Polish warfare

[Bonobo]

I have always been interested in the military aspect of Polish history. Actually, of world history too.

Let`s start.

The two-finger(ed) salute is a salute given using only the middle and index fingers, while bending the other fingers at the second knuckle, and with the palm facing the signer. This salute is used by Polish military and uniformed services and by Cub Scouts.
Two-finger salute in Poland
The salute is only used while wearing a hat with the emblem of the Polish eagle, such as military hat rogatywka. The salute is performed with the middle and index fingers extended and touching each other, while the ring and little fingers are bent and touched by the thumb The tips of the middle and index fingers touch the peak of the cap, two fingers meaning honour and fatherland (Honor i Ojczyzna).

It is not clear when the two-fingers salute appeared in Polish military forces. Some see its origin in Tadeusz Kościuszko's 1794 686px-Smuglewicz Kosciuszko.jpg. Others state that it came from the Russian army around 1815. At that time, apparently the Tsar's Viceroy in Poland Grand Duke Constantine said that Poles salute him with two fingers, while using the other two to hold a stone to throw at him. Another legend attributes the salute to the remembrance of Battle of Olszynka Grochowska in 1831, when a soldier who lost two fingers in the battle saluted his superior with a wounded hand.

The two-fingers salute caused problems for Polish units serving with the Allies on the western front during World War II. Allied officers, seeing what they perceived as a Cub Scout's salute, thought that Polish soldiers either were deliberately being disrespectful, or were intoxicated. As a result many soldiers were arrested, until the misunderstanding could be explained. This led to the temporary use of the full hand salute when saluting foreign officers.

No.


Yes.


Yes Yes.

[valpomike]

What per cent of the Polish, between the age of 18 to 30, now serve in the Army? How many did? How many due they have in full time service men, not other units?

Mike

[Bonobo]

Polish wars so far. Wow.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Polish_wars

Piast Poland

During the Middle Ages, Poland sought to incorporate other Slavic peoples under the rule of the Polan dukes, such as Mieszko I, Boleslaw I and their descendants, and then defend the lands acquired in the West from the Holy Roman Empire. In the East and South it struggled with Ruthenia, Bohemia and Hungary, and Tartar raiders. In the Northeast, it encountered intermittent Lithuanian and Prussian raids.

* 972, against Holy Roman Empire, see battle of Cedynia
* 981, against Kievan Rus
* 1003–1005, against Holy Roman Empire
* 1007–1013, against Holy Roman Empire
* 1015–1018, against Holy Roman Empire
* 1018, against Kievan Rus (Boleslaw I's intervention in the Kievan succession crisis, 1018)
* 1029–1031, against Kievan Rus
* 1068, against Kievan Rus
* 1072, against Bohemia
* 1109, against Holy Roman Empire
* 1146, against Holy Roman Empire
* 1156, against Holy Roman Empire
* 1241, Mongol invasion of Poland, see Battle of Legnica
* 1326–1333, against the Teutonic Order and Bohemia, see Battle of Płowce

Jagiellon Poland

For much of its early history as a Christian state, Poland had to contend with Pomeranians, Prussians, Lithuanians and other Baltic peoples in continuous border wars without clear results or end in sight. After the Teutonic Order conquered and assimilated the Prussians, it began incursions into both Polish and Lithuanian territories. This represented a far greater threat to both Poland and Lithuania, and the two countries united in a defensive alliance by the crowning of the Lithuanian Duke Jagiello as King of Poland (as Wladyslaw II) which led to a major confrontation at the Battle of Grunwald in 1410 and subsequent wars until 1525, when the Order became a vassal to the Polish Crown.

* 1409–1411, the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War (1409-1411), Poland allied with Lithuania against the Teutonic Order, see battle of Grunwald
* 1414, Polish-Teutonic War (1414) known as Hunger War
* 1422, Polish-Teutonic War (1422), known as Gollub War ending with the Treaty of Melno
* 1431–1435, Polish-Teutonic War (1431–1435)
* 1439, against the Hussites, see battle of Grotniki
* 1444, with Hungary against Turkey see battle of Varna
* 1454–1466, Thirteen Years' War, Civil war between cities in Prussia, mainly Prussian Confederation against the Teutonic Order
* 1467–1479, War of the Priests (Pfaffenkrieg, Warmia Stift Feud)
* 1509–1510, Polish-Moldavian War
* 1519–1521, Polish-Teutonic War (1519–1521), leading to the Prussian Homage in 1525
* 1524, Ottoman-Tatar Invasion of Lithuania and Poland.



Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

The 17th century saw fierce rivalry between the then major Eastern European powers – Sweden, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire. At its heyday, the Commonwealth comprised the territories of present-day Poland, and large parts of Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Russia, and represented a major European power. However, by the end of the 18th century a series of internal conflicts and wars with foreign enemies led to the dissolution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the partitioning of most of its dependent territories among other European powers.

* 1561–1570 First Livonian War, First Northern War or Northern Seven Years' War (Polish: I Wojna o Inflanty, Pierwsza Wojna Północna). Participants and monarchs: Poland (Zygmunt II August), Denmark (Frederick II), Sweden (Eric XIV), Russia (Ivan IV the Terrible). Result: inconclusive, see Treaty of Stettin
* 1577 - Danzig rebellion and the Siege of Danzig (1577) by king Stefan Batory. Result: inconclusive: In return for ransom and recognition of him as the sovereign, King Batory discarded the Karnkowski constitution of 1570. [1]
* 1576–1582, Livonian War, Second Livonian War (Polish: II wojna o Inflanty). Participants: Russia (Ivan IV the Terrible), Poland (Stefan Batory). Results: Polish victory Peace treaty in Jam Zapolski
o Polish–Muscovite War (1577–1582)
+ 1577 - First Campaign of Batory
+ 1579 - Second Campaign of Batory
+ 1580 - Third Campaign of Batory
* 1588 - War of Polish succession (1587-1588) - civil war of the election (Polish: Wojna o sukcesję polską) Participants: factions of Sigismund III Vasa and Maximilian III. Battles: siege of Kraków, battle of Byczyna (24 Jan 1588). Result: victory and coronation of Zygmunt III Waza.
* 1589 - Tatar Invasion.
* 1591–1593 - Kosiński Uprising (Polish: Powstanie Kosińskiego). Cossack uprising under Krzysztof Kosiński against Poland (Kresy magnates). Important battles: battle of Piątek, battle of Cherkasy. Result: Polish victory
* 1593 - Tatar Invasion.
* 1594–1596 - Nalyvaiko Uprising (Polish: Powstanie Nalewajki). Cossack uprising under Severyn Nalyvaiko and Hryhory Loboda against Poland (Stanisław Żółkiewski). Important battles: battle of Ostry Kamień, battle of Lubny, battle of Sołonica. Result: Polish victory
* 1595–1621, Magnate wars in Moldavia, against Ottoman Empire/Turkey. Result: Polish defeat
o 1620–1621 - Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1620-1621) - Polish defeat at the Battle of Cecora, then Polish victory - Commonwealth stopped Ottomans great invasion Battle at Chocim
* 1598–1629, Polish-Swedish Wars, Third Livonian War (Polish: III wojna o Inflanty). Participants: Poland (Zygmunt III Waza), Sweden (first Charles IX of Sweden, then Gustavus Adolphus). Result: inconclusive/Swedish minor victory, see also Armistice of Altmark (Stary Targ).
o War against Sigismund
o Polish-Swedish War of 1600-1611
o Polish–Swedish War (1617–1618)
o Polish-Swedish War of 1620-1622
o Polish-Swedish War of 1625-1629
* 1605–1618, Polish-Muscovite War (1605 - 1618) against Russia
o First Dimitriad: 1605-1606
o Second Dimitriad 1607-1609
* 1606–1608 - Zebrzydowski Rebellion, a civil war in Poland. Minor victory of king Zygmunt III Waza.
* 1618–1648, Thirty Years' War – minor involvement on the Habsburg side, mostly noticeable in the series of wars with Sweden (see above and below)
* 1620-1621 - Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1620-1621) - Polish defeat at the Battle of Cecora ends the Magnate wars in Moldavia
* 1624 - Tatar Invasion.
* 1625 - Zhmailo Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Żmajły). Cossack uprising under Marko Zhmailo and Mykhailo Doroshenko against Poland (Stanisław Koniecpolski). Important battles: battle of Kniazhi Bairaky, battle of Cybulnik. Result: Polish victory (see Treaty of Kurukove (ugoda kurukowska)).
* 1630 - Fedorovych Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Fedorowicza). Cossack uprising under Taras Fedorovych against Poland (Stanisław Koniecpolski). Important battles: battle of Korsun, Noc Taraswowa battle of Pereyaslav. Result: Polish victory, although Cossacks gained some minor freedoms (see Treaty of Pereyaslav).
* 1632–1634, Smolensk War, against Russia. Comonwealth win Battles at Smolensk
* 1633 - 1634, Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1633-1634)
* 1635, Sulyma Uprising. Cossack uprising under Ivan Sulyma. Result: Polish victory, although Kodak fortress was burnt down.
* 1637 - Pawluk Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Pawluka). Cossack uprising under Pavlo Mikhnovych (Pawluk) against Poland (Mikołaj Potocki). Important battles: battle of Kumejki. Result: Polish victory, see Treaty of Borowica.
* 1638 - Ostrzanin Uprising. (Powstanie Ostranicy). Cossack uprising under Yakiv Ostryanin (Ostranica), Dmytro Hunia, and Karp Skidan against Poland (Mikołaj Potocki, Jeremi Wiśniowiecki. Important battles: battle of Żołnin, capitulation at Starzec. Result: Polish victory, see Treaty of Słoboda
* 1644 - Tatar Invasion.
* 1648–1657, Khmelnytsky Uprising, the largest and most successful Cossack uprising against Polish domination.
* 1654–1656, Polish-Russian War (1654-1656), against Russia.
* 1655–1661, Northern Wars – against Sweden
* The wars against Sweden, Brandenburg, Russia and Transylvania, known as The Deluge.
* 1658–1667, Polish-Russian War (1658-1667) against Russia. Ends with Treaty of Andrusovo.
* 1666–1671, Polish-Cossack-Tatar War (1666-1671). Ends with the Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1672-1676)
* 1672–1676, Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1672-1676), against the Ottoman Empire
* 1683–1699, War of the Holy League (1683–1699) together with Austria, Venice and Russia against the Ottoman Empire. Poles under John III Sobieski save Vienna from Turks.

