Siege of Belgrade (1690)

The Siege of Belgrade in 1690 was the fifth siege of that city, taking place during the Great Turkish War.

Belgrade had been conquered by the Austrians under the elector of Bavaria, Maximilian II Emanuel on September 6, 1688, after a five-week siege. Only 20 days later, King Louis XIV of France invaded the Rhineland, starting the Nine Years' War. This made the Emperor stop all offensives in the Balkans and redirect the bulk of his army in the East towards the Rhine. This allowed the Ottomans under Grand vizier Köprülü Fazıl Mustafa Pasha to regroup their army and retake the initiative. In 1690 the recaptured Niš and by October 6, they had reached Belgrade.

The siege lasted only for 6 days. The Austrians were forced to surrender when their main powder magazine was hit by a Turkish shell and exploded.

The Turks would hold the city until the Austrians retook it in the Siege of Belgrade (1717).

Source

 * Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A-E, by Tony Jaques