Polish Swedish War KIRCHOLM 1605
Battle between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden on Sept 27, 1605
We won this battle due to better soldiers and tactics. The Polish winged hussars were in XVII and XVIII century something like the German "Tiger" tanks when they appeared in 1942.
The American soldiers were also outnumbered during the operation "Desert Storm". Does it mean it was a miracle, because they won?
Please reflect before you'll write something.
Krzysiek
First Hussars were Serbs who came to Poland after the defeat in the battle of Kosove Pole. They were lightly armoured and light armed cavalry.
In time the units of hussars has changed and in the begining of the 17th century they were Polish-Lithuanian heavy cavalry. Each hussar which was called a "panzer commrade" was armed in variety of weapons: Lance, sabre, 2 pistols, often also koncerz (a weapon unique to Poles - very very long spade which was used after lance was broken) and czekan (long steel hammer designed to break infantry helmets).
I noticed that you asked why lance dissapeared in the western Europe but was still used in the eastern Europe.
There are many reasons but the most important was gunpowder. In the 17th century western european generals belived that the only way to win the battle was to arm their soldiers in as many guns and muskets as possible. Even western european cavaly wasnt anymore a fast charging weapon but slow, armed with pistols cavalry designed to shoot and retreat.
It was terrbile mistake because 17th century fire arms were slow and effectivness of its fire was low.
Such cavalry like hussaria was able to break any 17th century western european infantry square. They were usually charging in 2-5 lines and distance between hussairs in the line was quite big to avoid losses from infantry fire. Just before the clash of charging cavalry and infantry the second line of hussars was often filling gaps in the first line.
Unlike western european cavalry, hussars were using their pistols not from distance but in close combat.
Their tactics was superior to both tactics of western and eastern european armies and even hussars were often surprised that they destroyed whole enemy regiments loosing only few soldiers.
Jan Pasek -one of the Polish hussars who fought in the 17th century in wars against Sweden gives good description of that lack of effectivnes of firearms(in my free translation and as you noticed my english isnt great):
"We came close to canons so they were shooting over our heads and when finally infantry started to shoot as usualy some our commrades felt down but all who lost horses survived the battle and really only few died".
In other part of his diary he describes another battle:
"I will never remember it and everybody was astonished, we were only 400 and charged against 3000 infantry and all together only one hussar was killed, also 4 servants died and I have lost my horse"
So as you see those quotes are the best evidenence how overrated were firearms in the 17th century Europe.
The battlefields on western europe were full of infantry and the role of cavalry was reduced while in Poland about 80% of all the army was cavalry.
In 17th century Europe Poland was the country with the biggest territory and it was the reason why cavalry made the biggest part of Polish army and the Hussars were the elite of that cavalry.
They often had to move from west and north where they fought against Swedes to east and sought where had to fight against Turks, Tartars or Russians.
How effective was Polish cavalry and especially hussaria against western type army? Look at this:
Battle of Kirholm 1605:
14000 Swedish under command of King Charles IX fought against 4000 Poles under command of Hetman (that title was in Poland somthing like Marshal)Karol Chodkiewicz. Result:6000 Swedes dead, Swedish king wounded, army fled in panic. Polish-Lithuanian casualties: about 100 dead, few hundried wounded.
Affcourse later when both firearms and infatry tactics were improved the time when Polish hussaria was dominating battlefieds has ended and finally in the first half of 18th century hussars formations were disbanded and replaced with light cavalry units.
The armour of Polish hussar on horse and some paintings you can find here:
http://www.jest.art.pl/
Some charges of Polish lancers in during napoleonic wars were maybe succesfull but it was somthing unique and definatelly the time of lancers was gone.
The Swedish king Carol IX Sudermanski laid siege to the city of Riga on 23 September with an army of 14,000 men. The city controlled the trade routes of the region and was the base of provision for the forces of the Lithuanian Hetman, Carol Chodkiewicza. Conquest of this city would mean the gain of a major Baltic harbor and a corresponding reduction of power of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
By 25 September about 3500 men had rallied to Chodkiewicz’s camp, quite a distance from Riga. On the night of 26 September the army set up camp between Iskiel and Kircholm, having covered 80 kilometers in 36 hours!
The Swedes advanced at night from the evening of the 26 September with 5000 veteran cavalry, 6000 infantry and 11 artillery guns. Through the early morning mist, the Swedes approached Kircholm. They did not see the Commonwealth troops, so Carol IX judged that Chodkiewicz had escaped, frightened by the huge disparity of force. In the meantime the Commonwealth banners were advancing in good order to the north-west from cover to the high ground over Kircholm.
The Swedes stood in four divisions.
