The Battle of Grunwald is a magnificent victory for the combined forces of Poland and Lithuania. Battle of Grunwald The Battle of Grunwald took place in

The decisive battle of the "Great War" between Poland and Lithuania and the Teutonic Order (1409-1411), which took place on July 15, 1410 on the field between Tannenberg and Grünfeld (Grunwald). It ended with the victory of the Polish-Lithuanian army under the command of King Vladislav II Jagiello (Jagiello) and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas.

Background

In the 14th and early 15th centuries, the most important foreign policy task for the Polish state was the fight against the Teutonic Order. In the second half of the 14th century, the Order intensified its expansion into Polish and Lithuanian lands, confronting Poland and Lithuania with the need to jointly fight the crusaders. This became the main motive that forced the parties to conclude the so-called agreement in 1385: the daughter of the late Polish king Louis of Anjou, Jadwiga, was married to the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello, who became the king of Poland under the name Vladislav Jagiello. The union did not eliminate the contradictions between the new king of Poland and his cousin Vytautas, who became the head of the Lithuanian state after the Union of Krevo. Vytautas and the group of Lithuanian aristocracy that supported him were not satisfied with Jagiello’s pro-Polish policy. In 1401, the terms of the union were revised, and Vytautas was proclaimed the independent ruler of Lithuania for life - the incorporation of the Grand Duchy into Poland was to occur after his death. The ambitious Vytautas did not lose hope of ousting his influential rival and strengthening his power in Lithuania.

The Union of Krevo entailed the Christianization of pagan Lithuania, which undermined the ideological foundations of the activities of the Teutonic Order in the Eastern Baltic. However, Western European knights, especially German ones, were not interested in stopping this activity: the Order declared the baptism of Lithuania insincere and set a course for the struggle to implement its own concept of Christianization of Lithuanian lands. In 1399, the Teutons captured the province of Samogitia (Zhmud), which belonged to Lithuania. This became a prelude to the future war of 1409-1411, which went down in history as the “Great War”. The Samogitians repeatedly rebelled against the invaders: in 1401 such an uprising provoked new hostilities, which ended in a peace treaty between Poland and Lithuania with the order in Ratęż in 1404. Samogitia remained under the rule of the Order, but Poland was given the right to redeem the Dobrzyn land.

In 1407, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Konrad von Jungingen, died, and his place was taken by brother Ulrich, a supporter of a military solution to the Lithuanian issue. Vytautas also harbored warlike plans. In 1409, with the knowledge of Vytautas, another uprising broke out in Samogitia, and the Lithuanians came to the aid of its participants. This was the beginning of the war. Acting through his supporters among Lesser Poland landowners and the clergy, Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen tried to keep Poland from interfering in the conflict, but did not achieve his goal. Then the crusaders captured Dobrzyn land - Polish territory east of Toruń.

Progress of the battle

In the spring of 1410, Lithuanian and Polish troops were ready for a large-scale campaign. At the beginning of July, they united at the Vistula, near the Mazovian city of Czerwińska, and took the shortest route into the possessions of the Order, successfully besieging border castles along the way. The united Polish-Lithuanian army was joined by East Slavic detachments (banners) from Smolensk, Polotsk, Galich, Kyiv and other cities, Czech detachments led by, later the leader of the Hussite movement in the Czech Republic, as well as a detachment of Tatar cavalry.

On July 10, the allied army failed to cross the Drventsa River - on the opposite bank, the Teutons built a defensive line of palisades, palisades and trenches (earthen trenches), behind which they placed artillery. Jagiello retreated with his army and positioned the allied forces between Grunwald and Tannenberg. The field where the decisive battle took place was a fairly flat area with a number of low hills intersected by small ravines. On this territory, near the village of Grunwald, the allied Polish-Lithuanian troops and the army of the Teutonic Order turned against each other. The Order brought 52 banners onto the battlefield, Poland and Lithuania - 51 and 40, respectively. The number of both troops is not precisely known, since there is no data on how many people one banner included. The Order had fewer soldiers, but the crusaders were better equipped and more combat-ready. The striking force of the Teutonic troops was the heavily armed cavalry.

The Teutonic army was built in three lines, and then, in order to lengthen the front, they reformed into two lines. Bombards were installed in front of the troops, and they were covered by crossbowmen. The right flank of the Teutonic forces (20 banners) was commanded by Grand Master Konrad Liechtenstein, the left flank (15 banners) was commanded by Marshal Friedrich Wallenrod. Overall command was exercised by Ulrich von Jungingen. German, French and other knights fought as part of the Order's army, as well as mercenaries of various origins, including the Swiss and British.

