The siege of Warsaw took place between April 24 and July 1, 1656.
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire was a European great power that exercised territorial control over much of the Baltic region during the 17th and early 18th centuries ( sv, Stormaktstiden, "the Era of Great Power"). The beginning of the empire is usually ta ...
forces had occupied the Polish capital without fighting in early September 1655 (see
Deluge (history)
The Deluge ( pl, potop szwedzki, lt, švedų tvanas) was a series of mid-17th-century military campaigns in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In a wider sense it applies to the period between the Khmelnytsky Uprising of 1648 and the Truce ...
). In late April 1656, Poles and Lithuanians began the siege, with the purpose of recapturing their capital. They were successful, but later lost the city for a second time after a battle held on July 28–30, 1656 (see
Battle of Warsaw (1656)
The Battle of Warsaw (german: Schlacht von Warschau; pl, Bitwa pod Warszawą; sv, Tredagarsslaget vid Warschau) took place near Warsaw on , between the armies of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden and Brandenburg. It was a majo ...
).
Introduction
Swedish Army entered Warsaw on September 8, 1655. The city immediately became administrative center of Swedish administration of occupied Poland. First months of Swedish rule were not marked by any atrocities, but after some time, when it became clear that Sweden would not be able to control Poland for a longer period of time, the invaders began looting Warsaw. The city was robbed of everything that was of value, including such details, as window frames, marble fireplaces, floors, tiles, columns and stairs. All goods were loaded on boats and transported along the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
to the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...
.
By the spring of 1656, residents of Warsaw suffered from hunger and epidemic. All shops had been robbed by the Swedes, and due to dangerous situation in the countryside, food was not delivered to the city.
Beginning of the Siege
In early spring of 1656, the army of
Charles X Gustav
Charles X Gustav, also Carl Gustav ( sv, Karl X Gustav; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. Afte ...
was surrounded at the confluence of the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
and
San river
The San ( pl, San; uk, Сян ''Sian''; german: Saan) is a river in southeastern Poland and western Ukraine, a tributary of the river Vistula, with a length of (it is the 6th-longest Polish river) and a basin area of 16,877 km2 (14,42 ...
. Swedes managed to escape total annihilation, and after a daring manoeuver, they headed northwards, back to Warsaw. They were chased by slow-moving Lithuanian Army under
Pawel Jan Sapieha, which reached
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth-largest city in Poland and the second-largest city of historical Lesser Poland. It is the capital and the center of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 336,339 (December 2021). Lublin is the largest Polish city east of t ...
on April 20. Meanwhile, Charles X Gustav, after a short rest, left Warsaw (April 17), and marched with his soldiers to
Greater Poland
Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed ...
, to fight local anti-Swedish insurrection and Polish armies of
Stefan Czarniecki
Stefan Czarniecki (Polish: of the Łodzia coat of arms, 1599 – 16 February 1665) was a Polish nobleman, general and military commander. In his career, he rose from a petty nobleman to a magnate holding one of the highest offices in the Commo ...
and
Jerzy Lubomirski. Charles left in Warsaw a garrison of some 2,500, under
Arvid Wittenberg
Arvid Wittenberg or Arvid Wirtenberg von Debern (1606 – 7 September 1657), Swedish count, field marshal and privy councillor. Born in Porvoo, Finland, died in prison in Zamość, Poland, 7 September 1657. Arvid Wittenberg preferred call himself ...
.
On April 24, Sapieha’s army of some 6,000 reached Warsaw’s suburb of
Praga
Praga is a district of Warsaw, Poland. It is on the east bank of the river Vistula. First mentioned in 1432, until 1791 it formed a separate town with its own city charter.
History
The historical Praga was a small settlement located at ...
, located on the right bank of the Vistula. The Lithuanians built a
pontoon bridge
A pontoon bridge (or ponton bridge), also known as a floating bridge, uses float (nautical), floats or shallow-draft (hull), draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maxi ...
