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104-491: Radviliškis was founded at the end of the 15th century. It was first mentioned in the book on state economics by M. Downar-Zapolsky listing the cities taxpayers in 1567. In 1687, John Sobieski , the king of Lithuania and Poland , granted the right of holding a market to it. Radviliškis was devastated many times by military forces, plague and hunger in the 17th–19th centuries. There were no citizens left in Radviliškis after

208-487: A 1/4 desertion of the Ottoman army ) and disease diminished the Ottoman army on a large scale. According to Ottoman sources, the number of soldiers decreased from 120,000 (according to Kunitz, the Ottoman army totalled 180,000 men and 1/3 of the army was stationed away from the siege ) to a warweary 40,000 soldiers. K. Şakul combines Kunitz's 90,000 combatant information for 12 August with an Ottoman casualties list, estimating

312-637: A counter-offensive and crossed the Dneper , but could not retake the strategic town of Żórawno , and a peace treaty (the Treaty of Żurawno ) was signed soon afterwards. Although Kamieniec Podolski and much of Podolia remained a part of the Ottoman Empire, Poland gained the return of the towns of Bila Tserkva and Pavoloch . The treaty with the Ottomans began a period of peace that was much needed for

416-684: A detachment of 120 hussars engaged in a probing charge, successfully proving Ottoman vulnerability to attack but taking many casualties. During this action they would begin to approach the Türkenschanze, which was now threatened by three separate forces (the Poles from the west, the Saxons and Bavarians from the northwest and the Austrians from the north). At this point, the Ottoman vizier decided to leave this position and retreat to his headquarters in

520-484: A large engagement started on the other side of the battlefield as the Polish infantry advanced on the Ottoman right flank. Despite the arrival of the relief army, several Ottoman forces persisted in their attempts to breach the city's defenses, allowing Polish troops to advance on the field. By 4:00 pm the Poles had captured the village of Gersthof , which would serve as a base for their cavalry charge. The Ottoman army

624-458: A letter to his wife a few days after the battle: Ours are treasures unheard of ... tents, sheep, cattle and no small number of camels ... it is a victory as nobody ever knew before, the enemy now completely ruined, everything lost for them. They must run for their sheer lives ... General Starhemberg hugged and kissed me and called me his saviour. Starhemberg immediately ordered the repair of Vienna's severely damaged fortifications to guard against

728-631: A letter to his wife, he wrote, "All the common people kissed my hands, my feet, my clothes; others only touched me, saying: 'Ah, let us kiss so valiant a hand!'" The war against the Ottomans was not yet over, and Sobieski continued the campaign with the Battle of Párkány on 7–9 October. After early victories, the Polish found themselves a junior partner in the Holy League, gaining no lasting territorial or political rewards. The prolonged and indecisive war also weakened Sobieski's position at home. For

832-777: A member of the Sejm in 1664 and 1665. In between he participated in the Russian campaign of 1663. Sobieski remained loyal to the King during the Lubomirski Rebellion of 1665–66, though it was a difficult decision for him. He participated in the Sejm of 1665, and after some delays, accepted the prestigious office of the Marshal of the Crown on 18 May that year. Around late April or early May 1666 he received another high office of

936-546: A proper guard—the sort of thing Richard the Lionhearted might've used to slay camels in the streets of Jerusalem. This man went down on one knee in the dirt, and he did it with verve and enthusiasm. You see your rich man kneeling in church and it takes him two or three minutes, you can hear his knees popping and sinews creaking, he totters this way and that, creating small alarums amongst the servants who are gripping his elbows. But this brute knelt easily, even lustily if such

1040-594: A sculpture of the Victory goddess Nike was unveiled in the center of Radviliškis to commemorate the eightieth anniversary of the victory over the united German – Russian West Russian Volunteer Army . It was created by sculptor P. Mazuras. Supposedly, the name originated from the name of the noble Radziwiłł (Radvila) family of Lithuanian origin. This family ruled Radviliškis for more than 200 years, from 1546 to 1764. A rising and light-emitting horse, representing communication, motion, city development and flourishing,

1144-547: A significant military contingent from the Ottomans, who recognized Thököly as King of " Upper Hungary " (the eastern part of modern-day Slovakia and parts of northeastern Hungary , which he had earlier taken by force from the Habsburgs). This support included explicitly promising the "Kingdom of Vienna" to the Hungarians if it fell into Ottoman hands. Yet before the siege, a state of peace had existed for 20 years between

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1248-429: A similar choice but were killed anyway. Siege operations started on 17 July. The Viennese had demolished many of the houses around the city walls and cleared the debris, leaving an empty plain that would expose the Ottomans to defensive fire if they tried to rush into the city. In response to this Kara Mustafa Pasha would order his forces to dig long lines of trenches directly toward the city, to help protect them from

1352-641: A skilled military leader. Later that year, in November, his first child, James Louis Sobieski was born in Paris. On 5 February 1668, he achieved the rank of Grand Hetman of the Crown, the highest military rank in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and thereby the de facto commander-in-chief of the entire Polish Army. Later that year he supported the French candidacy of Louis, Grand Condé for