Jagiello hesitated to enter the battle and did not give the command to attack, citing the need to celebrate mass and carry out the knighting ceremony. Some historians believe that the king wanted to wear down the enemy and waited until the sun stopped shining in the eyes of the allies, others believe that he did not want a battle at all and hoped that the numerical superiority of the Polish-Lithuanian forces would force the Order to negotiate. Jagiello's delay began to worry the Polish commanders, and especially Vytautas. Finally, at 12 noon, order heralds arrived at the Polish-Lithuanian camp with a demand not to avoid open conflict, and it became clear that the show of force had no effect on the crusaders. Vytautas was the first to order his troops to go on the offensive. When the Lithuanians and Teutons came together in battle, Jogaila gave a similar order to his units. Because of this, at first the allies did not act in concert: the main blow of the enemy fell on the Lithuanians. A tactical retreat was impossible in this case - the Polish forces had not yet been drawn into the battle, and the withdrawal of the Lithuanians could cost them heavy losses. When Polish heavy cavalry entered the battle, the situation returned to normal, and Vytautas was able to begin a withdrawal maneuver. Breaking away from the pursuit of Friedrich Wallenrod, Lithuanian troops covered the Polish flank on the right. The crusaders, pursuing the Lithuanian banners, broke their own formation, lost time and returned back in scattered groups, which allowed the Poles to cut off their path. Then Vytautas attacked the German flank under the command of Konrad Lichtenstein. After this, Ulrich von Jungingen had to commission all 16 reserve banners. Vytautas brought fresh Polish forces into the battle and began to surround the enemy. The Teutons tried to make a breakthrough, but were crushed by Lithuanian detachments (including Russian regiments) returning after a deceptive maneuver. As a result, the crusaders were squeezed from the sides. Six Teutonic banners fled in panic from the battlefield, the rest began to beg for mercy. The crusaders suffered significant losses, with more captured than killed, but the opposite side also suffered serious damage: together both opponents lost from 1/5 to 1/3 of their armies.

Nearly all the Teutonic commanders died in the battle, including Ulrich von Jungingen, Friedrich Wallenrod and Conrad Lichtenstein, as well as 200 knights, approximately a third of the Prussian branch of the Order. According to legend, the Grand Master’s comrades suggested that he flee, but he replied that he would not leave the battlefield. Part of the Teutonic banners, a number of noble captives, including the Olesnitsa prince Konrad the White, and other valuable booty fell into the hands of Vytautas. The wine barrels in the Teutonic camp were broken in advance so that excessive libation would not demoralize the victors. After the battle, the Polish-Lithuanian units rested for three days.

Consequences and results of the battle

Jagiello failed to take full advantage of the fruits of the Grunwald victory. After the battle, the victorious army did not leave the battlefield for three days and, as a result, slowed down its march on the Teutonic capital Marienburg (Malbork). Polish-Lithuanian forces approached the walls of the fortress only on July 25, ten days after the Battle of Grunwald, which allowed the defenders of Marienburg to prepare in advance for the meeting with the enemy. The newly elected Grand Master Heinrich von Plauen agreed to renounce Samogitia and the Dobrzyn land, but Jagiello, who wanted to make peace on more favorable terms, did not accept his proposals.

The siege of Marienburg turned out to be a failure: the prepared garrison managed to repel the attack. The failures during the siege were aggravated by new disputes between Vytautas and Jogaila: in early September, the former refused to continue military operations, and the Lithuanian units left the besieging camp. In addition, the king of Hungary (since 1410 - the king of Germany) Sigismund of Luxembourg took the side of the Teutons. Because of this, according to the Peace of Torun, concluded in 1411, only the lifelong rights of Jogaila and Vytautas to Samogitia were recognized. No other territorial changes were envisaged; the Order's losses were limited only to indemnity. These conditions were incommensurate with the scale of the victory won by the Polish-Lithuanian forces. The triumph at Grunwald, thus, became only a tactical victory, but not a strategic one: the Teutonic Order was not completely defeated, although its defeat at Grunwald revealed the internal weakness of the order's state.

Subsequently, wars between the Order and the Polish-Lithuanian state broke out more than once: in 1414, 1419, 1422, 1433-1435. Under the terms of the Peace of Melna in 1422, the Order finally returned Samogitia to Lithuania, and under the terms of the Brest-Kujaw Peace in 1435, it agreed to release the Order’s subjects from the obligation to obey him in the event of a new war. In 1466, the Teutonic Order, whose military power was irretrievably undermined, ceased to exist.