During the 18th century, European powers (most frequently consisting of Russia, Sweden, Prussia and Saxony) fought several wars for the control of the territories of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. At the end of the 18th century, some Poles attempted to defend Poland from growing foreign influence in the country's internal affairs. These late attempts to preserve independence eventually failed, ultimately ending in Poland's partition and the final dissolution of the remains of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

* 1700–1721, Great Northern War – on the side of the anti-Swedish coalition
* 1733–1738, War of the Polish Succession
* 1768–1774, Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774
o Confederation of Bar
* 1792, Polish-Russian War of 1792 – against Russia
* 1794, Kościuszko Uprising – against Russia


19th century Partitions and World War I

Poles unsuccessfully struggled to win back their independence throughout the 19th century. At first, they put their hopes in Napoleon. Later, they tried to ignite national uprisings every now and then – most of them bloodily repressed.

* 1797-1805 - on the French side Polish Legionary fought in Italy and South Germany
* 1803 - Haitian Revolution – on the French side, see Polish Legions in Italy
* 1806-1807 - Prussian Campaign Napoleon establish Duchy of Warsaw, Polish Army fought on the French side
* 1809 - Franco-Austrian War (see Napoleonic Wars) – on the French side
* 1812–1814, Franco-Russian War – on the French side
* 1830–1831, November Uprising – against Russia
* 1863–1864, January Uprising – against Russia
* 1914–1918, World War I


Second Polish Republic and World War II

In the turmoil of the First World War, Poles managed to regain independence and then to expand their territory in a series of local wars and uprisings; only to be occupied again during the next world war. The second half of the 20th century was more peaceful, but still tense, as Poland was involved in the Cold War on the Soviet side.

