During a grand battle on July 15, 1410, the allied Polish-Lithuanian army defeated the army of the Teutonic Order - the most powerful state of medieval Europe. Stopping the German expansion to the east and giving rise to the strengthening of Slavic statehood, the Battle of Grunwald entered the world chronicle as an event that changed the course of European history.
Historians of all times recognized the Battle of Grunwald as the most massive battle of the medieval era, the result of which influenced the path of historical development of Eastern Europe. This is the main battle of the "Great War" of the 15th century, in which the political and military conflict between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russia in alliance with the Kingdom of Poland, on the one hand, and the Teutonic Order of the Knights, on the other, was resolved.
The battlefield, which took place on July 15, 1410, was located between the villages of Grunwald, Tannenberg and Ludwigsdorf (today it is the area of the Polish villages of Ulnovo, Stembark and Lodwigovo). Therefore, the battle in historiography is called differently. The German word Grunwald means "green field". Lithuanians translated it into their own language as Zalgiris (Green Forest). By the name of the nearby settlement Dombruvno (Fir Hill), Belarusian chroniclers call it Dubrovenskaya. In Germany, the battle is known as Tannenberg. The generally accepted name is the Battle of Grunwald.
The Germans are trying to consign this event to oblivion, since the defeat of the knights-crusaders meant the stop of the Drang nach Osten (onslaught to the East) and the loss of the former greatness of the Order. The Slavic peoples perpetuate the memory of the victory won under Grunwald, which allowed them to position themselves as the main military-political force in Eastern Europe and end almost two centuries of confrontation with the Teutons.
Green field
Grunwald is today a small village in northwestern Poland in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship. A stele erected in honor of the winners, led by cousins Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Vitovt and King of Poland Vladislav Jagailo, recalls the events of centuries ago. And also a huge stone at the site of the death of the defeated enemy - the leader of the gods bearers of the Grand Master of the Order of Ulrich von Jungingen.
Recently, archaeologists have found a sword in the excavation area at the site of a historical bat. The artifact, which has lain in the ground for over 600 years, is surprisingly well preserved (it is correctly balanced, has a length of 1.2 m and a weight of 1.5 kg).
Every year, in the month of July, the Green Forest comes alive. In memory of an important event in European military history, battle scenes are being recreated by the efforts of 1,500 reenactors. The heirs of the glory of Grunwald, carrying the banners of their lands, fight the knights-crusaders.
Chronicle of the battle
The textbook information about the Battle of Grunwald in popular literature and school history textbooks is very laconic. The chronology of events and an assessment of their significance are given in the works of military historians and local historians.
One of the most reliable chronicle sources of knowledge is considered the manuscript of the 15th century entitled "Chronicle of the conflict of Vladislav, King of Poland, with the crusaders in the year of Christ 1410". A detailed description of the events that took place on the battlefield at Grunwald is given in a voluminous work written by the medieval chronicler Janusz Dlugosz. As the son of one of the participants in the battle, he took notes from the words of his father.
Among the art illustrations: engraving "Chronicles of the whole world" by Martin Belsky, dating from the 16th century, the work of Schilling Salaturn from the "Berner Chronicle", Angus McBride's painting "Knight of the Teutonic Order, Attacked by Lithuanian Horse Archers. 1410 ".
Forces of the parties
From the standpoint of assessing the balance of forces and analyzing tactics, the Battle of Grunval was unique, both in terms of the number of participants and the methods of warfare used. According to estimates cited in modern studies, the Polish-Lithuanian army numbered about 39 thousand people. The size of the army of the Teutonic Order was 32 thousand people. At the time, these are huge numbers. The regiments of the opposing armies were grouped and equipped in different ways.
The allied army of the King of Poland Vladislav and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vitovt numbered 91 banners (an independent combat unit with a banner): 40 Lithuanian regiments, 51 Polish regiments. The army of the Kingdom of Poland included a feudal cavalry numbering about 15 thousand horsemen. Lithuanian units were for the most part formed according to the principle of the lands from which the soldiers were fielded: 11 grand ducal Lithuanian, 7 regiments from Samogitia, etc. Some (such as Drogichinskaya, Melnitskaya) were mixed (Tatars, Moravians, Czechs, Moldovans, Armenians, Volokhs and many other peoples). Rusichi (ancestors of modern Belarusians, Russians, Ukrainians) completed 7 Polish and 13 Lithuanian banners under the banners of their lands (Smolensk, Vitebsk, Pinsk, Volokovysk, Kiev, Grodno, etc.).
The Teutonic forces, led by the Grand Master of the Order, Ulrich von Jungingen, were significantly smaller in total and more multinational in composition. More than 4 thousand knights fought under the 51st banner, with the same number of knights and squires. The Brothers Knights of Germany (and there were about 500 of them) were led into battle by the Order's Grand Marshal Friedrich von Wallenrod. Also in the regiments were mercenaries from all over Europe and from England. In addition to infantry and cavalry, the Teutons had more than 4 thousand crossbowmen and bombardiers who fired stone and lead cannonballs. Well-trained and equipped troops were distinguished by high organization and strict discipline. The Crusader army was more efficient than the Allied army.