Evaluations and memorialization

Already contemporaries characterized the battle of Grunwald as the “Great Battle”. It brought worldwide military glory to the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas, and even in Germany there was an opinion that it was the numerous “pagans” - Lithuanians and Tatars - who ensured victory for the Poles. Polish historians are inclined to believe that the main hero of the battle was Jagiello. The tone in this direction was set by the famous Polish historian of the second half of the 15th century, Jan Dlugosz, whose father was a participant in the Battle of Grunwald. In Russian historiography and culture, special attention has always been paid to the role of the Russian regiments that operated near Grunwald as part of the army of the Grand Duke of Lithuania.

The Battle of Grunwald has become the motif of many works of literature and art. The most famous painting on the theme of the legendary battle is the painting “Battle of Grunwald” by Jan Matejko, painted in 1878. The writer Henryk Sienkiewicz described the events of the battle in the novel “The Crusaders” (first published in 1897-1900). In Lithuania, the name “Zalgiris” (as Grunwald is called in Lithuanian) is used by several popular sports clubs, including the titled basketball club from Kaunas, which has repeatedly won the championships of Lithuania and the USSR.

In 1910, celebrations were held in Krakow to mark the 500th anniversary of the victory at Grunwald, attracting 150 thousand people from all Polish lands. Similar events took place throughout Austrian Galicia: in 1910, monuments to the Battle of Grunwald were erected in 60 villages and cities. In the Russian Empire, during this anniversary year, brochures were published and meetings were held dedicated to the legendary battle. The speakers noted the special role of the Smolensk regiments; many suggested calling the battle “Dubravna”, thereby emphasizing the decisive role of the Russian regiments in the victory over the crusaders.

If in 1910 the battlefield of Grunwald was located on the territory, and celebrations could not take place there for obvious reasons, then in 1960 the scene of events was already part of Poland. The Polish leadership presented the Battle of Grunwald as the greatest national victory of the Poles over the Germans and assigned its anniversary an important role in the development of Polish identity in the newly acquired territories. On July 17, 1960, large celebrations were held on the historic field with approximately 200,000 people in attendance. To replace the old monument to the Battle of Grunwald, erected in 1953, a new monument was erected.

Battle of Grunwald. A massacre that was repeatedly described by writers in books, which brought a huge number of victims on both sides. This battle goes down in history as one of the largest, bloodiest, changing the course of history.

Background and preparation for battle

The 14th and early 15th centuries were especially annoying with raids on nearby states. Most of all fell to Poland and the Principality of Lithuania. The main advantage of the Germans was much better uniforms and weapons. Despite this, the Battle of Grunwald showed that the decisive factor is the correct choice of strategy and tactics. Back in the winter of 1409-1410, negotiations began between the allies: Poland and the Principality of Lithuania. An offensive plan was set for midsummer under the command of the Polish king Wladislaw II Jagiello. At the end of June I received news that Lithuanian and Russian troops had lined up on the banks of the Narew River for inspection. The most combat-ready of them were the Smolensk regiments, which played a very important role in the battle called the Battle of Grunwald.

On June 30, the army set out on a campaign, on June 7, all units of the military squad were inspected, and on the 9th, the allied troops crossed the territory where the Teutonic Order dominated. The Great Battle of Grunwald was inexorably approaching, and meanwhile, on July 13, troops looked into the Gilbenburg fortress, which they immediately captured.

For the first time, Jagiello’s troops met with an enemy army of many thousands on July 10, but the leadership could not figure out how to cross the Drventsa River, where the Germans were located. It was decided to move to the source of Soldau. And finally, between the villages of Grunwald and Tannenberg, the two armies converged. Thus began the Battle of Grunwald in 1410. On July 15 at 12:00, Jagiello's army received a parcel from their opponents: two crossed swords. Taking this as an offensive sign, the command gave the order to go on the offensive. On a field measuring 11x9 km, there were 130 thousand allied troops, which included Poles, Lithuanians, Russians, Tatars, Armenians, Volokhs, as well as Czechs, Hungarians and Moravians as mercenaries. The army of the Teutonic Order had 85 thousand soldiers, who made up 22 nationalities, the majority of which were Germans.

Despite the Allies' advantage in warriors, the Teutons had better weapons. The battle began with the advance of Lithuanian troops, the Germans responded with artillery cannonballs. Then the Lithuanian army was driven back by the Germans. The Smolensk regiments remained on the battlefield and stubbornly fought off attacks, while the Lithuanians retreated. The Poles at this time attacked the banners of Liechtenstein, and they were covered on the right by the Smolensk regiments. And then a cry sounded: “Lithuania is returning.” And indeed, Vitovt gathered the scattered army and returned to the field. With renewed vigor they struck at the Teutonic Order, which could not withstand the last battle. Part of the army was killed, part was captured, wounded, fled, and the Battle of Grunwald left almost nothing of the Teutonic Order. The year 1410 was long remembered by both sides as the year of the great battle.

