Polish Warfare 1450 to 1699

[bocian]

It's hard to believe, but this was Poland's Golden Age.





Polish Warfare 1450 to 1699

During the this period the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was the largest territory in central and eastern Europe. Together they stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea nd from The Holy Roman Empire almost to the gates of Moscow.

Its army, though comparatively small for such a large country, achieved many successes against a wide variety of aggressive foes. There were few years in this era when Polish-Lithuanian forces were not fighting against one of the Commonwealth's enemies, which included Tartars, Teutonic Knights, Swedes, Austrians, Ottomans, Muscovites, Moldavians and Zaporozhian Cossacks.

Their forces combined elements of eastern tactical and strategic thinking with western tactics of technology and firepower and the influence of the Polish army on the West is often under estimated, for example:-

• Full gallop cavalry charge with drawn sabres
• Diverse tactical and defensive use of fortified camps
• Origins of the divisional system
• Uhlan lancers
• Military uniforms, e.g. long-cut jackets, grenadier caps and dragoon uniforms.

It should be remembered that one of the greatest generals in history, Gustav Adolf, developed his skills in almost continuous warfare with the Poles - and his success in the Thirty Years War was preceded by many years of effort against inferior numbers of Poles who had humiliated the Swedish army at Kircholm.

1454 to 1510

At the beginning of our period the King of Poland was Kazimierz IV (Casimir) Jagiello who was crowned in 1447 and succeeded the young Wladyslaw Jagiello who had fallen at Varna against the Ottomans.

1454-1466 The Thirteen Years War
In 1440 the nobles and towns of the Teutonic Order formed the Prussian Union and when support from Poland was not forthcoming they revolted against the Order. The wealthy city of Torun led the way followed by Gdansk, Elbing and Konigsberg and soon only the Order's Capital Malbork (Marienburg), Stum and Chojnice remained in the Order. In February 1454 King Kazimierz incorporated Prussia into Poland promising the inhabitants equal rights with the Poles. Poland thought that the decaying Order would not require too much effort to defeat.

The King crossed the frontier and was greeted enthusiastically by the Prussian union towns and with their small forces Stum was taken and Malbork, a formidable fortress, besieged. Chojnice remained a strategic link between Prussia and Germany and the Order hired 8,000 mercenaries to save the vital town. Led by professional generals they were more than a match for the small Polish forces, so Kazimierz called-up the noble levy of Greater Poland. These nobles extracted various rights from the Crown before they would agree to fight. They advanced, without assistance from the small regular forces, and on 9th September 1454 the ill disciplined force of 16,000 met 15,000 Teutonic Knights and a decisive defeat at Chojnice (18 September 1454), with the King only just escaping capture.

On the news of the Polish defeat most of the towns east of the Vistula reverted to the Order, while others wavered. The noble levy of all of Poland was raised, but proved ineffectual, and increasing reliance was made on, mainly Czech, mercenaries. The war took on the character of a contest between professional armies. Poland continued involvement was mainly due to the stubbornness of the King and particularly Gdansk's support in its desire to break the oppressive power of the Order. When Denmark aided the Order the Gdansk fleet defeated a combined Danish-Teutonic squadron off the island of Bornholm in 1456. Malbork was bought off the mercenary leader holding it while the Prussian lands were devastated.

In 1462 Gdansk was relieved by an able commander Piotr Dunin, who with 2,000 troops defeated 2,700 men of the Order at Swiecino near Puck on 17th August. This proved to be the turning point. In 1463 the Order's fleet of 44 ships met defeat off Elbing at the mouth of the Vistula (15 September 1463), by 25 ships of the combined Gdansk-Elbing fleet, while Dunin captured Gniew. The leader of the Order's mercenaries turned neutral, while a year later the Bishop of Warmia joined the Union. Finally in 1466 Staragard and Chojnice were captured by Dunin and other forces cleared Pomerania of the enemy. Surrender for the Order became inevitable and in the Peace of Torun (19 October 1466) the Order lost its independence, the Grand Master became a Vassal to the Crown, retaining Eastern Prussia (called Ducal Prussia). After a century of foreign domination Pomerania was recovered.

