20:
126:
249:
599:
44:
164:, foraging supplies from lands they moved through. The Lisowczycy were feared and despised by civilians wherever they passed and they gained dubious fame for the scores of atrocities they carried out (pillage, rape, murder and other outrages). However, they were also grudgingly respected by their opponents for their military skills. They did not hesitate to plunder even their homeland, where they sacked the
655:
566:. Solvychegodsk was captured and looted on January 22, 1613. The brigands stayed in the town for three days, and then headed towards Yemetsk, which is located 150 kilometers from Arkhangelsk. Its residents, aware of the danger, managed to fortify the town and arm themselves. The "Lithuanians", as they were commonly called, tried to attack the town from the
702:
in
November of that year. After the victory, they engaged in their traditional pastime (as they were not paid and they were obliged to gain everything by their own), plundering nearby lands, 'killing even children and dogs', as contemporary chroniclers recorded. It was around that time that they
573:
The brigands, numbering some 1200 and commanded by
Stanislaw Jasinski, appeared at Kholmogory on December 6, 1613. Again, they failed to capture the town, and decided to head to Arkhangelsk, which they unsuccessfully besieged between December 14–19, 1613. Jasinski and his soldiers then marched
122:. The Lisowczycy took part in many battles across Europe and the historical accounts of the period characterized them as extremely agile, warlike, and bloodthirsty. Their numbers varied with time, from a few hundred to several thousand.
823:
Even after the formation was disbanded, its members were respected (or at least, feared) even beyond the
Commonwealth. Soon, their atrocities were forgotten and their exploits as the defenders of the Commonwealth and faith against the
528:. Lisowski's men reached the monastery on August 20, but its siege did not begin until December 1612. Since Polish brigands, numbered at some 3000 men, did not have any artillery, they failed to capture the abbey with its stone walls.
478:, returned to Commonwealth without any further contact with Muscovy forces. Until the autumn of 1616, Lisowski and his forces remained on the Commonwealth-Muscovy border, when Lisowski suddenly fell ill and died on October 11.
284:– a section of the army that mutinied and decided to gather its outstanding wages by pillaging local civilians, not caring whether these owed their allegiance to the Commonwealth or to Sweden. Although this annoyed
803:
The last time that companies using the
Lisowczycy name took part in a major war was during the late 1620s, when they were temporarily reformed to fight in Poland's continuing conflict against the Swedes in Polish
509:. On September 22, 1612, the town was captured, looted and burned by the invaders commanded by Colonel Andrzej Nalewajko, who returned in December 13 of the same year. On December 16, Poles burned the
732:. On May 7, 1621, the Emperor paid them their outstanding wages and released them from service, due to numerous complaints about their behaviour. Some of them returned to Poland, others served under
919:
160:. The Lisowczycy unit of the Polish cavalry received no formal wages; instead, they were allowed to loot and plunder as they pleased. They relied on their speed and fought without
291:, and resulted in Lisowski being banished from the Commonwealth, little was done to stop the mutineers. Soon after, Lisowski with his followers joined the Sandomierz rebellion or
39:, made in c.1655. It has little to do with the Lisowczycy, though much of the clothing and war gear would have been similar that worn by the real Lisowczyks of 30 years earlier.
773:
721:
345:
502:. Exact whereabouts of Aleksander Jozef Lisowski at that time are unknown: the legendary leader most likely roamed across northern Russia, together with his men.
427:), mutined and joined the Rohatyn Confederation. For the next three years Lisowski's forces were of importance in the guarding of the Commonwealth border against
388:
32:. A Lisowczyk may be the subject of one of the Dutch master's greatest works. Though the rider's identity is not known, one theory is that it is a portrait of
570:, but were repelled. A battle ensued, in which two Russian traitors were captured, and sent to Kholmogory, where they warned residents of a planned attack.
