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Battle of Żarnów

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244: 233: 222: 180: 1011:), as, according to a legend, King John II Casimir watched the 1655 battle from this hill. The town of Żarnów itself was burned to the ground by the Swedes to such an extent that 21 years after the battle, the population of Żarnów was only 120, while before the battle, it had reached 1,000. The northwestern corner of historic Lesser Poland, which had until then been prosperous, was turned into a desert, and with other towns in the region, such as Opoczno, Inowłódz, Drzewica and Odrzywół, Żarnów never fully recovered: "It is not an exaggeration to claim that the cataclysm of the Swedish Deluge can be compared with the barbarity of the Nazis in the Second World War", wrote local historian Krzysztof Nawrocki. 25: 111: 210: 199: 168: 978:
entered the fray, but the battle was ended by heavy rain, which saved the Polish army from complete destruction. Retreating Polish units were chased by the Swedes, who captured the best soldiers and forced them to serve in the Swedish army. The nobility abandoned the battlefield and returned to their
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and King John II Casimir. The King, broken and defeated, reached Kraków on September 19. At first, John Casimir planned to defend the ancient Polish capital at all costs, but changed his mind and left the city, leaving it under the command of Czarniecki. A few days later, the Polish monarch crossed
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began. The town, lacking modern fortifications, quickly capitulated, and was almost completely destroyed, with only 20 houses left intact. A similar fate awaited other local towns: in Drzewica, only 21 houses remained, and only 22 in Odrzywół. Local residents were shaken by the barbarity of the
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was fought off by the Swedes, Charles Gustav ordered the infantry forward, with support from the artillery. The Swedes advanced, capturing a hill, which had served as a Polish defensive position. The Poles tried to prevent this, but facing Swedish fire superiority, they had to withdraw. Soon
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On September 15, the Royal Crown army and levée en masse units, altogether numbering some 11,000, reached Żarnów, where Polish king decided to personally face Charles Gustav. The Swedish army was of similar strength, but with more infantry and 40 artillery pieces, versus six Polish cannons.
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attacked the Swedish rear guard of 500, commanded by George Forgell. The Poles managed to kill some 200 Swedes, but this did not halt the advance of the invaders.
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who was no match for experienced Swedish mercenaries. Since morale among the Poles was low, John Casimir planned to withdraw towards
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Swedish invaders, as the northwestern corner of Lesser Poland had not experienced such vast destruction since the 13th century
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Pod Żarnowem - w czasach szwedzkiego Potopu. Kolejna rocznica historycznej bitwy, by Krzysztof Nawrocki (pdf format)
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The Swedish army captured Warsaw in late July 1655, after the Polish capital had been abandoned by King
