Peril of Sziget
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Szigeti veszedelem (Latin Obsidionis Szigetianae, English Peril of Sziget) was the title of the Hungarian epic poem in fifteen parts published by Miklós Zrinyi in 1664 about the final battle of his great-grandfather Miklós Zrinyi against the Ottomans in 1566. It was composed during the winter one year before his death, and was his crowning literary achievement (his only other major work being a lengthy poem Idilium). Each part is composed of about 100 quatrains.
The poem recounts in epic fashion the Battle of Szigetvár, in which a vastly outnumbered Hungarian army tried to resist a Turkish invasion. The battle concluded when Captain Zrinyi's forces, having been greatly depleted, left the fortress walls in a famous onslaught. Approximately four hundred troops forayed into the Turkish camp. The epic concludes with Zrinyi killing Sultan Suleiman I, before being gunned down by janissaries. Being in the epic tradition, specifically modeled on the Illiad, it opens with an invocation of the muses (in this case, the Virgin Mary), and features many supernatural elements. The characters of Deliman and Deli Vid are analogous to Hector and Achilles in the Illiad, although one is clearly the moral superior of the other.
Kenneth Clark's renowned history Civilisation lists the Szigeti Veszedelem as of the major literary achievements of the 17th century. It should be noted that while John Milton's Paradise Lost is often credited as reviving the classical epic, it was published in 1667, three years after the Veszedelem. As of yet, no comprehensive English translation exists.
Parts I-II
The story is framed by God's anger at the Hungarians for having abandoned their faith, and his decision to send Archangel Michael into hell to awaken a fury to be sent into the heart of Sultan Suleiman. Suleiman, enraged at the Hungarians, assembles his armies and best soldiers from far and wide, including the sorceror Alderan and the famed Saracen Deliman, who is in love with the sultan's daughter Cumilla, who has been promised to another. Simultaneously, Captain Zrinyi Miklós implores God to take his life before he grows old and feeble. God hears his prayer and sees his piety, and promises him that he will not only fulfill his wish, but also give him the opportunity for martyrdom. In a major foreshadowing, God announces that Zrinyi will die in the upcoming battle, but not before taking the life of the sultan.Parts III-V
As the Turkish invasion force marches towards their destination of Eger, Suleiman dispatches a basha to Bosnia. He is ambushed on the way and utterly defeated by Zrinyi's men, convincing the sultan to divert towards Szigetvár instead. This is primarily an illustration of God's will, as he moves Suleiman to change his original plans to fulfill God's greater plan. In Part IV, there is some commotion in the Turkish camp during the night, leading to the misapprehension that Zrinyi has attacked. Two scrambled armies do battle against each other, leading to major Turkish losses. Zrinyi meanwhile assembles his forces, leading to another litany of heroes. The chief protagonist amongst these is Deli Vid, an apparent Turkish convert who fights alongside the Hungarians. Zrinyi sends off his young son, the poet's grandfather, to the emperor's court, acknowledging that he will die in the upcoming battle.Parts VI-XIII
The battle of Szigetvár begins in earnest. A Turkish expeditionary force is brutally crushed by Zrinyi and his men, most notably Deli Vid. On the next day of the battle, with the arrival of the Sultan's army, Deliman and Deli Vid do battle, but neither is able to gain the upper hand. They agree to meet the next day, which again leads to a stalemate.Meanwhile, Deliman has a romance introduced, as he kills Cumilla's husband and begins an illict affair with her. They have several liaisons, and both are presented in a negative light. In contrast to this is Deli Vid and his bedouin wife Barbala. Vid is captured by the Turks during one battle, leading to his wife donning his armor and riding into the camp to his rescue.
In another sub-plot, two Hungarian soldiers, lost after a battle, accidentally wander into the Turkish camp at night. They decide to go as far as they can, killing many (including several nobles) along the way.
The Turks suffer grievous losses the entire time, and finally the sultan decides to decamp. Zrinyi, having nearly exhausted his own men, sends a final letter of farewell to his son and to the emperor. In another act of divine intervention, the carrier pigeon bearing the letter is intercepted by a hawk, and the letter falls into the camp. The sultan decides to finish the battle.
Parts XIV-XV
The seer Alderan is entrusted with planning the final assault. He takes several captive Hungarian youths into a forest clearing, where he slaughters them and paints arcane circles with their blood. Opening a portal to hell, he summons forth a demonic army (interestingly, commanding them on pain of invoking Christ) to attack Szigetvár. Last to arrive is Ali, who informs Alderan that Muhammad's sword has been broken, and that they both now are eternally tormented in hell. Finally, he drags Alderan down to hell in exchange for the help he has received. In heaven, God sees the progression of the battle, and sends Archangel Gabriel with an angelic host to fight the demonic onslaught. With the supernatural battle swirling around him, Zrinyi instructs his men to take one final charge out of the fortress. Not needing to protect a path of retreat, the small battalion does massive damage to the Turkish forces. In the fracas, Zrinyi spots Suleiman and beheads him. Deliman and Deli Vid finally kill each other.Not daring to approach the Hungarians, janissaries open fire, and Zrinyi with his band of heroes is gunned down, completing the prophecy. Each soul is taken up by an angel to heaven, with Gabriel escorting Zrinyi personally.
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