   #copyright

Battle of Grunwald

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Pre 1900 Military

          For the World War I battle in 1914 at the same location, refer
          to Battle of Tannenberg (1914)

   Battle of Grunwald
   Part of the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War
   Battle of Grunwald
   Battle of Grunwald, by Jan Matejko, 1878. Oil on canvas.

     Date   July 15, 1410
   Location Grunwald ( Tannenberg), present-day Poland
    Result  Decisive Polish–Lithuanian victory
   Combatants
   Kingdom of Poland
   Grand Duchy of Lithuania Teutonic Order and Mercenaries and Various
   Knights from the rest of Europe
   Commanders
   Władysław II Jagiełło, Vytautas the Great, Jan Sokol of Lamberk Ulrich
   von Jungingen†
   Strength
   39,000 27,000
   Casualties
   Unknown 8,000 dead
   2,000 captured
   Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War
   Bydgoszcz • Dąbrówno • Kurzętnik • Grunwald • Marienburg • Radzyń •
   Koronowo • Działdowo • Tuchola • Golub

   The Battle of Grunwald or Battle of Tannenberg took place on July 15,
   1410 between the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and
   their allies on one side, and the Knights of the Teutonic Order on the
   other. It was the decisive battle of the Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War
   (1409-1411) and one of the greatest battles of medieval Europe.

   The Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights was defeated in the battle
   and never recovered its former influence. The few eyewitness accounts
   of the battle are contradictory. It took place in the area of several
   smaller villages, and different names in various languages are
   attributed to it.

Names and Locations

   The battle was fought in the plains between the villages of
     * Grunwald (Žalgiris in Lithuanian),
     * Stębark (Tannenberg in German) and
     * Łodwigowo (Ludwigsdorf in German)

   in what was then territory of the Order, and is now part of Poland. The
   nearest city of any size was Dąbrówno (Gilgenburg in German). The names
   Žalgiris (from the Lithuanian žalia giria) and Grunwald (from the
   German grüner Wald) both translate as "Green Forest." It was also
   called Zielone Pole ("Green Field") in Old Polish, and, in German,
   Grunenfelde or Grunefeld ("Green field") in the oldest texts.

   The battle is called
     * Schlacht bei Tannenberg (Battle of Tannenberg) by Germans,
     * Žalgirio mūšis (Battle of Žalgiris) by Lithuanians,
     * Bitwa pod Grunwaldem (Battle of Grunwald) by Poles,
     * Гру́нвальдзкая бі́тва (Battle of Grunwald) by Belarusians,
     * Ґрю́нвальдська би́тва (Battle of Grunwald) by Ukrainians and
     * Grünwald suğışı by Tatars.

Eve of the battle

   In the 13th century, the Teutonic Knights had been invited to the lands
   surrounding Chełmno to assist in the expulsion of the ( pagan)
   Prussians. They stayed on, and, under a papal edict which gave them
   effective carte blanche to act as they wished, established a power base
   in the region, occupying the Baltic coastal regions of what are now
   Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and showed every sign of further
   expansion. Their incursions into Poland in the 14th century gave them
   control of major towns such as Chełmno (Kulm) and Pomorze (Pommern)
   region. In order to further their war efforts against the (pagan)
   Lithuanian state, the Teutonic Knights instituted a series of crusades,
   enlisting support from other European countries.

   In 1385 the Union of Kreva joined the crown of Poland and Lithuania,
   and the subsequent marriage of Grand Duke Jogaila of Lithuania and King
   Jadwiga of Poland (there was no title "Queen of Poland") was to shift
   the balance of power; both nations were more than aware that only by
   acting together could the expansion plans of the Teutonic Order be
   thwarted. Jogaila accepted Christianity and became the King of Poland
   as Władysław Jagiełło. Lithuania's conversion to Christianity removed
   much of the rationale of the Teutonic Knights' anti-pagan crusades. It
   can be said the Ordenstaat lost its raison d'etre.

   The Knights, however, invaded again in 1398 what were now Christian
   states of Poland and Lithuania. At this time, the Poles and the
   Lithuanians had little option but to suffer in silence, for they were
   still not prepared militarily to confront the power of the Knights.

