Jan III Sobieski

Jan III Sobieski (17 August 1629 - June 17 1696; John III Sobieski) was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death. Although his reign lasted only twenty-two years, it was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilisation, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and Chmielnicki's Uprising. Popular among his subjects, he was also a brilliant military commander, most famous for his victory over the Turks in the 1683 Battle of Vienna. For his victories over the Ottoman Empire, he was dubbed by the Turks the "Lion of Lehistan."

Royal titles

Official title was (in Latin): Joannes III, Dei Gratia rex Poloniae, magnus dux Lithuaniae, Russie, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiae, Livoniae, Smolenscie, Kijoviae, Volhyniae, Podlachiae, Severiae, Czernichoviaeque, etc.

English translation: John III, by the grace of God King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia (Ukraine & Belarus), Ducal Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia, Smolensk, Kyiv, Volhynia, Podlasie, Severia and Czernichow, etc.

Biography

Both brothers returned to Poland in 1648 and volunteered for the army during the Chmielnicki Uprising. Jan founded his own banner of cavalry and commanded it in the rank of Rotamaster. After the Battle of Zborów, the brothers were separated and Marek died in Tatar captivity the following year. Jan was promoted to the rank of pułkownik and fought with distinction in the Battle of Beresteczko. A promising commander, Jan was sent by King John II Casimir to Ottoman Empire as an envoy. There, Sobieski learnt the Tatar language and studied the Turkish military traditions and tactics.

After the start of the Swedish invasion of Poland known there as "The Deluge", Jan Sobieski was among the Greater Polish regiments led by voivod of Poznań Krzysztof Opaliński which capitulated at Ujście, swearing allegiance to the Swedish king Charles X Gustav. However, in less than a year he returned with his unit to the Polish side, and after April of 1656 he fought for the Polish king.

Commander

During the three-day long battle of Warsaw of that year, Sobieski brilliantly commanded a 2000 men strong regiment of Tatar cavalry, for which he was promoted to the rank of standard-bearer of the Crown. A strong supporter of the French faction, Sobieski remained loyal to the king during the infamous Lubomirski Rebellion, which also helped in his military career. In 1665 he married Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien and was promoted to the rank of Great Marshal of the Crown and the following year to the rank of Field Hetman of the Crown. In 1667 he achieved another great victory over the Kossacks and their Tatar allies in the battle of Podhajce. A famed and much esteemed commander, in 1668 he achieved the rank of Grand Hetman of the Crown, the highest military rank in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the de facto commander-in-chief of the entire Polish Army.

On November 11, 1673 Sobieski added yet another brilliant victory to his list, this time defeating the Turks in the battle of Chocim and capturing the mighty fortress located there. The news of the battle spread across the country simultaneously to the news of the recent death of the king Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, who had died only a day before the battle. This made Sobieski one of the most popular personalities in the state and the following year, on May 19, he was elected the new monarch of the Commonwealth. The support of his candidacy was almost complete, with only a dozen or so members of the diet opposing him. Among the most notable partisans of his candidacy was his wife. Jan Sobieski was crowned Jan III February 2, 1676

King

Although Poland-Lithuania was at that time the largest and one of the most populous states of Europe, Sobieski became a king of a country devastated by almost half a century of constant war, which brought an end to Poland's economic well-being. The treasury was almost empty and the court had little to offer for the powerful magnates, who often allied themselves with foreign courts rather than the state they lived in. Sobieski decided to stabilise the situation of the country by forcing the Ottomans to accept a peace treaty to end the constant wars on the southern border. In the autumn of 1674 he recommenced the war against the Turks and managed to recapture the mighty fortresses of Kamieniec Podolski, Bar and Reszków, which re-established a strongly-fortified line defending Poland's southern border in the Ukraine. According to Polish historian Oskar Halecki, Sobieski also planned to retake Prussia with Swedish cooperation and French support. This undertaking was doomed because of war with Turkey and opposition from the Commonwealth's magnates. The plan was torpedoed by Michał Pac, the hetman of Lithuania and a supporter of Brandenburg, who simply defected with his army and disbanded it.

