Chistians and Ottomans in 16th Century Timișoara

Abstract

The city of Timişoara was one of the most important urban settlements in the southern parts of the Hungarian medieval kingdom. In 1552, following a brutal military campaign, Timişoara and its surroundings were occupied by Ottomans and integrated in the Empire. Although in the beginning was a real shock for the Christian communities inside the city (Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox), the religious life continued under Turkish rule. A lot of documents from the second half of the 16th century offer information about the cohabitation between different Christian denominations and, of course, the Christian-Muslim relation. The Ottoman authorities had established the best relations with Serbian Orthodox church, recognizing many of its privileges, even allowing the foundation of a Serbian Orthodox bishopric inside the city. The Catholic and Protestant communities felt much stronger Ottoman pressure, because the two Christian denominations tried to get support from Turkish authorities in their dispute over faith.