Battle of Humenné

Battle of Humenné
	Part of the Upper Hungary, Habsburg Hungary; (present-day Humenné, Slovakia)48°56′09″N 21°54′24″E / 48.93583°N 21.90667°E
Result	Polish victory

Belligerents Polish mercenary army

fighting for

Holy Roman Empire

Habsburg Hungary

Principality of TransylvaniaCommanders and leaders Walenty Rogawski George RákócziStrength 8,000-10,000^[1] 3,500^{[citation needed]}-7,000^[2]Casualties and losses 650-2,500^{[citation needed]} 850-3,000^{[citation needed]}

Humenné

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Location within Slovakia

The Battle of Humenné (

Lisowczycy. It was the only battle of that war to involve the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

.

The battle was won by the Polish cavalry led by

Prince of Transylvania

.

Prelude

A lot of nations of the

Royal Hungary

- to Poland, to hire forces for the Habsburgs.

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth did not want to participate in the war, so it remained neutral. But the king being a strong sympathizer of the

Habsburgs, decided to help the emperor. Though he didn't want to send forces directly, he allowed Drugeth to hire mercenaries in Poland. Drugeth hired around 8,000 Lisowczycy led by Rogawski, who joined his own 3,000 men. The joined army included around 11,000 soldiers, but this number is disputed.^[3]

Battle

The Lisowczycy faced George Rákóczi's corps near Humenné in the Carpathian Mountains in the evening on 22 November. Walenty Rogawski did not manage to hold the cavalry together and it split up. Next day, on 23 November, Rákóczi decided to send his infantry in order to pillage the enemy's camp. While it was doing so, Rogawski finally gathered his troops and unexpectedly attacked the Transylvanians. In a short time, Rákóczi had to announce a retreat. The battle was won by the Polish.

Aftermath

When Bethlen found out about Rákóczi's defeat, he had to break the siege, gather his soldiers and return to Bratislava, and sent about 12,000 cavalry to northern Hungary led by

cease-fire and on 16 January 1620 they signed a peace treaty

in Pozsony (now Bratislava).

The battle of Humenné was an important part of the war as the Polish intervention saved Vienna - the capital city of the Holy Roman Empire - from Transylvania. That is why some Polish sources call it the first Vienna relief - the second being the famous Battle of Vienna in 1683.

References

^ Biernacki 2006, p. 238.
^ Biernacki 2006, p. 239.
^ Bánlaky 1928.

Sources

Bánlaky, József (1928). "Az 1619. évi hadjárat". A magyar nemzet hadtörténelme (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2016-10-31.
Biernacki, Witold (2006). Biała Góra 1620 (in Polish). Gdańsk: Wydawnictwo Finna.
ISBN 8389929902
.

[FOOTNOTEBiernacki2006238-1] Biernacki 2006, p. 238.

[FOOTNOTEBiernacki2006239-2] Biernacki 2006, p. 239.

[FOOTNOTEBánlaky1928-3] Bánlaky 1928.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Prelude

Battle

Aftermath

See also

References

Sources