In the front, the Seven battalions of infantry with the artillery batteries. This totaled over 3900 infantry and 11 cannon under Andersen Linderson,
The second division’s six squadrons of cavalry totaled 2200; 1000 under Fredrick Joachim Mansweld and 1200 under Brandt.
The third division, in reserve, consisted of six battalions of infantry and the royal guard, and was led by Prince Lüneburski - 3000 infantry.
The fourth was made up of five troops of rieter cavalry - 1600 men - who had just arrived under the command of King Carol IX
The Swedish troops were in an advantageous defensive position at the beginning of battle behind the natural barrier of a stream, and Carol IX was in no hurry to lose his position.
Hetman Chodkiewicz arrayed his army into three divisions.
In the center under command of Hetman Vincent Wojny stood 300 hussar troopers (heavy cavalry armed with a long lance, pistols, and sabres), infantry numbering around 1000 men, and 4 to 7 light field artillery pieces. On the right wing of this first division were 700 hussars under Peter Sapiec, and on the left about 900 hussars under Tomas Dabrowa, with some light cavalry.
Duke Frederic Kettler’s 300 Kurlander rieters (armored cavalry armed with carbines, pistols and swords) - arrived just in time for the start of battle, and formed the second division.
The reserve division consisted of 200 hussars under Captain (Rotmistrzr) Theodore Lackim, the light cavalry troops and volunteer nobleman's Panzer Cavalry (maile-armored medium cavalry, armed with short lance, bow, pistols, and sabre).
Hetman Chodkiewicz attempted to provoke the enemy by sending forward numerous skirmishers and bringing up the light artillery. Several hours passed as they probed the strength of the position, but no Swede was lured from the slope. At last Chodkiewicz feigned a retreat.
The Swedish king ordered an attack. Infantry of first Swedish division (3840 men) proceeded uphill toward the infantry in the center. When they approached to close range they were staggered by the heavy fire of the Lithuanian infantry muskets and the cannon. The Hetman ordered a counter attack by the 300 hussars under Vincent Wojny.
The hussars picked up great speed down the slope. However, the Swedish foote managed a salvo of musket fire. The Hussars galloped on, not heeding their losses. The Swedish infantry were screened with pikemen, but the hussars pressed home the attack. The sounds of broken lances and pikes intermingled with battle cries, swords crashing, and horses neighing. To assist Wojny’s hussars the Kurlander Reiters were also sent in. Their goal was achieved: the small force overran the 3800 enemy infantry. Remarkably, it was estimated that in this phase of battle, only 13 hussar 'comrades' perished, 17 were wounded, but 150 horses were lost.
The Left polish wing with the strength of Dabrowa’s 900 hussars reinforced with the light cavalry now fell on the 3 squadrons (1000 men) under Mansfield. The rieters scattered at the first blow, and fell back in disorder, mixed with the retreating infantry. Cossacks of the light cavalry moved to pursue from Dabrowa’s regiment, but somehow they turned back in to the right with the hussars and hit the flank and rears of Swedish infantry - combining with the power of Wojny’s hussars and Kettler’ rieters.
Despite this success, victory was far from certain. On the left Swedish wing most of Brandt’s cavalry started to move in order to turn the flank. In response, Peter Sapiec’s 700 winged Polish hussars and 400 cossacks moved from the right wing simultaneously. They broke several companies of the rieters under Brandt. While the hussars tried to regroup, the Swedish king commited the reserve force of Brandt’s riters and his royal guard of 700 men against them. This blow badly deteriorated Peter Sapiec’s position, threatening to cut his force off. Seeing that Carol IX had committed his whole cavalry, Chodkiewicz sent for the 200 hussars under Theodore Lackim, who, swinging far to the right to avoid the ongoing combat, hit the flank of the Swedish cavalry at full tilt.
This final blow determined the result of the battle. The Swedish rieters begin to flee, exposing the left flank of the infantry, sealing their fate. The duration of the encounter from the first hussar counter attack on the infantry to this point is estimated to be a most a half hour. A vigirous pursuit hounded the Swedes, who tried to rally and defend themselves at several points to save the situation. Around the church of Kircholm Lüneburski's infantry and some remants of the Swedish cavalry mounted a defense of the way to Riga under the leadership of King Carol IX. After momentary success, they too were innundated. The carnage and pursuit continued thorugh the evening.
Chodkiewicz carried the day in a victory that, taking into account the disparity of power and strategic result, was huge. It is estimated that 6000 Swedes died, including Lüneburski and Linderson. King Carol IX was wounded. All the artillery was captured, along with 60 unit banners. Commonwealth losses totaled about 100 killed and a few hundred wounded.
