Kulchytsky’s heroic act during the siege of Vienna by Turkish troops

Start date:
1683у.
Completion date:
1683у.

On 14th of July, 1683, Ottoman troops began the siege of Vienna.

The 400-thousand army of Osman sieged Vienna. The Janissaries took positions for the assault and a massive artillery shelling began. The smell of gunpowder.

These terrible events were accompanied by fires, famine and epidemics in the city.

To defend the city, count Ernst Ridiger Starhemberg began with the mobilization. He managed to gather 16.000 regular military and 6000 volunteers, in whose ranks was Kulchytsky.

From the first days of the siege, the commandant of the city tried to send a letter calling for help to Emperor Leopold I to defend the imperial residence. In order to do this, it was necessary to cross the military camp around Vienna. All couriers who were sent, ended up being captured.

Graf Starhemberg was desperately looking for a suitable man who would dare to sneak through the Ottoman camo and reach the positions of the Allied forces approaching Vienna. Kulchytsky agreed to go on this mission.

Bold and well prepared because he knew Turkish language and customs. He knew his way around the area. Kulchytsky’s task was to deliver a letter to Prince Karl of Lorraine, get an answer and return to Vienna.

On August 15, 1683, Kulchytsky conveyed the letters.

On August 17, he successfully returned to Vienna with an answer.

References:

Do you have interesting ideas, stories or information about Ukrainian sites / events in Vienna?
Write to us. Let's together and preserve the Ukrainian history of Vienna and Austria!
+ Add a description