1456-475: A strong supporter of the French faction in the Polish royal court, represented by Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga . His pro-French allegiance was reinforced in 1665, when he married Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien and was promoted to the rank of the Crown Grand Marshal . In 1662, he was again elected a deputy to the Sejm, and took part in the work on reforming the military. He was also

1560-747: A sudden heart attack. His wife, Marie Casimire Louise , died in 1716 in Blois , France, and her body was returned to Poland. They are interred together in Wawel Cathedral , Kraków , although his heart is interred separately in the Church of the Transfiguration in Warsaw , Poland. He was succeeded by Augustus II . Sobieski is remembered in Poland as a "hero king", victor at Vienna who defeated

1664-454: A thing were possible, and facing toward the city of Vienna, he planted his sword in the ground so that it became a steel cross. The morning light was shining directly into his grizzled face and glinting from the steel of the blade and glowing in some indifferent colored jewels set into the weapon's hilt and crossbar. The man bowed his head and took to mumbling in Latin. The hand that wasn't holding

1768-478: A three-month campaign would have taken the Ottomans to Vienna just as winter set in. But the 15-month gap between mobilization and the launch of a full-scale invasion provided ample time for Vienna to prepare its defense and for Leopold to assemble troops from the Holy Roman Empire and form an alliance with Poland, Venice and Pope Innocent XI . The defensive alliance of the Holy Roman Empire with Poland

1872-518: Is depicted in the coat of arms of Radviliškis. The light is a symbol of civilization's role in the city development. It was created by artist Laima Ramonienė in 1992. Radviliškis, settled on everglades , was famous for its railway and black-from-locomotive-smoke sparrows. The two symbols of the city are the railways, and black swallows . There are Evangelical-reformed, Protestant, Lutheran, and Orthodox chapels, Jewish synagogues and Catholic Churches in Radviliškis. The stone windmill of Radviliškis

1976-669: Is noted for including the largest known cavalry charge in history. Capturing the city of Vienna had long been a strategic aspiration of the Ottoman Empire, due to the control the city had over the Danube and the overland trade routes to Germany and the Eastern Mediterranean. During the years preceding the siege, the Ottoman Empire, under the auspices of the Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha , undertook extensive logistical preparations, including

2080-518: The Battle of Zboriv . In 1652, Marek died in Tatar captivity after his capture at the Battle of Batih . John was promoted to the rank of pułkownik and fought with distinction in the Battle of Berestechko . In 1653, he voluntarily spent time as a hostage in the Crimean Tatar capital of Bakhchysarai . A promising commander, John was sent by King John II Casimir as one of the envoys in

2184-731: The Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (the march of the Lithuanian army was delayed, and they reached Vienna after it had been relieved). The Viennese garrison was led by Feldzeugmeister of the Holy Roman Imperial Army Ernst Rüdiger Graf von Starhemberg , an Austrian subject of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. The overall command was held by the senior leader, the King of Poland , John III Sobieski, who led

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2288-689: The Treaty of Hadiach with the Cossacks. In 1660, he took part in the last offensive against the Swedes in Prussia, and was rewarded with the office of starost of Stryj . Soon afterward he took part in the war against the Russians, participating in the Battle of Slobodyshche and Battle of Lyubar , and later that year he again was one of the negotiators of a new treaty with the Cossacks (the Treaty of Cudnów ). Through personal connections, he became

2392-602: The plague in 1708–1710. City growth began when the Liepāja–Romny Railway line, crossing the city, was built in 1870 and Radviliškis– Daugavpils line was built in 1873. Railwaymen constituted the majority of the residents. Around July 12, 1941, all 300 Jews of Radviliškis were murdered in the Durpunas Forest near the Jewish cemetery by Germans and Lithuanian Activist Front members from Radviliškis. In 1998,

2496-562: The Commonwealth in 1648. Upon receiving the news of the death of king Władysław IV Vasa and the hostilities of the Khmelnytsky Uprising , they volunteered for the army. They both fought in the siege of Zamość . They founded and commanded their own banners ( chorągiew ) of cavalry (one light, " cossack ", and one heavy, of Polish hussars ). Soon, the fortunes of war separated the brothers. In 1649, Jakub fought in

2600-500: The Commonwealth's own military campaign against Prussia was opposed by Commonwealth magnates, many of them taking the Prussian side. Backed by Brandenburg and Austria , internal enemies of Sobieski even planned to dethrone him and elect Charles of Lorraine . The French-Prussian treaty of 1679 meant that Sobieski lost the major foreign ally for his planned campaign against Prussia; consequently, he started to distance himself from

2704-418: The Commonwealth, as the pro-French faction of Sobieski and pro-court faction of King Michał formed two confederations , which despite major Ottoman incursions in the south seemed more concerned with one another than with uniting to defend the country. The court faction called openly for confiscation of his estates and dismissal from office, and declared him an "enemy of the state". This division culminated in

2808-698: The Commonwealth, that of the Field Crown Hetman . Soon afterward, he was defeated at the Battle of Mątwy , and signed the Agreement of Łęgonice on 21 July, which ended the Lubomirski Rebellion. In October 1667, he achieved another victory over the Cossacks of Petro Doroshenko and their Crimean Tatar allies in the Battle of Podhajce during the Polish–Cossack–Tatar War (1666–71) . This allowed him to regain his image as