, through which they transferred several units on the left bank of the river (April 30). To prevent this,
Arvid Wittenberg
Arvid Wittenberg or Arvid Wirtenberg von Debern (1606 – 7 September 1657), Swedish count, field marshal and privy councillor. Born in Porvoo, Finland, died in prison in Zamość, Poland, 7 September 1657. Arvid Wittenberg preferred call himself ...
sent a unit of
reiter
''Reiter'' or ''Schwarze Reiter'' ("black riders", anglicized ''swart reiters'') were a type of cavalry in 16th to 17th century Central Europe including Holy Roman Empire, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Tsardom of Russia, and others.
...
s, which was annihilated after a short skirmish. In late May 1656, another Lithuanian army, under
Hetman
( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders.
Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...
Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski
Wincenty Aleksander Korwin Gosiewski '' de armis'' Ślepowron (c. 1620 – 29 November 1662) – was a Polish nobleman, general, Field-Commander of Lithuania from 1654, Grand Treasurer of Lithuania and Lithuanian Great-Quartermaster since 1652 ...
, joined Sapieha’s forces.
Swedish Preparations
In mid April 1656, Swedish garrison of some 2,500 began preparing for the siege. Several buildings in Warsaw were fortified, including the Dominican Abbey, the Holy Spirit Church, Palace of Bishops of Kraków and Kraków Gate. Along city walls, trenches were dug and obstacles for cavalry were placed. Since Swedish forces were inadequate to man whole wall, the defenders concentrated their forces in a complex of large buildings, with the Holy Spirit Church in the middle, which prevented entry into the heart of the city. Swedish commandant, Arvid Wittenberg, located his headquarters in the
Royal Castle.
On May 6, Wittenberg ordered to burn several houses located in
Krakowskie Przedmieście
Krakowskie Przedmieście (, literally: ''Cracow Fore-town''; french: link=no, Faubourg de Cracovie), often abbreviated to Krakowskie, is one of the best known and most prestigious streets of Poland's capital Warsaw, surrounded by historic palaces ...
, and along Dluga and Senatorska Streets. On May 7, the Swedes burned a number of buildings on Freta and Mostowa Streets. At the same time, Swedish engineers turned monasteries, palaces and churches along Krakowskie Przedmieście into fortified strongholds. Furthermore, all buildings in the district of
New Town
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
.
Arrival of Polish Army
On April 26, 1656, King
Jan Kazimierz
John II Casimir ( pl, Jan II Kazimierz Waza; lt, Jonas Kazimieras Vaza; 22 March 1609 – 16 December 1672) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 ...
left
Lwow
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...
, and together with Polish Army headed northwards. On May 12, the Poles reached
Zamość
Zamość (; yi, זאמאשטש, Zamoshtsh; la, Zamoscia) is a historical city in southeastern Poland. It is situated in the southern part of Lublin Voivodeship, about from Lublin, from Warsaw. In 2021, the population of Zamość was 62,021.
...
, and in mid-May, first infantry regiments, together with artillery, joined the Lithuanians. First, ill-prepared attack took place on May 17, but after six hours it failed. On the next day, a Swedish unit under Colonel Forgell left Warsaw and in a surprise attack, captured two cannons, killing a number of soldiers.
King Jan Kazimierz arrived together with his
Hetman
( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders.
Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...
s and main forces on May 30. On the same day, Polish infantry crossed the Vistula, on a pontoon bridge built by Lithuanians, taking positions in
Ujazdów. The King himself resided in the
Ujazdów Castle
Ujazdów Castle ( pl, Zamek Ujazdowski) is a castle in the historic Ujazdów district, between Ujazdów Park (''Park Ujazdowski'') and the Royal Baths Park (''Łazienki Królewskie''), in Warsaw, Poland.
Its beginnings date to the 13th century ...
. On June 2, Jan Kazimierz ordered his
Chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
Stefan Korycinski
Stefan may refer to:
* Stefan (given name)
* Stefan (surname)
* Ștefan, a Romanian given name and a surname
* Štefan, a Slavic given name and surname
* Stefan (footballer) (born 1988), Brazilian footballer
* Stefan Heym, pseudonym of German writ ...
, to contact Arvid Wittenberg with a generous offer of surrender. The Swedes rejected this, despite mediation of Austrian envoy,
Franz Paul de Lisola Franz may refer to:
People
* Franz (given name)
* Franz (surname)
Places
* Franz (crater), a lunar crater
* Franz, Ontario, a railway junction and unorganized town in Canada
* Franz Lake, in the state of Washington, United States – see Fran ...
