Exelby, Alan No More Time to Lose

The Battle of Kahlenberg and the Relief of Vienna, 12 September 1683

Volume 131, Century of the Soldier 1618-1721, is a detailed account of the historic liberation of Vienna from the Ottoman siege in 1683 by an allied army led by Johann Sobieski, King of Poland, and Charles V, Duke of Lorraine. The Ottoman army advanced from its bases in occupied Hungary and laid siege to Vienna. The imperial government called on its allies for help in liberating the city, and many responded to this call, notably the Poles, but also Bavaria, Saxony and contingents from various parts of the empire. A joint army overcame the rivalries between the commanders, crossed the difficult wooded hills around Vienna and, with the cooperation of all the elements that played an important role in the action, defeated the Ottoman army and pushed it back to Hungary. No More Time to Lose begins with a summary of the operations outside Vienna while the relief army was gathering, with details of all the units, followed by a detailed account of the arduous march through the forests and the battle of 12 September. It includes comprehensive battle orders for both sides (such information about the Ottomans is extremely rare). It concludes with a summary of the subsequent campaign in Hungary, which marked the beginning of a successful Christian counteroffensive against the Ottomans, as well as a discussion of why the rescue of Vienna was a decisive event in history. No More Time to Lose is based primarily on a careful review of published sources in French and German, earlier archival studies, mainly in German, and the works of Polish historians, in particular the renowned study by Jan Wimmer and the current book by Michal Paradowski.