   In 1409, an uprising in Teutonic-held Samogitia started. The king of
   Poland and Lithuania announced that he would stand by his promises in
   case the Teutons invaded Lithuania. This was used as a pretext, and on
   August 14, 1409 the Teutonic Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen declared
   war on the Polish-Lithuanian union. The forces of the Teutonic Order
   initially invaded Greater Poland and Kuyavia, but the Poles repelled
   the invasion and reconquered Bydgoszcz (Bromberg), which led to a
   subsequent armistice agreement that was to last until June 24, 1410.
   The Lithuanians and Poles used this time in preparations to remove the
   Teutonic threat once and for all.

   The forces of the Teutonic Knights were aware of the Polish-Lithuanian
   build-up and expected a dual attack, by the Poles towards Danzig (
   Gdańsk) and by the Lithuanians towards Samogitia. To counter this
   threat, Ulrich von Jungingen concentrated part of his forces in Schwetz
   ( Świecie) while leaving the large part of his army in the eastern
   castles of Ragneta/ Ragainė, Rhein ( Ryn) near Lötzen ( Giżycko), and
   Memel ( Klaipėda). Poles and Lithuanians continued to screen their
   intentions by organising several raids deep into enemy territory.
   Ulrich von Jungingen asked for the armistice to be extended to July 4
   in order to let the mercenaries from western Europe arrive. Enough time
   had already been given for the Polish-Lithuanian forces to gather in
   strength.

   On June 30, 1410, the forces of Greater Poland and Lesser Poland
   crossed the Vistula over a pontoon bridge and joined with the forces of
   Masovia and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Jagiełło's Polish forces and
   the Lithuanian soldiers of his cousin Vytautas the Great (to whom
   Jagiełło had ceded power in Lithuania in the wake of his marriage to
   the Polish queen) assembled on July 2, 1410. A week later they crossed
   into the territory of the Teutonic Knights, heading for the enemy
   headquarters at the castle of Marienburg ( Malbork). The Teutonic
   Knights were caught by surprise.

   Ulrich von Jungingen withdrew his forces from the area of Schwetz (
   Świecie) and decided to organise a line of defence on the river Drewenz
   ( Drwęca). The river crossings were fortified with stockades and the
   castles nearby reinforced. After meeting with his War Council, Jagiełło
   decided to out flank the enemy forces from the East and continue the
   march towards Marienburg through Soldau ( Działdowo) and Gilgenburg (
   Dąbrówno). On July 13, these two castles were captured and the way
   towards Marienburg was opened.

Opposing forces

   In the early morning of July 15, 1410, both armies met in the fields
   near the villages of Grunwald, Tannenberg and Łodwigowo (Ludwigsdorf).
   Both armies were dislocated in line formations. The Polish-Lithuanian
   army was set up in front of the villages of Łodwigowo/Ludwigsdorf and
   Stębark/Tannenberg. The left flank was guarded by the Polish forces of
   king Władysław Jagiełło and composed mostly of heavy cavalry. The right
   flank of the allied forces was guarded by the army of Grand Duke
   Vytautas, and composed mostly of light cavalry. Among the forces on the
   right flank were banners from all over the Grand Duchy, as well as
   Tatar skirmishers and (probably) Moldavian mercenaries. The opposing
   forces of the Teutonic Order were composed mostly of heavy cavalry and
   infantry. They were aided by mercenaries from Western Europe called
   "the guests of the Order," and some other Knights including those of
   the Knights Templar who had been summoned to participate by a Papal
   Bull.

   The exact number of soldiers on both sides is hard to estimate. There
   are only two reliable sources describing the battle. The best-preserved
   and most complete was written by Ioannes Longinus but does not mention
   the exact numbers. The other is incomplete and preserved only in a
   brief 16th century document. Months after the battle, in December 1410,
   the Order's new Grand Master Heinrich von Plauen the Elder sent letters
   to Western European monarchs in which he described the battle as a war
   against the forces of evil pagans. This view was shared by many
   chronicle writers. Since the outcome of the battle was subject to
   propaganda campaigns on both sides, many foreign authors frequently
   overestimated the Polish-Lithuanian forces in an attempt to explain the
   dramatic result.

