PART TWO
July 22, 1456 (Belgrade)
This letter is the earliest surviving witness to the fight for Belgrade. John of Capistrano, whose preaching and correspondence were central to the organization of the crusade (see documents 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.9, and 3.10) was also an eyewitness to and at least in part a participant in the battle. He drafted this letter in its immediate aftermath, perhaps only a few hours after its conclusion.
Source: Trans. J. Mixson, from Luke Wadding, ed., Annales minorum, 3rd ed. (Quaracchi, 1932), 12: 429–30.
Most blessed father, after kisses for your sacred feet, joy and exultation! Glory to God in the highest, by whose mercy it has happened that we have not been destroyed. We were in such tribulation, and in such dire straits, that everyone thought we could no longer resist the power of the Turks. Even general Hunyadi himself, truly the terror of the Turks and a most powerful defender of Christians, judged that it would be best to abandon the fortress of Belgrade. For the savage Muhammadans so strongly and incessantly assaulted the citadel, destroyed the walls with so many machines, and fought against us so fiercely that our strength began to fail, and that our soldiers, especially, began to lose heart. But amid tribulation the Lord revived us: after we had driven them from the city, our most savage enemy deceptively retreated, seeking to set an ambush for us as we pursued them. And though Lord Hunyadi commanded that none of our soldiers should leave the fortress, the crusaders cared nothing for his command and instead rushed upon the enemy, placing themselves in great danger. And when I, the least of the servants of Your Holiness, was unable to call them back from beyond the walls, I went forth into the field of battle and ran here and there, now calling them back, now encouraging them, and setting them in order so that they would not be surrounded by their enemies. And in the end the Lord, who can save through the few as well as through the many, mercifully granted victory to us, and put the most savage army of the Turks to flight. We captured all of their catapults and their diabolical machines,1 through which they thought they would subjugate all of Christendom. Therefore, may Your Holiness rejoice in the Lord, and may he decree that praise, honor, and glory be offered to him, because he alone has done a great wonder. Neither I, an unarmed and useless servant, nor the poor and rough crusaders who are your devout servants, could have done this through our own strength. The Lord God of Hosts has done all of it. To him be the glory forever. I write this quickly and hastily, exhausted as I return from the battle. I will write again very soon to describe more clearly what has happened in detail.
From Belgrade on the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, on the very day of the most glorious victory.
1 Capistrano’s reference here is to the sultan’s great bombards.