Siege of Smolensk (1609–11)

Siege of Smolensk (1609–11)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Siege of Smolensk
partof=Polish-Muscovite War (1605-1618)


caption=
date=1609 to 1611
place=near Smolensk, Russia
result=Polish-Lithuanian victory
combatant1=Poland
Lithuania
combatant2=Russia
commander1=King Sigismund III Vasa
commander2=Mikhail Borisovich Shein
strength1=22,000 soldiers
30 heavy guns
strength2=5,000 soldiers
200 heavy guns
casualties1=Unknown
casualties2=Unknown

The Siege of Smolensk, known as the Smolensk Defense in Russia ("Смоленская оборона" in Russian) lasted 20 months between September of 1609 and June of 1611, when the Polish army besieged the Russian city of Smolensk during the Polish-Muscovite War (1605-1618).

In September of 1609, the Polish army under the command of King Sigismund III Vasa (22,000 men: 12,000 Polish soldiers and 10,000 Ukrainian Cossacks; 30 guns) approached Smolensk. The city was defended by the Russian garrison under the command of voyevoda Mikhail Borisovich Shein (over 5,000 men and 200 guns). On September 25-27, the invaders assaulted Smolensk for the first time with no result.

Between September 28 and October 4, the Poles were shelling the city and then decided to lay siege to it. On July 1920, August 11, and September 21, the Polish army attacked Smolensk for the second, third, and fourth time, but to no avail. The siege, the shelling, and the assaults alternated with fruitless attempts of the Polish army to persuade the citizens of Smolensk to capitulate. Negotiations in September of 1610 and March of 1611 did not lead anywhere.

The largest mining project at Smolensk came in December 1610; however, the Poles only managed to destroy a large portion of the outer wall, the inner walls remaining intact. The siege continued. At one point, the Polish guns breached the outer wall and the voivode of Bracław ordered his soldiers to rush in; however, the Russians could see where the breach would come and had fortified that part of the wall with more people. Both sides were slaughtered, and the Poles were eventually beaten back.

The citizens of Smolensk had been coping with starvation and epidemic since the summer of 1610. The weakened Russian garrison was not able to repel the fifth attack of the Polish army on June 3, 1611, when after the 20 months of siege the Polish army advised by the runaway traitor Andrei Dedishin, discovered a weakness in the fortress defence and on 13 June 1611 a Cavalier of Malta, Bartłomiej Nowodworski, inserted a mine into a sewer canal and the succeeding explosion created a large breach in the fortress walls. Jakub Potocki was the first on the walls. The fortress fell on the same day, with the last stage taking place after violent street fighting, when some 3,000 Russians soldiers blew themselves up in the Assumption Cathedral. Wounded Mikhail Shein was taken prisoner and would remain a prisoner of Poland-Lithuania for the next 9 years.

Although it was a blow to lose Smolensk, it freed up Russian troops to fight the Commonwealth in Moscow, whereas Shein came to be considered a hero for holding out as long as he had. Smolensk would become the place of two more sieges later in this war: of 1612 and 1617.

ee also

* Time of Troubles


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Siege of Smolensk — can refer to several battles: *Siege of Smolensk (1514) see Mikhail Glinsky and Novodevichy Convent *Siege of Smolensk (1609 11) *Siege of Smolensk (1632 33) *Siege of Smolensk (1654) during Russo Polish War (1654–1667) …   Wikipedia

  • Siege of Smolensk (1632-33) — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Siege of Smolensk partof=Smolensk War caption= date=28 October 1632 to 4 October 1633 place=Smolensk, Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth result=Polish Lithuanian victory combatant1=Poland Lithuania combatant2=Russia …   Wikipedia

  • Sitio de Smolensk (1609-1611) — Sitio de Smolensk Oblężenie Smoleńska Смоленская оборона Sitio de Smolensk 1609 1611. Fecha 1609–1611 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Smolensk War — Infobox Military Conflict caption=Smolensk Voivodeship, showing in red the disputed territory. conflict=Smolensk War date=Fall 1632 – Spring 1634 place=Smolensk Voivodeship, Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth result=Polish victory (status quo… …   Wikipedia

  • Guerre de Smolensk — Informations générales Date 1632–1934 Lieu Europe de l Est Issue traité de Polanów …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk — The Cathedral of the Assumption, dominating the city of Smolensk from the lofty Cathedral Hill, has been the principal church of the Smolensk bishopric for 800 years.Monomakh CathedralThe first brick church on the spot was started by Vladimir… …   Wikipedia

  • Осада Смоленска (1609—1611) — У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Осада Смоленска. Осада Смоленска Русско польская война (1609 1618) …   Википедия

  • Polish–Muscovite War (1605–1618) — For other Polish Russian conflicts, see Polish–Russian War (disambiguation). Polish–Muscovite War of 1605–1618 Map of the war. Important battles marked with crossed swords …   Wikipedia

  • Mikhail Shein — Voivode Shein at Smolensk. Mikhail Borisovich Shein (Михаил Борисович Шеин, /ˈʂɛ.ɪn/) (?–1634) was a Russian warlord of Tsar Mikhail Romanov. Despite his tactical skills and successful military career, he ended up losing his army under Smolensk… …   Wikipedia

  • List of sieges — A siege is a prolonged military assault and blockade on a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. What follows is a chronological list of sieges.Military siegesAncient* Siege of Megiddo (c. 1457 BC) * Siege of Dapur… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”