Battle of Podhajce (1667)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Podhajce was fought in the town of Podhajce in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
(nowadays Pidhaitsi
, western Ukraine
), and the area surrounding it as part of the Polish-Tartar War and the Great Turkish War
. The army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth under John III Sobieski
, totaling around 9,000 men defeated Tatar and Cossack forces under Petro Doroshenko
and Adil Giray
, which totaled around 35,000 men.
signed the Treaty of Andrusovo
. Russia gained the control of Left-bank Ukraine
, while the commonwealth maintained the rule of Right-bank Ukraine, which would be defended by Polish-Lithuanian and Russian forces. The end of the war gave time to commonwealth armies for reinforcement. At the same period Petro Doroshenko
, Hetman
of Right-bank Ukraine
, in order to establish his rule in Right-bank Ukraine signed a treaty with Sultan
Mehmed IV
that recognized the Cossack Hetmanate
as a vassal
of the Ottoman Empire
.
To further increase his military strength Doroshenko allied with Adil Giray
, the khan of the Crimean Khanate
. After gathering 15,000 Cossacks, about 18,000 Tatars
, and 3,000 janissaries sent by the Ottoman Empire to support the Cossacks, Doroshenko attacked the area of Podhajce in western Ukraine. Polish-Lithuanian forces under John III Sobieski
encamped on the southern part of Podhajce in order to gain a strategic advantage against the army of Doroshenko. On October 4, 1667 the Cossack-Tatar forces, supported by Jannisaries arrived in Podhajce.
Sobieski sent forces on the left wing of the army, and outnumbered the Cossack-Tatar forces, which were defeated. After the failure of consecutive attacked, Doroshenko unsuccessfully besieged the town of Podhajce, which was defended by Jan Sobieski. In the middle of October, 1667 Sobieski and Doroshenko signed an armistice and the Cossack-Tatar army retreated from Podhajce.
of the Polish-Lithuanian army and Grand Crown Hetman, the highest rank in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
(nowadays Pidhaitsi
Pidhaitsi
Pidhaitsi is a small city in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Pidhaitsi Raion , and is located at around . Pidhaitsi is situated ca. 15.5 mi south of Berezhany, 43.5 mi from Ternopil and ca. 62 mi south-east of Lviv. In 1939...
, western Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), and the area surrounding it as part of the Polish-Tartar War and the Great Turkish War
Great Turkish War
The Great Turkish War refers to a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and contemporary European powers, then joined into a Holy League, during the second half of the 17th century.-1667–1683:...
. The army of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth under John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
, totaling around 9,000 men defeated Tatar and Cossack forces under Petro Doroshenko
Petro Doroshenko
Petro Dorofeyevych Doroshenko was a Cossack political and military leader, Hetman of Right-bank Ukraine and a Russian voyevoda.-Earlier life:...
and Adil Giray
Adil Giray
Adil Giray was khan of the Crimean Khanate from 1666 to 1671. He strongly supported the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and was one of the candidates in the Polish royal election of 1669. In 1671 Giray was removed as khan by Mehmed IV, the Ottoman sultan, when the sultan decided to wage war with...
, which totaled around 35,000 men.
Prelude to battle
On January 31, 1667 the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Tsardom of RussiaTsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...
signed the Treaty of Andrusovo
Treaty of Andrusovo
The Truce of Andrusovo was a thirteen and a half year truce, signed in 1667 between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which were at war since 1654 over the territories of modern-day Ukraine and Belarus....
. Russia gained the control of Left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine
Left-bank Ukraine is a historic name of the part of Ukraine on the left bank of the Dnieper River, comprising the modern-day oblasts of Chernihiv, Poltava and Sumy as well as the eastern parts of the Kiev and Cherkasy....
, while the commonwealth maintained the rule of Right-bank Ukraine, which would be defended by Polish-Lithuanian and Russian forces. The end of the war gave time to commonwealth armies for reinforcement. At the same period Petro Doroshenko
Petro Doroshenko
Petro Dorofeyevych Doroshenko was a Cossack political and military leader, Hetman of Right-bank Ukraine and a Russian voyevoda.-Earlier life:...
, Hetman
Hetmans of Ukrainian Cossacks
Hetman of Ukrainian Cossacks as a title was not officially recognized internationally until the creation of the Ukrainian Hetmanate. With the creation of Registered Cossacks units their leaders were unofficially referred to as hetmans, however officially the title was known as the "Senior of His...
of Right-bank Ukraine
Right-bank Ukraine
Right-bank Ukraine , a historical name of a part of Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnieper River, corresponding with modern-day oblasts of Volyn, Rivne, Vinnitsa, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad and Kiev, as well as part of Cherkasy and Ternopil...
, in order to establish his rule in Right-bank Ukraine signed a treaty with Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Mehmed IV
Mehmed IV
Mehmed IV Modern Turkish Mehmet was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1648 to 1687...
that recognized the Cossack Hetmanate
Cossack Hetmanate
The Hetmanate or Zaporizhian Host was the Ruthenian Cossack state in the Central Ukraine between 1649 and 1782.The Hetmanate was founded by first Ukrainian hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky during the Khmelnytsky Uprising . In 1654 it pledged its allegiance to Muscovy during the Council of Pereyaslav,...
as a vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
To further increase his military strength Doroshenko allied with Adil Giray
Adil Giray
Adil Giray was khan of the Crimean Khanate from 1666 to 1671. He strongly supported the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and was one of the candidates in the Polish royal election of 1669. In 1671 Giray was removed as khan by Mehmed IV, the Ottoman sultan, when the sultan decided to wage war with...
, the khan of the Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate
Crimean Khanate, or Khanate of Crimea , was a state ruled by Crimean Tatars from 1441 to 1783. Its native name was . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür, the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
. After gathering 15,000 Cossacks, about 18,000 Tatars
Crimean Tatars
Crimean Tatars or Crimeans are a Turkic ethnic group that originally resided in Crimea. They speak the Crimean Tatar language...
, and 3,000 janissaries sent by the Ottoman Empire to support the Cossacks, Doroshenko attacked the area of Podhajce in western Ukraine. Polish-Lithuanian forces under John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
encamped on the southern part of Podhajce in order to gain a strategic advantage against the army of Doroshenko. On October 4, 1667 the Cossack-Tatar forces, supported by Jannisaries arrived in Podhajce.
Battle
On October 6, 1667 Tatar forces under Adil Giray attacked the Polish-Lithuanian army. The Polish-Lithuanian infantry, supported by Polish multiple guns, defeated the Tatars and counterattacked. On the following days Cossack, Tatar and Janissary troops unsuccessfully tried to circumvent the right wing of the Polish-Lithuanian army, and flank attack the left wing of the troops of the Commonwealth.Sobieski sent forces on the left wing of the army, and outnumbered the Cossack-Tatar forces, which were defeated. After the failure of consecutive attacked, Doroshenko unsuccessfully besieged the town of Podhajce, which was defended by Jan Sobieski. In the middle of October, 1667 Sobieski and Doroshenko signed an armistice and the Cossack-Tatar army retreated from Podhajce.
Aftermath
After defeating Doroshenko in Podhajce, John III Sobieski was promoted to commander-in-chiefCommander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Polish-Lithuanian army and Grand Crown Hetman, the highest rank in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.