713:
812:– the same conflict that set Aleksander Lisowski on the path to forming the unit that was to bear his name. These Lisowczycy were finally disbanded by an
848:
695:
683:
631:
439:
717:
860:
Władysław
Magnuszewski, Z dziejów elearów polskich. Stanisław Stroynowski, lisowski zagończyk, przywódca i legislator, PWN, Warszawa – Poznań 1978.
909:
400:
634:
for the new commander. They accompanied Władysław's forces in 1617, and while he retreated, they are said to have moved inland as far as the
784:
Emperor, against his
Protestant enemies. Their brutality and barbarism became legendary, and they devastated the nearby German lands of the
610:
was carried by the troops ever since
Lisowski's passing. Despite his death, they remained a most significant threat: in 1616 they captured
209:
333:
and noblemen already had, by meddling in
Russian affairs. He soon decided he could profit best by lending his support to the Muscovite
156:. They began to grow in strength and fame a few years later, when Lisowski's irregulars were incorporated into the forces fighting in
93:
914:
240:
712:
Then
Lisowczycy split: part of them, with Rogowski, decided to return to Poland, pillaging Slovakia on their way. Others, under
446:. Lisowski moved on to defeat the Muscovite advance guard of a force (several times larger than his) under the command of Kniaz
491:
182:
450:, who decided to not to attack and fortified his forces inside a camp. Lisowski's men broke contact with other forces, burned
716:, remained in the service of the Emperor for the next few years. After the death of Kleczkowski (March 4, 1620) at the
149:
116:
887:
873:
733:
671:
705:
431:
incursions. In 1615, Lisowski gathered many outlaws and invaded
Muscovy with 6 companies of cavalry. He besieged
559:
296:
896:
Radosław Sikora, Wojskowość polska w dobie wojny polsko-szwedzkiej 1626–1629. Kryzys mocarstwa, Poznań 2005.
869:
Aleksander Lisowski, Szymon Starowolski, Wojownicy sarmaccy, Wyd. MON (wyd. I), Warszawa 1978, s. 270–273.
525:
277:
153:
19:
329:
were brewing, and Lisowski did not pass over the opportunity of profiting from this, as many other local
368:
36:
623:
583:
510:
285:
52:
849:
Lisowczycy nad oceanem Lodowatym.Opowieść o św. Hiobie Mazowskim, by Zbigniew Wierzbicki. 22.12.2012
749:
725:
376:
228:
213:
879:
Bogusław Sujkowski, Lisowczycy. Powieść historyczna z XVII w., Wyd. Łódzkie (wyd. III), Łódź 1988.
761:
756:
882:
Henryk Wisner, Lisowczycy, Dom Wyd. Bellona (wyd. II, poprawione i uzupełnione), Warszawa 2004,
809:
396:
292:
265:
724:
became the new commander of the Lisowczycy. Under Rusinowski, the Lisowczycy took part in the
546:
In search of food and booty, Lisowski's soldiers moved further northwards, reaching as far as
494:), loose Polish forces, which had fought under Lisowski, scattered over vast territory of the
772:
After the conflict with the Ottomans was settled, many Lisowczycy, then under the command of
691:
288:
134:
125:
796:. Lisowczycy proved to be a terror wherever they went, and soon most of its members formed
777:
679:
459:
699:
205:
8:
33:
638:, where they were are shown to have been impressed by a giant golden statue (possibly a
300:
175:
618:, in 1617 relieved Smolensk from a Muscovite siege – the invading troops retreated to
883:
785:
619:
531:
On December 12–15, 1612, a unit of Bobowski three times tried to capture the town of
505:
After Russian recapture of Moscow, most of the Polish brigands headed to the area of
495:
428:
392:
317:
161:
157:
145:
825:
499:
447:
364:
338:
326:
166:
24:
248:
521:
312:
171:
71:
598:
253:
130:
781:
745:
567:
487:
360:
322:
272:
of the Commonwealth failed to gather the money to pay its soldiers fighting in
48:
893:
Tadeusz Nowak, Jan Wimmer, Dzieje oręża polskiego do roku 1793, Warszawa 1968.