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The Swedish army continued its march southwards, capturing and burning the towns of Inowłódz,
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In early September 1655, Polish forces loyal to John II Casimir concentrated near
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was fought on September 16, 1655, between the forces of the
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The Swedish victory opened the road to the province of
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1655 battle of the Second Northern War; Swedish victory
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Battles involving the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
1003:One of the hills located in Żarnów is still called 1262: 46:but its sources remain unclear because it lacks 548: 534: 309: 890:. The result ended with a Swedish victory. 1296:1655 in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 541: 527: 316: 302: 77:Learn how and when to remove this message 1263: 522: 297: 1254:Photos of the Swedish hill in Żarnów 18: 13: 14: 1312: 1247: 1138:26. Västgöta Infantry (Scheiding) 1014: 921:. On September 12, the siege of 242: 231: 220: 208: 197: 178: 166: 109: 23: 1281:Battles of the Deluge (history) 1189: 1202:900–1,500 dragoons and reiters 1110:20. Smålands Infantry (Irwing) 1066:Infantry (Carl Larsson Sparre) 876:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 323: 271:900-1,500 dragoons and reiters 185:Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1: 893: 1145:28. Gr. Pontus De la Gardie 1000:the Polish-Silesian border. 982: 7: 1291:History of Łódź Voivodeship 10: 1317: 1235: 1209:(levée en masse) from the 1155:30. Ångermanland Infantry 1073:13. Lantgr. Fr. av Hessen 1060:10. Närke Infantry (Essen) 273:3,000-4,000 levée en masse 995:and Kraków, commanded by 964: 928:Mongol invasion of Poland 577:Russo-Swedish (1656–1658) 560: 552:Northern War of 1655–1660 333: 279: 254: 190: 159: 123: 108: 99:Northern War of 1655–1660 96: 91: 1286:Battles involving Sweden 592:Dano-Swedish (1658–1660) 587:Dano-Swedish (1657–1658) 32:This article includes a 249:Aleksander Koniecpolski 115:The battle, painted by 61:more precise citations. 1039:6. Fältm. Wittenbergs 1030:3. Fältm. Wittenbergs 882:and the forces of the 804:March Across the Belts 508:Transylvanian campaign 238:Stanisław Lanckoroński 191:Commanders and leaders 1131:Infantry (Drakenberg) 1087:Infantry (Karl Spare) 1056:Västerbotten Regiment 280:Casualties and losses 1129:Västmanland Regiment 363:Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki 1185:40 artillery pieces 1058:Infantry (Cappelen) 969:After an attack by 266:40 artillery pieces 1231:6 artillery pieces 1207:pospolite ruszenie 1037:5. Fersen Infantry 275:6 artillery pieces 34:list of references 1271:Conflicts in 1655 1122:23. Ridderhielms 1093:Infantry (Irwing) 1085:Hälsinge Regiment 1068:12. Königsmarcks 1064:Hälsinge Regiment 1035:4. Wirtz Infantry 997:Stefan Czarniecki 908:Stefan Czarniecki 864: 863: 516: 515: 292: 291: 155: 154: 131:16 September 1655 87: 86: 79: 1308: 1197:Wojsko komputowe 1091:Småland Regiment 1049:8. Königsmarcks 1025:2. Drottningens 1009:Swedish Mountain 888:Charles X Gustav 764:Prostki/Prostken 555: 553: 543: 536: 529: 520: 519: 328: 318: 311: 304: 295: 294: 247: 246: 236: 235: 225: 224: 215:Arvid Wittenberg 213: 212: 204:Charles X Gustav 202: 201: 183: 182: 171: 170: 125: 124: 113: 92:Battle of Żarnów 89: 88: 82: 75: 71: 68: 62: 57:this article by 48:inline citations 27: 26: 19: 1316: 1315: 1311: 1310: 1309: 1307: 1306: 1305: 1261: 1260: 1250: 