Ok, I'll paste some. Those battles bellow, are noticed in fact of main role of husaria. Look at the numbers :)
The Battle of Byczyna (German: Schlacht bei Pitschen; Polish: Bitwa pod Byczyną) was a battle between the Polish-Lithuanian army of the newly-elected King Sigismund III Vasa of Poland and the Austrian army of Archduke Maximilian III, a pretender to the Polish throne. Taking place near Byczyna in Silesia on January 24, 1588, the battle ended in an overwhelming Polish victory under the command of Hetman Jan Zamoyski; the archduke was captured and Austrian intervention was stopped.
Poland: 3,700 cavalry, 2,300 infantry
Austria: 6,000 cav and inf. + 3000 volunters
Casualties
Poles 1,000
Austria 2,000
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Byczyna_battle.jpg/800px-Byczyna_battle.jpg
Capitulation of Maximilian Habsburg
The Battle of Lubieszow on 17 April 1577 was the cumulation of a 2 year war between the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania and the City of Gdansk. Gdansk had not recognized the election of Stefan Batory as king, because they feared the impact on their relativehusarz independence, and of Batory�s implementation of the Karnkowski Constitution.
In August Batory marched to Malbork and started a process of informally isolating Gdansk from the countryside. In January he marched to Tczew, and stormed the rebel defences at Glowa, then the fortress at Garabina, 15km from Gdansk. This cut off the city by land, while ships were ordered to start a sea blockade. A small force of Cossacks was sent to harry the Gdansk army as it advanced toward Tczew.
A Polish army of 1000 infantry and 1300 cavalry (in this number - 1132 husars) under command of hetman Jan Zborowski, faced a Gdansk army of 3100 landsknechts, 400 mercenary reiter cavalry, 400 city cavalry, 6000-8000 Gdansk militia, in total 10-12 thousand soldiers under the command of Hans Winckelburg von Kölln. The battle started with a cavalry attack.
Result:
OV for Poland. Gdansk losses amounted to 4400 dead, while the Crown army lost 60 killed, 127 wounded.
Kirholm (near Ryga) Battle between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden on Sept 27, 1605
By 25 September about 3500 (2000 hussars) men had rallied to Chodkiewicz’s camp, quite a distance from Riga. On the night of 26 September the army set up camp between Iskiel and Kircholm, having covered 80 kilometers in 36 hours!
The Swedes advanced at night from the evening of the 26 September with 5000 veteran cavalry, 6000 infantry and 11 artillery guns.
...
Result:
Chodkiewicz carried the day in a victory that, taking into account the disparity of power and strategic result, was huge. It is estimated that 6000 Swedes died, including Lüneburski and Linderson. King Charles IX was wounded. All the artillery was captured, along with 60 unit banners. Commonwealth losses totaled about 100 killed and a few hundred wounded.
http://www.kismeta.com/diGrasse/images/kirch1.jpeg
Battle of Kircholm by J.Kossak
The Battle of Trzciana (June 25, 1629) was the final battle of Polish-Swedish War (1625–1629). In this battle Polish forces led by field crown hetman Stanisław Koniecpolski
defeated Swedish army commanded by king Gustav Adolf !! Lion of the North himself!.
Koniecpolski led joint polish-austrian forces numbering 1300 hussars (9 banners), 1200 light cavalry and 2000 reiters.
Gustav Adolf had 4,000 cavalry and 5,000 infantry
Poles won with loses 250 dead. Swedes lose over 1,000 dead
500 captured. Gustav Adolf avoid imprisonment by retreating from the battlefield.
http://www.geocities.com/rik_fox/husaria/hussar10.jpg
KLUSZYN July 4, 1610 is the story of one the great victories of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and especially of the famed winged Hussars. This battle with Muscovy was characterized by a huge disparity of force. Hetman (Field Marshal) Stanislaw Zolkiewski led 6,800 Poles, (5556 were hussars) supported by 2 cannon against Muscovites under Dimity Szujski. In the actual battle , trounced 30,000 Russians and 5000 thousand foreign mercenaries (with 11 cannon).
The battle lasted five hours and both sides suffered heavy losses. Probably, Szujski’s army lost no more than five thousand killed. All the principle officers survived. Del’Gardi, according to Luny, was robbed and beaten on the way. Szujski horse was found later, as were his shoes, which had somehow found themselves on a peasant’s feet. Zolkiewski mentioned 100 comrades killed. Perhaps the total including retainers and infantry was 400 dead, and 400 horses were also lost.
Battle of Beresteczko http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/uk/thumb/0/01/Battle_of_Beresteczko.jpg/300px-Battle_of_Beresteczko.jpg27-30 June, 1651
One of the largest battle of 17th C. Europe.
Forces:
Polish 63 000 (including 2 to 4 thousand infantry mercenaries, and about 30,000 noble levy cavalry)
Tatar-Cossack 110,000
Losses: Polish about 700, Tatar-Cossack from 40,000 to 80,000 !!!
Alex Lech Bajan
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