903:
622:
as soon as they received news that the Lisowczycy, then under the command of
555:
540:
471:
321:
in most of the Commonwealth, and was forced to seek refuge with the powerful
200:
119:
43:
863:
Kazimierz Korkozowicz, Jeźdźcy Apokalipsy t. 1–3., Wyd. MON, Warszawa 1990.
687:
579:
551:
411:, and some other cities (those battles took place around 1608–09). He took
281:
141:
80:
86:
829:
675:
563:
536:
435:
and defeated the Muscovite relief force of a few thousand soldiers under
416:
643:
639:
408:
353:
178:
tried to keep them away from the Commonwealth for as long as possible.
98:
234:
Przewagi Elearów polskich co ich niegdy Lisowczykami zwano (1619–1623)
185:(where their actions help explain the text of the infamous placard in
793:
659:
575:
539:. On January 25, 1613, Poles led by Jakub Jacki attacked the town of
517:
349:
334:
29:
635:
532:
481:
467:
443:
420:
404:
391:, losing most of his loot. He reorganized the army and joined with
384:
224:
866:
Bohdan Królikowski, Szable nie rdzewiały, Wyd. MON, Warszawa 1983.
16:
17th-century irregular unit of the Polish–Lithuanian light cavalry
813:
805:
615:
587:
547:
506:
475:
455:
432:
380:
372:
330:
273:
217:
186:
586:, after which they ransacked local villages, reaching as far as
415:
in 1610 and clashed with Swedes operating in Muscovy during the
872:
Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski, Lisowczycy. Powieść historyczna,
833:
797:
788:. The local population often believed it was being attacked by
744:
The Lisowczycy fought in the wars between Commonwealth and the
667:
654:
627:
192:
144:(a form of semi-legal mutiny of royal forces, practiced in the
115:) was the name of an early 17th-century irregular unit of the
789:
611:
593:
520:
without fight. The town was looted, and its governor fled to
463:
451:
436:
412:
196:
174:. Such actions were among the reasons the Commonwealth ruler
876:, Poznań 1929; Wyd. Libra (wyd. I powojenne), Warszawa 1990.
817:
729:
357:
269:
423:
in 1612, when most of the Commonwealth regular army, the (
181:
The Lisowczycy took part in many conflicts, including the
315:, Lisowski's fortunes turned for the worse and he became
223:
An account of Lisowczycy's exploits was written by their
311:
Eventually, after the rebel forces were defeated at the
920:
Military history of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
836:
turned them into a legend which lives on to this day.
626:, were in the neighbourhood. When Czapliński died at
419:. The Lisowczycy proved essential in the defence of
348:, leading his forces – a band of few hundred ragtag
220:'s defeat). They were eventually disbanded in 1635.
662:'s famous picture. Painting by Dariusz T. Wielec.
901:
482:Lisowski's soldiers in Northern Russia (1612–13)
306:
666:From 1619, the Lisowczycy, then stationed near
387:Moscow. However, he was soon to be defeated at
739:
670:(Kowno) were sent by Zygmund III Vasa to aid
462:, turned north, defeated a Muscovite army at
259:
212:army from laying siege to Vienna) and in the
658:Lisowczyk. Another modern impression, after
649:
399:fortress and were forced to retreat to near
232:
109:
84:
574:towards the Northern Dvina estuary and the
486:In 1612, when the Polish occupation of the
280:became one of the leaders of the resulting
800:groups, pillaging the German countryside.
594:Death of Lisowski, birth of the Lisowczycy
776:, were deployed during the mayhem of the
352:, mainly Poles but also Lithuanians, and
140:The origin of the group can be traced to
728:(November 8) where they captured twenty
653:
597:
264:In 1604, during the early stages of the
247:
124:
42:
18:
910:Cavalry units and formations of Poland
902:
748:, not least in the last phase of the
70:
498:, taking advantage of the so-called
252:Lisowczycy at the inn – painting by
243:once known as Lisowczycy (1619–1623)
403:. Then came successful pillages at
325:family. In the meantime, Muscovy's
129:Lisowczycy (Archery) – painting by
13:
854:
535:, located on the left bank of the
51:, circa 1860-65, after Rembrandt.