   In one of the Prussian chronicles it is mentioned that "the forces of
   the Polish king were so numerous that there is no number high enough in
   the human language". One of the anonymous chronicles from the German
   Hanseatic city of Lübeck mentions that the forces of Jagiello numbered
   some 1,700,000 soldiers, the forces of Vytautas with 2,700,000 (as well
   as a great number of Ruthenians), in addition to 1,500,000 Tatars.
   Among the forces supposedly aiding the Polish-Lithuanian army were "
   Saracens, Turks, pagans of Damascus, Persia and other lands". According
   to Enguerrand de Monstrelet, the Teutons fielded some 300,000 men,
   while their enemies under the kings of "Lithuania, Poland and Sarmatia"
   fielded 600,000. Andrew of Regensburg estimated the Polish-Lithuanian
   forces at 1,200,000 men-at-arms.

   More recent historians estimate the strength of the opposing forces at
   a much lower level. Ludwik Kolankowski estimated the Polish-Lithuanian
   forces at 16,000-18,000 Polish cavalry and 6,000-8,000 Lithuanian light
   cavalry, with the Teutonic Knights fielding 13,000-15,000 heavy
   cavalry. Jerzy Dąbrowski estimated the overall strength of the allied
   forces at 18,000 Polish cavalry and 11,000 Lithuanians and Ruthenians,
   with the opposing forces bringing 16,000 soldiers.
   Historian Poland Lithuania Others Teutonic Order
   Lübeck Chronicle 1 700 000 2 700 000 1 500 000
   Enguerrand de Monstrelet 600 000 300 000
   Andrew of Regensburg 1 200 000
   Ludwik Kolankowski 18 000 heavy cavalry 8 000 light cavalry 15 000
   heavy cavalry
   Jerzy Dąbrowski 18 000 11 000 16 000 + 3 000 guests
   Henryk Łowmiański 12 000 heavy cavalry 7 200 light cavalry 11 000 heavy
   cavalry
   Andrzej Nadolski 20 000 10 000 1000

   Regardless of such estimates, most of the modern historians count only
   the cavalry units. Apart from 16,000 cavalry, the Teutonic Order also
   fielded some 9,000 infantry, archers and crossbow troops. Both armies
   also had large military camps, tabors and other units, which made up
   some 10% of their total strength.

   Both armies were organised in banners. Each heavy cavalry banner was
   composed of approximately 240 mounted knights as well as their squires
   and armour-bearers. Each banner flew its own standard and fought
   independently. Lithuanian banners were usually weaker and composed of
   approximately 180 light cavalry soldiers. The structure of foot units (
   pikemen, archers, crossbowmen) and the artillery is unknown.

   The forces on both sides were composed of troops coming from a variety
   of countries and lands. Apart from units fielded by lands of Poland,
   Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Order, there were also
   mercenaries from Western Europe (most notably Alsace, Lorraine, German
   Countries, Moravia, Bohemia and probably Moldavia. Historians of the
   Soviet Union attempted to overemphasize the Russian role in the battle.
   For example, they included some Lithuanian banners, such as Smolensk,
   into the Russian list. They also phrased the desciption of the battle
   to make it appear that the support from Russian lands was decisive. In
   fact there was a joke that "the battle with the fascist Teutons was won
   by joint Polish-Soviet forces" (most of the territory of the Grand
   Duchy was part of the Soviet Union in the 20th century).

   The overall commander of the joint Polish-Lithuanian forces was king
   Władysław Jagiełło, with the Polish units subordinated to Marshal of
   the Crown Zbigniew of Brzezie and Lithuanian units under the immediate
   command of Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas. Until recently it was
   believed that the Sword Bearer of the Crown Zyndram of Maszkowice was
   the commander in chief of the joint army, but this idea was based on a
   false translation of the description of the battle by Ioannes Longinus.
   The Teutonic Forces were commanded directly by the Grand Master of the
   Order Ulrich von Jungingen.

