On September 11, 1683, the invading Turks exploded underground bombs to collapse large sections of wall protecting Vienna’s outnumbered defenders.
Most Americans know little about history, and care even less. However, our enemies are obsessed with it. They often talk of obscure events from a thousand years ago as if they happened yesterday. Is that why militant followers of The Prophet chose September 11 as the day to blow up buildings in New York and Washington and murder roughly 3,000 Americans?
Who hijacked the planes and flew them into buildings in 2001? Why? Who attacked Vienna, the center of the Holy Roman Empire in Central Europe in 1683? Why? Who conquered Constantinople, the center of the Christian world in 1453? Why? Who conquered all of the Middle East, Egypt, North Africa, and Spain in less than a hundred years, 300 years BEFORE the Crusades? Why?
Mural Explaining Richard Somers Story at 801 Shore Rd, Somers Pt, NJ. Thomas Jefferson pictured upper left. Map of Turkish Empire with Tripoli and other “Barbary” kingdoms upper right.
At last week’s ceremony to remember Richard Somers, we learned of what U.S. ambassadors Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were told about followers of The Prophet in 1786. They met the Ambassador for Tripoli, one of four “Barbary” kingdoms of the Turkish Empire that had gone to war against us. Adams and Jefferson asked why they were attacking our ships, robbing their cargo, and capturing crews and passengers for slavery or ransom when we “had done them no injury” and “considered all mankind as our friends”. The Barbary Ambassador gave this answer:
“It is founded in the laws of our Prophet. It is written in our Koran. All nations who do not acknowledge their authority are sinners. It is therefore our right and duty to make war upon them wherever they can be found, and to make slaves of all we can take as prisoners. Every ‘Mussulman’ who is slain in (such) battle is sure to go to Paradise”.
This was not some radical interpretation. The Barbary Ambassador served the Turkish Sultan. At that time, the Sultan was also the Caliph (Khalifa), the supreme religious authority of the Ummah (whole worldwide community of Muslims).
This doctrine of constant war against non-believers was preached by the Prophet Mohammed himself, ever since he and his followers left Mecca and went to Medina in 622, nearly 1,400 years ago. Osama Bin Ladin referred to it in his “Letter to the American People” explaining why his followers murdered 3,000 Americans in New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.
Scene from 2012 Movie “Day of the Siege: September 11, 1683” depicts Turkish Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha approaching Vienna. Although the movie received many favorable reviews, it was not promoted by Hollywood.
In 1683, the Turkish Sultan and Caliph, began a campaign to conquer and occupy the “Holy Roman Empire”, most of Central Europe from Germany to Italy, including Rome. In previous years, the Turks had conquered much of Eastern Europe, including Greece, Serbia, Romania, and Hungry. The Turks were especially interested in seizing Vienna, the political center of the Empire, and Rome, along with the Pope, the spiritual center.
In July of 1683, the Turks approached Vienna and the nearby town of Petersdorf. Petersdorf immediately surrendered. When they entered the City, the Turks massacred hundreds, if not thousands of Christians who refused to convert to Islam. The people of Vienna decided they had nothing to lose by fighting.
By the end of July, a Turkish army of more than 150,000 men surrounded Vienna, which had fewer than 24,000 defenders. However, Vienna’s strong and skillfully engineered defensive walls allowed them to fight off Turks. However, the Turks systematically dug tunnels under the walls. On September 11, 1683, they exploded powerful underground bombs which collapsed large sections of the wall. The Turks prepared to overrun Vienna the following day.
Scene from 2012 Movie “Day of the Siege: September 11, 1683” depicts Polish King Jan Sobieski ordering cannon bombardment of Turks still sleeping in their tents on morning of September 12, before personally leading cavalry charge to attack them from behind. Cannons were purchased by the Pope, with money contributed by Spain with riches from newly discovered America.
However, the Turks were surprised on September 12. A large Christian army led by King Jan Sobieski of Poland attacked the Turkish army from behind with powerful cannon fire, followed by a charge of heavy cavalry. The mostly Polish army killed or captured most of the invaders and the rest fled.
Few Americans know or care that bagels and croissants were created to celebrate the defeat of the Turks outside the walls of Vienna on September 12, 1683. However, many Jihadis are obsessed with past defeats and humiliations of Muslims by non-believers as if they happened yesterday, and are burning for revenge.
Although September 12 was already “The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary”, Catholics held special customs to celebrate the day. They created the bagel in the shape of the stirrups used by the Polish cavalry. The created the croissant, a pastry made in the shape of the crescent moon featured on the flags of the Turkish army. Coffee became a big part of the holiday, since large quantities of coffee beans were found in the Turkish camp when their soldiers fled.
Does the Battle of Vienna explain why Osama Bin Laden attacked us on September 11? Was he inspired by how close the Turkish Jihad of 1683 came to winning? Did he want to avenge defeat by the Holy Roman Empire and Catholic Alliance on September 12? Or was it a coincidence?
Either way, it is important to know the history of the Turkish Jihad of 1683 and 900 years of other Jihad wars and battles before that. When we do, we can be certain that whatever caused followers of The Prophet to murder 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001, it was NOT climate change, white supremacy, or an offensive Hollywood movie.