FOOTNOTES:
[1] It is difficult to illustrate the very peculiar institutions of Hungary by reference to those of any other state, as I know of none which presents any near analogy to the office of Palatine. He is chosen by the king out of four magnates presented for election by the states of the kingdom. He represents the king, and is the constitutional mediator between him and his subjects in all matters at issue between them. As President of the highest court of appeal, he resembles our Lord Chancellor, and, like him, takes precedence of all subjects except the primate, the Archbishop of Gran. From 1765 to Joseph II.’s death in 1790 the office remained vacant. It has since been usually filled by an Austrian Archduke.—E.
[2] “The Besieging of the City of Vienna in Austria by the cruel Tyrant and Destroyer of Christendom, the Turkish Emperor, as it lately befell, in the Month of September, 1529.”
[3] These instances illustrate the fact that Soliman was ill provided with siege artillery. The Turks at this period, as will be seen in the case of Vienna, relied principally on their skill in mining for the capture of strong places, a method very effective in their hands, but slow.—E.
[4] These commissioners were civilians. One of them was a lawyer, answering probably to our barrister of six years’ standing.—E.
[5] See Ränke, “Deutsche Geschichte,” vol. iii. p. 202.
[6] The distance of this spot from the wall would be about one-third of the extreme breadth of the city.—T.
[7] The vast pecuniary resources of the Turkish empire at this period, and the profusion with which they were dispensed abroad, offers a striking contrast to the poverty and niggardliness of the House of Austria and the Germanic body. While Soliman was marching upon Pesth the operations of the Austrian flotilla on the Danube were paralyzed for want of 40,000 florins to pay the arrears of the crews. With great difficulty 800 florins were raised for the purpose.—See Ränke, “Fursten und Volker,” vol. iii. p. 191.—E.
[8] The purse held 500 piastres, or 60,000 aspers, which, at 50 aspers to the ducat, makes 6000 ducats.
[9] This specimen of favouritism, won, not by mean arts, but by soldierlike and simple bearing, does honour to both parties. No one in these days would, like the Chronicler, give credit to the tale of slow poison with which his credulity impairs the merit justly due to the Turk. Even were it more consistent than it is with the character of Soliman or his minister, it is obviously irreconcilable with the other facts recorded.—E.