* 1918–1919, Polish-Ukrainian War, against the West Ukrainian People's Republic over control of Lwów (L'viv) and eastern Galicia
* 1918–1919 Greater Poland Uprising – against Germany
* 1919, Polish-Czechoslovak border conflicts defending Cieszyn Silesia against Czechoslovakia
* 1919, First Silesian Uprising – against Germany
* 1919–1921, Polish-Soviet War
* 1920, Second Silesian Uprising – against Germany
* 1920, Polish–Lithuanian War
* 1921, Third Silesian Uprising – against Germany
* 1936–1939 - Spanish Civil War (Polish Dabrowski Brigade)
* 1939–1945, Second World War – on the Allied side
o 1939, Invasion of Poland
o Polish contribution to World War II
o 1943–1945 Italian Campaign, the Polish Legion takes Monte Cassino.
o 1943 - Warsaw Ghetto Rising.
o Operation Tempest
+ 1944 - Operation Ostra Brama
+ 1944 - Lwów Uprising
+ 1944 - Warsaw Rising
o 1942-1945, Massacres of Poles in Volhynia


People's Republic of Poland

* 1968, invasion of Czechoslovakia on the Soviet side, see Prague Spring

Third Polish Republic

* 1991, Gulf War – as part of the Coalition of the Gulf War
* 2001, 2001 war in Afghanistan – on NATO side
* 2003, Invasion of Iraq – on the U.S. side
o Polish contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq

Polish uprisings

The Polish concept of uprising is derived from the system of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where the szlachta was supposed to play an important role in the governing of the country. Unsatisfied noblemen were allowed to form Rokosz, the legal rebellion against government. Rebellion movements were shaped in the Confederation, a council whose members voted.

Following the example, national uprising were perfectly organised movements against the oppressors. Many of them occurred during the century of uprisings (1764–1864), and were, with small exceptions, all defeated.
[edit] Uprisings against the Russian Empire

* Confederation of Bar 1768
* Kościuszko Uprising 1794
* November Uprising 1830–1831
* January Uprising 1863–1864
* Revolution in the Kingdom of Poland 1905–1907

Uprisings against the Austrian Empire

* Kraków Uprising 1846
* Polish participation in the Spring of Nations 1846–1848

Uprisings against the German Empire

(Polish: powstania wielkopolskie) were a series of 5 military insurrections of the Polish people in the Greater Poland region (also called the Grand Duchy of Poznań) against the occupying Prussian and German forces, after the partitions of Poland (1772-1795).

*
o Greater Poland Uprising 1794 - to help the Kościuszko Uprising
o Greater Poland Uprising 1806 - to help Napoleon I to liberate Poland and create the Duchy of Warsaw
o Greater Poland Uprising 1846 - part of the all-Polish 3-partition uprising
o Greater Poland Uprising 1848 - part of the Spring of Nations
o Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919) - Poland regains independence after the World War I

The next era of uprising started with forming years of the Poland after World War I:

The Silesian Uprisings (Polish: Powstania śląskie) was a series of three military insurrections (1919–1921) of the Polish people in the Upper Silesia region against the occupying German/Prussian forces in order to liberate the region and join to Poland, that regained her independence after the World War I (1914–1918)

* First Silesian Uprising: 16 August-26 August 1919
* Second Silesian Uprising: 19 August-25 August 1920
* Third Silesian Uprising: 2 May-5 July 1921

Other

* Sejny Uprising - August 22-29, 1919, against Lithuania

Polish uprisings against Nazi Germany

* Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (the largest of Ghetto Uprisings in Poland) 1943
* Operation Tempest, all-national uprising against Germany on the approach of the Soviet army
o Warsaw Uprising 1944
o Operation Ostra Brama 1944
o Lwów Uprising 1944

[Bonobo]

Chronologically:

Battle of Cedynia, 972 AD

In the Battle of Cedynia or Zehden, an army of Mieszko I of Poland defeated forces of Hodo or Odo I of Lusatia on 24 June 972, near the Oder river. Whether or not the battle actually took place near Cedynia is disputed in modern scholarship.[1]

Miesko I, Poland's first documented ruler based in Greater Poland, had successfully campaigned in the Cedynia area, then a West Slavic tribal territory also coveted by Holy Roman Emperor Otto I and German nobles.[1] While Mieszko's differences with Otto I were settled by an alliance and payment of tribute to the later, the nobles whom Otto I had invested with the former Saxon Eastern March, most notably Odo I, challenged Mieszko's gains.[1] The battle was to determine the possession of the area between Mieszko and Odo.[1] Records of the battle are sparse, it was briefly described by the cronicler Thietmar of Merseburg (975-1018), whose father participated in the battle (Chronicon II.19),[2] and mentioned by Gallus Anonymus in the 12th-century Gesta principum Polonorum.[citation needed]

