In the early XV century, the Teutonic Order was expanding its power and influence, leaving portions of Polish territories occupied by powerful strong-armed Teutonic forces. As a result Gdansk, Pomorze and Samogitia were stolen from Poland by the Germans. Feeling threatened, Jagiello, King of Poland, prepared himself for an inevitable war, and together with Wytaustus, ruler of Lithuania, fought the greatest and most important Battle of that time.
The Teutonic Order became powerful and influential and tried to expand eastward. Poland was it’s eastern neighbor and was also rising in power. This created great animosity in both sides. The Grand Master of the Teutonic Order at that time was Konrad Von Jungingen. He was not willing to resolve things through war, thus the war was postponed until Konrad’s death. Despite his will, his brother was chosen as the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order: the Warmonger Ulrich Von Jungingen. Ulrich had a deep scorn for Poles and Lithuanians, both whom he considered pagans and extremely backward. The Teutonic Order had already assaulted Gdansk, Pomorze, Zemaitija, Drezdenko, Santok and Kalisz occupying and integrating these “new” lands to the expanded “Germanic territory”. These invasions were brutal, many Polish women were forbidden to mill the wheat. Mills were destroyed and cattle confiscated. Polish and Lithuanians had to pay fines to cross portions of their former land. To further enforce their dominion, the Germans hanged non-obedient peasants. Frequently the Germans killed most of the Polish population and replaced it with Germans settlers.
Constituting a threat to Polish sovereignty, this was seen as hostile action. Jagiello was determined to counter, making war inevitable. But surprisingly, Ulrich proposed an armistice, as he could see both sides were not prepared for war. Likewise Jagiello knew he needed more time to prepare Poland for war, and thus an agreement was made postponing the conflict from 8 October 1409 to sunrise 24 June 1410. Jagiello knew this decisive battle could change the course of destiny for Eastern Europe’s inhabitants. He knew the existence of Poland, as a free country, and Poles as individuals, relied on this impending battle. His priority for the next eight months was to build and organize a formidable army.
In building his army, King Jagiello started by regrouping his shattered forces. He convinced the noble ruling class to support the Polish cause. Ukrainian Cossacks, Bohemians, Russians and Tartars were summoned to help. In the end, he could count on a reliable and considerably numerous forces. The combined forces of the Polish-Lithuanian army, boosted by these warriors coming from the east and south, marched towards the west and in every village or castle they passed by more people willingly joined their ranks.
There was only eleven days left till the end of the armistice, when three armored Knights addressed Jagiello communicating that Grand Master Jungingen was proposing an extended armistice for three more weeks. They said Knights from all over Europe wanted to join the battle and fight under the banner of “Christianity”, Jagiello felt he could use this extended time to strengthen his army further and make other necessary arrangements in these last three weeks of “peace”.
On July 4 1410 the armistice ended. Two huge armies marched towards each other. Grand Master Jungigen, who was used to major battles, set traps in the field aiming to damage the heavy cavalry of the Poles. King Jagiello noticed the danger and moved his army to the flanks. For some days both armies marched. King Jagiello and Grand Master Jungingen organized their respective armies, each one trying to achieve the best position on the battlefield. Due to this preparation, the battle took place on 7 days later on July 10.
The Polish-Lithuanian army was near Tannenberg village while Teutons were near Grunwald. Ironically each side would name the Battle according to their enemy’s camp. Thus the battle entered into Polish history as “Grunwald”. It was summer in the Northern parts of Europe, the sun rose about 4:30 AM. In the early morning, King Jagiello ordered a mass. From that mass it is quoted: “Today is the day we shall end the Tyranny brought on us by the Teutonic Order, they claim to fight for the banner of Christianity, but they bring their lies, and we, are fighting for the truth, towards freedom, towards victory!” The time passed by and Jagiello’s cavalry was still placed among trees in the near by woods because of this even though it was a very sunny day, his army could be spared from the brutal heat and take refuge in the shade.
It was already 7 AM, and feeling the heat was destroying the moral and physical resistance of his soldiers, Grand Master Von Jungigen ordered two of his best cavalrymen to send a message to the Polish. He gave a sword for each of them and explained what they should do. The two Cavalrymen rode directly towards King Jagiello, they arrogantly, in full scorn threw the swords unto the ground and said “If you low and coward Polish warriors are lacking courage, our generous Grand Master sends these two additional swords. And if you need more space to fight, we will withdraw a full kilometer." This provocation made the blood of the bravest and proudest in the Polish ranks boil. Among them was Jan Ziska, the enormous Czech, who branded the greatest, and deadliest, sword in the East. Ziska was to achieve legendary fame in the coming Hessian Wars. Also amongst the Polish warriors was Firczyk the Plock and his heavy mourning star, Zawisza Czarny, known as the greatest warrior in eastern lands. Jagiello comely answered: “I accept both swords, and the expanded field, but the coming of this day, I entrust to God.” With Jagiello’s defiance in their ears, the cavalrymen returned to their home army knowing their mission was a failure.