Consequences

The Battle of Grunwald significantly weakened the Teutonic Order, which was on the verge of ceasing to exist. And for the Allies, the threat from the West in the form of the Crusaders was eliminated. And only in 1422 was it concluded between the participants in the war, according to which the Order lost Zanemanje, Samogitia, Neshava lands and Pomerania.

On July 15, 1410, one of the largest battles of the Middle Ages took place - the Battle of Grunwald. The outcome of the battle changed the balance of power in Europe and marked the advent of a new era.

Background to the conflict and the beginning of the Great War

In 1224, the state of the Teutonic Order was created on the territory of the Baltic states, consisting mainly of German crusading knights. Due to the constant acquisition of land from bankrupt feudal lords, the absorption of smaller and weaker knightly orders, as well as the constant influx of military booty, the new state grew richer and gained more and more influence. In terms of his power, the Grand Master, who headed the Order, could compete even with the Pope. The knights minted their own coins, traded, opened schools, and together formed a magnificent, well-trained and disciplined army. The Order pursued an expansive policy towards the states of Eastern Europe and Rus'. From the end of the 12th century, a series of so-called Northern Crusades began, aimed at the forcible Catholicization of Rus', Lithuania and Poland. Of course, the Order pursued not only purely religious goals - they were, rather, secondary, the main task of the Teutonic Knights was to expand the territory of their state and establish complete control over the Baltic coast.

Lithuania and Poland suffered most from the Teutonic raids. The Russian state was also periodically subjected to raids, but the crusaders still had fresh memories of the defeat of the order's troops by Prince Alexander Nevsky.

At the end of the 14th century, the situation in eastern Europe became more complicated due to the struggle between two cousins: the Lithuanian princes Jagiello and Vytautas. In order to achieve power, the cousins periodically turned to the Teutonic Order for help, allowing the German knights to ruin Lithuania. But in the end, Jagiello and Vytautas realized the damage their opposition was causing to the well-being of the state. They made peace and decided to jointly resist foreign invaders. The result of their conflict was:

Signing of the Krevo Union (1385). Through the dynastic marriage of the Lithuanian prince Jagiello and the Polish princess Jadwiga, two Eastern European states were united. Jagiello, while remaining the Lithuanian ruler, also received the Polish crown. Although the union did not end the civil war, it was an important decision that led to peace between nations. Polish cultural trends and the Catholic religion began to penetrate into the more backward pagan Lithuania. Immediately after the signing of the union, Jogaila and Vytautas jointly began baptizing Lithuanians.
Signing of the Ostrovets Agreement (1392). According to this document, Vytautas became the Grand Duke of Lithuania, but at the same time was a vassal of the Polish king.

The concluded alliance contributed to the strengthening and growth of the power of both powers.

Uprising in Samogitia

At the beginning of the 15th century, the main goal of the German knights was the capture of Lithuanian Samogitia. This small area was located between the Teutonic and Livonian orders; after mastering it, the two knightly organizations could merge into a single whole. In addition, Samogitia remained the last area through which Lithuanians and Poles could enter the Baltic Sea. Mastering Samogitia meant complete control over the entire Baltic region.

In 1404, Jagiello himself transferred Samogitia to the Order, but just five years later the local population, dissatisfied with the new order, rebelled against the Teutonic knights. Lithuania and Poland began to support the rebels, which caused extreme dissatisfaction with the Grand Master, Ulrich von Jungingen. At the same time, the master accused Jagiello that the latter was not sincere in his acceptance of Catholicism and continued to remain Orthodox (in the childhood of the future king, he was baptized by his mother, the Tver princess). Ultimately, von Jungingen declared war on Vytautas and Jogaila.

First stage of the war

The first actions of both sides were rather indecisive. In addition, the onset of cold weather forced the opponents to return to their positions. But the truce was short-lived and quite tense. Throughout the winter months, Poland, Lithuania and the Teutonic Order were preparing weapons and provisions, increasing the number of troops, purchasing horses and negotiating military alliances.

As a result, the Order managed to win over:

Hungarian King;
Feudal lords of the duchies of Pomerania and Oleśnica;
Livonian Order;
Bishopric of Warmia.

And the supporters of Vytautas and Jagiello were:

Golden Horde Khan Jelal Ad-din;
Some Russian appanage principalities (Smolensk, Kiev, Polotsk, Galician);
Czech troops of Jan Zizka;
Masovian and Moldavian principalities.

Data on troop numbers vary widely. Presumably, the Lithuanian-Polish army could number from 15 to 40 thousand people, and from 10 to 30 thousand fighters could fight under the banners of the Teutonic Order.

