1683 was the year of the Catholic victory over the Ottoman Turks at Vienna. The siege of Catholic Vienna was begun by an Ottoman force estimated to 150,000-300,000 men with 300 guns. There were some Protestant forces included in the Ottoman Army. Most of the Viennese civilians had fled the city leaving behind 2,000 professional soldiers with another 9,000 civilian militia to hold the city.  By September, the city was in desperate straits and its fall was imminent.

Four days after the siege was begun, the Holy League was formed to relive the besieged city. The relief force was made up of 47,000 troops from Austrian and the Holy Roman Empire led by Charles Duke of Lorraine and a Polish army of 37,000 with 3,000 winged Hussars led by the Polish King Jan Sobieski.

 “What isn’t mentioned here is that Sobieski began the forced marches to Vienna from the shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, where he mounted his charger on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1683, to arrive in Vienna almost a month later. There were three occasions in the defense of Christendom against Islam in which Europe was saved by a John: John Hunyadi, the Hungarian King, and hero of the Battle of Belgrade, Don Juan of Austria, who led the Christian navies at the Battle of Lepanto, and Jan Sobieski, King of Poland. On each of these instances, the Christian people sang with gratitude, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John,” applying to the hero the description of the Baptist from the prologue of St. John’s Gospel.” (Catholicism.org)

On September 10, the Holy League arrived on hills above the city.  Before starting their descent to the city and the plain below the King of Poland assisted at Holy Mass and commended their mission and souls to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As they advanced they had to fight for each ridge and vineyard. By 4PM on September 12, they arrived at the plain where fearsome Polish cavalry (the Hussars) could be effective. Now, the Hussars moved to the front with the King of Poland in the lead.

First a few companies were detailed to probe the enemy’s center, where they succeeded in disordering the Turkish first line. As the Poles withdrew, the Ottoman commander on the Turkish left must have thought the Poles were now vulnerable to counter-attack; and ordered the Ottoman cavalry on that wing to attack Sobieski’s horsemen.

Clearing a last line of vineyards, the Hussars now began a charge in mass. With the cry of “Jezus Maria ratuj,” the password of the day on their lips, and their king at their head, the Poles advanced at a canter. The Imperial infantry to their left paused in their own attack to take in the awe-inspiring sight. At 50 paces, with the order “Zlozcie kopie” (“lower lances!”) the Hussars broke into full gallop, lances lowering like “stalks of rye in the wind”. Into the oncoming Turkish cavalry, Sipahis and akinci, they tore!

A witness to the charge wrote:

“No sooner does a Hussar lower his lance than a Turk is impaled on its spike; disordering and terrifying the foe. That blow cannot be avoided or deflected…Oft transfixing two persons at a time. Others flee in eager haste… Like flies in a frenzy!”

Scattering the Turkish outriders, Sobieski now ordered the Hussars to charge home against the center of the Turkish camp. With an audible crash and shattering of lances they smashed home into the Janissaries. The Turkish line recoiled, and after receiving still another charge from the far-right squadrons of Polish horse crumbled. Soon the entire Turkish line was fleeing headlong in a disorderly mob from the pursuing Hussars.

The siege was over, and Vienna was saved. The Turkish drive into central Europe ended in defeat; and in the coming years the Imperial forces, led by the brilliant Prince Eugene of Savoy would drive the Turks out of Hungary entirely.”

This victory is celebrated by our Holy Mother Church (according to the Traditional calendar) on September 12, as the Holy Name of Mary.