Imprisonment of the Ottoman Delegacy Board at Komorn and Pottendorf According to Zülfikar Pasha's Mükaleme Takrir and Struggle to Return Istanbul

Abstract

The Otoman Empire after the defeat of the II. Siege of Vienna (1683), has started to battle with Austria and its allies Venice and Lehistan in different fronts, especially due to its constant recession in Austrian front, it has decided to send one of its committee to Vienna. The Committee leaded by Zülfikar Pascha apparently will communicate the Emperor I. Leopold the accession of Sultan II. Süleyman but actually the committe wanted to conclude negociations, under very hard conditions the committee has not obtained any results. After unresulting negociations the committee, which expected that it will be sent back, have been guarded in Komorn and Pottendorf, as the committe could not send any messenger, they could not long communicate with İstanbul. But as they have not given up their return hope, they have again and again requested by letters written to Austrian deputy and authorities and by "favour letter" written to the Emperor to be permitted to return. From those letters it is possible to understand how the committee has been aggrieved, how it have been in helpness and they have claimed their situation, in which they had been. As far as Austrian side is concerned, they have presented agreement conditions that the Empire Ottoman would not accept so they want to obtain time and to detain the committee. Despite all troubles the committee has carried on its fightings and at the and they have obtained a result and succeeded in 1692 to return after 4 years in İstanbul.