Battle of Vilnius (1655)

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For other battles, see Battle of Vilnius (disambiguation).

Battle of Vilnius
Part of the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
Date8 August [O.S. 29 July] 1655
Location
Vilnius (Wilno, Vilna)
Result Russian-Cossack victory
Belligerents
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

Tsardom of Russia

Cossack Hetmanate
Commanders and leaders
Janusz Radziwiłł
Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski		 Yakov Cherkassky [ru]
Ivan Zolotarenko [uk]
Strength
5,000–7,000[1] 41,000[2] (other sources: 180,000)[1]
Casualties and losses
2,000[1]  

The Battle of Vilnius,

Russo-Polish War (1654–67). The Polish–Lithuanian forces under the leadership of Great Hetman Janusz Radziwiłł were defeated by the Russian army of Alexis of Russia. It was the first time that a foreign power managed to capture the Vilnius Castle Complex.[7] The six-year Muscovite occupation that followed resulted in a major depopulation and a decline of the city for many years to come.[8] The defeat was one of the reasons Janusz Radziwiłł and several other Lithuanian magnates surrendered the Grand Duchy to Sweden at the Union of Kėdainiai.[4]

Battle

The

Russo-Polish War (1654–67) in July 1654) and Swedish armies (starting the Swedish Deluge in July 1655). When a large Russian army approached Vilnius, hetman Janusz Radziwiłł could muster just 5,000 to 7,000 men. The morale was further damaged by the order of king John II Casimir Vasa to royal troops (about 5,000 men) to retreat to Marienburg.[1] Lithuanian commanders hetman Janusz Radziwiłł and treasurer Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski could not agree on defense.[6] City residents began hasty evacuations. Most valued treasures, including the coffin of Saint Casimir, main books of Lithuanian Metrica, and valuables from Vilnius Cathedral, were transported outside the city.[9]

Radziwiłł took up defensive position on the northern shore of the Neris river near the present-day Green Bridge to cover the evacuations.[6] The battle started around 6 a.m.[6] and lasted the whole day. The Lithuanians managed to capture three Russian flags.[1] At night, the Lithuanian army split into two groups that retreated to Vilkaviškis and to Kėdainiai.[6] The garrison of the Vilnius Castle Complex surrendered two days later.[10]

Aftermath and plunder

The invading forces plundered the city and murdered its inhabitants for several days. A fire consumed part of the city. In particular, the Jewish quarter was burned by the

Grand Duke of Lithuania.[10]

The Lithuania's capital Vilnius was liberated by the Lithuanian military forces in 1661.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Batūra, Romas (18 September 2014). "Pamiršta kovos su priešais vieta". Lietuvos žinios. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  2. ^ Meilus, Elmantas (2014). "Karas su Maskva 1654–1667 metais". Orbis Lituaniae (in Lithuanian). Vilnius University. Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  3. ISBN 0-275-98502-4
    .
  4. ^
    ISBN 0-521-54402-5
    .
  5. ISBN 0-415-27531-8
    .
  6. ^ a b c d e f Meilus, Elmantas (2014). "Kaip praradome ir atgavome Vilnių "Tvano" metu". Orbis Lituaniae (in Lithuanian). Vilnius University. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  7. ^ Šapoka, Adolfas, ed. (1936). Lietuvos istorija (PDF) (in Lithuanian). Kaunas: Švietimo ministerijos Knygų leidimo komisijos leidinys. p. 326.
  8. ISBN 83-04-03107-8
    .
  9. ^
    ISSN 2029-3534
    .
  10. ^
    ISBN 978-9955-739-21-0
    .
  11. ISBN 0-88125-108-9
    .
  12. ^ Meilus, Elmantas (5 June 2013). "LDK istorija. Didieji Vilniaus gaisrai, po kurių senasis miestas visiškai dingo" (in Lithuanian). 15 min. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  13. ISSN 0002-208X
    .
  14. ^ "1661 12 03 Vilniaus pilyje kapituliavo rusų įgula". DELFI (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 8 November 2023.
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