It was the time for the battle to start. The battle had been postponed for so much time it could no longer be avoided. Jagiello gave the sign for the attack.
The scene of the battle was as follows: The Polish-Lithuanian Army was composed of 45,000 men, among whom, 18,000 were cavalrymen (both heavy and light), 7,000 were infantry, and about 15,000 were armless peasants 4,000 of Ukrainian Cossacks and Russian Warriors, and 1,000 Tartars. Combined they were more numerous than the Germans, but the Teutons could rely on superior armament: they had newly created steel crossbows and all of their knights were heavily armored. Even the few peasants on the German side were better armored than their Lithuanian counterparts who had no armor at all and only wooden clubs to be used as weapons. The Teutons had a total of 36,000 knights in their ranks, of which 23,000 thousand consisted of cavalrymen, 8,000 infantry, and 5,000 peasants as well as several knights who came from all over Western Europe. These “Guests”, as they were called, believed in fighting for Christianity and civilization and completed the full numbers of the Teutonic Order. Among it’s ranks, the Teutonic Order had some well known warriors such as Frederik Von Wallenrode the Grand Commander. Also Kuno Von Liechtenstein one of the best warriors of the 15th century. Albrecht Von Schwarzenberg as Quartermaster, and of course, Ulrich Von Jungingen, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.
The first wave of attack, raged from the light armored cavalry, Jagiello wisely placed them as the first force hoping they could reach the cannons faster and avoid large casualties. With few casualties, the plan was very successful. Soon the brave Lithuanian, Russian and Ukrainian cavalry reached the cannons and stormed the infantry creating chaos in the first lines of Teutonic army. Von Jungingen, worried, sent some of his heavy cavalry sooner than the expected (or was desired). But it happened that many men of the now shattered infantry were pulling back right into the rear lines of the Teutonic Order and with the coming of the heavy cavalry, they got stuck inside the line of the Battle and they either died smashed by the horses of their own army, or fighting against the Lithuanians.
But when the Germans came in with their strong horses, wielding swords and screaming, the Tartars fled, some Teutons pursued them, killing dozens. Now the Lithuanians could no longer rely on the Tartars. However with the Russians and Ukrainians, they bravely fought the enemy.
The Lithuanians and Germans engaged in a ferocious hand-to-hand battle on the left flank. Soon Von Jungingen sent a large force of his soldiers to fight the Polish, whom were at the right flank of the army. As the Polish headed to battle, they sang, Ojczysta Piesn.
Now the battle became even more brutal. Screams could be heard in the skies, the blood and dust covered the ground, swords clashed shields, and swords clashed armors, the sound of clashing steel and pierced flesh, even though was terrible, the moral of Polish Warriors was undaunted. The battle was even until now, both sides could strike a successful maneuver and win, but as soon as Von Jungingen realized the Lithuanian force was weaker and less numerous than the Polish one, he shifted a large force from fighting the Polish to engage the Lithuanians. Wytaustas made a tactical withdraw. He fled as far as the forests. Many Germans stopped chasing the Lithuanians, realizing this “retreat” may be a trap, and indeed it was. Awaiting soldiers came out of the forests and crushed the Teutons. In this moment Jagiello sent a large force of warriors in his reserve along with the Lithuanians (who were coming back to the battle) to reinforce his main army. The Teutons, with their moral boosted from the retreat of the Lithuanians, made a full strike into the Polish contingent. But the Russians and Ukrainians, whom had not fled alongside the Lithuanians, fought bravely and with a strong determination and managed to prevent the full surrounding of Poles by Teutonic forces. Helped by the great strides of the Russian and Ukrainian forces, the Polish stood on their feet. After this difficult moment, an even more critical event came at hand. Marcin from Wrocimowic, the Chamberlain of Krakow, was bestowed with the honor to carry the Polish royal flag, with a great White Eagle in its heart. The flag was seen by the Teutons who threw themselves in determined pursuit hoping the Polish King was nearby. But they did not know King Jagiello was atop a nearby hill.
