Siege of Smolensk

Overview

The siege of Smolensk, also known as the Smolensk Defense in Russia, lasted 20 months between 29 September 1609 to 13 June 1611, when the Polish army besieged the Russian city of Smolensk during the Polish–Russian War of 1609–1618.

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

Significance

The Siege of Smolensk was a major engagement of the Polish–Muscovite War, pitting a Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth force of 22,000 under Sigismund III, Stanisław Żółkiewski, and Lew Sapieha against a Russian garrison of 12,000 commanded by Mikhail Borisovich Shein. The recorded casualties — 5,000 for the Commonwealth and 12,000 for the Russian side — indicate that the Russian force suffered losses equivalent to its entire recorded strength, suggesting the siege resulted in the destruction or capitulation of the Smolensk garrison. Smolensk was a strategically significant fortress city on the route between the Commonwealth and Moscow, and its reduction would have constituted a substantial territorial and military gain for Polish–Lithuanian forces in the broader contest over influence in the Tsardom of Russia during the Time of Troubles.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (4)