1497 Turkish-Moldavian Expedition
In 1484 the Ottoman Empire tore from Stephen the Great of Moldavia two strategic ports, Killia at the mouth of the Danube and Akkerman at the mouth of the Dniestr, and so approached the borders of Poland and Lithuania. The Crimean Tartars came under Turkish control and became a scourge to the Ruthenian border lands of Poland and Lithuania.

In 1492 King Kazimierz died and was succeeded
by his eldest son Jan Olbracht (John Albert).

In 1497 a major expedition was organised by the new King to the Black sea with the original intention of recapturing Akkerman and Killia from the Turks. Some 40,000 troops were involved with 200 hundred cannon including two great mortars. But Moldavia now answered to Turkey and the King, though advised by the army's leader to limit the objective to capturing the Moldavian frontier town of Chocim, still wanted to strike at the Turks. He turned against Stephen to protect his flank and besieged the capital, Suczawa. The siege was unsuccessful (due at least partly to Hungarian intervention) and a truce was agreed whereby the Polish army would be afforded an unhampered retreat. However Moldavian forces supported by Ottoman troops attacked the Poles at Kozmin in Bokovina defeating them, though with not too great a loss to the Poles. Without the efforts of the Royal Guard or the later assistance of Lithuanian Grand Duke Alexander at the crossing of the river Prut the situation could have been far worse. Though the defeat had not been serious and the Truce was honorable the result was that Tartar and Turkish invasions increased dramatically.

In 1498 Poland suffered two retaliatory attacks from the Ottomans and a smaller Tartar incursion. Two large Tartar attacks occurred in 1500 and the following year, until a Truce was agreed with Bajazet II.

1500-1503 War with Muscovy
In 1500 Ivan III was active along the Lithuanian borderlands, capturing extensive parts of the Ruthenian provinces and destroying local Lithuanian armies and auxiliary Teutonic forces. The Lithuanians, allied to the Livonian Master and the Volga Tartars, did achieve some success but were unable to regain the lost lands.

In June 1501 Jan Olbracht died and his brother
Aleksander (Alexander) Jagiello succeeded him
as King in December 1501.

King Alexander proceeded to Novogrod in July 1502 to find a worsening situation. The 'allied' Volga Tartars had been routed by the Crimean Tartars and the Muscovites had occupied the defeated Tartars' lands. Ivan III attacked Smolensk, his main objective. But in the North the Livonian Order defeated the Muscovites and relieved Smolensk. In 1503 Ivan III agreed to a six year truce, giving up on Smolensk but retaining much of the border lands.

1506 Tartar Invasion
Attacks continued by Mengli-Girey of the Crimean Tartars, in Spring 1506 they invaded Lithuania with 10,000 men camping at Kleck, near Nieswiez, sending forces to Minsk, Nowogrodek and Lida. Glinski, an experienced commander, was sent with a comparable sized force, including the new hussars and two canons, smashing the encampment and routing the whole Tartar army (5 August 1506).

King Alexander died and his brother King Zygmunt I (Sigismund) Jagiello known as "The Old" was crowned on 24th January 1507

1507-1508 War with Muscovy
The Muscovites restarted their expansion westwards when in April 1507 two armies entered Lithuania devastating as far as the Berezyna. As the Poles and Lithuanians prepared to repulse the attacks Glinski led a rebellion with assistance from Muscovy. His aim to stir up the local population failed, and the Glinski-Muscovite forces attempted to take Minsk, but withdrew to join further Muscovite forces when the Polish-Lithuanian army approached. The Muscovite force besieged Orsza, but again retreated in front of the Royal army. The Poles attacked and Glinski fled. Peace negotiations were concluded in October 1508 where Moscow conceded Lukecz, but Lithuania recognised the conquests of Ivan.