Largely unknown in Poland before World War II,[3] the battle was mystified and instrumentalized by post-war Polish propaganda to justify the Oder-Neisse line,[4] which in 1945 made former German Cedynia Poland's westernmost town,[5] and rendered into a German-Polish battle to underline the doctrine of "eternal German-Polish enmity".[1] Several memorials were erected in Cedynia to that effect, including a 15 metres (49 ft) tall concrete statue of a Polish eagle on a sword overseeing town and Oder river from a hilltop.[4] With the fall of Communism, the propagandistic approach was discarded, yet the battle retained some prominence and is included in modern Polish curricula.



















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[Bonobo]

Boleslaw I's intervention in the Kievan succession crisis, 1018
The intervention in the Kievan succession crisis of 1015—19 by the Polish ruler Bolesław Chrobry was an episode in the struggle between Sviatopolk I Vladimirovich ("the Accursed") and his brother Yaroslav ("the Wise") for the rulership of Kiev and Kievan Rus'. It occurred when Sviatopolk's father-in-law Bolesław, ruler of Poland, intervened on Sviatopolk's behalf.

The intervention was initially successful as Bolesław defeated Yaroslav's armies, and temporarily secured the throne for Sviatopolk. But when Bolesław withdraw himself and his army from Kiev, Sviatopolk was unable to retain his position, being defeated by Yaroslav in the following year. Chronicles of the expedition include legendary accounts as well as factual history and have been subject to varied interpretations.

Much more:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boleslaw_I%27s_intervention_in_the_Kievan_succession_crisis,_1018






Wars with Germans

Battle of Głogów
The Battle of Głogów or Battle of Glogau, (Polish: Obrona Głogowa, German: Schlacht bei Glogau, also Defense of Głogów) was fought August 14, 1109, between the forces of the Kingdom of Poland and the Holy Roman Empire. Recorded by chronicler Gallus Anonymous it is presently one of the most well known battles in Polish history. The Polish forces were led by Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth, while the German forces were under command of German King Henry V. Bolesław was victorious.
[edit] Prelude

In 1107 Bolesław had expelled his older step brother and co-ruler Zbigniew. Zbigniew sought help from Henry V of the Holy Roman Empire and after Bolesław had campaigned Bohemia in 1108, joined the expedition of Bohemian duke Svatopluk and the Holy Roman Emperor to Poland.

Henry V. and his army crossed the border and approached Głogów on September 8. They defeated a Polish army which was stationed near the town. Knowing that Bolesław was in the city, Henry decided to grant Głogów's citizens a five day ceasefire to ask their king to surrender. Henry made the citizens of Głogów give up their children as hostages as a guarantee of the ceasefire and promised to give them back alive no matter what the answer of the Polish king would be.
[edit] The battle

Bolesław had no intention to hand over the city. After the five days were up, Henry V. reversed his decision and laid siege to Głogów. Breaking his promise, he chained the child hostages to his siege engines, hoping that the people of Głogów would not shoot their own offspring, which would allow him to conquer the Polish settlement.

However, Henry's cruelty towards children only strengthened the resolve of Głogów's defenders. Several attacks by the German army were repulsed. After many days of unsuccessful fighting and the assassination of Duke Svatopluk, Henry V. was forced to abandon the siege and march south. His campaign ended in Bolesław's victory at the Battle of Hundsfeld.










en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_G%C5%82og%C3%B3w






Children of Głogów monument in Głogów.







Battle of Hundsfeld

The Battle of Hundsfeld or Battle of Psie Pole was allegedly fought on August 24, 1109 between the Holy Roman Empire in aid of Zbigniew of Poland against his stepbrother, Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth of Poland. The Imperial forces were led by Emperor Henry V, while the Polish forces were led by Bolesław. The result was a Polish victory.

Because of the many corpses left by the battle, Bishop Wincenty Kadłubek of Kraków in his Chronica about 1200 remarked that the "dogs which, devouring so many corpses [of the fallen], fell into a mad ferocity, so that no one dared venture there." The battlefield became known as "dogs' field" (German: Hundsfeld, Polish: Psie Pole). The territory is now part of the Psie Pole district of modern Wrocław (Breslau).

