The Battle of Niemyrow or battle of Nemirów took place on 7-8 October 1672, during the
Polish-Ottoman War (1672-1676). It was part of
Jan III Sobieski’s autumn expedition, aimed at destruction of mounted Tatar units, which plundered southeastern provinces of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
.
After the
Battle of Narol, Polish units rested for some time, and on 7 October set off towards
Cieszanow and
Lubaczow. The area was raided by strong
Crimean Tatar units, which burned villages, and captured thousands of civilians. After destroying a smaller Tatar unit, the Poles found out that a large force under Azamet Gerej, the son of the Crimean
khan, concentrated near the town of
Niemirow. Sobieski decided to carry out a surprise attack.
The battle itself was short. Tatar camp was attacked from both front and rear, and the battle soon turned into a rout, in which the invaders were massacred. Thousands of captured civilians were released, and Poles took rich booty. Among Polish officers who distinguished themselves in the battle were Andrzej Modrzejewski, the owner of
Wielkie Oczy, and Mikolaj Hieronim Sieniawski, the owner of
Oleszyce.
In 1872, on the 200th anniversary of the battle, the population of the town founded a commemorative monument of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, in 1883, an obelisk was placed in Niemyrow’s market square, with the inscription that read: “Jan III Sobieski, at that time Marshall and Crown Hetman, while chasing Tatars plundering Ruthenian lands, destroyed on 7 October 1672 a large Tatar camp, freeing 12,000
szlachta
The ''szlachta'' (; ; ) were the nobility, noble estate of the realm in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Depending on the definition, they were either a warrior "caste" or a social ...
and peasants, women and children. In memory of the vanquisher of islam, the town of Niemyrow placed this tablet on 12 September 1883”.
Sources
* Mala Encyklopedia Wojskowa, Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, Warszawa 1967, Wydanie I, Tom 2
{{DEFAULTSORT:Niemirow, Battle of
Conflicts in 1672
1672 in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Niemirow
Niemirow
1672 in the Ottoman Empire
Niemirow