Second stage of the war

According to the general plan of Vytautas and Jagiello, their armies were supposed to move out in the late spring of 1410. Both rulers were well aware that in terms of technical equipment and level of training their troops were significantly inferior to the battle-hardened Teutons. Therefore, the allied command was instructed to think through the offensive plan down to the smallest detail and provide for all possible difficulties. In preparation for hostilities, warehouses with provisions and ammunition were built along the entire route of the troops, and in the winter the transfer of individual regiments began closer to the border. To cross the army across the rivers, a pontoon bridge was built - a real engineering miracle for that time. Even the Teutonic knights did not have such a design.

In the spring of 1410, the crusaders raided the large Lithuanian city of Volkovysk. By coincidence, Prince Vitovt was with his wife not far from the city. Obviously, the Grand Master conceived the attack on Volkovysk as a provocation. But Jagiello and Vytautas refrained from decisive retaliatory actions, allowing the Teutons to escape unpunished. The Allied army was not yet fully prepared for war.

At the beginning of July, Polish and Russian-Tatar-Lithuanian troops met in the area of the city of Chervensk located on the Vistula. The united army continued its movement towards the capital of the Order - the well-fortified Malbork Castle, which is now located in northern Poland. The troops crossed the border of the Order and reached the Drvenets River.

The original plan was to cross the river and then fight a pitched battle. But it turned out that on the other bank the enemy had built a fortified camp, from where it was possible to fire at the wading troops. Jagiello and Vytautas withdrew their armies back, which the Teutons regarded as a retreat. But in fact, the allies decided to cross the river in another place, bypassing the crusader fortifications.

After von Jungingen understood the meaning of this maneuver, he gave the order to build bridges across the Drventsa. The Grand Master decided that his troops should immediately cut off the path of the Polish-Lithuanian army and defeat it in a general battle. This plan was adopted hastily and thoughtlessly. In just two days, numerous shortcomings of the Teutonic command would lead to a shameful defeat.

The troops spent the night of July 14-15 only 15-20 kilometers from each other. And in the morning the two armies met on a large field near the villages of Grunwald and Tannenberg.

Progress of the battle

Formation of troops

By the time the Polish-Lithuanian army appeared on the battlefield, the Teutons had already lined up in battle formation. The heavy Teutonic cavalry was commanded by the Grand Master himself. The horsemen lined up in two two-kilometer lines, awaiting the order to attack. Artillery was located in front of them, and infantry and convoys stood in the rearguard. The place chosen by the Teutons was very successful: the knights occupied a small hill, and on the sides of the army there were two villages.

Meanwhile, the start of the battle was postponed. The devout Jagiello first listened to two masses, and then began to knight the nobles. Some historians accuse the Polish king of cowardice or imprudence, but some believe that Jagiello was deliberately in no hurry to start the battle so that all the allied troops had time to pull up to the battlefield.

Ultimately, the allied forces lined up in three lines (gufas). The third Guf played the role of a reserve, so he entered the battle only in the very last hours of the battle. At the same time, the army did not stand deployed, but as a wedge, the tip and sides of which were made up of the best heavily armed horsemen. In front of the troops, just like the Teutons, were artillery units.

First stage of the battle

The battle began only at noon. The troops exchanged minor artillery salvos, after which the left flank of the allied army, which consisted of Lithuanian and Russian regiments led into battle by Prince Vitovt, moved into the attack. At the same time, the Polish units continued to remain in their positions. The Teutons, who had taken up convenient defensive positions, were interested in the allies starting the battle. Experts assess further events differently. It is known that under the pressure of the German cavalry, Vytautas ordered his troops to retreat. But it still remains a mystery: whether it was a deceptive maneuver or a mistake of the Lithuanian prince that unexpectedly turned into success.

The Teutons rushed after the retreating Vytautas, deciding that the entire Polish-Lithuanian army was in front of them, but unexpectedly they met in front of them the Smolensk regiments standing in the center of the allied army. Smolyan defended desperately, not allowing the German knights to bypass their positions. Several Lithuanian detachments came to the rescue of the Russian regiments. Together they managed to hold back the attack of the Teutons, which turned the entire further course of the battle.

Second stage of the battle

At this moment, Polish units also joined the battle. Under the pressure of the Teutons, the royal troops began to retreat. The Germans managed to come close to the place where Jagiello himself and his retinue were located, and captured the royal banner. The situation was critical, but Vytautas managed to turn his flank in time, push back the crusaders and save the royal banner.

Jungingen ordered reserves to be brought to the battlefield, and the Allies did the same. At this stage of the battle, the Poles and Lithuanians were helped out by their superiority in manpower. The Teutonic reserve quickly began to tire, and the Allies began to bypass the Order's defensive line from the left flank. A ring formed around the Teutons, which became more and more difficult to break through every minute.

