Great Polish Warriors: The Winged Hussars Part III Battles Won and Lost

BATTLES WON AND LOST

THE  POLISH LITHUANIAN-COMMONWEALTH

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was one of the largest and most populated nations in the 16th to 17th century Europe.  Its land mass covered 400,000 square miles (about 1 million square kilometers) and had a population of 11 million of diverse ethnic backgrounds. It came into being in July 1569 by the Union of Lublin, and was destroyed by a Third Partition in 1795.  During its long and powerful reign in which Poland was the dominant power, the Commonwealth enacted many democratic reforms, the existence which posed a threat to its neighbours. The Commonwealth was a constitutional monarchy, with an established political system of check and balances between the legislature (Sejm) and the nobility (szlachta).  Despite the high degree of ethnic diversity in the nation, religious tolerance was guaranteed by the Warsaw Confederation Act of 1573, although the degree of tolerance varied over time at the grass roots level.

The Commonwealth enjoyed years of prosperity but eventually fell into political, military and economic decline.  By the end of the 18th century the Commonwealth, already weakened, was partitioned by Russia, Prussia and Austria. However before its complete dissolution, the Commonwealth adopted massive reforms and enacted the Constitution of May 3, 1791, which was, according to Norman Davies, the first of its kind in Europe.­

The 17th century was a period of fierce rivalry between the major Eastern European nations, Sweden, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire. At its height the Commonwealth was a major European power whose territory comprised the present-day Poland, large sections of the Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Russia.  But by the end of the 18th century a series of internal conflicts and wars with foreign enemies led to the dissolution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and resulted in the partition of most of its dependent territories among other European powers. 

BATTLES OF THE  POLISH LITHUANIAN-COMMONWEALTH

1561–1570

First Livonian War, First Northern War or Northern Seven Years' War (Polish: I Wojna o Inflanty, Pierwsza Wojna Północna). Participants and monarchs: Poland (Zygmunt II August), Denmark (Frederick II), Sweden (Eric XIV), Russia (Ivan IV the Terrible). Result: inconclusive. See Treaty of Stettin.

1577

Danzig rebellion and the Siege of Danzig (1577) by King Stefan Batory. Result: inconclusive: In return for ransom and recognition of him as the sovereign, King Batory discarded the Karnkowski constitution of 1570.

1576–1582

Livonian War, Second Livonian War (Polish: II wojna o Inflanty). Participants: Russia (Ivan IV the Terrible), Poland (Stefan Batory). Results: Polish victory Peace treaty in Jam Zapolski.

King Stefan Batory at Pskov, Russia (painted by Jan Matejko)

Polish–Muscovite War (1577–1582)

1577 - First Campaign of Batory

1579 - Second Campaign of Batory

1580 - Third Campaign of Batory



1588

War of Polish succession (1587-1588) - civil war of the election (Polish: Wojna o sukcesję polską) Participants: factions of Sigismund III Vasa and Maximilian III. Battles: siege of Kraków, Battle of Byczyna (24 Jan 1588). Result: victory and coronation of Zygmunt III Waza.

1589

Tatar Invasion



1591–1593

 Kosiński Uprising (Polish: Powstanie Kosińskiego). Cossack uprising under Krzysztof Kosiński against Poland (Kresy magnates). Important battles: Battle of Piątek, Battle of Cherkasy. Result: Polish victory.

1593

 Tatar Invasion



1594–1596 

Nalyvaiko Uprising (Polish: Powstanie Nalewajki). Cossack uprising under Severyn Nalyvaiko and Hryhory Loboda against Poland (Stanisław Żółkiewski). Important battles: Battle of Ostry Kamień,  Battle of Lubny, Battle of Sołonica. Result: Polish victory.

1595–1621

Magnate wars in Moldavia, against Ottoman Empire/Turkey. Result: Polish defeat

1620–1621

Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1620-1621) - Polish defeat at the Battle of Cecora, then Polish victory. Commonwealth stopped Ottomans great invasion Battle at Chocim.

1598–1629

Polish-Swedish Wars, Third Livonian War (Polish: III wojna o Inflanty). Participants: Poland (Zygmunt III Waza), Sweden (first Charles IX of Sweden, then Gustavus Adolphus). Result: inconclusive/Swedish minor victory. See also Armistice of Altmark (Stary Targ).

