Why was the Siege of Szigetvár considered "...the battle that saved civilization."

by [deleted]

I have recently been made aware of this event and the quote about the battle seems overly dramatic. Was Suleiman the Magnificent planing to destroy Europe?

asdjk482

That's a ridiculous appellative that seems to get dragged out anytime someone wants to emphasize the antagonistic "Other" aspect of non-Christians. Manzikert, Poitiers, Tour, etc. It's bizarre in every case. Suleiman and his Empire were every bit as civilized as their opponents, and to frame an examination of the conflict in such terms is to see the world through the eyes of a 17th century French Cardinal. I advise against taking such a quote seriously.

Unfortunately the wars between Suleiman and the Habsburgs were numerous and convoluted and I doubt I could speak intelligently about their actual motivations, but it certainly wasn't to destroy Europe. The vassalship of Hungary seemed to be a main point of contention.