Battle of Warsaw

Overview

The Battle of Warsaw took place near Warsaw on July 28–July 30 [O.S. July 18–20] 1656, between the armies of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden and Brandenburg. It was a major battle in the Second Northern War between Poland and Sweden in the period 1655–1660, also known as The Deluge. According to Hajo Holborn, it marked "the beginning of Prussian military history".

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Warsaw, fought on 1 January 1656 during the Second Northern War, pitted a Swedish and allied force of 9,500 under Charles X Gustav and Frederick William against a Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth army of 36,000–39,000 under John II Casimir. Swedish and allied casualties stood at 1,300 against Commonwealth losses of approximately 2,000. The engagement reflects the broader pattern of the Second Northern War, in which Swedish forces under Charles X Gustav operated across Polish–Lithuanian territory against numerically superior Commonwealth armies. The presence of Frederick William alongside Charles X Gustav indicates the involvement of Brandenburg as a Swedish ally at this stage of the conflict.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (3)