2912-427: The Danube. Total casualties: ~66,000–79,000 Casualties during the siege: 48,544 killed, 25% desertion and unknown number of deaths from diseases Casualties during the battle: 8,000–20,000 Total casualties: 16,500–20,000 Casualties during the siege: 12,000 Casualties during the battle: 4,500 The Battle of Vienna took place at Kahlenberg Mountain near Vienna on 12 September 1683 after

3016-611: The Deluge), Sobieski allied himself by 1683 with Leopold I , of the Holy Roman Empire . Both sides promised to come to one's another aid if their capitals were threatened. The alliance was signed by royal representatives on 31 March 1683 and ratified by the Emperor and Polish parliament within weeks. Although aimed directly against the Ottomans and indirectly against France, it had the advantage of gaining internal support for

3120-465: The Holy Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire as a result of the Peace of Vasvár . In 1681 and 1682, clashes between the forces of Imre Thököly and the Holy Roman Empire (the border of which was then northern Hungary) intensified, and the incursions of Habsburg forces into central Hungary provided the crucial argument of Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha in convincing Sultan Mehmed IV and his Divan to allow

3224-459: The Imperial troops in the area. Emperor Leopold fled Vienna for Passau with his court and 60,000 Viennese, while Charles V, Duke of Lorraine , withdrew his force of 20,000 towards Linz . The main Ottoman army arrived at Vienna on 14 July; the city's only defense force was now that of Count Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg 's 15,000 men. Saxon engineer Georg Rimpler , who had been employed by

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3328-488: The Lithuanian Pac family ). In light of the war, requiring Sobieski to be on the front lines, the coronation ceremony was significantly delayed – he was crowned John III almost two years later, on 2 February 1676. Though Poland-Lithuania was at that time the largest and one of the most populous states of Europe, Sobieski became a king of a country devastated by almost half a century of constant war. The treasury

3432-596: The Ottoman Empire. The confederated troops signalled their arrival on the Kahlenberg above Vienna with bonfires. The forces in the city of Vienna responded by sending Jerzy Franciszek Kulczycki , a Polish nobleman, diplomat and trader fluent in Turkish, on a successful spy mission to penetrate the Turkish forces and notify the relief troops of when the joint attack was to be made. The battle started before all units were fully deployed. At 4:00 am on 12 September,

3536-410: The Ottoman army as 90,000 men (65,000 soldiers, around 60 guns and 25,000 rear service) but Kunitz's 90,000 combatant information belongs to 12 August while the Ottoman list is for 10 September. The Ottoman vassals of Transylvania, Wallachia and Moldavia were assigned to hold bridges on key retreat routes, thus not participating in the battle. The Tatar vassals were expected to participate in battle by

3640-426: The Ottoman army attacked, seeking to interfere with the deployment of Holy League troops. The Germans would be the first to counterattack. Charles of Lorraine moved forward with the imperial army on the left and other imperial forces in the center and, after heavy fighting and multiple Ottoman counterattacks, took several key positions, in particular the fortified villages of Nussdorf and Heiligenstadt . By midday,

3744-408: The Ottoman army in the days of siege ). An Ottoman account captured after battle recorded the number of casualties as 48,544 until 10 September: 10,000 janissary, 12,000 sipahi (elite heavy cavalry), 16,000 beldar (digger), 6,000 engineer (in Turkish lağımcı: miner), 2,000 provincial sipahi and 2,000 Tatars, totaling 48,544 deaths. Compounding this, desertion (Ottoman sources and Luigi Marsigli give

3848-417: The Ottoman camps and Kara Mustafa's headquarters, while the remaining Viennese garrison sallied out of its defenses to join in the assault. The Ottoman forces were tired and dispirited following the failure of the sapping attempt, the assault on the city and the advance of the Holy League infantry on the Türkenschanze. Less than three hours after the decisive cavalry charge, the Holy League forces had won

3952-513: The Ottoman threat to the south. In the autumn of 1674, he recommenced the war against the Ottomans and managed to recapture a number of cities and fortresses including Bratslav , Mogilev , and Bar , which re-established a strongly fortified line defending Poland's southern border in Ukraine. In 1675, Sobieski defeated a Turkish and Tatar offensive aiming at Lviv . In 1676, the Tatars began

4056-581: The Ottoman threat, an image that became particularly well recognized after his story was told in many works of 19th-century literature. In the Polish Biographical Dictionary he is described as "an individual above his contemporaries, but still one of them"; an oligarch and a magnate, interested in personal wealth and power. His ambitions for the most part were instilled in him by his beloved wife, whom he undoubtedly loved more than any throne (when being forced to divorce her and marry

4160-403: The Ottomans but the mostly irregular Tatar horsemen demonstrated little effectiveness in battle, dissimilar to previous engagements. A lone 28,400 to 50,000 Ottoman army would battle against the relief army consisting of 65,000 soldiers (68,000 misinformation is originated from counting the 3,000 Polish contingent twice joined to the relief army beforehand) with 165–200 guns. In an effort to stop