They managed to take the flag from Polish hands, and in ecstasy sang a victory song "Christ ist erstanden" (Christ has risen), because in a fashioned battle, this would mean victory. King Jagiello was worried wondering why the Krzyzacy were celebrating victory. But a brave and determined regiment of Polish knights, Czarny Zawisza included, rode fast to defend their national flag, and with a great deal of power, they recovered the standard. Wytaustas, a man of never ending determination, started to fix the broken Lithuanian forces, he could reorganize a large amount of sparse Lithuanians, and in total rage he ordered them to move once again to battle.
Now the Battle was in total Mayhem, discipline was put aside and it became a melee fight, man against man. No one seemed to conquer any ground, but a pile of corpses filled the battleground. Feeling it was the exact moment to refresh his army, King Jagiello sent a contingent of Knights who had not endured confrontation yet. Polish and Lithuanians started to pull Krzyzacy back. Von Jungingen then reinforced his own army and once again the battle became even. Von Jungingen was very arrogant, and always underestimated both Pole and Lithuanians. When a knight reported, very worried, that he could not locate a single Polish or Lithuanian foot soldier, Von Jungingen just replied: "do not worry, they are afraid of us, we are winning, and we shall have the utmost Victory!”
In the coming hours of the afternoon, King Jagiello’s tactics started to produce results. The Krzyzacy slowly became tired, due to the hours exposed to the heat of that hot day, and their determination and valor, started to fade, but the Polish did not feel fully tired at that moment and violently pushed the Germans backwards.
It was 6PM and the Krzyzacy had already lost much of its ground. Their main force was almost broke, and a full surrounding was being envisioned. King Jagiello then gave a sign for his foot soldiers to enter the fight. From the dark woods emerged a large number of peasants. At first they were only half running but soon after they were running with their hearts filled with rage, shouting loud battle cries.
By the time they reached the Krzyzacy the first wave was destroyed. Their wooden weapons could hardly hurt the fully armed Teutons, but they did not stop coming. Countless numbers came after them, many were beaten but at this critical time the Krzyzacy could not hold anymore. Their center was shattered and Wytaustas, the Great, ordered for a trengthening in the flanks. The pictured full encirclement was now a reality as the Polish were now at the right flank and the Lithuanians at the left. As a last resort, the last 16 regiments of the Teutonic Order was sent to battle, but they were no match for the Poles. One after another was destroyed. The Germans then started a chaotic retreat, pursued by the combined forces. They aimed to get to the Teutonic tents where some reserves waited to fight.
The Knights in the tents were overrun and did not offer any resistance. T then aimed to reach Malbork where they could find a shelter from the rage of Polish and Lithuanians. Only 1400 reached Malbork alive, many got lost in the woods and were either killed or captured. The battle came to an end. The Teutonic Order did not pose a threat to Eastern Europeans any longer. King Jagiello ordered his victorious warriors to burn all the belongings of the Krzyzacy. Amongst the belongings were handcuffs brought by the Germans. They were certain they would win and capture many “pagans”, and bring them as animals, handcuffed, to Malbork.
Then King Jagiello said: “Handcuff them, so they can feel all the suffering and pain they inflicted into our people, when they burnt and pillage our villages, and killed of our folk with deep scorn.”
The following day of the titanic battle, was one of great joy. No one else was handcuffed for great compassion and spirit of knighthood was present in the hearts of the victorious army. King Jangiello and Wytaustas the Great, alongside with their great captains, reckoned the bloody battlefield. They found a total of 49 flags, only 7 flags were saved by the lucky 1400 men who escaped to Malbork. King Jagiello ordered that the corpse of Von Jungingen was buried with great honor. The battle was a total loss to the Teutonic Order, Kuno Von Lichtenstein, Schwarzenberger, Von Wallenrode were all dead, as well as many foreign Knights, Gabor of Buda, leader of Hungarians and Richard of York were among of them.
The defeat meant the loss of 28,000 warriors for the Teutonic Order, and over 50 leaders (out of 60) were killed. Two thirds of the Polish foot soldiers were killed. The Polish and Lithuanians lost about 20,000 warriors, brave men who gave their life to save their beloved Motherland from the Barbarian Krzyzacy.
A peace treaty was signed on 01 February 1411. Poles and Lithuanians would recover some of their previous territory, including Zemaitija, and part of Pomorze (Pomerania), but Malbork still remained under German control. For over 200 years the Germans paid tribute, and offered servitude, to Polish in the western parts of Poland. Most importantly, the battle enabled Polish and Lithuanian culture to endure the coming centuries.
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