Only a small number of knights managed to escape from the encirclement. The Allies killed the entire senior leadership of the order - the Grand Master, the Grand Commander and the Grand Marshal. Almost 15,000 people were taken prisoner. So Poland, Lithuania and northern Rus' together managed to defend their independence.

Reasons for the defeat of the Teutonic Order

Before the start of the Great War, the Order actively sought allies in Western Europe. The main bet was made on Hungary, whose military support the Grand Master valued at a considerable amount, transferred to the Hungarian king. However, the Hungarian ruler never fulfilled his promises.
The Livonian Order also did not enter into the fight on the side of the Teutons, fearing the outbreak of war with the Principality of Novgorod.
The Allies had a larger army.
The Grand Master underestimated his opponents, who were not only able to gather a large army, but also prepared very carefully for the war.
On the lands controlled by the Order lived the same Poles and Lithuanians, who tried with all their might to get rid of the hated Germans, and therefore helped the Allies.

Consequences of the battle

The Great War continued for another six months. On February 1, 1411, the opponents concluded a peace under which Samogitia remained with Lithuania, and some previously annexed lands were also returned to Poland. In addition, the Order paid considerable indemnities to the two states. Despite the fact that the Teutonic Order existed for more than a century, the Battle of Grunwald marked the beginning of its decline. The knights never regained their former influence and position. But the authority of Lithuania and Poland in Europe has grown significantly. These states will maintain their union, and in the 16th century they will turn into a single strong power - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

By the time the “Great War” (1409−1411) began, it was not yet obvious around whom the Russian lands would unite. As a result, both Moscow and Lithuanian princes could become collectors of Russian lands. By the beginning of the 15th century, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania possessed vast lands that now belong to Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Then, however, they were all Slavs and the division was more likely into people from Smolensk or Kyiv. Or Orthodox and Catholics - the religious division will be decisive for the minds of contemporaries, but that will come later.

Territory of the state of the Teutonic Order between 1260 and 1410. (wikipedia.org)

In 1386, Grand Duke Jagiello and his rival brother Vitov, and with them the entire nobility, made a religious choice that was fateful for Lithuania. They preferred Catholicism to Orthodoxy. In the future, this will come back to haunt the fact that the Orthodox lands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (it did not exist at the time of the choice of faith) will always be drawn to the Muscovite kingdom. But at that moment the choice was justified. In 1385, the Union of Krevo was concluded between Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. After accepting Catholicism, Jagiello was able to marry the Polish Queen Jadwiga and become the ruler of both Poland and Lithuania. This alliance, however, was not strong. The entire Lithuanian opposition united around his brother Jagiello, Vytautas. Jagiello made concessions and made Vytautas governor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with broad powers. On the basis of the Vilem-Radom Union, Vytautas received the title of Grand Duke of Lithuania, while confirming the supreme power of Jogaila over himself. Such actions towards peace and the creation of alliances had a completely understandable reason: fear of an external enemy, the Teutonic Order.

The Teutonic Order came to the East Slavic lands after Pope Honorius III declared a crusade against the Prussian pagans in 1217. The Teutons dubbed the Prussians fire and sword, but the matter did not end with their lands. Next door was still pagan Lithuania. When Jogaila and the entire Lithuanian nobility converted to Catholicism, this did not interfere with the aggressive plans of the crusaders. They simply accused the Lithuanian nobility of insincerity in their baptism. At the same time, the Order had territorial claims to Poland. The union of the two countries suggested itself.

Leaders of the Battle of Grunwald

Vytautas and Jagiello planned to attack the Teutonic capital, Marienburg. The Order adhered to defensive tactics. At the end of May 1410, Polish-Lithuanian troops began to gather in Grodno. They numbered 91 "banners" (regiments), of which 51 were Polish and 40 Lithuanian. At the same time, 7 Polish and 36 Lithuanian regiments represented Russian regions - in the modern sense, the territories of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. There are no exact data on the number of troops. Estimates of the size of the Polish-Lithuanian army vary from 16 to 39 thousand people, the Teutonic Order - from 11 to 27 thousand people. At the same time, the Order's troops were considered more combat-ready. The backbone was the knightly cavalry, of course. But there were also infantry mercenaries.

“Vladislav Jagiello and Vytautas pray before the battle.” (wikipedia.org)

At dawn on July 15, 1410, the two armies met in a field between the villages of Tannenberg, Grünfeld and Ludwigsdorf (now part of Poland).

Progress of the Battle of Grunwald

The site of the upcoming battle was surrounded on three sides by forests. The crusaders arrived first and managed to strengthen their position before the enemy approached, and also set up numerous traps. The Order hoped to provoke the enemy into an attack, believing its defensive position to be more advantageous, taking into account the advantage of the Poles and Lithuanians in numbers.