4264-515: The Ottomans in the Battle of Khotyn and capturing the fortress located there. The news of the battle coincided with the death of King Michal the day before the battle. This made Sobieski one of the leading figures of the state, so on 19 May the following year, he was elected monarch of the Commonwealth . His candidacy was almost universally supported, with only a dozen or so members of the diet opposing him (mainly centered around magnates of

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4368-412: The Ottomans. The defeat was a turning point for Ottoman expansion into Europe, after which they would gain no further ground. In the ensuing war that lasted until 1699, the Ottomans would cede most of Ottoman Hungary to Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor . The battle was won by the combined forces of the Holy Roman Empire and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the latter represented only by the forces of

4472-637: The Poles under Sobieski crossed the Danube 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Vienna at Tulln , to unite with imperial troops and the additional forces from Saxony , Bavaria , Baden and other imperial estates . The forces were also joined by several mercenary regiments of Zaporozhian Cossacks hired by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Louis XIV of France declined to help his Habsburg rival , having just annexed Alsace . An alliance between Sobieski and Emperor Leopold I resulted in

4576-465: The Polish husaria cavalry along with Austrians and Germans in a massive charge down the hillside. Soon, the Ottoman battle line was broken and the Ottoman forces scattered in disarray. At 5:30 pm, Sobieski entered the deserted tent of Kara Mustafa and the Battle of Vienna ended. The Pope and other foreign dignitaries hailed Sobieski as the "Savior of Vienna and Western European civilization." In

4680-549: The Polish throne, and after this candidacy fell apart, Philip William, Elector Palatine . Following the election of Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki he joined the opposition faction; he and his allies helped veto several sejms (including the coronation ones), and his attitude once again resulted in him losing popularity among the regular szlachta . While his pro-French stance in politics alienated some, his military victories against invading Tatars in 1671 helped him gain other allies. The year 1672 saw internal politics destabilizing

4784-533: The Pope. The Habsburgs and Poles also agreed that the Polish government would pay for its own troops while still in Poland, but that the Emperor would fund them once they crossed into imperial territory. However, the Emperor would recognize Sobieski's claim to first rights of plunder of the enemy camp in the event of a victory. The combined besieging forces, led by Kara Mustafa, were less united and facing problems with motivation and loyalty, and struggled to prepare for

4888-454: The Turks out of Europe. At the beginning of his reign, however, the Polish state was in dire fiscal straits and faced military threats to the north. King Louis XIV of France promised to mediate a truce between the Ottomans and Poland so that Sobieski could focus his attentions on Prussia. The negotiations ended in failure and Sobieski's Baltic goals had to be tempered by the immediate reality of

4992-727: The addition of the Polish hussars to the existing allied army. The command of the European allied forces was assigned to the Polish king, renowned for his extensive experience in leading campaigns against the Ottoman army. Notably, he achieved a decisive victory over the Ottoman forces in the Battle of Khotyn (1673) and now commanded an army of 70,000–80,000 soldiers, countering a supposed Ottoman force of 150,000. Sobieski's courage and aptitude for command were already known in Europe. During early September, approximately 5,000 experienced Ottoman sappers had repeatedly demolished large portions of

5096-407: The approaching relief army's movements. According to Austrian Ambassador Kunitz, the besieging Ottoman army had already decreased to 90,000 combatants as of 12 August. Kunitz also claimed that he learned from Ottoman captives that casualties were reaching 20,000 by end of August (other Austrian sources give Ottoman casualties as 12,000 until 13 August, demonstrating a steady increase in casualties of

5200-428: The battle and successfully defended Vienna. The first Catholic officer who entered the city was Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden , at the head of his dragoons. Afterwards Sobieski paraphrased Julius Caesar 's famous quotation ( Veni, vidi, vici ) by saying " Venimus, vidimus, Deus vicit "- "We came, we saw, God conquered". Contemporary Ottoman historian Silahdar Findiklili Mehmed Agha (1658–1723) described

5304-406: The battle as an enormous defeat and failure for the Ottoman Empire, the most disastrous since the foundation of Ottoman statehood in 1299. The Ottomans lost at least 20,000 men during the siege, while their losses during the battle with Sobieski's forces amounted to around 15,000 dead (according to Podhorodecki ) or 8,000–15,000 dead and 5,000–10,000 captured (according to Tucker). Casualties of

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5408-539: The cities and ordered universal military conscription. In July, the Austrian envoy asked for Polish assistance. Soon afterward, the Polish army started massing for an expedition against the Ottomans, and in August was joined by Bavarians and Saxon allies under Charles of Lorraine . Sobieski's greatest success came in 1683, with his victory at the Battle of Vienna , in joint command of Polish and German troops, against

5512-532: The city had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months. The battle was fought by the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarchy ) and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , both under the command of King John III Sobieski , against the Ottomans and their vassal and tributary states . The battle marked the first time the Commonwealth and the Holy Roman Empire had cooperated militarily against

5616-635: The countryside. The decisive battle took place on 12 September, after the arrival of the united relief army. Some historians maintain that the battle marked a turning point in the Ottoman–Habsburg wars , a 300-year struggle between the Holy Roman and Ottoman Empires. During the 16 years following the battle, the Austrian Habsburgs would gradually conquer southern Hungary and Transylvania , largely clearing them of Ottoman forces. The battle