Course of the battle

                                                         Initial positions
                                                                   Enlarge
                                                         Initial positions

                                       Retreat of Lithuanian light cavalry
                                                                   Enlarge
                                       Retreat of Lithuanian light cavalry

                                     Right-flank Polish/Lithuanian assault
                                                                   Enlarge
                                     Right-flank Polish/Lithuanian assault

                                        Polish heavy cavalry break-through
                                                                   Enlarge
                                        Polish heavy cavalry break-through

   The opposing forces formed their lines at dawn. At noon the forces of
   Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas started an all-out assault on the left
   flank of the Teutonic forces, near the village of Tannenberg (
   Stębark). The Lithuanian cavalry was supported by a cavalry charge of
   several Polish banners on the right flank of the enemy forces. The
   enemy heavy cavalry counter-attacked on both flanks and fierce fighting
   occurred.

   After more than an hour, the Lithuanian light cavalry started a planned
   retreat maneuver towards marshes and woods. This maneuver was often
   used in the east of Grand Duchy of Lithuania by Mongols. Vytautas, who
   had experience in battles against Mongols, used it in this battle. Only
   three banners of Smolensk commanded by Lengvenis (Simon Lingwen), son
   of Algirdas, brother of Jagiełło and a cousin of Vytautas, remained on
   the right flank after the retreat of Vytautas and his troops. One of
   the banners was totally destroyed, while the remaining two were backed
   up by the Polish cavalry held in reserve and broke through the enemy
   lines to the Polish positions.

   Heavy cavalry of the Order started a disorganised pursuit after the
   retreating Lithuanians, which might have been a fatal mistake. The
   Knights entered the marshes, where Vytautas reorganized his forces to
   return to battle.

   At the same time heavy fighting continued on the left flank of the
   Polish forces. After several hours of massed battle, the Teutonic
   cavalry started to gain the upper hand. According to Ioannes Longinus
   the Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen personally led a cavalry charge
   on the strongest Polish unit — the Banner of the Land of Kraków. The
   Polish ranks started to waver and the flag of the banner was lost.
   However, it was soon recaptured by the Polish knights, and king
   Władysław Jagiełło ordered most of his reserves to enter combat.

   The arrival of fresh troops allowed the Poles to repel the enemy
   assault and the forces of Ulrich von Jungingen were weakened. At the
   same time his reserves were still busy pursuing the evading Lithuanian
   cavalry. When they finally returned to the battlefield, it was already
   too late for the Teutonic charge to succeed and the forces of the Order
   started the withdrawal.

   After several hours of fighting, Ulrich von Jungingen decided to join
   his embattled forces in the main line of engagement. Vytautas, however,
   also returned to the battlefield with the reorganized forces of the
   Grand Duchy of Lithuania and joined the fierce fighting. The Teutonic
   forces were by then becoming outnumbered by the mass of Polish knights
   and the advancing Lithuanian infantry, which all of a sudden had come
   pouring on the battlefield from the surrounding forests.

   Ulrich von Jungingen personally led the assault with 16 banners of
   heavy cavalry, which until then were held in reserve. Jagiełło,
   however, threw in all his remaining reserves, as well as several
   already tired units. Putting up heavy resistance, the 16 banners of the
   Great Master were surrounded and began to suffer high losses, including
   the Grand Master himself, who was probably killed by Polish peasantry.
   Seeing the fall of their Grand Master, the rest of the Teutonic forces
   started to withdraw towards their camp.

   Part of the routed units retreated to the forests where they were
   pursued by the Lithuanian and Polish cavalry, while the rest retreated
   to the camp near the village of Grunwald, where they tried to organise
   the defence by using the tabor tactics: the camp was surrounded by
   wagons tied up with chains, serving as a mobile fortification. However,
   the defences were soon broken and the camp was looted. According to the
   anonymous author of the Chronicle of the Conflict of Ladislaus King of
   Poland with the Teutons Anno Domini 1410, there were more bodies in and
   around the camp than on the rest of the battlefield. The pursuit after
   the fleeing Teutonic cavalry lasted until the dusk.

   Despite the technological superiority of the Teutonic Knights, to the
   point of this being believed to be the first battle in this part of
   Europe in which field-artillery was deployed, the numbers and tactical
   superiority of the Polish Lithuanian alliance were to prove
   overwhelming.

   Jan Žižka of Trocnov lost his first eye in the battle, fighting for the
   Lithuanians.

After the Battle

   Painting by Alfons Mucha, detailing carnage after the Battle of
   Grunwald.
   Enlarge
   Painting by Alfons Mucha, detailing carnage after the Battle of
   Grunwald.

