▁inv ading ▁Ott oman ▁Tur ks . ▁This ▁marked ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁Turkish ▁attempt ▁to ▁expand ▁their ▁power ▁in ▁Europe , ▁and ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁long ▁European ▁counter - off ensive ▁that ▁was ▁to ▁continue ▁ultimately ▁until ▁the ▁dis integration ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁This ▁may ▁therefore ▁be ▁considered ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁decis ive ▁batt les ▁of ▁history . ▁It ▁also ▁put ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁Ott oman ▁rev ival ▁under ▁the ▁Kop r ulu ▁Grand ▁V iz irs ▁and ▁their ▁prot ég é ▁and ▁successor , ▁K ara ▁Must ap ha , ▁who ▁was ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁army ▁at ▁Vienna . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 6 8 3 ▁to ▁ 1 6 8 9 ▁Marco ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁campaign s , ▁playing ▁a ▁cru cial ▁role ▁in ▁prom oting ▁good ▁relations ▁within ▁the ▁Imperial ▁army ▁and ▁encourag ing ▁the ▁soldiers . ▁He ▁was ▁present ▁at ▁the ▁liber ation ▁of ▁B uda ▁in ▁ 1 6 8 6 ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁sie ge ▁of ▁Bel grade ▁in ▁ 1 6 8 8 . ▁He ▁always ▁maintained ▁a ▁strictly ▁religious ▁spirit , ▁to ▁which ▁any ▁violence ▁and ▁cruel ty ▁were ▁rep ug nant . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁at ▁the ▁sie ge ▁of ▁Bel grade ▁several ▁hundred ▁Muslim ▁soldiers ▁successfully ▁appe aled ▁to ▁him ▁personally , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁avoid ▁being ▁mass ac red ▁upon ▁capture . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁jud g ement ▁of ▁histor ians ,