5720-451: The defenders as they advanced. The Ottomans had 130 field guns and 19 medium-caliber cannon, compared to the defenders' 370. Mining tunnels were dug under the city walls, which would then be filled with sufficient quantities of black powder to demolish the walls. According to Andrew Wheatcroft, the outer palisade was around 150 years old and mostly rotten. To counter this, the defenders set to work knocking very large tree trunks into

5824-472: The defense of Poland's southern borders. This was a beginning of what would become the Holy League , championed by Pope Innocent XI to preserve Christendom . Meantime, in the spring of 1683, royal spies uncovered Ottoman preparations for a military campaign. Sobieski feared that the target might be the Polish cities of Lwów and Kraków . To counteract the threat, Sobieski began the fortification of

5928-565: The diplomatic mission of Mikołaj Bieganowski to the Ottoman Empire . There, Sobieski learned the Tatar language and the Turkish language and studied Ottoman military traditions and tactics. It is likely he participated as part of the briefly allied Polish-Tatar forces in the 1655 Battle of Okhmativ . After the start of the Swedish invasion of Poland known as " The Deluge ", John Sobieski

6032-472: The elite Janissary and Sipahi units for a simultaneous assault on the city. The Ottoman leadership had planned, but ultimately failed, to capture Vienna prior to the arrival of Sobieski's forces. Their sappers had prepared a large, final detonation under the Löbelbastei to breach the walls. In total, ten mines were set to explode but they were located by the defenders and disarmed. In the early afternoon,

6136-509: The empire to prepare for war with the Turks, began to prepare Vienna for the upcoming siege – much of Austria's pre-war plans had calculated on fighting the Turks near the city of Győr, a plan made untenable by the Turkish advance. The King of Poland, John III Sobieski, prepared a relief expedition to Vienna during the summer of 1683, honoring his obligations to the treaty, and would depart from Kraków on 15 August. During this time most of Poland would be largely undefended, and taking advantage of

6240-487: The existence of strong internal opposition to Sobieski; however, it changed a number of allegiances, and further opposition was temporarily weakened through the king's successful political maneuvering, including granting the Grand Hetman office to one of the opposition's chief leaders, Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski . Conscious that Poland lacked allies and risked war against most of its neighbours (a situation similar to

6344-637: The expected relief-army attack. Mustafa had entrusted defense of the rear to the Khan of Crimea and his cavalry force, which numbered between 30,000 and 40,000. There is doubt as to how much the Tatars participated in the final battle before Vienna. Their Khan refused to attack the relief force as it crossed the Danube on pontoon bridges and also refused to attack them as they emerged from the Vienna Woods . The Ottoman allies of Wallachia and Moldavia would also prove unreliable. George Ducas , Prince of Moldavia ,

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6448-429: The former Queen as a condition to gain the throne, he immediately refused the throne) and tended to obey, at times blindly. He failed to reform the ailing Commonwealth, and to secure the throne for his heir. At the same time, he displayed high military prowess, he was well educated and literate, and a patron of science and arts. He supported the astronomer Johannes Hevelius , mathematician Adam Adamandy Kochański and

6552-500: The forward march of Ottoman army elements began from Edirne in Rumelia . Ottoman troops reached Belgrade by early May. They were joined by a Transylvanian army under Prince Mihaly Apafi and a Hungarian force under Imre Thököly; they laid siege to Győr and the remaining army of 150,000 moved toward the city of Vienna. About 40,000 Crimean Tatar troops arrived 40 kilometres (25 mi) east of Vienna on 7 July, twice as many as

6656-519: The ground to surround the walls. This disrupted the Ottoman plan of a quick siege, adding almost another three weeks to the time it would take to get past the old palisade. This, combined with the delay in advancing their army after declaring war, eventually allowed a relief force to arrive in September. Some historians have speculated that Kara Mustafa wanted to take the city intact with its riches and declined an all-out attack, not wishing to initiate

6760-407: The head of 3,000 Polish heavy lancers, the " Winged Hussars ". Lipka Tatars who participated on the Polish side wore a sprig of straw in their helmets to distinguish them from the tatars fighting on the Ottoman side. The charge quickly broke the battle lines of the Ottomans, who were already exhausted and demoralized and would begin to retreat from the battlefield. The cavalry headed directly towards

6864-421: The historian and poet Wespazjan Kochowski . His Wilanów Palace became the first of many palaces that would dot the lands of the Commonwealth over the next two centuries. On 5 July 1665, he married the widow of Jan "Sobiepan" Zamoyski , Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien (1641–1716), of Nevers , Burgundy, France. Their children were: When he turned to go back to the camp, he discovered that there

6968-484: The humiliating Treaty of Buchach , where the Commonwealth was forced to cede territories to the Ottomans, but promise an annual tribute. Sobieski eventually succeeded in balancing politics and national defense, and a combination of his military victories over the invaders, and successful negotiations at the Sejm in April 1673, led to a compromise in which the court faction dropped its demands and challenges against him. In