   The defeat of the Teutonic Order was resounding. According to Andrzej
   Nadolski about 8,000 Teuton soldiers were killed in the battle, and an
   additional 14,000 taken captive. Most of the approximately 250 members
   of the Order were also killed, including much of the Teutonic
   leadership. Apart from Ulrich von Jungingen himself, the Polish and
   Lithuanian forces killed also the Grand Marshal Friedrich von
   Wallenrode, Grand Komtur Kuno von Lichtenstein and Albrecht von
   Schwartzburg, the Grand Treasurer Thomas von Merheim.

   Markward von Salzbach, the Komtur of Brandenburg, and mayor Schaumburg
   of Sambia were executed by order of Vytautas after the battle. The only
   higher officials to escape from the battle were Grand Hospital Master
   and Komtur of Elbing Werner von Tettinger. Such a slaughter of noble
   knights and personalities was quite unusual in Mediæval Europe. This
   was possible mostly due to the participation of the peasantry who
   joined latter stages of the battle, and took part in destruction of the
   surrounded Teutonic troops. Unlike the noblemen, the peasants did not
   receive any ransom for taking captives; they thus had less of an
   incentive to keep them alive. Among those taken captive were Kasimir V,
   duke of Stettin ( Szczecin), and Konrad the White, duke of Oels (
   Oleśnica).

   After the battle Polish and Lithuanian forces stayed on the battlefield
   for three days. All notable officials were interred in separate graves,
   while the body of Ulrich von Jungingen was covered with royal coat and
   transported to Marienburg. The rest of the dead were gathered in
   several mass graves. There are different speculations as to why
   Jagiello decided to wait that long. After three days, the
   Polish-Lithuanian forces moved on to Marienburg and laid siege upon the
   castle, but the three days time was enough for the Teutons to organise
   the defence. After several weeks of siege, the Lithuanian Grand Duke
   withdrew from the war and it became clear that the siege would not be
   effective. The nobility from Lesser Poland also wanted to end the war
   before the harvest and the siege was lifted.

   In the battle, both Polish and Lithuanian forces took several thousand
   captives. Most of the mercenaries were released shortly after the
   battle on the condition that they will return to Krakow on 29 September
   1410. After that move, the king held most of the Teutonic officials,
   while the rest returned to Prussia to beg the Teutonic Order officials
   for their liberation and ransom payment. This proved to be a major
   drain of the Teutonic budget as an average rate for a knight was quite
   high. For instance, one of the mercenaries named Holbracht von Loym had
   to pay sixty times the number of 150 Prague groszes, that is almost 300
   kilograms of pure silver, a value uncommon even in modern times. With
   his army defeated and the remnants of it composed mostly of ill-paid
   mercenaries, Heinrich von Plauen the Elder had little incentive to
   continue the fight, especially that most of the cities owned by the
   Teutons sworn their loyalty to the Polish king. Thus, after retaking
   Danzig from rebellious burghers, the peace negotiations were started.

   The Peace of Thorn ( Peace of Torun) was concluded as a result of the
   Battle of Grunwald, in which Poland annexed the Dobriner Land ( Dobrzyń
   Land) and Lithuania recovered Samogitia. This is thought to be a
   diplomatic defeat for Poland and Lithuania as they pushed for attempts
   to dismantle the Teutonic Knights state altogether. However, while the
   Poles and Lithuanians were unable to translate their military victory
   to greater political gains, the indirect results of the battle were
   much worse for the Teutons. The massacre of Teutonic troops left them
   with few forces to defend their remaining territories. The Grand
   Masters from then on had to rely on mercenary troops, which proved too
   expensive for the Teutons' budget to sustain. Although Heinrich von
   Plauen the Elder, the successor to Ulrich von Jungingen, managed to
   save his state from complete breakdown, the opposition to his rule
   among the burghers, the knights and within the Order itself forced his
   ouster.

   The Teutons' lost support due to their internal conflicts and constant
   tax increases, which decades later was manifested in the foundation of
   the Prussian Confederation, or Alliance against Lordship. This led to a
   series of conflicts that culminated in the Thirteen Years' War, ending
   with another defeat of the victorious order.

