and ask that you do the same to our men, as we have also instructed your emissary to tell you orally. So you may also at any time send one of your men out to us, to enquire after the prisoners, and you shall not fear or be concerned about our good faith, because if we did not keep our promise to those in Ofen, it was not our fault but their own. Vienna, mid-October, 1529.