7072-677: The imperial army had inflicted significant damage on the Ottoman forces and would come close to a breakthrough. At the same time, Cantacuzino and his soldiers (who secretly supported the Christian coalition) were trying to sabotage the Ottoman siege, by abandoning the bridge over the Danube on Brigittenau Island, where the Wallachians had been stationed in order to cover the left flank of the Ottoman Army. Mustafa Pasha launched counterattacks with most of his forces, but held back some of

7176-416: The invading Ottomans under Kara Mustafa . Upon reaching Vienna on 12 September, with the Ottoman Army close to breaching the walls, Sobieski ordered a full attack. In the early morning, the united army of about 65,000 –76,000 men (including 22,000, –27,000 Poles ) attacked a Turkish force of about 143,000 men. At about 5:00 pm, after observing the infantry battle from the Kahlenberg hilltop, Sobieski led

7280-413: The main camp further south. However, by then many Ottoman soldiers were already leaving the battlefield. The relief army was now ready for a final push. At around 6:00 pm, the Polish king ordered the cavalry to attack in four contingents, three Polish groups and one from the Holy Roman Empire. 18,000 horsemen charged down the hills, the largest cavalry charge in history. Sobieski led the charge at

7384-471: The movement of the Ottoman army. Mehmed IV authorized Mustafa Pasha to operate as far as Győr (then known as Yanıkkale , and in German as Raab ) and Komárom (in Turkish Komaron , Komorn in German) Castles, both in northwestern Hungary, and to besiege them. The Ottoman army was mobilized on 21 January 1682 and war was declared on 6 August 1682. Logistically, it would have been risky or impossible to launch an invasion in August or September 1682, since

7488-553: The next four years Poland would blockade the key fortress at Kamenets , and Ottoman Tatars would raid the borderlands . In 1691, Sobieski undertook another expedition to Moldavia , with slightly better results, but still with no decisive victories. Although the King spent much time on the battlefields, which could suggest a good state of health, towards the end of his life he became seriously and increasingly ill. King John III Sobieski died in Wilanów , Poland on 17 June 1696 from

7592-592: The philosophical faculty of the University of Kraków in 1646. After finishing his studies, John and his brother Marek Sobieski left for western Europe, where he spent more than two years travelling. They visited Leipzig , Antwerp , Paris , London , Leiden , and The Hague . During that time, he met influential contemporary figures such as Louis II de Bourbon , Charles II of England and William II, Prince of Orange , and learned French, German , and Italian, in addition to Latin . Both brothers returned to

7696-515: The plundering that would accompany an assault, which was viewed as the right of conquering soldiers. The Ottoman siege cut virtually all means of food supply into Vienna. Fatigue became so common that von Starhemberg ordered any soldier found asleep on watch to be shot. Increasingly desperate, the forces holding Vienna were on the verge of defeat when, in August, Imperial forces under Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, defeated Thököly at Bisamberg, 5 km (3.1 mi) northwest of Vienna. On 6 September,

7800-563: The position of the chorąży koronny (Standard-bearer of the Crown). During the three-day-long battle of Warsaw of 1656, Sobieski commanded a 2,000-man strong regiment of Tatar cavalry. He took part in a number of engagements over the next two years, including the Siege of Toruń in 1658. In 1659, he was elected a deputy to the Sejm (Polish parliament), and was one of the Polish negotiators of

7904-473: The predominant issue. Sobieski insisted that he should not have to pay for his march to Vienna, since it was by his efforts that the city had been saved; nor could the Viennese neglect the other German troops who had marched. The Habsburg leadership found as much money as possible to pay for these and arranged deals with the Polish to limit their costs. The main Ottoman army laid siege to Vienna on 14 July. On

8008-482: The pro-French faction, which, in turn, resulted in the cooling down of the Polish-French relations. During the Sejm of 1683, the French ambassador was expelled for involvement with a plan to dethrone Sobieski, which definitely marked the end of the Polish-French alliance. At the same time Sobieski made peace with the pro-Habsburg faction and started to gravitate towards an alliance with Austria. This did not end

8112-444: The relief force under Sobieski's command were much smaller, amounting to approximately 3,500 dead and wounded, including 1,300 Poles. Tucker's estimate is slightly higher: 4,500. The 10,000 strong Viennese garrison and the civilian populace lost, due to all causes, about half of their initial number during the siege. The Holy League troops and the Viennese took a large amount of loot from the Ottoman army, which Sobieski described in

8216-611: The relief forces. The forces of the Ottoman Empire and its vassal states were commanded by Grand Vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha . The Ottoman army numbered approximately 90,000 to 300,000 men (according to documents on the order of battle found in Kara Mustafa's tent, initial strength at the start of the campaign was 170,000 men ). They began the siege on 14 July 1683. Ottoman forces consisted, among other units, of 60 ortas of Janissaries (12,000 men paper-strength) with an observation army of some 70,000 men watching

8320-546: The remaining Viennese prepared to fight in the inner city. In this table, only household and retinue troops’ numbers are certain, 78,500 and 44,200 while other troops’ numbers are rounded, 50,000 Tatars, 10,000 Wallachian , 170,000 rear service etc. Based on this, Kahraman Şakul claims that this anonymous table shows counted numbers of household and retinue troops while number of provincial troops (Tımarlı Sipahi: 40,000) and vassal states’ troops (100,000) are expected numbers. For instance, Tatars , Nogais and Circassians number

