The Defence of Szigetvár Against the Turks by Nikola IV Zrinski

The Croatian viceroy, Nicola IV Zrinski, came from an old noble family of the Šubićs. He became famous thanks to his defence of his country against the Turks and in 1563 he became commander of the royal army on the Danube and in Szigetvár.

In 1566, numerous Turkish troops invaded Hungary and besieged Szigetvár at the beginning of August. The defenders defended the city, the palace and the old castle fiercely. Outnumbered by the Turks, they fought to no avail but thanks to their courage and to the enemy’s large casualties, the Turkish western campaign was stopped for several years.

The painting shows the last moments of the defence, when the city has been conquered by the Turks. The palace is burning and so is the old castle, where Zrinski is making an impassioned speech to the remaining garrison, getting ready for the last foray. The exhausted warriors are taking off their heavy armour so that they can move more easily.

In the right-hand part of the painting there is a powder mill which the soldiers do not want to hand over to the enemy. That is why the female commander is lighting a torch which she will later throw into the gunpowder tower.

Other women are climbing the scaffolding to her because they prefer death to captivity and slavery.
The dark column of smoke dividing the painting symbolises the explosion in the fortress as well as the majesty of the terrible sacrifice of human lives in the name of freedom.