Siege of Vienna · War Crimes & Atrocities
The Great Turkish War produced atrocities on both sides, driven by a volatile combination of religious hatred, military convention, and the chaos of a sixteen-year war fought across a vast, ethnically mixed region. The Ottoman advance on Vienna in 1683 was preceded by devastating raids that burned towns and enslaved thousands of civilians across Lower Austria. The Holy League's reconquest of Hungary was accompanied by sackings, massacres of Muslim civilians and garrisons, and forced conversions. The Balkan campaigns displaced entire populations — the Great Serbian Migration of 1690 was one of the largest forced population movements in European history. The war was framed by both sides as a religious struggle, and that framing was used to justify treatment of civilians and prisoners that went far beyond military necessity.
10,000+
deaths
Victims: Austrian civilians across Lower Austria — villagers, townspeople, farmers(Estimates vary widely; tens of thousands were also taken as slaves)
3,000+
deaths
Victims: The townspeople of Perchtoldsdorf, who had surrendered under promise of safe conduct(Estimates range from 2,000 to 4,000 killed; many more enslaved)
5,000+
deaths
Victims: Muslim and Jewish residents of Buda, Ottoman garrison survivors, and civilians(Perhaps 3,000–5,000 killed in the sack; many more displaced)
Victims: Serbian civilians — an estimated 30,000–40,000 families, led by Patriarch Arsenije III(Deaths from the migration itself are unknown; the displacement affected tens of thousands)
2,000+
deaths
Victims: Ottoman garrison and Muslim civilian residents of Eger(Estimates uncertain; the garrison was largely killed and the Muslim population expelled)
300+
deaths
Victims: The ancient temple and approximately 300 Ottoman defenders sheltering inside(About 300 killed by the explosion; the cultural destruction was incalculable)
Victims: Austrian and Hungarian civilians — women, children, and young men captured for sale(Tens of thousands enslaved; deaths during capture and transport are unknown)