8424-587: The repair and establishment of roads and bridges leading into the Holy Roman Empire and its logistical centers, as well as the forwarding of ammunition, cannon, and other resources from all over the Empire to these centers and into the Balkans. The Siege of Szigetvár in 1566 blocked the advance of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent 's towards Vienna and stopped the Ottoman advance towards Vienna that year. Vienna

8528-578: The repair of the country and strengthening of the royal authority. Sobieski managed to reform the Polish army completely. The army was reorganised into regiments, the infantry finally dropped pikes , replacing them with battle-axes , and the Polish cavalry adopted hussar and dragoon formations. Sobieski also greatly increased the number of cannon and introduced new artillery tactics. Sobieski wanted to conquer Prussia with Swedish troops and French support. Regaining control of this autonomous province

8632-425: The same day, Kara Mustafa sent the traditional demand that the city surrender to the Ottoman Empire. Ernst Rüdiger Graf von Starhemberg, leader of the remaining 15,000 troops and 8,700 volunteers with 370 cannons, refused to capitulate. Only days before, he had received news of the mass slaughter at Perchtoldsdorf , a town south of Vienna, where the citizens had handed over the keys of the city after having been given

8736-476: The siege, the relief army of Poles and Imperial forces would rush to prepare a response. Despite the multinational composition of the army and the short space of only six days, an effective leadership structure was established, centred around the king of Poland and his heavy cavalry ( Polish Hussars ). The Holy League settled the issue of payment by using all available funds from the government, loans from several wealthy bankers and noblemen and large sums of money from

8840-595: The situation, Imre Thököly would attempt an invasion. Kazimierz Jan Sapieha delayed the march of the Lithuanian army, campaigning in the Hungarian Highlands instead, and arrived in Vienna only after it had been relieved. Immediately, tensions rose between Poland and the various German states – especially Austria – over the relief of the city. Payment of troops' wages and supplies while marching would be

8944-563: The start of the campaign, according to documents on the order of battle found in Kara Mustafa's tent.   Viennese garrison: 11,000 soldiers + 5,000 volunteers 312 guns but only 141 operational (strength on 10 September 1683) Relief force: 65,000 soldiers with 165–200 guns According to Podhorodecki: 47,000 Germans and Austrians with some 112 guns 27,000 Poles with 28 guns Total: 90,000 but some left behind to guard bridges near Tulln and camps, plus 2,000 Imperial cavalry (not included above) left behind

9048-594: The sword was thumbing through a rosary—Jack's cue to exit stage right. But as he was leaving he recognized the man with the broadsword as King John Sobieski. Battle of Vienna [REDACTED] Ottoman Empire Vassal states : Holy League : [REDACTED] Habsburg Monarchy [REDACTED]   Poland–Lithuania [REDACTED] Cossack Hetmanate 120,000 soldiers to 65,000 soldiers during 60 days of siege with around 60 guns 90,000 to 40,000 soldiers during 60 days of siege 150,000 as of 10 September 1683, down from 170,000 at

9152-494: The villages of Unterdöbling and Oberdöbling. Imperial forces were now closing in on the central Ottoman position (the "Türkenschanze", now the Türkenschanzpark), and as they made preparations for a final push, the Polish cavalry began to take action. It is recorded that the Polish cavalry slowly emerged from a nearby forest to the cheers of onlooking infantry, which had been anticipating their arrival. At 4:00 pm,

9256-512: The walls between the Burg bastion , the Löbel bastion and the Burg ravelin , creating gaps of about 12 metres (39 ft) in width. In response to this, the Viennese began digging their own tunnels to intercept the placing of large amounts of gunpowder in the caverns. The Ottomans finally managed to occupy the Burg ravelin and the low wall nearby on 8 September. Anticipating a breach in the city walls,

9360-455: The war against the Ottoman Empire and established himself as a leading figure in Poland and Lithuania . In 1674, he was elected monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth following the sudden and unexpected death of King Michael . Sobieski's 22-year reign marked a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of previous conflicts. Popular among his subjects, he

9464-541: The year 1672, the Polish-Lithuanian Tatars rose up in open rebellion against the Commonwealth. This was the widely remembered Lipka rebellion . Thanks to the efforts of Sobieski, who was held in great esteem by the Tatar soldiers, many of the Lipkas seeking asylum and service in the Ottoman Army returned to his command. On 11 November 1673, Sobieski added a major victory to his list, this time defeating

9568-654: Was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Born into Polish nobility , Sobieski was educated at the Jagiellonian University and toured Europe in his youth. As a soldier and later commander, he fought in the Khmelnytsky Uprising , the Russo-Polish War and during the Swedish invasion known as the Deluge . Sobieski demonstrated his military prowess during

9672-408: Was almost empty and the court had little to offer the powerful magnates, who often allied themselves with foreign courts rather than the state. Sobieski had a number of long-term plans, including establishing his own dynasty in the Commonwealth, regaining lost territories, and strengthening the country through various reforms. One of his ambitions was to unify Christian Europe in a crusade to drive