Kadłubek's relation is unsub-stantiated; present-day historians claim this "great battle" was rather an unimportant skirmish, and Kadłubek's chronicle (written almost hundred years after this incident) in this topic is not reliable


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hundsfeld

upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/09/PsiePole_MBielski.png

[Bonobo]

The Mongol Invasion of Poland from late 1240 to 1241 culminated in the battle of Legnica, where the Mongols defeated an alliance which included forces from fragmented Poland and members of various Christian military orders, led by Henry II the Pious, the Duke of Silesia.

Much more:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_invasion_of_Poland



The Battle of Legnica (Polish: Bitwa pod Legnicą), also known as the Battle of Liegnitz (German: Schlacht von Liegnitz) or Battle of Wahlstatt (German: Schlacht bei Wahlstatt), was a battle between the Mongol Empire and the combined defending forces of European fighters that took place at Legnickie Pole (Wahlstatt) near the city of Legnica (German: Liegnitz) in Silesia on 9 April 1241.

A combined force of Poles, Czechs and Germans under the command of the Polish duke Henry II the Pious of Silesia, supported by feudal nobility and a few knights from military orders sent by the Pope, attempted to halt the Mongol invasion of Europe. The battle came two days before the Mongol victory over the Hungarians at the Battle of Mohi.

More:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Legnica



The battle
Henry divided his forces into four sections: the Bavarian miners led by Boleslav of Moravia; the conscripts from Greater Poland along with some Cracovians led by Sulisław, the brother of the killed palatine of Kraków; the army of Opole under Mieszko, possibly with some Teutonic Knights; and under Henry's personal command the Silesians, Moravians, Templars, and Hospitallers.[2]

According to Chambers' description of the battle, the Silesian cavalry initiated combat with the vanguard (mangudai) of the Mongol army. After the Silesians were repelled, the cavalry of Greater Poland, led by Sulisław, and the cavalry of Opole attacked the Mongols next. The Mongol vanguard retreated, inducing the allied cavalry to pursue, although this separated them from the Polish infantry. Although the mangudai fled, Mongol light cavalry flanked the Polish forces. A smoke screen was used to hide the Mongol movements and confuse the Europeans. While the Mongol light cavalry attacked from the flanks and the heavy cavalry attacked from the front, the Mongol archers peppered the Polish forces with arrows.[2]

Erik Hildinger indicates the levies of Boleslav led the attack instead of the Silesians. He adds that after the Polish cavalry began their pursuit during the Mongols' feigned retreat, a rider shouted "Run! Run!" (in Polish) to the Polish forces, confusing Mieszko, who ordered his Opole contingent to retreat from the battle. This withdrawal led Henry to order his own reserves and cavalry into the battle.[3]

The Mongols had much success in the battle by feigning their retreat. After the European knights detached from the main body of allied forces in pursuit of the fleeing Mongols, the invaders were able to separate the knights from the European infantry and defeat them one by one.

The Annals of Jan Długosz also describes the battle, although it was written in the 15th century, not when the battle actually occurred. The army of Henry II was almost destroyed - Henry and Boleslav of Moravia were killed and estimates of casualties range from 2,000 to 40,000, essentially the entire army. The Templar Grand Master Ponce d'Aubon reported to King Louis IX of France that the military order lost nine brothers, three knights, and two sergeants.[2] Mongol casualties are unknown; a perfect execution of the described tactics would have minimised losses, but the Mongols endured sufficient casualties to dissuade them from attacking the Bohemian army.[1]

The Mongols cut the right ear off of each fallen European in order to count the dead; supposedly they filled nine sackfuls though this has as much validity as European accounts of the numbers of Mongols.[5] Henry was struck down and beheaded while attempting to flee the battlefield with three bodyguards and the Mongols paraded his head before the town of Legnica on a spear.


