The Hungarian Letters of Ali Pasha of Buda 1604-1616. Bibliotheka Orientalis Hungarica, XXXVI.

From the estate of Gerd Winkelhane (1949-2018), head of the Klaus Schwarz Verlag from 1989. - A very good copy. - S�or Tak�, who popularized the cultural history of the Turkish Domination of Hungary, treated the Turks of that era with respect and affection. He had a special regard for Ali Pasha whom he esteemed as the most benevolent of all the governors of Ottoman Buda.1 Although his appraisal of Ali seems to be exaggerated, he had ample evidence to support his claim. These edited letters substantiate the assertion that Ali considered as his greatest achievement the successful conclusion of the peace negotiations at Zsitvatorok. Indeed a relatively orderly, even tranquil period resulted from the treaty . Undoubtedly the peace policy of Ali Pasha coincided with the interests of the Ottoman Empire; the defense against the aggressively attacking Shah Abbas on the eastern frontiers demanded great sacrifices. The logistic problems of the Ottoman armed forces that had to fight simultaneously on two fronts at the opposite ends of the Empire posed unsolvable obstacles for the administration. This must have been the explanation for the title "vezir" awarded to Ali Pasha by Ahmed I (1603-1617) for the otherwise rather unfavorable treaty. The termination of the Habsburg-Ottoman war enabled the Sublime Porte to transport tens of thousands of its soldiers and retainers from the Hungarian frontiers to the eastern theatre of war. ISBN 9630559285