Influences of the Battle of Grunwald on modern culture

Poland

   Jagiełło in a 2003 reconstruction of the battle.
   Enlarge
   Jagiełło in a 2003 reconstruction of the battle.

   The battle of Grunwald is regarded as one of the most important battles
   in Polish history. It is often depicted by an ideogram of two swords,
   which were supposedly given to king Jagiello before the battle by the
   Teutonic envoys to "raise Polish desire for battle".
   Cross of Grunwald medal, with its double swords.
   Enlarge
   Cross of Grunwald medal, with its double swords.

   In 1914, on the eve of World War I, during the celebrations marking the
   500-year anniversary of the battle a monument was erected in Kraków.
   The ceremony spawned demonstrations of outrage within Polish society
   against the aggressive politics of the German Empire, including the
   forcible Germanization of Poles after the partitions of Poland. Polish
   poet Maria Konopnicka wrote the fiercely Polish-patriotic and
   anti-German poem Rota. About the same time, Henryk Sienkiewicz wrote
   his novel The Teutonic Knights (Polish: Krzyżacy) , one of his series
   of books designed to increase the patriotic spirit among the Poles. The
   book was eventually depicted in the film The Teutonic Knights by
   Aleksander Ford. Today, a festival is held every year to commemorate
   this medieval battle. Thousands of medieval reenactors, many of them in
   knight's armor, from all across Europe gather every year in July at the
   Grunwald fields to reconstruct the battle again. Great care is put to
   the historical details of the armour, weapons and the conduct of the
   battle.

   Order Krzyża Grunwaldu (The Cross of Grunwald medal) was a Polish
   military decoration created in 1943 by the commander of the Gwardia
   Ludowa (confirmed in 1944 by the Krajowa Rada Narodowa) which was
   awarded for heroism in World War II.

   In Poland there are sport teams named "Grunwald"' like Grunwald Poznań.

Belarus

   The victory in the Battle of Grunwald is widely respected and
   commemorated in Belarus. In 15th century the lands of modern-day
   Belarus were a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Many of cities
   from what is today Belarus sent their troops to the battle to fight on
   the Grand Duchy's side.

Lithuania

   The victory at the Battle of Grunwald or Žalgirio mūšis in 1410 is
   synonymous to the peak of the political and military power of the Grand
   Duchy of Lithuania. The demise of the Teutonic order ended the period
   of German expansion and created preconditions for the political
   stability, economic growth and relative cultural prosperity that lasted
   until the rise of Muscovy in the late 16th century. In the Lithuanian
   historical discourse regarding the battle there is a lasting debate and
   controversy over the role played by the Lithuanian-born king of Poland
   Jogaila, and his cousin, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Vytautas, the
   latter usually being favoured as a national hero.

   Leading Lithuanian basketball and football teams are both called
   "Žalgiris" to commemorate the victorious battle BC Žalgiris and FK
   Žalgiris.

   The term Žalgiris became a symbol of the resistance to the foreign
   domination over Lithuania. The victories of the basketball club BC
   Žalgiris Kaunas against the Soviet Army sports club CSKA Moscow (in the
   late 1980s) served as a major emotional inspiration for the Lithuanian
   national revival, and the consequent emergence of the Sąjūdis movement
   that led to the collapse of the USSR.

Germany

   In Germany the battle was known as the Battle of Tannenberg. In 1914
   yet another Battle of Tannenberg took place between Germany and Russia,
   ending with a Russian defeat. In German propaganda during the WWI /
   WWII period the 1914 battle was put forth as a revenge for the Polish -
   Lithuanian victory 504 years earlier, and the battle itself was
   purposefully named to suit this agenda.

Russia and Soviet Union

   Due to participation of Smolensk regiment in the battle, Soviet
   propaganda depicted the battle as Polish-Lithuanian-Russian coalition
   against invading Germans.