1509-1510 War with Moldavia
Meanwhile Bogdan of Moldavia invaded Pokucie and in June 1509 defeated a counter attack of the Kamieniec garrison and advanced on Lvov, however they failed to take any important strongholds and retreated, plundering as they went. A 4,000 strong force of the pospolite ruszenie, was sent to Suczam and completely destroyed the Moldavian army on 4th October 1509 at the Dniestr ford. Peace was concluded in January 1510 where Moldavia gave back Pokucie as well as their prisoners and the spoils of war.



Rest of battles, army composition, maps etc.:


http://www.jasinski.co.uk/wojna/index.htm

[Strengthandhonour]

Here is an article on the Winged Hussars


(Amazing armor)

Iron Men With Eagles' Wings; Poland's Winged Hussars


by Mark Allen Cantwell


Right: Photo courtesy of San Diego Museum of Art

As your army stands deployed for battle, you scan the enemy's lines across the field. Cavalrymen in crimson riding coats begin their advance toward you, slowly at first, saving their horses' strength for the last moments of the charge. As the oncoming army gathers speed your own horses become skittish and a strange roaring whistle grows in the air above the pounding of hooves. Your stomach tightens and a cold sweat breaks across you. Mounted on horses sixteen to seventeen hands high the approaching horsemen appear even more gigantic as you see sweeping wings of eagle feathers arch high over their steel-clad heads. Above the disciplined ranks of thundering iron figures flutter enormous standards bearing images of a white eagle on a blood red field and others showing the winged Archangel, Michael. Fantastic cloaks and saddle cloths of wolf, tiger, and leopard skins flap around every soldier as they continue their ominous attack. As you begin your counter-charge, the galloping knights lower gold-leaf covered lances with streaming pennons for the final impact. You vow to yourself that if you survive this day you will never forget your encounter with the winged Hussars of Poland.

Throughout the period of the Renaissance, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth found itself in a constant defensive posture against the territorial ambitions of Austria, Hungary, Muscovy, Sweden, the Ottoman Empire and the rebellious nature of Poland's Cossack allies in Ukraine. The Hussars were active across half the face of Europe; from the forests of Muscovy where they installed a Polish Tsar on the throne of Russia, eastern Germany, southern Ukraine and even Vienna where they defeated a vastly superior Turkish army in 1683. For nearly two hundred years the frontier nobility of the commonwealth were born, grew up, and died in the saddle.

In 1569 the crowns of Poland and Lithuania were merged by the Union of Lublin. Thus was created what was to become the first modern democracy and the largest state in Europe. Its territories included Poland, Lithuania, Silesia, East Prussia, Kievan Russia, and Ukraine. Thereafter, Polish kings had no hereditary rights but were elected by the nobility, or Szlachta, and the parliament of the Commonwealth, the Seym. The population of the Commonwealth consisted of Slavs, Lithuanians, various Balts, Germans, Tatars of tribal, Muslim, and even Christian faiths, Armenian merchants, Jews, and a remarkably large population of Scottish settlers (as many as 37,000 according to a recent estimate). Religious tolerance was a fact of law. Poland had a much higher proportion of nobility to the other classes, ten percent as opposed to the one or two percent norm for the rest of Europe. Within the Commonwealth the nobility had all the freedom they could wish for and all, from the richest magnate to the poorest farming gentry, considered themselves equals. Not without justifiable pride could they say Polannus Equas Sum "a Pole is the equal of all".

The soldiers that expanded and defended the frontiers of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were the Towarzysz Husaria (comrade hussars). Poland has long been renowned for her horse breeding and this was readily apparent in her armies. A Polish military force would generally be made up of 60-75% cavalry, a third of these being Hussars. Other types of cavalry included medium, mail-armored Pancerni (panzers), unarmored light "Cossacks", and cavalry of the German reiter type.