In 1675 the Tartars started a counter-offensive and crossed the Dneper, but could not retake the strategic town of Żórawno and the peace treaty was signed soon afterwards. Although Kamieniec Podolski remained a part of Turkey, Poland levelled its significance by the construction of the Stronghold of the Holy Trinity and return of the town of Biała Cerkiev. With signing of the treaty a period of peace started, much needed to repair the country and strengthen the royal authority. Although constantly harassed by the magnates and foreign courts of Brandenburg and Austria (Austria even tried to oust Sobieski and replace him with Charles of Lorraine), Sobieski completely reformed the Polish military. The military was reorganised into regiments, the infantry finally dropped pikes replacing them with battle-axes and the Polish cavalry adopted the formations of hussars and dragoons. Also, Sobieski greatly increased the number of guns and developed a new tactics of artillery. As a diplomat, Sobieski envisioned an alliance of Poland with France and the Ottomans against the aggressive Austrian empire and Brandenburg. However, his plans never came true and finally in 1683 had to be completely abandoned. Conscious that Poland was risking a war against most of its neighbours similar to the Deluge and was lacking allies, Sobieski allied himself with Leopold I, the Holy Roman Emperor. The alliance, although aimed directly against Turks and indirectly against France, had the advantage of gaining support for the defence of Poland's southern borders.

In the spring of that year royal spies uncovered Turkish preparations for a military campaign, and Sobieski feared that the target might be the Polish cities of Lwów and Kraków. To prevent the risk, Sobieski started the fortification of the cities and ordered universal military conscription.

Sobieski's military prowess demonstrated in war against the Ottoman Empire contributed to his election as King of Poland. One of his ambitions was to unify Christian Europe in a crusade to drive the Turks out of Europe. He made alliance with the Holy Roman Emperor and joined the Holy League initiated by Pope Innocent XI to preserve Christendom.

Battle of Vienna

Sobieski's greatest success came on September 12 1683 with his victory at the Battle of Vienna, in command of Polish, Austrian and German troops, against the Turks under Kara Mustafa.

Upon reaching Vienna, he joined up with the Austrians and Germans. Sobieski planned to attack on the 13th of September, but he had noticed that the Turkish resistance was weak and ordered full attack on September 12. At 4:00 a.m. a united army of about 81,000 men attacked a Turkish army that numbered about 130,000. At about five o'clock in the afternoon, four husaria cavalry groups led by Sobieski charged forward, and soon after the Turkish battle line was broken as the Turks scattered in confusion. At 5:30 p.m., Sobieski entered the deserted tent of Kara Mustafa and the battle of Vienna was over.

The Pope and other foreign dignitaries hailed Sobieski as the "Savior of Vienna and Western European civilization." In a letter to his wife he wrote, "All the common people kissed my hands, my feet, my clothes; others only touched me, saying: 'Ah, let us kiss so valiant a hand!'"

Later years and legacy

King Jan III Sobieski, nicknamed by the Turks the "Lion of Lechistan", and the last great king of Poland, died in Wilanów, Poland on June 17, 1696. His wife, Maria Kasimira, died in 1716 in Blois, France and her body was returned to Poland. They are interred together in Wawel Castle, Kraków, Poland.

King Jan III was succeeded by Augustus II who stayed in power primarily because of Russian support. On his death in 1733, a struggle for the crown of Poland ensued, referred to as the War of the Polish Succession.

After World War II, a statue of Jan III Sobieski was "repatriated" to Gdansk (now in Poland) from Lwów (now a Ukrainian city). The statue overlooks a little park at the old Gdańsk City Hall, now a museum.

Battles commanded by Sobieski

Marriage and family

On July 5, 1665, he married the widow of Jan "Sobiepan" Zamoyski, Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien (1641-1716), of Nevers, Burgundy, France. Their children were:

James Louis Henry, (1667-1736) - Crown Prince
Teresa Kunegunda, (1676-1730) - In 1695, the Princess married Maximilian II Emanuel, elector of Bavaria
Aleksander Benedykt, (1677-1713)
Konstanty Władysław, (1680-1720)
Jan, (1682-1685)

Trivia

After the battle of Vienna, the newly identified constellation Scutum (Latin for shield) was originally named Scutum Sobiescianum by the astronomer Johannes Hevelius, in honour of Jan III Sobieski. While many people have stars named for them, this is the only constellation that was originally named after a real (and then still alive) person, which might be the reason why this dedication is not used anymore.

American actress Leelee Sobieski has claimed to be his descendant. This could not, however, be how she obtained her surname: Jan III had no great-grandchildren that bore the name Sobieski.

Royal titles

Biography

Commander

King

Battle of Vienna

Later years and legacy

Battles commanded by Sobieski

Marriage and family

Trivia

Further reading

See also

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Jan III Sobieski

Royal titles

Biography

Commander

King

Battle of Vienna

Later years and legacy

Battles commanded by Sobieski

Marriage and family

Trivia

Further reading

See also