The initial stage of the battle is at noon. (wikipedia.org)

For this purpose, heralds with two drawn swords were sent to Jagiello and Vytautas - from the Supreme Master of Jungingen to King Vladislav (that was the name Jagiello bore after baptism) and from Grand Marshal Wallenrod to Grand Duke Vytautas. A challenge to battle was also verbally conveyed. Swords, within the traditions of that time, meant an insult to Jagiello and Vytautas, which should have aroused their rage and prompted them to take active action.

Modern reconstruction of the armor of the Lithuanian infantry. (wikipedia.org)

The provocation worked for Vytautas. He went into battle without waiting for Jagiello's order. The Lithuanian heavy cavalry, together with the allied Tatar cavalry, attacked the banners of Grand Marshal Friedrich von Wallenrod. After an hour-long battle, the crusaders launched a counterattack. The Lithuanians began to retreat. There is still no consensus among historians whether this was a tactical maneuver or an unplanned retreat. Be that as it may, the crusaders believed that the enemy was broken.

Retreat of the Lithuanian army. (wikipedia.org)

Part of the Lithuanian army, which consisted of the Smolensk regiments under the command of Prince Lugveny Olgerdovich, took up defense near the camp of Vytautas, not far from the right flank of the Polish army. The Smolensk regiments were given an order to hold their positions at all costs and prevent an attack on the flank and rear of the Polish allies. The battle was bloody, the Smolensk regiments suffered heavy losses, but did not retreat. This, according to historians, was the key moment of the battle.

At this time, a fierce battle broke out between the crusaders and the Poles, which went on with varying degrees of success. This episode of the battle lasted for five hours and was completely exhausting. Hand-to-hand combat reached the place where Jagiello was located. One of the crusaders rushed at the king, but Jagiello was saved by his secretary Zbigniew Olesnicki.

The last stage of the battle was affected by the fact that the Polish-Lithuanian army had an advantage in manpower - Jagiello threw his last reserve into the battle later than the crusaders. Polish and Lithuanian cavalry bypassed the crusaders from the left flank, as a result of which the main forces of the Order were surrounded. The massacre of the Teutons began.

Only a small part of the knights managed to escape. More than 200 knights, including the entire senior leadership of the Order, were killed. In total, about 8,000 people were killed by the Teutons, and approximately 14,000 were captured. The Polish-Lithuanian army lost about 5,000 people killed and about 8,000 wounded. Jagiello and Vitovt reached Marienburg, but they failed to take the well-defended city.

The meaning of the Battle of Grunwald

The Teutonic Order lost its military power, which led to its decline. In addition, the order was forced to spend huge amounts of money on the ransom of knights who were captured. Since this money was collected as a result of the introduction of new taxes on lands controlled by the order, discontent very soon began to brew there. A number of cities that previously relied on the protection of the Order abandoned allied relations, and the number of people wishing to join it fell catastrophically.

“After the Battle of Grunwald”, A. Mucha, 1924. (wikipedia.org)

On February 1, 1411, the Peace of Torun was concluded, under the terms of which the Grand Duchy of Lithuania received Samogitia (the key land that lay between the possessions of the Order), and Poland received the Dobrzyn land. In addition, the Teutonic Order was obliged to pay an indemnity.

"Return of the Lithuanians", Michal Elviro Andriolli, 1892. (wikipedia.org)

Despite the fact that the Teutonic Order formally existed for more than a hundred years, this was a period of its decline. Now it was no longer the order that dictated conditions to other states, but they imposed unfavorable agreements on it and took away territories from it. In Eastern Europe, the Polish-Lithuanian union became the dominant force, which a century and a half later transformed into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The Battle of Grunwald is a turning point battle between the Polish-Lithuanian army and the Teutonic army, which took place on July 15, 1410. The battle was very cruel and bloody, thousands of soldiers died on both sides, but it played a huge role in the future fate of all of Europe.

Background and causes of the Battle of Grunwald

For centuries, the lands belonging to the Lithuanians and Poles aroused unprecedented interest among the Teutons. Why?

In the north of Poland there was access to the Baltic Sea, i.e. it was possible to control all trade at the mouths of the Neman River, the Western Dvina River and the Vistula River, replenishing one’s treasury and pockets.
Through the Baltic Sea, it became possible to access the territory of the Moscow Principality, which promised even greater wealth than the possession of European lands.
There are many minerals, among which amber and deposits of pine forests were highly valued.

For about a hundred years, the Teutonic Order made periodic invasions of the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. But in 1378, Lithuania adopted Christianity, and now the Teutons had no right to invade Lithuanian lands. And in 1385, the Lithuanian prince Vladislav II Jagiello entered into a dynastic marriage with Jadwiga (Union of Krevo). As a result of this event, a new powerful Christian state from the united Polish and Lithuanian lands appeared on the map of Europe.