The armor and equipment of the Hussar must surely be the most beautiful and costly ever seen in Europe and perhaps even the world. The nobles of Poland made conspicuous display of their wealth and standing in their civilian and military dress. Oriental brocades, precious gems, exotic furs, and lavishly decorated armor were de riguer for the Hussars. Over his long riding coat and breeches the Hussar wore three-quarter armor of the Venetian anima style. On his head he wore an eastern style szyszak helmet. The most striking feature of the Hussar's armor were the wing or pair of wings that were mounted on the back plate of his armor. These consisted of a curved wooden frame decorated with gold and rich fabrics, and a row of eagle or vulture feathers inserted along the back edge. During a charge air passing through the wings created a whirring sound that served to unnerve the opponents' horses and may also have helped to spur the Hussar's own horse forward.

The Hussar armed himself with a sabre, bow and arrows of Mongol fashion, short carbine pistols on his saddle and even pistols thrust into his boots. In addition to an 18 foot lance, the Hussar carried a second sword called a pallasz strapped to his saddle. This sword had a sabre grip and a straight, edgeless blade between four and six feet long. The cross-section of the blade was square like a fireplace poker and was used to pierce armor once the Hussar had lost or broken his lance.

Horses were highly prized and no expenses were spared in their presentation. Even the cosmopolitan and fashion conscious French were taken aback by the outrageous public displays of Polish delegations. Horses were shod with gold and silver shoes that were designed to fall lose in the streets as they went and some nobles took to the Turkish practice of dyeing the lower portions of their horses red or green. Saddle cloths were often of 'Persian rug' style weave and the skins of predatory animals were also used as saddle coverings. A tiger or wolf skin might be draped over the horse so that the animal's head made a cap for the horse and its legs hung down along the legs of the horse. In some instances this was even done with the skins of polar bears. Harness was decorated with gold studs and gems set in gold and silver mountings. Along with a profusion of silk tassels and braided leather knotwork, these made the hussar's horse as beautiful and threatening as its rider. Although during the 18th and 19th centuries the Polish Commonwealth suffered greatly at the hands of Russia, Prussia, and Austria, we will never forget the men that defended the first European democracy. The iron men with eagles' wings.

source:http://europeanhistory.about.com/gi/...Fhussars.shtml

[bocian]

[Vojvoda]

Racowie!



The hussar concept began in Serbia, near the end of the 14th century. At that time, they were foreign mercenaries called "Racowie," a word meaning "of Serbia." (referring to the Serbian state of Ras.) Throughout the years, the Polish hussars, nicknamed the Winged Horsemen, gained respect as one of the finest armies in the 16th and 17th century world. Their unique lance type and superior horsemenship allowed them to achieve famous victories over armies of greater strength.

Hussar soldiers were recruited from among the Polish gentry, who owed military service to their nation in return for their titles. They were required to provide their own horses, arms, and retainers...as well as to be accomplished horsemen and fighters. Families of the gentry either trained their sons themselves, or hired ex-soldiers to train the future hussars. Early Polish hussars dressed in Hungarian style, complete with Hungarian style fur cap (a magierka) and no defensive armor. By the 17th, the Polish hussar's costume had become a unique style of dress. Since each man provided his own clothing, costumes were as elaborate as could be afforded to show measure of wealth.




The most common fabrics for a nobleman to wear were silks, satins, and velvets. These were worked in gold with elaborate ornate embroidery patterns taken from Turkish, Persian, and Hungarian styles. Men of lesser rank wore less elaborate costumes. A few unfortunate soldiers even fought with no armor at all, causing some confusion between them and the Tartars.
Animal skins were also part of the hussar's gear. Usually worn in the fashion of a cape or cloak, over the armor. Leopard, tiger, lion, bear, and wolf pelts were used.

The famous wings of the hussar soldier are also of Serbian origin. It was first thought that the wings were an invention to defend the backs of the men against swords and lassos, but it is currently thought that the wings were used primarily as a means of intimidation. The noise of the wind rushing through the feathers, and the sight of the larger-than-life apparition on horseback, would cause a chaos of terror in the enemy's horses, and men. The wings were mounted on a brass-edged frame which was arched at the top, and inserted with feathers. The frame was then mounted with brackets or hinges either to the backof the soldier's armor, or, in some cases, to the back of the saddle. A pair of wings was usually used, but a single wing was also seen on occasion.





