Trophies of War: Ottoman Tents Won in the Siege of Vienna in 1683

Over the course of the Ottoman Empire (ca. 1299–1922), several sultans sought to expand the empire westward, deeper into Christian Europe; and by 1683, Ottoman troops were at the gates of Vienna, besieging the city. There, they were met with and ultimately vanquished by the Polish king, Jan III Sobieski, who, upon his victory, captured the tents of the Ottoman grand vizier, the most extraordinary trophies of war an early modern military leader could win. The Ottoman Empire had a long history of extravagantly decorated tents that have been described as fabric palaces. After Sobieski’s victory and seizure of the monumental appliquéd and embroidered fabric structures, a new trend of Ottoman-style tents swept Poland, resulting in a lucrative market for ornate tents in Central Europe. Through the fog of history, though, the exact tent that Sobieski won in battle was lost, though legends abound and many tents lay claim the illustrious title.

Monday, February 20, 2023 at 3:00 pm

Presented by Ashley Dimmig, Director, Crossman Gallery