Banners

Poland

   The exact Order of Battle of the Polish forces is unknown. However,
   Ioannes Longinus in his Historiæ Polonicæ written after 1455 recorded
   51 Polish banners, together with their descriptions, blazoning and
   commanders. It is not certain whether the list is complete.
   Banner of Battle sign Origin Remarks
     Army of The Crown - Court Banners
   Great Banner of Kraków and the Kingdom of Poland The Crown Arms of
   Poland Elite troops, under Zyndram of Maszkowice
   "Gończa" Court Banner Goncza Goncza Coat of Arms under Andrzej of
   Ochocice of Osorya
   Pogoń Court Banner Pogoń Pahonia under Andrzej Ciołek of Żelechów and
   Jan of Sprowa of Odrowąż
   Saint George Saint George Bohemian and Moravian mercenaries, under
   Sokol and Zbyslavek
     Army of The Crown - Regional Banners
   Greater Poland Greater Poland Coat of Arms of Greater Poland
   Land of Sandomierz Sandomierz Flag of Sandomierz
   Kalisz Kalisz Flag of Kalisz
   Land of Sieradz Sieradz Flag of Sieradz
   Land of Lublin Lublin Jeleń
   Land of Łęczyca Leczyca Flag of Łęczyca
   Land of Cuyavia Cuyavia Coat of Arms of Cuyavia
   Land of Lwów Lwow Banner of Lwów
   Land of Wieluń Wielun Flag of Wieluń Reinforced with mercenaries from
   Silesia
   Land of Przemyśl Przemyśl Flag of Przemyśl
   Dobrzyń Dobrzyn Coat of Arms of Dobrzyń
   Land of Chełm Chelm Coat of Arms of Chełm
   Three banners of Podolia Podolia Coat of Arms of Podolia Split up due
   to large number of knights
   Land of Halicz Halicz Coat of Arms of Halicz
     Army of The Crown - Masovian Banners
   Two banners of
   Duke Siemowit IV of Masovia Masovia Coat of Arms of Masovia Masovia,
   mostly Płock area Dukes of Masovia
   Duke Janusz I of Masovia Banner of Masovia as flown by the forces of
   Janusz I own Masovia, mostly Warsaw area Dukes of Masovia
     Army of The Crown - Personal Banners
   Archbishop of Gniezno
   Mikołaj Kurowski Sreniawa Śreniawa
   Bishop of Poznań
   ; Wojciech Jastrzębiec Jastrzębiec Jastrzębiec under Jarand of Brudzewo
   Castellan of Kraków
   Krystyn of Ostrów Rawicz Rawicz
   Voivod of Kraków
   Jan of Tarnów Leliwa Leliwa
   Voivod of Poznań
   Sędziwój of Ostroróg Nałęcz Nałęcz
   Voivod of Sandomierz
   Mikołaj of Michałowo Poraj Poraj
   Voivod of Sieradz
   Jakub of Koniecpol Pobóg Pobóg
   Castellan of Śrem
   Iwo of Obiechów Wieniawa Wieniawa
   Voivod of Łęczyca
   Jan Ligęza Półkozic Półkozic
   Castellan of Wojnice
   Andrzej of Tęczyn Topór Topór
   Marshal of The Crown
   Zbigniew of Brzezie Zadora Zadora
   Chambelain of Kraków
   Piotr Szafraniec Starykon Starykoń
   Castellan of Wiślica
   Klemens of Moskorzów Pilawa Piława
   Castellan of Śrem and mayor of Greater Poland
   Wincenty of Granów Leliwa Leliwa
   Dobko of Oleśnica Dębno Dębno
   Spytko of Tarnów Leliwa Leliwa
   Lord High Steward of Kalisz
   Marcin of Sławsko Zaremba Zaremba
   Dobrogost Świdwa of Szamotuły Nałęcz Nałęcz
   Krystyn of Koziegłowy Lis Lis
   Master King's Cup-Bearer
   Jan Mężyk Wadwicz Wadwicz
   Deputy Chancellor of the Crown
   Mikołaj Trąba Trąby Trąby
   Mikołaj Kmita of Wiśnicz Sreniawa Śreniawa
   Gryf Clan Gryf Gryf Family of Gryf, under Zygmunt of Bobowa
   Zaklika of Korzkiew Syrokomla Syrokomla
   Clan of Koźlerogi Kozlerogi Koźlerogi Family, under Castellan of
   Wiślica Florian of Korytnica
   Jan of Jičín Benesovec Benešovec Moravia Volunteers from Moravia,
   commanded by certain Helm
   Steward of the Crown and starost of Lwów
   Gniewosz of Dalewice Strzegomia Strzegomia Silesia, Bohemia and Moravia
   Only foreign volunteers and mercenaries
   Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Korybut Pogoń Vytis

Lithuania

   Due to different system of feudal overlordship, as well as lack of
   heraldic traditions, the units of Grand Duchy of Lithuania were all
   grouped under banners of two types: the Vytis and the Columns of
   Gediminas. The only difference between various lands using the same
   emblem was the blazon. The hareness and the colour of the horse on the
   Pahonia differed.