The losses suffered by both sides were significant. The Teutonic army lost 8000 people, 14000 wounded. Among those killed, half of the knight brothers and all the high dignitaries of the Order. Losses of the Polish-Lithuanian troops - about 5,000 killed and more than 8,000 wounded. More than half of the troops of the Kingdom and the Principality laid down their heads in the Green Field.
Great Lithuanian "lizards" against gray "grandmasters"
The success or failure of a military operation largely depends on the personalities of the military leaders and the tactical or strategic decisions they make. And the Battle of Grunwalsk is no exception. The correspondence of the Teutons found by history scholars contains indications that "it is unacceptable to follow such methods as a false retreat used during the battle by the commander of the Polish-Lithuanian army, Vytautas."
And the military leaders of the Slavs in their memoirs paid tribute to the skill of the Prussian knights. The Grand Master of the Order, Heinrich von Plauen, managed to develop a brilliant defensive plan for his capital in such a way that the 2-month siege of the fortress of Malbork by the Litvin failed.
Grandmaster is the highest rank in the military hierarchy of the crusaders. But this term is used not only in connection with the indication of the title. The spiritual-knightly order, formed in the 12th century in Palestine, has firmly established itself in Europe. The knights who set off on the Crusades, like pieces in chess games, were used by the "grandmasters" - European powers fighting the pagans for converting them to their faith. As for the Lithuanians and Poles, long before the war events at Grunwald, in 1397, the great Lithuanian princes, cousins Alexander Vitovt and Vladislav Jagailo joined the Polish League of the Lizardmen. The secret society, which consisted of the nobles of the Chelmin land, fought for liberation from the religious and military contemplation of the Teutonic Order. Therefore, the battle of 1410 is figuratively called the war of Great Lithuanian "lizards" and gray "grandmasters".
Grunval swords and banners
The Swords of Grunwald became the symbol of the beginning of the battle between the Arymian Order and the alliance of the Kingdom and the Crown. On the memorable day of July 15, 1410, the Teutonic heralds who arrived at the headquarters of the Polish-Lithuanian army stuck two naked swords into the ground in front of the Slavic monarchs. It was a challenge to battle: from the Supreme Master of Jungingen to King Vladislav and from Grand Marshal Wallenrod to the Grand Duke Vitovt. Such a gesture was regarded in medieval times as an insult and demanded immediate response. After the victory, the swords became Jagiello's trophies and later served as attributes of the coronation of Polish monarchs. At the Monument to Vladislav Jagaila (Jagiellon) the Winner, the Polish king holds two crossed Grunwald swords in his hands, symbolizing the triumph of the union of Poland and Lithuania.
In the award system of the Polish Army - the Order of the "Grunwald Cross" and the badge "Shield of Grunwald".
The heraldic princely symbols of the Lithuanians are in the coats of arms of modern states: Vitis (Lithuania) and Pahonya (Belarus).
The rider's attribute - an azure shield with a Jagiellonian six-pointed cross - can be found in the coat of arms of local nobles in the center of Europe. If in the family heraldry there is "Pursuit", it means that the family "became related" with the great Lithuanian princes back in the 15th century.
In the memory of the people
The significance of an event can be assessed not only by historiographic works, but also by how the memory of it passes through the years and centuries.
Perpetuating the memory of the "Great Battle":
- The stone monument was erected in 1902 in Krakow and is dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the battle.
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A sculptural complex in the Polish city of Gdansk and a memorial sign in the city of Volkovysk (Belarus).
Commemorative sign -
Polish artist Jan Matejka in 1878 painted a large-scale painting "The Battle of Grunwald" (work size 10m x 4m), which is exhibited in the main museum of the country.
Picture -
The 1: 1 scale painting was carved from wood by the Polish carver Jan Papina, dedicating his work to the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald. Another original copy of this work of art is kept in the ód Museum of Weaving. 30 best Polish embroiderers have been working on it for 3 years. The grandiose embroidered panel, completely repeating the plot of the picture, consists of 40 parts and contains 220 colors. The scheme, according to which the craftswomen worked, in the printed form consists of 50 books (from 20 to 77 pages each).
copies of the painting in fabric and wood - In Lithuania, national sports clubs (basketball and football) are named algiris. In 2011, the epic film drama “Zalgiris - Iron Day” was filmed. From the side of the plane flying up to Vilnius, one can see a huge (51m x 60m) inscription Žalgiris 600. It is formed from trees, selected in such a way that it is readable in all seasons.
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In our country, the day of July 15, 1410 is included in the number of memorable military-historical dates. The historical novel-chronicle of G. Khrushchov-Sokolnikov "The Battle of Grunval or the Slavs and the Germans" (1889) is dedicated to the events of European medieval history, the historical novel by G. Senkevich "The Crusaders" and the feature film of the same name (1960) are considered classics of genres. Of interest are K. Tarasov's book "The Pursuit of Grunwald", published in 1984 Notes by P. Kukolnik and others. Puzzles and a computer game are intended for children.
sources of battle knowledge
Not far from Minsk, in the town of Dudutki, an annual reconstruction under the name "Our Grunwald" takes place.
The events of the historical festival traditionally gather a huge number of spectators. Military-historical clubs of Poland and Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine, Russia and other countries, which owe their current statehood to a certain extent to the victory at Grunwald, are participating in the staging of the famous battle.