Scene from an altar of St. Hedwig of Silesia. Breslau, around 1430, restored 1929. Tempera on wood. National Museum Warsaw, Inv. No. Sr. 28/1. The altar depicts the legend of St. Hedwig of Silesia, mother of Henry II of Silesia, who died in the battle of Liegnitz. For the right and left wing of the altar (the central part got lost in WWII), see Image:HedwigAltar.jpg. Siege of Liegnitz. The Tartars display the head of Henry II. of Silesia on a long lance, in an attempt to weaken the morale of the defenders. The Europen style of the Tartar armor may be due to an intended association with the Hussits, who at the time of the creation of the altar ravaged central Europe.












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Computer game

[Bonobo]

Wars against Teutonic Knights.


The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem [1] (Official names: Latin: Ordo domus Sanctæ Mariæ Theutonicorum Hierosolymitanorum, German: Orden der Brüder vom Deutschen Haus St. Mariens in Jerusalem), or for short the Teutonic Order (Today: German Order), is a German Roman Catholic religious order. It was formed to aid Catholics on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to establish hospitals to care for the sick and injured. Its members have commonly been known as the Teutonic Knights, since they also served as a crusading military order during the Middle Ages. The membership was always small and whenever the need arose, volunteers or mercenaries augmented the military forces.

Formed at the end of the 12th century in Acre, in the Levant, the medieval Order played an important role in Outremer, controlling the port tolls of Acre. After Christian forces were defeated in the Middle East, the Order moved to Transylvania in 1211 to help defend Hungary against the Kipchak Turks. They were expelled by force in 1225 after allegedly attempting to place themselves under Papal instead of Hungarian sovereignty.

In 1230, following the Golden Bull of Rimini, Grand Master Hermann von Salza and Duke Konrad I of Masovia launched the Prussian Crusade, a joint invasion of Prussia to Christianise the Baltic Old Prussians. The Order then created the independent Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights in the conquered territory, and subsequently conquered Livonia. The Kings of Poland accused the Order of holding lands rightfully theirs.

The Order lost its main purpose in Europe with the Christianisation of Lithuania. The Order became involved in campaigns against its Christian neighbours, the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Novgorod Republic (after assimilating the Livonian Order). The Teutonic Knights had a strong economic base, hired mercenaries from throughout Europe to augment their feudal levies, and became a naval power in the Baltic Sea. In 1410, a Polish-Lithuanian army decisively defeated the Order and broke its military power at the Battle of Grunwald


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_P%C5%82owce
The Battle of Płowce took place on 27 September 1331 between Poland and the Teutonic Order.
[edit] BattleThe Teutonic Order attempted to take Brześć Kujawski in a lightning attack. The German army from the Teutonic Order had 7,000 men, and was opposed by a Polish army of 5,000 men. On September 27, 1331 one-third of the Teutonic Order's force of knights under Dietrich von Altenburg left the blockaded peasant town of Płowce. The Poles, under Władyslaw Łokietek (Władysław I the Elbow-high) and his son Casimir, immediately attacked in a frontal assault. A few seconds later, Polish detachments hiding to the left of the city in a forest also attacked. Reportedly, as the battle was just beginning Prince Casimir was ordered to depart so as not to deprive the Polish Kingdom of the presumptive heir. Despite this, in three hours the Teutonic knights had been defeated and their leader captured. The Polish forces were victorious in this phase of the battle, took prisoner 56 knights, and freed many Polish captives.

However, upon hearing the sounds of battle from Płowce, rear elements of the German formations rushed to aid their fellow knights, and soon another third of the Teutonic Order's forces arrived. The long and bloody battle resumed and continued until dark, with high casualties on both sides. Poland scored a clear victory, with Reuss von Plauen, commander of the German army, and another 40 knights taken prisoner by the Poles. After fleeing Płowce, the knights withdrew to Toruń.

Despite the Polish victory on the field, the battle is traditionally regarded as inconclusive given that the Teutonic Order was not destroyed . Nevertheless, it was an important battle for Poland, which was just regaining its stature as a country on the international scene, and held its own against a powerful military force.

Aftermath

An estimated 4,000 men (combined) were said to have fallen on the field of the battle. Of these, 73 were Knight Brothers of the Teutonic Order (the highest ranking members of the Order). About one half of the dead were Poles. The Germans had to retreat back to Toruń, their death toll climbing to one third of all their knights taking part in the war. The Polish armies, also suffering heavy casualties, did not follow the retreating Germans.














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