   Note that the number of Lithuanian banners is uncertain. According to
   Ioannes Longinus there were 40 banners on the right flank of the
   Polish-Lithuanian forces, 10 flying the Columns of Gediminas and 30
   flying the Vytis. However, he also mentions that there might have been
   2 additional banners from Smolensk and up to six additional banners of
   Samogitia. German authors also mention that there were three auxiliary
   banners of Moldavia flying their own flags. In addition, it is probable
   that the units from Trakai, Volhynia, Smolensk, Kiev and Nowogrodek
   used their own emblems.
   Banner of Battle sign Origin Remarks
     Army of the Grand Duchy - Flying the Vytis Banners
   Vytautas the Great Pogon Vytis
   Minsk Pogon Pahonia
   Polock Pogon Pahonia
   Hrodna Pogon Pahonia
   Kreva Pogon Pahonia
   Krichev Pogon Pahonia
   Mahileu Pogon Pahonia
   Niasvizh Pogon Pahonia
   Novgorod Pogon Pahonia
   Nowogrod Siewierski Pogon Pahonia
   Orsha Pogon Pahonia
   Slonim Pogon Pahonia
   Slutsk Pogon Pahonia
   Vitsebsk Pogon Pahonia
   Vladzimir Pogon Pahonia
     Army of the Grand Duchy - Flying the Columns Banners
   Sigismund Kestutaitis Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Manvydas Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Yurij, son of Lengvenis Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Trakai Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Vilnius Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Hrodna Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Kaunas Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Lida Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Medininkai Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Three (?) Banners of Smolensk Slupy Columns of Gediminas under
   Lengvenis (Simon Lingwen)
   Vitebsk Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Kiev Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Pinsk Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Navahradak Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Brest Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Wolkowysk Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Drohiczyn Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Mielnik Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Krzemieniec Slupy Columns of Gediminas
   Starodub Slupy Columns of Gediminas
     Auxiliary Units
   Lipka Tatars none approximately 1000 skirmishers under Jalal ad-Din
   Three Banners of Moldavia approximately 900 foot soldiers and 25
   knights under Logofat Mihaiu Alexandrel

Related reading

Non-fiction

     * Stefan Kuczyński, Szymon Kobyliński, Chorągwie grunwaldzkich
       zwycięzców (The Banners of the Victors of Grunwald); WAiF, Warsaw,
       1989. ISBN 83-221-0467-7
     * Ioannes Longinus, Annales seu Cronicæ Incliti Regni Poloniæ; PWN,
       Warsaw, 2000. ISBN 83-01-13301-5
     * Ioannes Longinus, Bitwa grunwaldzka; Ossolineum, Wrocław, 2003.
       ISBN 83-04-04632-6
     * Mečislovas Jučas, Žalgirio mūšis (Battle of Grunwald); Mokslas,
       Vilnius, 1990. ISBN 5-420-00242-6
     * Sven Ekdahl, Die Schlacht bei Tannenberg 1410. Quellenkritische
       Untersuchungen. Bd. 1: Einführung und Quellenlage. ISBN
       3-428-05243-9
     * Sven Ekdahl Die "Banderia Prutenorum" des Jan Dlugosz: Eine Quelle
       zur Schlacht bei Tannenberg 1410 : Unters. zu Aufbau, Entstehung u.
       Quellenwert d. Hs. : mit e. ... Klasse ; Folge 3, Nr. 104). ISBN
       3-525-82382-7

Fiction

     * Henryk Sienkiewicz, Krzyżacy ( The Teutonic Knights); Tygodnik
       Ilustrowany, Kraków, 1900. ISBN 0-7818-0433-7
     * James A. Michener, Poland; Random House, 1984. ISBN 0-449-20587-8

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grunwald"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
