Ottoman Empire · 1526-1529

Mohács and the first siege of Vienna

In 1526 the Ottomans destroyed the Hungarian army at Mohács; in 1529 they stood before Vienna. Students follow the long march up the Danube and ask why the siege failed.

Teach it live New Open on the map
Length
45 minutes
Ages
12–15
On the map
3 steps, AD 1526 to AD 1529
Live lesson
7 rounds, 3 on the map
Worksheet
Two A4 pages, with Classroom
You need
A projector; phones for live

Live lesson · new in Classroom

Teach it live. The class answers on their phones.

Put the board on the projector. Students join with a six-digit code, no account needed, and tap the map: where was the frontier, where did the grain come from. Their pins drop in together when you reveal, and the closest student takes the round.

€19 per month: every lesson live, every worksheet, cancel anytime. Rome at its height runs live for free.

A live lesson on the projector: the class's pins on the map around Alexandria, the closest students listed beside it A student's phone: the question and a map to tap
7 rounds
3 places to find on the map, quiz questions, a class vote and a one-line answer.
About 15 minutes
Run it as the map step, or to open the discussion. You move on with the space bar.
A report
Every answer, per student and per round, to read back or print after the lesson.
1

Introduction

5 min

Read aloud

In 1526 the Ottomans destroyed the Hungarian army at Mohács; in 1529 they stood before Vienna. Students follow the long march up the Danube and ask why the siege failed.

By the end of the lesson, students can

  • Trace the Ottoman route from Istanbul up the Danube to Vienna on the map.
  • Describe the Battle of Mohács and its result for Hungary.
  • Explain at least three reasons why the siege of Vienna in 1529 failed.
2

Explore the map

12 min

Project the map, or let students follow on their own devices. Each step opens the map at the right year and place.

a

AD 1526

Mohács, 1526

Open the map in 1526 and turn on Historical Events. Find the Battle of Mohacs beside the Danube. Why would an army march along a great river?

Open this view on the map
b

AD 1529

The long march

Turn on the Cities layer and find Istanbul and Vienna. The army left Istanbul in May 1529 and reached Vienna in late September. Why did it take so long?

Open this view on the map
c

AD 1529

Before the walls

Find the Siege of Vienna (1529) in Historical Events and zoom in on the city. Which river protects its north side? Where would you dig siege tunnels?

Open this view on the map
3

Class discussion

14 min

Pick two or three. They run from what happened to why it mattered.

  1. King Louis II of Hungary died fleeing the battle at Mohács, aged 20. How could one battle change Hungary for 150 years?
  2. After Mohács two men claimed the Hungarian crown. How did Suleiman use their quarrel?
  3. The Ottoman army marched for more than four months to reach Vienna. What problems does such a long march create?
  4. Heavy rain forced the Ottomans to leave most of their big cannons behind. How much can weather decide a war?
  5. Vienna remembered 1529 as a great rescue; for the Ottomans it was one campaign among many. Why do the two sides remember it so differently?
4

Game round

9 min

Play the Suleiman the Magnificent round of Rule History and stop at the decision before Vienna in 1529. Let the class vote first, then reveal what Suleiman did. Discuss: was turning back a defeat or a sensible choice?

Open Rule History
5

Worksheet

5 min

This worksheet comes with Classroom

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