War against Sigismund

Polish-Swedish War of 1600 - 1611

Polish–Swedish War of 1617 - 1618

Polish-Swedish War of 1620 - 1622

Polish-Swedish War of 1625 - 1629

Sigismund III Vasa

1605–1618

Polish-Muscovite War

First Dimitriad 1605-1606

Second Dimitriad 1607-1609

1606–1608

Zebrzydowski Rebellion, a civil war in Poland. Minor victory of King Zygmunt III Waza.

1618–1648

Thirty Years' War – minor involvement on the Habsburg side, mostly noticeable in the series of wars with Sweden (see above and below).

1620-1621

Ottoman-Commonwealth War - Polish defeat at the Battle of Cecora ends

 the Magnate wars in Moldavia.

1624

Tatar Invasion

1625

Zhmailo Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Żmajły). Cossack uprising under Marko Zhmailo and Mykhailo Doroshenko against Poland (Stanisław Koniecpolski). Important battles: Battle of Kniazhi Bairaky, Battle of Cybulnik. Result: Polish victory (see Treaty of Kurukove, ugoda kurukowska).

1630

Fedorovych Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Fedorowicza). Cossack uprising under Taras Fedorovych against Poland (Stanisław Koniecpolski). Important battles: Battle of Korsun, Noc Taraswowa  Battle of Pereyaslav. Result: Polish victory, although Cossacks gained some minor freedoms (see Treaty of Pereyaslav).

1632–1634

Smolensk War, against Russia. The Commonwealth won Battle at Smolensk.

Medal commemorating Victory of Władysław IV Waza over Russia in Smolensk in 1634

1633 - 1634

Ottoman-Commonwealth War



1635

Sulyma Uprising. Cossack uprising under Ivan Sulyma. Result: Polish victory,

although Kodak fortress was burned down.

1637

Pawluk Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Pawluka). Cossack uprising under Pavlo Mikhnovych (Pawluk) against Poland (Mikołaj Potocki). Important battles: Battle of Kumejki. Result: Polish victory, see Treaty of Borowica.

1638

Ostrzanin Uprising. (Powstanie Ostranicy). Cossack uprising under Yakiv Ostryanin (Ostranica), Dmytro Hunia, and Karp Skidan against Poland (Mikołaj Potocki, Jeremi Wiśniowiecki. Important battles: Battle of Żołnin, capitulation at Starzec. Result: Polish victory. See Treaty of Słoboda

1644

Tatar Invasion

1648–1657

Khmelnytsky Uprising, the largest and most successful Cossack uprising against Polish domination.

1654–1656

Polish-Russian War

1655–1661

Northern Wars – against Sweden

1655-1660

The wars against Sweden, Brandenburg, Russia and Transylvania, known as The Deluge.

1658–1667

Polish-Russian War ends with Treaty of Andrusovo.

1666–1671

Polish-Cossack-Tatar War Ends, Ottoman-Commonwealth War begins (1672-1676)

1672–1676

Ottoman-Commonwealth War

1683–1699

War of the Holy League inclued Austria, Venice and Russia against the Ottoman Empire.
 Poles underJan III Sobieski save Vienna from Turks.

Jan III Sobieski

During the 18th century, European powers (most often consisting of Russia, Sweden, Prussia and Saxony) fought several wars to gain the control of the territories of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. At the end of the 18th century, some Poles struggled to defend Poland from the growing influence of foreign elements operating in the country's internal affairs. By then any effort by the Poles to maintain their national independence failed dismally. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth underwent a complete dissolution and the territories partioned among its occupiers.

1700–1721

Great Northern War – on the side of the anti-Swedish coalition

1733–1738

War of the Polish Succession

1768–1774

Russo-Turkish War

Confederation of Bar

1792

Polish-Russian War

1794

Kościuszko Uprising – Polish uprising against Russia

Tadeusz Kościuszko

NEXT

GREAT POLISH WARRIORS:

 THE WINGED HUSSARS PART IV

DIRECTORY OF HUSARIA