Catholic Missionaries As Turkish Prisoners In Ottoman Hungary In The Seventeenth Century

Abstract

This chapter presents the fate of Catholic missionaries as Turkish Prisoners in the occupied territories of Hungary in the seventeenth century. All types of Christian prisoners could be found in the Ottoman Empire – from destitute servants to members of the aristocracy. Obviously, the Ottoman soldiers were well aware that if a captive was held for ransom rather than sold at the slave market, the amount of the ransom fee would depend upon his wealth and status. The families of wealthy captives were clearly able to pay more for the release of their loved ones. Catholic missionaries – and priests in general – were especially attractive targets in the eyes of the Ottoman military, because their ransoms would be paid by the Catholic community as a whole rather than by distant family members. Keywords: Catholic missionaries; Christian prisoners; Hungary; Ottoman Empire; seventeenth century; slave market; Turkish Prisoners