Siege of Lwów (1672) explained

Conflict:Siege of Lwów
Place:Lviv, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Now Ukraine)
Combatant1: Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Combatant2: Ottoman Empire
Crimean Khanate
Cossack Hetmanate
Commander1:Eliasz Jan Łącki
Commander2:Kaplan Pasha
Petro Doroshenko
Strength1:500[1]
Strength2:50,000[2]
Result:Polish-Lithuanian victory
Date:September 20-October 6, 1672
Partof:Polish-Ottoman War (1672-1676)
Casualties1:Unknown
Casualties2:Unknown

The siege of Lwów took place on September 20-October 6, 1672 during the Polish-Ottoman War of 1672-1676. The siege ended in a strategic Polish victory as the Ottomans could not capture the city after a two-week siege.

Background

After the fall of Kamieniec Podolski, the Turkish-Tatar-Cossack army advanced deep into Poland. The Tatars and some Cossack and Turkish troops took part in ravaging the country. Lviv was besieged on September 20 by the Cossack army of Petro Doroshenko and the Turkish army of Kaplan Pasha (a total of about 50,000 soldiers). The Lviv garrison of 500 soldiers (in addition to townspeople and peasants) was commanded by Elias Jan Łącki.

Siege

The Cossacks and Turks besieging Lviv immediately began shelling the city from cannons and conducting mine work, without giving up their assaults. After one of these, the High Castle fell on September 27, but the defenders recovered the loss the next day. Consistent artillery fire led to a significant breach in the fortress walls on September 29. Beginning on September 30, talks concluded with the October 6 treaty. The besieging troops, in exchange for a high ransom of 80 thousand thalers, agreed to give up the city.[3]

Lwów could only pay the Turks 5,000 thalers at a time, so they took 10 hostages until the city repaid the entire amount. The 10 townsfolk returned to their homeland only after 7 years.[4]

Aftermath

After the siege was over, the Ottoman-Tatar-Cossack army returned to its main camp looting the Ruthenian Voivodeship along the way.

Further reading

References

  1. Book: Górski, Konstanty (1826-1898) . Wojna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z Turcyą w latach 1672 i 1673 . 1890 . Józef Filipowicz . 19.
  2. Book: Górski, Konstanty (1826-1898) . Wojna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z Turcyą w latach 1672 i 1673 . 1890 . Józef Filipowicz . 19.
  3. Book: Górski, Konstanty (1826-1898) . Wojna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej z Turcyą w latach 1672 i 1673 . 1890 . Józef Filipowicz . 19.
  4. Web site: 2022-10-06 . Lwów wykupuje się z oblężenia . 2024-01-07 . Studio Wschód.