1238: 1195:6,000 cavalry ( 1192: 1167: 1161: 1156: 1154: 1149: 1144: 1139: 1137: 1132: 1126: 1121: 1116: 1111: 1109: 1104: 1100:18. Fab. Berns 1099: 1094: 1088: 1082: 1077: 1072: 1067: 1061: 1059: 1053: 1048: 1043: 1038: 1036: 1034: 1029: 1024: 1017: 985: 976:Swedish cavalry 967: 906:, a unit under 900:John II Casimir 896: 886:, commanded by 880:John II Casimir 878:, commanded by 865: 860: 556: 551: 549: 547: 517: 512: 329: 324: 322: 274: 272: 270: 265: 263: 261: 241: 240: 230: 229: 227:John II Casimir 219: 207: 206: 196: 177: 165: 151:Swedish victory 143: 114: 83: 72: 66: 63: 52: 38:related reading 28: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1314: 1304: 1303: 1298: 1293: 1288: 1283: 1278: 1276:1655 in Europe 1273: 1257: 1256: 1249: 1248:External links 1246: 1245: 1244: 1237: 1234: 1233: 1232: 1229: 1203: 1200: 1191: 1188: 1187: 1186: 1183: 1180: 1179:4,500 infantry 1177: 1020:1. Fab. Berns 1018: 1016: 1013: 984: 981: 971:Polish cavalry 966: 963: 943:levée en masse 895: 892: 884:Swedish Empire 862: 861: 859: 858: 852: 851: 846: 841: 836: 831: 826: 821: 816: 811: 806: 801: 796: 791: 786: 781: 776: 771: 766: 761: 756: 751: 746: 741: 736: 731: 726: 721: 716: 711: 706: 701: 696: 691: 686: 681: 676: 671: 666: 661: 656: 651: 646: 641: 636: 631: 625: 624: 620: 619: 614: 609: 604: 602:Peach Tree War 599: 594: 589: 584: 579: 574: 571:Swedish Deluge 566: 565: 561: 558: 557: 546: 545: 538: 531: 523: 514: 513: 511: 510: 505: 500: 495: 490: 485: 480: 475: 470: 465: 460: 455: 450: 445: 440: 435: 430: 425: 420: 415: 410: 405: 400: 395: 390: 385: 380: 375: 370: 365: 360: 355: 350: 345: 340: 334: 331: 330: 321: 320: 313: 306: 298: 290: 289: 286: 282: 281: 277: 276: 267: 262:4,500 infantry 257: 256: 252: 251: 217: 193: 192: 188: 187: 175: 173:Swedish Empire 162: 161: 157: 156: 153: 152: 149: 145: 144: 139: 137: 133: 132: 129: 121: 120: 117:Erik Dahlbergh 106: 105: 94: 93: 85: 84: 67:September 2014 42:external links 31: 29: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1313: 1302: 1299: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1277: 1274: 1272: 1269: 1268: 1266: 1259: 1255: 1252: 1251: 1243: 1240: 1239: 1230: 1228: 1224: 1220: 1216: 1212: 1208: 1204: 1201: 1198: 1194: 1193: 1184: 1181: 1178: 1176:6,000 cavalry 1175: 1174: 1173: 1171: 1166: 1165: 1160: 1153: 1148: 1143: 1140:27. Pretlach 1136: 1133:25. Böddeker 1130: 1125: 1120: 1117:22. Sinclers 1115: 1112:21. Smålands 1108: 1105:19. Smålands 1103: 1098: 1095:17. Upplands 1092: 1086: 1081: 1078:14. Upplands 1076: 1071: 1065: 1057: 1052: 1047: 1042: 1033: 1028: 1023: 1015:Swedish units 1012: 1010: 1006: 1005:Szwedzka Góra 1001: 998: 994: 990: 989:Lesser Poland 980: 977: 972: 962: 958: 956: 952: 951:Lesser Poland 949:and northern 948: 944: 940: 936: 931: 929: 924: 920: 916: 911: 909: 905: 901: 891: 889: 885: 881: 877: 873: 872: 857: 854: 853: 850: 847: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 815: 812: 810: 807: 805: 802: 800: 797: 795: 792: 790: 789:Czarny Ostrów 787: 785: 782: 780: 777: 775: 772: 770: 767: 765: 762: 760: 757: 755: 752: 750: 747: 745: 742: 740: 737: 735: 732: 730: 727: 725: 722: 720: 717: 715: 712: 710: 707: 705: 702: 700: 697: 695: 692: 690: 687: 685: 682: 680: 677: 675: 672: 670: 667: 665: 662: 660: 657: 655: 652: 650: 647: 645: 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 630: 627: 626: 622: 621: 618: 615: 613: 610: 608: 605: 603: 600: 598: 595: 593: 590: 588: 585: 583: 580: 578: 575: 573: 572: 568: 567: 563: 562: 559: 554: 544: 539: 537: 532: 530: 525: 524: 521: 509: 506: 504: 501: 499: 496: 494: 