Harold Lamb - Suleiman the Magnificent: Sultan of the East

Challenge of the First Embassies

And now the first fruit of his waiting appeared. The Hun garians themselves sent envoys to ask his aid in December 1527. In Hungary, inevitably, the two rival kings had come to conflict. The Hapsburg, Ferdinand, being better equipped and aided by the dour Bohemians, had made short work of occupying Buda and overrunning the middle plain, driving the peoples army of Zapolya before him.

And, defeated in the field, Zapolya had appealed to Sulei man. The appeal pleased the Sultan, but not the manner of it. Ibrahim castigated his envoy sharply. You come too late. You should have come before the crowning of your King. How dared your lord think of himself as lord of Buda? Do you not know that my master was there? Where the horse of the Sultan has trod, that ground is forever his .... Brother, you come here as if from a servant. If you have come with tribute, give it; otherwise there is no use talking.

But when envoys appeared from the Hapsburgs, their recep tion was very different. The versatile Ibrahim played another part that of a courteous host, interested in all his guests had to say. ( He was curious to learn the intentions and the power of the Hapsburgs.)

The two Germans, Hobordanacz and Weixelberger, had the full benefit of ceremony, with the janizaris paraded at their entrance, and all the pashas sitting robed in the Divan. On their part the Germans had a train of four hundred knights, in full panoply. There was an imperial air to the meeting, and Ibrahim enjoyed himself vastly, asking if the envoys of the King of Bohemia and Germany he did not say Hungary had had a

pleasant journey, and if they were comfortable in their quar ters, and what had they to tell of their lord?

Hobordanacz said he was happy in the destiny that made him, the King of Hungary, such a near neighbor of the great Turkish emperor.

Ibrahim: Did you not know that the Sultan has been to Buda?

Hobordanacz (roughly): He left signs enough behind him, for us to know he visited it.

Ibrahim: But the castle; how was that left?

Hobordanacz: Whole and undamaged.

Ibrahim: Do you know why?

Because it was the royal castle, apart from the town.

No, because the Sultan desired to preserve the castle for his own use. God willing, he will keep it.

Hobordanacz: We know that is the Sultans idea. Yet even Alexander the Great was unable to carry out such ideas/ Ibrahim could not pass this answer over (knowing that Sulei man was listening, who had debated with him so often the ideas of Alexander). He challenged the envoy sharply. Then you say that Buda does not belong to Suleiman?

I cannot say,otherwise than that my King holds Buda. Ibrahim seized the chance to cross-question him about Fer dinands real nature and power. Why do you call him wise ... what do you understand by wisdom ... what boldness and courage do you find in him ... what have you to say about the power of your master?

Hobordanacz did not fare very well in trying to draw Ferdi nands portrait as an ideal monarch. By pretending naive curi osity and appearing skeptical, Ibrahim managed to get some useful information from the envoy. Only at the end did the Vizir drop his mask of guilelessness. The envoy had explained that Ferdinand was supported by the friendship of his strong neighbors.

Ibrahim: We know that these so-called friendly neighbors are in reality his enemies. And, as if absently, he asked, Do you come as at war or in peace?

Ferdinand desires the friendship of all his neighbors, the enmity of none.

Having sounded out the envoys, Ibrahim had them conducted into the presence of Suleiman with all splendor. Gifts were offered by the knights attendant on the envoys, and taken by janizaris of the guard, who displayed them to the onlookers. Meanwhile the envoys were kept at the door with their inter preter, until Suleiman asked them to state their masters busi ness. Then each was led forward in turn between Ibrahim and Kasim, who held their arms, in ancient tribal fashion. Hobordanacz said he had come to request a truce, if not a peace. Giving no answer, Suleiman spoke aside to his Vizir, who demanded, How do you dare speak of the power of your master here in the presence of the Sultan, to whose protection other princes of Europe have been willing to commend them selves?

Unguardedly Hobordanacz asked who those princes might be.

The King of France, he was told, the King of Poland, the Voevode of Transylvania, the Pope, and the Doge of Venice. That silenced the blunt Austrian, who realized the essential truth of it. Ibrahim added ironically that all but one of these princes were supreme heads of Europe. After a moments thought Hobordanacz changed his tone, but it did him no good. His mission was an impossible one. During later conferences with Ibrahim he had to admit that Ferdinand expected his sovereignty to be acknowledged over all fortified places in Hun gary, in return for an agreed peace.

I am surprised, Ibrahim commented, that he does not ask for Constantinople as well.

The Germans made matters worse by suggesting that com pensation would be paid Suleiman. Ibrahim, really angry, went to a window and pointed out the ancient city wall. Do you see that wall? At the end of it there are the Seven Towers, all of them filled with gold and treasure. As for offers, he added, both Charles and Ferdinand seemed incapable of keep ing faith.

Not until their dismissal did they go before Suleiman again. And their dismissal was most ominous.

Your master has not yet felt our neighborly friendliness, Suleiman informed them, but he shall soon feel it. Tell him plainly that I am coming in person with all my power to give back to Hungary the fortified places that he demanded of me. Tell him to make ready to receive me well.

Nor were the unfortunate Germans allowed to depart with their message. For a year they were kept confined, to meditate upon their message, while the Turks prepared for war. Suleiman had decided to remove Hungary entire from the nascent middle Europe dominion of the Hapsburgs. The coun try of the inviting prairies and lakes would become Magyaristan, the land of the Magyars, selfruled tinder Suleimans pro tection and authority. He had waited long to make this decision. A suitable ruler for the Hungarian state was at hand in John Zapolya, who held the allegiance of the common folk.

Zapolya was acknowledged King of Hungary, freed from

paying any tribute in return for his armed supportand given Gritti as a permanent envoy in Constantinople. Tell your mas ter, Suleiman informed him, that now he can sleep with both ears shut.