"Victoria", a story of Jan III Sobieski's victory in the battle of
Vienna, the day of true glory of European armies, achieved with a heroic
help from His Majesty's secret agent.A great clash between Western world and Islam in the struggle for much
more than the lands of the Habsburgs.A great story, great love, a great victory still important for todayÂ’s
world.
PUBLISHER’S NOTEWhen I lived in Vienna, in 1983, I had the opportunity to see and hear how the descendants of Leopold I and their guests celebrated the anniversary of the victorious battle that had taken place 300 years before. The early 80s were a period of death throes of communism and sympathy of the West for the Poles who on those warm September days were frozen in their action and thinking by December 1981. Vienna, rescued by our forefathers 300 years before, did not even think of worthy support for Poland and support similar to the one which it had received from Sobieski was, of course, out of the question. On the anniversary of the victory, the Austrians hastened to invite representatives of the nations that had participated in the battle of Kahlenberg in 1683. However, voice of the representatives of the Polish nation came out poorly. Since Europe was divided at that time, only ‘occasional’ celebration of the anniversary of the battle was decided upon. The battle, which in fact, like no other event in central Europe, united and not divided nations and their rulers in the face of an external threat. I listened intently to the voices of historians and politicians from both sides of the Iron Curtain. How the stigma of the then prevailing ideology predominated over the opinions! There were more differences in the assessment of the events from 300 years before than shared pride and satisfaction with the achieved victory. It was emphasized that each nation participating in that battle had had different motives for answering the call of Pope Innocent XI. In that year, 1983, via voices of their historians and politicians, the parties were differently assessing the services of individual armies on the battlefield at the gates of Vienna but nobody tried to answer the question from what evil Innocent XI had then saved Europe. I had the overwhelming impression that the greatest history lesson back then was simply lack of any lessons, and the discussions were serving only to solidify myths of national services and to completely conceal the role of Vatican diplomacy.
Today, faced with Europe uniting itself, slightly confused about its identity and contending with threats of global terrorism, we are using the lesson drawn from the events that took place during the relief of Vienna in 1683. At that time, nobody else but Pope Innocent XI fully understood the menace coming from the East and he found the right arguments to urge the rulers to overcome national egoisms. The Pope, like nobody else, was aware of the fact that it was not just defence of Vienna against another military attack of an expansive nation but defence of Europe against the deluge of the Ottoman Empire, at that time representing aggressive Islam.
Why did the Bavarians, Saxons, Franks, Poles and other nations decide at that time to help the Austrians in the defence of their capital? Like in 1983, one can make a technical, tactical or military analysis of the reasons for that event and reach conclusions that cover only a historical aspect. However, today we feel and think differently. Contemporary world situation inclines us to treat the Viennese campaign as an episode with thoroughly contemporary reference. At the beginning of the 21st century, there is more space in uniting itself and free Europe to look for the true source of a common front against the expansion of Islam which, in its extreme form, uses genocidal tools of terrorism. A contemporary European, learning the right lesson from that story, should not judge anymore who was more important and stronger or who contributed more to the victory. The victory was beautiful because it was shared. The victory was beautiful because it was a fact. Were the Ottoman forces and their commander, Kara Mustafa, the only ones defeated at that time? Something more was defeated. Hostile to a human being, as our civilization is accustomed to perceive it, system of values and model of communal life.
All nations participating in the clash near Vienna are today aware of the great importance of the battle for Europe. The answer to the question why the battle was one of the most important episodes in world history can be superficial. Was it because such a great number of armies were involved? Or was it because the Habsburgs were such an important family to Europe? Or was the desire for territorial acquisitions and other properties something special that singled out this armed clash?... Why? The answer of historians, shared by the European people, to this still open question, as a rule, comes down to much the same arguments. Our story is an attempt at getting deeper to where academic divagations cannot enter – to human soul, to emotions, weaknesses, heroism, courage, fear, dithers, love and hatred. The book you are holding in your hands is not a history textbook, although the majority of the characters and events are authentic. This is a story about human passions set in those specific, dramatic, fascinating circumstances, in Europe at the close of the 17th century. You will find in this novel a love story and spy motifs, battle scenes and picaresque adventures. Nevertheless, the novel is an attempt at asking that deeper question: Why two worlds – Islamic and Christian – come face to face; why Islam, in its extreme form, uses bloody violence and expansion? We know that for some people asking such questions is today inconvenient, politically incorrect or even dangerous. However, without asking questions – even the most inconvenient ones – there are no answers. And there is no dialogue.
A few months after the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, when the dust from the destroyed WTC towers has settled, I asked myself once more the question why? This tragic and very painful episode of the beginning of the 21st century one more time directed my thoughts to history, this magistra vitae and teacher of causes and effects. Was that what happened only another terrible terrorist incident or the next stage of the longest war in world history? Was it a coincidence that a few years later son of the German nation, Pope Benedict XVI, on the next anniversary of the Viennese victory, in his lecture in Regensburg directed towards the German elite, happened to use the characteristic in its significance quotation: “Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.� Should we not be inclined to a deeper analysis of history and its influence on today’s world by Oriana Fallaci who broke the long silence and wrote, in the evening of her life, the most important words in her writing? Words full of concern and warning not only for Europe but for the whole world.
Those who do not like difficult questions will find in this book, as it was mentioned before, a beautiful story about love, about noble and evil people and their destinies, about dramatic struggles of European knights and dilemmas of their commanders. The book precedes production of the feature film “Victoria†and in an excellent way lets one imagine what it was like, and what it could have been like, and what it would be like – in the movie.
From the standpoint of history we are all very young, young at heart and in experience, especially. This is a book for all young at heart. At times it is entertaining, at times it is educational and above all it provokes reflection.
Those who will spare a moment for reflection, while reading this fascinating book, and will find pleasure in searching for the answer to the still open question “Why was the victory near Vienna so important and to whom?†can be especially surprised. For history repeats itself.
Implementing the “Victoria†project, I have a deep conviction that lessons drawn from history will lead us to next victories. They are so scarce in our Polish history full of defeats and tragedies. The triumph near Vienna, presented in the book, serves not as a way to “cheer people’s hearts†but as evidence that our widely understood culture can draw not only on the lost battles and create tragic heroes. It is time for the way of thinking that is characteristic of the hero of this story – Franciszek Kulczycki: romantic heroism but also rationalism. These two very Polish traits can be a “victorious†contribution to the development of united Europe…
And finally, we invite all the readers of this book to visit the website
www.victoria-film.com
where you will find detailed information on the next stages of the “Victoria†project as well as a number of audiovisual attractions connected with this story.
Mariusz Bialek
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