491: 489: 486: 484: 481: 479: 478:Czarny Ostrów 476: 474: 471: 469: 466: 464: 461: 459: 456: 454: 451: 449: 446: 444: 441: 439: 436: 434: 431: 429: 426: 424: 421: 419: 416: 414: 411: 409: 406: 404: 401: 399: 396: 394: 391: 389: 386: 384: 381: 379: 376: 374: 371: 369: 366: 364: 361: 359: 356: 354: 351: 349: 346: 344: 341: 339: 336: 335: 332: 327: 319: 314: 312: 307: 305: 300: 299: 296: 287: 284: 283: 278: 269:6,000 cavalry 268: 260:6,000 cavalry 259: 258: 253: 250: 245: 239: 234: 228: 223: 218: 216: 211: 205: 200: 195: 194: 189: 186: 181: 176: 174: 169: 164: 163: 158: 150: 147: 146: 142: 138: 135: 134: 130: 127: 126: 122: 118: 112: 107: 104: 100: 95: 90: 81: 78: 70: 60: 56: 50: 49: 43: 39: 35: 30: 21: 20: 1258: 1211:voivodeships 1205:3,000-4,000 1190:Polish units 1182:400 dragoons 1169: 1168: 1019: 1008: 1004: 1002: 986: 974:afterwards, 968: 959: 932: 912: 897: 868: 866: 643: 569: 352: 288:1,000 killed 264:400 dragoons 160:Belligerents 97:Part of the 73: 64: 53:Please help 45: 1162:32. Taubes 1157:31. Engels 1150:29. Yxkull 59:introducing 1265:Categories 993:Włoszczowa 941:through a 894:Background 869:Battle of 834:Copenhagen 759:2nd Cracow 739:Kokenhusen 729:2nd Warsaw 714:1st Warsaw 699:Sandomierz 669:Jasna Góra 649:1st Cracow 607:New Sweden 488:2nd Kraków 443:2nd Warsaw 428:1st Warsaw 408:Sandomierz 378:Jasna Góra 358:1st Kraków 326:The Deluge 103:The Deluge 983:Aftermath 844:Grudziądz 654:Nowy Dwór 582:Pomerania 503:Grudziądz 413:Kozienice 939:nobility 919:Odrzywół 915:Drzewica 904:Inowłódz 856:Treaties 839:Ebeltoft 784:Magierów 774:Chojnice 734:Dyneburg 684:Jarosław 612:Courland 564:Theaters 473:Magierów 468:Chojnice 398:Jarosław 285:very few 255:Strength 136:Location 1236:Sources 1227:Masovia 1223:Sieradz 1219:Kuyavia 1215:Łęczyca 1102:Dragoon 1044:7. Liv 1022:Dragoon 979:homes. 947:Mazovia 935:Wolborz 923:Opoczno 829:Rödsund 824:Kolding 769:Filipów 724:Tykocin 659:Wojnicz 623:Battles 498:Skuodas 463:Filipów 458:Prostki 438:Tykocin 368:Wojnicz 55:improve 1164:Reiter 1159:Reiter 1152:Reiter 1147:Reiter 1142:Reiter 1135:Reiter 1124:Reiter 1119:Reiter 1114:Reiter 1107:Reiter 1097:Reiter 1080:Reiter 1075:Reiter 1070:Reiter 1051:Reiter 1046:Reiter 1041:Reiter 1032:Reiter 1027:Reiter 965:Battle 955:Kraków 871:Żarnów 849:Nyborg 814:Szkudy 794:Skałat 754:Lubrze 749:Łowicz 719:Kcynia 709:Kłecko 694:Zamość 664:Krosno 644:Żarnów 639:Sobota 634:Danzig 629:Ujście 617:Africa 597:Norway 483:Skałat 453:Lubrze 448:Łowicz 433:Kcynia 423:Kłecko 393:Zamość 373:Krosno 353:Żarnów 348:Sobota 343:Danzig 338:Ujście 148:Result 141:Żarnów 1170:Total 945:from 819:Sound 809:Toruń 704:Warka 689:Nisko 679:Gołąb 674:Radom 493:Toruń 418:Warka 403:Nisko 388:Gołąb 383:Radom 40:, or 1225:and 1127:24. 1089:16. 1083:15. 1062:11. 917:and 867:The 799:Gdov 779:Walk 744:Riga 128:Date 1213:of 1054:9. 1267:: 1221:, 1217:, 1172:: 930:. 101:/ 44:, 36:, 1199:) 1007:( 542:e 535:t 528:v 317:e 310:t 303:v 119:. 80:) 74:( 69:) 65:( 51:.

Index

list of references
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introducing
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Northern War of 1655–1660
The Deluge

Erik Dahlbergh
Żarnów
Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Swedish Empire
Charles X Gustav
Swedish Empire
Arvid Wittenberg
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
John II Casimir
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Stanisław Lanckoroński
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Aleksander Koniecpolski
v
t
e
The Deluge

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