.
Soon afterwards, Polish forces were strengthened by the divisions of
Jerzy Lubomirski and
Stefan Czarniecki
Stefan Czarniecki (Polish: of the Łodzia coat of arms, 1599 – 16 February 1665) was a Polish nobleman, general and military commander. In his career, he rose from a petty nobleman to a magnate holding one of the highest offices in the Commo ...
, which arrived on June 9. Altogether, Polish-Lithuanian Army consisted of some 29,000 soldiers (22,000 Poles, 7,000 Lithuanians), 18,000
pospolite ruszenie
''Pospolite ruszenie'' (, lit. ''mass mobilization''; "Noble Host", lat, motio belli, the French term ''levée en masse'' is also used) is a name for the mobilisation of armed forces during the period of the Kingdom of Poland and the Polish–Li ...
, and several thousand peasants. The Lithuanians remained in Praga, on the right bank of the Vistula, while Poles occupied positions on the left bank.
Swedish garrison of Arvid Wittenberg had some 2,500 soldiers - 1,300 infantry, 300
dragoon
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
s and 900
reiter
''Reiter'' or ''Schwarze Reiter'' ("black riders", anglicized ''swart reiters'') were a type of cavalry in 16th to 17th century Central Europe including Holy Roman Empire, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Tsardom of Russia, and others.
...
s. Apart from Wittenberg, several notable Swedes were present in Warsaw, including
Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna
Count Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna (1623–1702) was a Swedish soldier and statesman, who served as Foreign Minister from 1680 to 1697. During this period, he ensured Sweden remained neutral and moved away from its traditional French alliance. ...
.
First Major Assault
During a meeting of Polish - Lithuanian commanders,
Krzysztof Grodzicki
Krzysztof Grodzicki (died 1659) was a Polish artillery general, serving the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Grodzicki underwent military education in the Dutch Republic. He served under Stanisław Koniecpolski in the Polish–Swedish War (1626 ...
suggested an assault from north, west and south. Main Polish effort was concentrated in southwest, especially in the fortified buildings of Krakowskie Przedmiescie, whose capture opened the way to the Royal Palace. Polish leaders hoped that after capture of external Swedish positions, Wittenberg would come to the conclusion that his situation was hopeless and capitulate.
The assault was preceded by a barrage of Grodzicki’s artillery (June 3). In return, Wittenberg sent 200 infantry and two cavalry regiments for a surprise attack, which was repelled with heavy losses on both sides. Swedish commandant was aware of the fact that reinforcements, sent by
Charles X Gustav
Charles X Gustav, also Carl Gustav ( sv, Karl X Gustav; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. Afte ...
were on the way.
Main assault of the Commonwealth forces began in the morning of June 8, with some 10,000 armed peasants. After initial success, the Poles were forced to retreat. The attack was not a complete failure, as Polish forces captured the Palace of Bishops of Kraków, which became a convenient spot for the artillery. Another attack took place on June 11, and again it was fought off by the defenders. After this, Polish commandants realized that without heavy guns, which were kept in Zamość, capture of Warsaw was impossible.
Swedish Reinforcements
On June 13, Swedish division under
Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
Adolph John I (German: ''Adolf Johann I.'', Swedish: ''Adolf Johan'') (11 October 1629 – 14 October 1689) was Count Palatine of Kleeburg from 1654 until 1689 and was considered Prince of Sweden until 1660. He was the younger brother of King C ...
, sent by Charles Gustav from
Royal Prussia
Royal Prussia ( pl, Prusy Królewskie; german: Königlich-Preußen or , csb, Królewsczé Prësë) or Polish PrussiaAnton Friedrich Büsching, Patrick Murdoch. ''A New System of Geography'', London 1762p. 588/ref> (Polish: ; German: ) was a ...
, reached
Modlin, where it camped, preparing for crossing of the
Narew
The Narew (; be, Нараў, translit=Naraŭ; or ; Sudovian: ''Naura''; Old German: ''Nare''; uk, Нарва, translit=Narva) is a 499-kilometre (310 mi) river primarily in north-eastern Poland, which is also a tributary of the river Vis ...