14:
931:
750:Polish magnates' wars in Moldavia
516:On July 10, 1612, Poles captured
395:, but they failed to capture the
135:Kościuszko Foundation in New York
734:Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria
672:Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
614:and defeated Russian forces at
915:Irregular units and formations
874:Wydawnictwo Polskie R. Wegnera
492:Polish–Muscovite War (1605–18)
1:
642:, but also attachable to the
602:Lisowczycy on the Rhein River
307:Trial of Blood: the Dymitriad
34:Grand Chancellor of Lithuania
578:shore. There, they captured
526:Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery
356:– he defeated the armies of
231:(or Wojciech Debolecki), in
216:(where they participated in
152:), organized around 1604 by
7:
808:, yet another stage of the
780:, mostly in support of the
767:
703:gained their new nickname:
10:
936:
839:
740:Cecora and Chocim (Khotyn)
524:, hiding in the fortified
260:Prologue: the konfederacja
37:Marcjan Aleksander Oginski
650:Devils in the Holy Empire
584:Nikolo-Korelsky Monastery
511:Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery
286:Great Hetman of Lithuania
278:Aleksander Józef Lisowski
154:Aleksander Józef Lisowski
53:National Museum in Warsaw
726:Battle of White Mountain
706:Riders of the Apocalypse
513:, located near Vologda.
214:Battle of White Mountain
208:(where they prevented a
103:); or in singular form:
72:[lisɔfˈt͡ʂɨt͡sɨ]
47:Lisowczyk – painting by
792:hordes or non-European
682:. Under the command of
543:, but without success.
344:In 1608, together with
299:tendencies of the King
295:, a revolt against the
663:
603:
397:Troitse-Sergieva Lavra
346:Aleksander Kleczkowski
293:rokosz of Zebrzydowski
256:
233:
137:
110:
85:
56:
40:
774:Stanisław Stroynowski
657:
630:, Lisowczycy elected
601:
466:, turned towards the
289:Jan Karol Chodkiewicz
251:
128:
68:Polish pronunciation:
46:
22:
722:Stanisław Rusinowski
624:Stanisław Czapliński
276:against the Swedes.
350:soldiers of fortune
229:Wojciech Dembołęcki
810:Polish–Swedish War
714:Jarosz Kleczkowski
664:
604:
301:Sigismund III Vasa
266:Polish–Swedish War
257:
176:Sigismund III Vasa
170:university of the
138:
57:
41:
786:Holy Roman Empire
778:Thirty Years' War
700:Battle of Humenné
680:Thirty Years' War
496:Tsardom of Russia
393:Jan Piotr Sapieha
318:persona non grata
206:Battle of Humenné
146:Kingdom of Poland
117:Polish–Lithuanian
927:
847:
762:Battle of Chocim
757:Battle of Cecora
696:Battle of Zavada
692:George I Rákóczi
686:, they defeated
684:Walenty Rogowski
632:Walenty Rogowski
500:Time of Troubles
448:Dmitry Pozharsky
440:Yuri Shakhovskoy
425:wojsko kwarciane
389:Miedźwiedzi Bród
365:Zakhary Lyapunov
339:False Dmitriy II
327:Time of Troubles
239:Deeds of Polish
236:
167:Racovian Academy
148:and then in the
113:
102:
91:
79:('lost men' or '
75:; also known as
74:
69:
25:The Polish Rider
935:
934:
930:
929:
928:
926:
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924:
900:
899:
857:
855:Further reading
845:
842:
770:
742:
718:Battle of Krems
652:
596:
490:had ended (see
484:
470:coast, then to
383:, moving on to
313:Battle of Guzow
309:
262:
191:three plagues:
172:Polish brethren
96:
67:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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782:Roman Catholic
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766:
765:
764:
759:
746:Ottoman Empire
741:
738:
651:
648:
595:
592:
568:Northern Dvina
488:Moscow Kremlin
483:
480:
369:Ivan Khovansky
361:Vasili Shuisky
308:
