The Sieges of Vienna and the Battle for Europe
Twice in its history, Vienna stood at the edge of catastrophe. In 1529 and again in 1683, vast Ottoman armies marched across Central Europe and laid siege to the Habsburg capital. These confrontations were not merely military campaigns, but pivotal moments in the struggle between empires, religions, and competing visions of Europe’s future. This episode explores both sieges in detail — the strategies, the personalities involved, and the narrow margins by which Vienna survived. Together, the sieges of Vienna reshaped the balance of power and marked the limits of Ottoman expansion into Europe.