9776-489: Was among the Greater Polish regiments led by Krzysztof Opaliński , Palatine of Poznań which capitulated at Ujście , and swore allegiance to King Charles X Gustav of Sweden . However, around late March 1656, he abandoned their side, returning to the side of Polish king John II Casimir Vasa , enlisting under the command of hetmans Stefan Czarniecki and Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski . By 26 May 1656, he received

9880-499: Was an able military leader, most famously for his victory over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. The defeated Ottomans named Sobieski the "Lion of Lechistan ", and the Pope hailed him as the saviour of Western Christendom . Suffering from poor health and obesity in later life, Sobieski died in 1696 and was buried at Wawel Cathedral in Kraków . He was succeeded by Augustus II of Poland and Saxony . John Sobieski

9984-463: Was another man up on this hill, a stone's throw away: some kind of monk or holy man, perhaps, as he was dressed in a rough sackcloth robe, with no finery. But then the bloke whipped out a sword. It was not one of your needle-thin rapiers, such as fops pushed at each other in the streets of London and Paris, but some kind of relic of the Crusades, a two-handed production with a single crossbar instead of

10088-834: Was born on 17 August 1629, in Olesko , now in Ukraine, then part of the Ruthenian Voivodeship in the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland , Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth to a renowned noble family de Sobieszyn Sobieski of Janina coat of arms . His father, Jakub Sobieski , was the Voivode of Ruthenia and Castellan of Kraków ; his mother, Zofia Teofillia Daniłowicz was a granddaughter of Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski . John Sobieski spent his childhood in Żółkiew . After graduating from Bartłomiej Nowodworski College in Kraków in 1643, young John Sobieski then graduated from

10192-595: Was captured. Șerban Cantacuzino , who sympathized with the Christian Coalition, joined the retreat after Sobieski's cavalry charge. Cantacuzino had negotiated with the Imperial forces for Wallachia to join the Christian side, longing for the position of protector of Christians in the Balkan Peninsula . In turn, the Habsburgs promised him the throne of Constantinople which was the capital of

10296-487: Was concluded in the 1683 Treaty of Warsaw, by which Leopold promised to support John III Sobieski if the Ottomans attacked Kraków , and in return, the Polish army would come to the relief of Vienna if it were attacked. On 31 March, another declaration – sent by Grand Vizier Merzifonlu Kara Mustafa Pasha on behalf of Mehmed IV – arrived at the Imperial Court in Vienna. The next day

10400-936: Was erected in remembrance of the violent and triumphant battles in 1919 against the German–Russian armed forces(Bermontians). The wooden belfry of Radviliškis parish's Blessed Virgin Mary church of the Immaculate Conception is a topical architecture monument. It was set in 1878. The belfry burned twice. It was reconstructed in 1984. Radviliškis is twinned with: John III Sobieski John III Sobieski ( Polish : Jan III Sobieski ( Polish pronunciation: [ˈjan ˈtʂɛt͡ɕi sɔˈbʲɛskʲi] ); Lithuanian : Jonas III Sobieskis ( Lithuanian pronunciation: ['joːnäs so'bʲɛskis] ); Latin : Ioannes III Sobiscius ( Latin pronunciation: [joˈannɛs soˈbiʃiʊs] ) 17 August 1629 – 17 June 1696)

10504-415: Was in a desperate position between Polish and Imperial forces. Charles of Lorraine and John III Sobieski both decided independently to press the offensive and decisively defeat the Ottoman forces. The German forces resumed the offensive on the left front at 3:30 pm. At first, they encountered fierce resistance and were unable to make progress. However, by 5:00 pm they had begun to advance and taken

10608-401: Was in the Commonwealth's best interest, and Sobieski also hoped for it to become part of his family domain. To this end he made the secret Treaty of Jaworów (1675), but he achieved nothing. The wars with the Ottoman Empire were not decisively won by the Commonwealth, the ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia made treaties with France , Prussia defeated the Swedish invasion , and Sobieski's plans for

10712-638: Was more than 100,000 while this table shows that the Tatars (general term for Crimean Khanate and its vassals) brought 50,000 warriors. Ottoman accounts state the size of the household army as 25,529 Janissaries , 3045 weaponeers (in Ottoman Turkish: cebeci ) and 4000 gunners, totaling 32,574 as opposed to 60,000 estimation in this table. Therefore, according to K. Şakul's assessment, the Ottoman army consisted of approximately 120,000 soldiers and 156 guns. Within their ranks, 30,000 troops were strategically stationed in captured castles and deployed to disrupt

10816-627: Was not threatened again until 1683. In 1679 plague had been raging in Vienna. On the political front, the Ottoman Empire had been providing military assistance to the Hungarians and non-Catholic minorities in Habsburg-occupied portions of Hungary . There, in the years preceding the siege, widespread unrest had grown into open rebellion against Leopold I 's pursuit of Counter-Reformation principles and his desire to suppress Protestantism . In 1681, Protestants and other anti-Habsburg Kuruc forces, led by Imre Thököly , were reinforced with

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