305:
261:
258:
49:Juliusz Kossak
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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888:83-11-09927-8
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710:
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693:
690:forces under
689:
688:Transylvanian
685:
681:
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673:
669:
661:
656:
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641:
637:
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629:
625:
621:
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613:
609:
600:
591:
589:
585:
581:
577:
571:
569:
565:
561:
557:
556:Solvychegodsk
553:
549:
544:
542:
541:Veliky Ustyug
538:
534:
529:
527:
523:
519:
514:
512:
508:
503:
501:
497:
493:
489:
479:
477:
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469:
465:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
418:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
378:
375:and captured
374:
370:
366:
362:
359:
355:
351:
347:
342:
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336:
332:
328:
324:
320:
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267:
255:
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246:
244:
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230:
226:
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219:
215:
211:
210:Transylvanian
207:
203:
202:
198:
194:
188:
184:
179:
177:
173:
169:
168:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
136:
132:
127:
123:
121:
120:light cavalry
118:
114:
112:
106:
100:
95:
90:
88:
82:
78:
73:
65:
61:
54:
50:
45:
38:
35:
31:
27:
26:
21:
822:
802:
771:
743:
711:
704:
674:against the
665:
607:
606:The name of
605:
580:Severodvinsk
572:
552:Yemtsa River
545:
530:
515:
504:
485:
424:
401:Rakhmantsevo
343:
316:
310:
282:konfederacja
263:
254:Józef Brandt
238:
222:
190:
180:
165:
150:Commonwealth
142:konfederacja
139:
131:Józef Brandt
108:
104:
92:(company of
81:forlorn hope
76:
63:
59:
58:
23:
846:(in Polish)
830:Protestants
820:, in 1636.
676:Protestants
582:and burned
564:Arkhangelsk
537:Onega River
417:Ingrian War
97: [
904:Categories
794:barbarians
644:Zlota Baba
608:Lisowczycy
560:Kholmogory
409:Soligalich
354:Ruthenians
297:absolutist
204:), at the
183:Dymitriads
64:Lisowczycy
60:Lisowczyks
730:standards
660:Rembrandt
576:White Sea
518:Belozersk
474:, burned
460:Peremyshl
377:Mikhailov
363:, led by
335:pretender
323:Radziwiłł
105:Lisowczyk
87:chorągiew
77:Straceńcy
30:Rembrandt
826:Orthodox
768:Epilogue
646:myth).
636:Ob River
533:Kargopol
522:Kirillov
468:Kara Sea
444:Karachev
421:Smolensk
405:Kostroma
385:blockade
331:magnates
225:chaplain
133:, 1885,
89:elearska
840:Sources
834:Muslims
816:of the
806:Prussia
698:and/or
694:at the
678:in the
616:Bolkhov
588:Karelia
550:on the
548:Yemetsk
507:Vologda
476:Torzhok
458:, took
456:Likhvin
433:Bryansk
429:Muscovy
381:Kolomna
373:Zaraysk
371:, near
274:Livonia
218:Bohemia
187:Zagorsk
158:Muscovy
886:
798:bandit
668:Kaunas
640:Buddha
628:Kaluga
562:, and
472:Kashin
452:Belyov
268:, the
241:Elears
199:, and
197:Tatars
193:typhus
162:tabors
94:elears
83:') or
790:Tatar
612:Kursk
464:Rzhev
442:near
437:Kniaz
413:Pskov
201:Poles
111:elear
101:]
884:ISBN
832:and
818:Sejm
620:Bely
454:and
379:and
367:and
358:tsar
270:Sejm
814:act
245:).
107:or
62:or
28:by
906::
828:,
752:.
736:.
720:,
709:.
590:.
558:,
554:,
407:,
341:.
337:,
303:.
227:,
195:,
189::
99:pl
890:.
237:(
66:(
55:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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