. Another Swedish division, under
Robert Douglas, Count of Skenninge
Robert Douglas (17 March 1611 – 28 May 1662), Count of Skenninge, Baron of Skalby, was a Scottish cavalry general during the Thirty Years' War rising to the rank of Field Marshal (1657–1662) in the Swedish-Polish wars that followed. He f ...
, camped near the village of
Pomiechowo. These units were blocked by the Lithuanians, supported by Hetman Jerzy Lubomirski, who joined them in the night of June 16/17. Swedish positions at the confluence of the Vistula and the
Narwobug were well-fortified, and protected by both rivers. At the same time, however, with 6,000 men they were not strong enough to risk a frontal attack on the Commonwealth forces, so on June 23, most Polish forces returned to Warsaw, while Polish engineers built a second pontoon bridge over the Vistula.
Second Major Assault
In the course of the time, the situation of besieged Swedish soldiers deteriorated. Food supplies were low, and many deserted to the Polish side. At the same time, the Poles were reinforced with a division of
Crimean Tatars
, flag = Flag of the Crimean Tatar people.svg
, flag_caption = Flag of Crimean Tatars
, image = Love, Peace, Traditions.jpg
, caption = Crimean Tatars in traditional clothing in front of the Khan's Palace
...
, under Subchan Gazi Agi, which was sent to Warsaw by
Vizier
A vizier (; ar, وزير, wazīr; fa, وزیر, vazīr), or wazir, is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in the near east. The Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was a ...
Sefer Gazi Aga.
On June 26, while awaiting heavy artillery from Zamość, Jan Kazimierz urged Wittenberg to capitulate, but again was refused. On the next day, heavy cannons arrived, together with ammunition and infantry from
Lwow
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukraine ...
. Artillery barrage immediately began, followed by an assault (June 28), in which mostly armed peasants took place. Polish king did not use his first-rate foreign mercenaries, as he wanted to save them for the future. Polish forces entered Warsaw as far as the Bernardine Abbey and
Kazanowski Palace
The Kazanowski Palace ( pl, pałac Kazanowskich), also known as the Radziejowski Palace, was a large palace in Warsaw, occupying the place where the Charitable Center ''Res Sacra Miser'' stands today.
History
When prince Władysław Vasa (future K ...
. Swedish defenders managed to keep their positions, but their situation was hopeless. Under the circumstances, Wittenberg asked Jan Kazimierz for permission to send a message to his king (June 29). This was rejected and Polish king demanded unconditional surrender.
Third and Fourth Major Assaults
In the night of June 29/30, thousands of armed peasants began the attack. After several hours of heavy fighting, Poles and Lithuanians managed to capture several fortified buildings. On June 30, at 9:00 a.m., Wittenberg asked for a two-hour truce to discuss the capitulation. During the negotiations, which took place in the Ossolinski Palace, Swedish side presented several demands, while Poles insisted on unconditional surrender. Finally, the negotiations broke, and the fourth assault began in the morning of July 1. This attack was successful, and Poles entered the heart of Warsaw. Wittenberg, realizing that his situation was hopeless, agreed to capitulate.
The conditions of surrender, which consisted of fifteen points, were very mild, which angered Polish-Lithuanian soldiers. Swedish commanders, including Wittenberg and Oxenstierna were to be released back to their king, while their soldiers were to return to the Swedish Army, provided that they would not re-enter service for four months.
On July 1, the 1,200 Swedish soldiers began to leave Warsaw. Wives and families of Swedish officers were loaded on boats and sent towards
Toruń
)''
, image_skyline =
, image_caption =
, image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg
, image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg
, nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town
, pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...
. Before that happened, Swedish dames were inspected, as many of them broke conditions of capitulation, and hid stolen valuables under their clothes. Since Polish rank and file vehemently protested against too mild conditions, King Jan Kazimierz decided to change them, and sent Swedish officers, together with Wittenberg, to a dungeon in Zamość.
{{coord, 52.233333, 21.016667, format=dms, display=title, type:event
Second Northern War
Conflicts in 1656
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
Military history of Warsaw
1656 in Poland
17th century in Warsaw