Description

A very rare broadside, issued in 1903, showcases the map the Battle of Mohács, fought in 1526.

The battle fought between the Hungarian army under King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia

Louis II, and the Ottoman army led by Suleiman the Magnificent, was one of the most consequential battles in Central European history. The battle with more than 100,000 participants resulted in a defeat of Hungary and death of king Louis II. The Battle of Mohács was a milestone, which marked the end of the Middle Ages in Hungary.

The sheet was publshed in a series Ottoman State Military History (دولت عثمانيى تارخي عسكريسى) in the last years under the reign of Abdul Hamid II by a Royal War Office under the patronage of General Ahmed Muhtar (طويجى اركان حربيه سندن فريق احمد مختار). The series was suppose to educate people on the military history through the images of great Ottoman battles in the early 20^th century, when the Ottoman Empire was undergoing a great crisis. In 1908 year Sultan Abdul Hamid was deposed in the Young Turk Revolution.

Traditionally the focus of Ottoman map making was not on historical cartography. As such the present battle plan of a key historical engagement in South Easter Europe is remarkable. 

We could not trace any other examples of the map in instititutions worldwide.