⚔️ Ottoman & Islamic Empireseasy
Siege of Vienna (1683)
1683 CE · Vienna, Austria
The Siege of Vienna (1683) was fought in 1683 CE in Vienna, Austria between Holy League (Holy Roman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) vs the Ottoman Empire; decisive Holy League victory; the Ottoman siege was broken by the largest cavalry charge in history.
Siege of Vienna (1683): quick facts
- Date
- 1683 CE
- Location
- Vienna, Austria
- Belligerents
- Holy League (Holy Roman Empire and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) vs the Ottoman Empire
- Commanders
- John III Sobieski and Charles of Lorraine vs Kara Mustafa Pasha
- Result
- decisive Holy League victory; the Ottoman siege was broken by the largest cavalry charge in history.
- Era
- ⚔️ Ottoman & Islamic Empires
- Quiz difficulty
- easy
What happened at the Siege of Vienna (1683)?
The Ottoman Empire besieged Vienna, the Habsburg capital, with a massive army under Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha. After two months of desperate defense, a relief force led by Polish King Jan III Sobieski arrived and launched one of the largest cavalry charges in history. The Ottomans were routed, marking the beginning of their long retreat from Europe and the end of Ottoman expansion westward.
Sources and further reading
- Siege of Vienna (1683) on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.