The horses of the Polish hussar were the most valuable item of the soldier, costing five to ten times as much as the rider's salary. Polish horses were well breed for speed and endurance, and were among the finest in Europe. They were not permitted to be sold outside of Poland.

The main weapon of the hussar was the eastern lance, "Kopia." Lances measured 4.5 to 5 meters in length and were made of light elastic wood. Metal spearheads and a two-colored (red and white, usually) pennant were anchored at the tip. These lances were lighter and longer than the weapons of other armies, and could cut through thick infantry, as well as cavalry. Since the lance was so light, it was usually broken after the initial charge and then the soldier used his saber. A pair of pistols was also sometimes carried in holsters slung across the saddle, but reloading was not usually possible during battle.


http://www.angelfire.com/la2/marston...ussarpage.html

[bocian]

The famous wings of the hussar soldier are also of Serbian origin

I'm kinda doubting this. I thought they (wings) first appeared in the 16th century.

Oh well...

Polak, Serb dwa bratanki-- i do szabli i do szklanki.

[Vojvoda]

Serb hussars also settled in southern Russia.



Slavyanoserbsk(Slav and Serbs Town) -
Slavyanoserbsk is located in the central part of Luhansk region about 20 miles to the northwest of Luhansk.
The town was founded in 1753 after the decree of Empress Elisabeth I, the daughter of Peter I, on inviting the Serb hussars (cavalry troops) to settle on the right bank of the Seversky Donets to protect the southern border of the Russian Empire. The Serbs founded two autonomous areas on the territory of Ukraine:
New Serbia in Central Ukraine
and Slav Serbia on the territory of the present Luhansk region. They founded several villages under the leadership of their general Ivan Shevich. Those were completely autonomous districts subjected directly to the Supreme Council in St.Petersburg. Slav Serbia had its own language, culture and habits. Later it became a county center.
The town coat-of-arms represents a Serb hussar helmet on a golden background in its upper part ( a symbol of the first settlers - Serb hussars) and two cannons in its lower part, which is a symbol of the iron foundry built in Luhansk later.

[Strengthandhonour]

From what I know Vojvoda is correct. I read once that the word Hussar derives from the Serbian word "Gusar". The hussars where started by refugees from the battle of Kosovo who seeked refuge in different European countries and formed their own small units.

[bocian]

No, I'm not doubting the Serbian origins of the Husaria (though it did evolve into something different and unique). I'm doubting the claim that the famous wings, were of Serbian origin.

[bocian]

How the Hussars fought

[Gecko]

Two great books about this period:



and



Enjoy!

[White Falcon]

Originally Posted by Strengthandhonour

From what I know Vojvoda is correct. I read once that the word Hussar derives from the Serbian word "Gusar". The hussars where started by refugees from the battle of Kosovo who seeked refuge in different European countries and formed their own small units.

Gusar is Croatian word, Serbs are using loanwords as in this case too, mostly from English,
they say "Pirat" as in English Pirate.

[Faísca]

Originally Posted by White Falcon

Gusar is Croatian word, Serbs are using loanwords as in this case too, mostly from English,
they say "Pirat" as in English Pirate.

Actually it comes from pirata, which is Latin.

pīrāta , ae, m.
I. a sea-robber, corsair, pirate (syn. praedo): nam pirata non est ex perduellium numero definitus, sed communis hostis omnium, Cic. Rosc. Am. 50, 146.

[White Falcon]

I knew it originally came from Latin to English , like many other words,
but Serbs borrowed it from English just like other words, not from Latin.

[Lisowczyk]

Bocian the first part to the Polish army book worked, the second one doesnt seem to work for me though some site comes out with cyrilic letters...unfortunately i dont know cyrilic

[bocian]

Originally Posted by Lisowczyk

Bocian the first part to the Polish army book worked, the second one doesnt seem to work for me though some site comes out with cyrilic letters...unfortunately i dont know cyrilic

Actually it was Gecko who posted those links.

Sprawdz swoje ustawiena, zostawie Ci tam ciek