The Teutons needed a new reason for clashes. And he was found! Once again Samogitia became a stumbling block. Possessing it, the Teutons would completely cut off the Lithuanian lands from the sea. And yet, they could unite and close the entire territory of their state into one border.

At the end of May 1409 there was a Samogitian uprising against the willfulness of the Teutons. The Lithuanians took the side of Samogitia. The Teutons did not like this, they decided to clarify the positions and plans of the Polish king. He replied that in the event of a second attack by the Teutons, he would support the victims, i.e. Samogitia.

In the conditions escalating the war, the contradictions regarding the possession of Danzig and Dobrzyn land were also reflected.

Preparation and beginning of the Battle of Grunwald

After the Samogitian uprising, the Teutonic army left this territory. Angry and frustrated, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Ulrich von Jungingen, declared war on August 6, 1408. Almost two months from that day, the Teutonic knights made repeated forays and raids.

On October 8, 1409, a truce was signed between the conflicting parties, which lasted until June 21, 1410. No one doubted that after the truce a major battle would follow, for which it was worth preparing in advance.

Throughout the spring and winter periods, Jagiello and Vytautas worked on strategic plans. It was decided that the united army would head to Marienburg (the capital of the Teutonic state). This decision led the Teutonic commanders into confusion. They distributed their forces in the city of Shvets, because. it was assumed that the enemy army would split into two parts in order to enter from different sides. In order to completely confuse the Teutons, individual units of the Allied troops periodically made raids on the border territories.

In May 1410, both armies were fully equipped with both soldiers and weapons. Mercenaries from Austria, Germany, France, and regiments of two Polish princes fought on the side of the Teutons. On the side of the allied Polish-Lithuanian army are mercenaries from the Czech Republic, Moravia, Prussia, Hungary, the Principality of Galicia-Volyn, Belarusian and Samogitian lands, and Tatar horsemen. According to statistics from Stefan Kuczynski, the Polish-Lithuanian army numbered 39 thousand people, and the Teutonic army - 27 thousand people.

The Allied armies united on the Vistula River in the Cherwinsk region on July 2, 1410. They crossed the Prussian border on July 6, and on the morning of July 15 they came face to face with the Teutonic army between the villages of Tannenberg, Grunwald and Ludwigsdorf.

General course of the Battle of Grunwald

The Polish-Lithuanian army was located in three lines. The right flank consisted of Lithuanian light cavalry, the left - of Polish heavy cavalry, and in the central part there were mercenaries.

The Teutonic army consisted of two lines, and the third (reserve) was taken with it towards Jungingen.

Before the battle, the Teutons challenged Jagiello - they handed him two drawn swords. But the king did not give the order to attack. Vitovt acted in his own way, sending forward Tatar mercenaries with cavalry, and then mounted warriors to the heavy cavalry of Friedrich von Wallenrod.

After an hour-long battle, Wallenrod ordered the army to launch a counterattack, the Lithuanians fled, and the joyful Teutons, feeling the taste of victory, began to pursue them.

The formation of the Teutonic army was disrupted; the pursuing crusaders who broke away from it were defeated by the troops of Lugveny Olgerdovich.

Meanwhile, there was a sharp battle between the Polish flank and the Teutons. Jagiello deployed reserve troops of the second line. The five-hour battle did not bring victory to anyone. Watching, Jungingen decided that the Lithuanian flank was broken and retreating, and independently led his third reserve line into battle.

Seeing the enemy's renewal, Jagiello also activated his third line. In a fierce battle, the fight reached the king himself, and he was almost killed. Jogaila's reserve warriors and Vytautas's mounted warriors responded to the advance of Jungingen's second line, bringing a strong blow to the left flank of the army of the Teutonic Order. The Grand Master was killed. Many Teutons fled, many refused to continue the battle. The camp of the defeated enemy was plundered, everyone who was caught there was killed. In general, the Polish-Lithuanian army stood at the battle site for another three days. Then she laid siege to Marienburg, but after half a month, exhausted by the fighting, she lifted it.

Results of the Battle of Grunwald

1. About 8 thousand Teutonic soldiers (1/3 of the army) were killed, many prisoners.

2. Refusal of the cities of the Hanseatic League from cooperation with the Teutonic state.

3. Change and rearrangement of leading forces in Eastern Europe. The emergence of the Polish-Lithuanian state on the international scene.

4. A noticeable decrease and financing of the knightly movement.

Dobrzyn land went to Poland;
Samogitia became part of the Lithuanian lands;
The Teutonic Order was obliged to pay indemnity.