Osman Ağa of Temeşvar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1670 (1670) Temeşvar,Ottoman Empire (now Timișoara, Romania) |
| Died | 1725 (aged 54–55) Istanbul, Ottoman Empire |
| Occupation | Army Officer, Historian, Travel Writer |
| Nationality | Ottoman |
| Genre | Autobiography, Ottoman history |
| Notable works | Autobiography detailing his adventures and imprisonment inHabsburg Austria |
Osman Ağa of Temeşvar (Ottoman Turkish:طمشوارلى عثمان آغا,romanized: Temeşvarlı Osman Ağa;Serbo-Croatian:Osman-aga Temišvarski; 1670–1725) was anOttoman army officer, historian, and travel writer, as well as one of the fewTurkish-languageautobiographers of the era.[1][2] The formerprisoner-of-war wrote mostly of his adventures - and imprisonment - inHabsburg Austria.[3] His autobiography was the soleOttoman Turkish example of its kind.
Osman was born in Temeşvar (Timișoara),Temeşvar Eyalet (now in westernRomania), probably in a family ofOttoman Serbian origin.[4] He spokeGerman,Serbo-Croatian,Hungarian, and understoodRomanian.[5][6] Temesvár was inhabited by Romanians, Serbs, and Hungarians at the time and had been conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1552.
Osman Aga was a low-ranking army officer in Temeşvar who excelled in learning foreign languages andequitation.
After the unsuccessfulSiege of Vienna in 1683, the tide turned and theHoly League ofEuropean nations began to force the Ottomans out ofHungary during theGreat Turkish War between 1683–1699.
The Austrians were unable to capture Temeşvar during the war. In 1688, Osman's squadron of 80 men were tasked with delivering the salaries of army officers toLipova, Arad, just north of Temeşvar.[7] They were attacked by superior Austrian Forces inArad County. The city council decided to surrender, leading Osman to become a prisoner-of-war at the age of 18.[4]
Osman Aga was awarded to a military judge in the Austrian Army who asked for a ransom. Despite having the means to pay for his freedom, he was not released. He was sold to several new masters inKapfenberg andVienna. He spent several months in dungeons and was frequently beaten and whipped by his masters during the early years, but his skill in equitation and learningGerman helped him to live a relatively stress free life in later years. One of his masters offered him freedom in return for converting toChristianity, which he refused.[8] After theTreaty of Karlowitz, he returned to Temeşvar in 1700.
As a result of the German he had learned during his servitude, he became the officialdragoman (translator) of Temeşvar and served in several diplomatic missions to Austria. However, his newly-comfortable lifestyle was shattered at the outbreak of a new war between the Ottomans and the Austrians in 1715. This timeEugene Savoy of Austria captured Temeşvar in 1716. Osman Aga fled toBelgrade (now inSerbia). Despite Osman Aga's retreat, Belgrade shared the same fate in 1717. Shortly before the final assault of the Austrians on Belgrade, they blew up the ammunition dump of the fort on 14 August 1717. This resulted in the deaths of 3,000 people, which included most of Osman's family. After the loss of Belgrade, he served inVidin (now inBulgaria) and then came toIstanbul, where he continued his civil service as dragoman.[9]
Osman Aga's most important work isPrisoner of the Infidels (1724), which summarizes his adventures in Austria between 1688 and 1700. He also wroteAustrian History (Turkish:Nemçe Tarihi), an unfinished work up to 1662. His other works include notes about his diplomatic missions after 1700.
Osman-aga, born to a family of South Slav origin in Temesvar (present- day Timisoara in Romania)
То је Осман-ага, тумач родом из Темишвара (око 1671—1725?), образован човек, добар зналац српскохрватског и немачког језика. Он сведочи о устанку српске paje (Die serbischen Raiáyá)." Да бих показао да Станојевић пише....
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