On 15 July 1410 90 flags of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania clashed with 51 banners of the Teutonic Order. The fierce fight ended with a pogrom of Teutonic forces. According to many historians, the triumph of Polish-Lithuanian troops was not sufficiently exploited. After the defeat at Grunwald, however, the order never again reached its erstwhile glory.
Stebark, 16.07.2022. The conflict of Grunwald in Grunwald Fields
On the morning of 15 July 1410, 2 powerful armies faced each another between the villages of Grunwald, Łodwigowo and Stębark in the area of Lake Lubień. On the 1 hand, the armies of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania commanded by the Polish King Władysław Jagiello and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Witold, supported by the Rusins and Tatars, with 30–35 1000 knights organized in 90 flags. On the another hand, the army of the Teutonic Order under the leadership of Ulrich von Jungingen, the large Teutonic Master, assisted by knighthood from Germany, Pomerania, Czech Republic, Moravia and Silesian principalities. A full of 51 flags judged to be about 21,000 knights. shortly 1 of the largest battles in medieval Europe would begin.
Two swords
Knights of the Order of the infirmary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the German House, called the Teutonic Knights, brought to Poland in 1226 Prince Konrad Mazowiecki to defend Mazovia from the attacks of Prussia. The Polish-Krzywacki conflict began after the business in 1310 by the Order of Pomerania Gdańsk. The war on Poland's recovery of lost lands, which lasted from 1327 to 1332, did not bring a decision.
The agreement of forces changed the conclusion of the Polish-Lithuanian union in 1385. In 1409 an uprising broke out on the part of Lithuania ruled by the Teutonic Knights of Żmud. The Teutonic Knights accused Poland and Lithuania of initiating and supporting the uprising. The large master declared war on Władysław Jagielle, and the Teutonic troops occupied the border good land. The fights interrupted in October by the truce, which would last until June 24, 1410, began.
Both sides utilized this time to prepare for the next battle. In December 1409 in Brest over Bug, King Jagiello and Prince Witold met at a war conference. – It was decided to merge in Fight against the Teutonic Knights Polish and Lithuanian army and march on Malbork, the Teutonic Capital, to force the enemy to fight a war on its territory," says Henryk Wolski, a historian who deals with the past past of Poland.
On 30 June 1410 Polish and Lithuanian-Russian troops concentrated in Czerwińsk on the Vistula River. To the surprise of the Teutonic Knights, thanks to the construction of the pontoon bridge, which was at the time a novelty, allied forces crossed the right bank of the river and crossed the border of the Teutonic Prussia on 9 July, marching towards Malbork. On 13 July, the Polish-Lithuanian army reached Dabrów, from where on 15 July the Polish-Lithuanian army moved to the area of Lake Lubień. Around 8am Polish scouts arrived with news of the coming Teutonic forces.
The conflict began. The right wing of allied troops was occupied by Lithuanian-Russian forces and Tatars, Polish banners stood on the left wing and in the center. Jagieło from the hill was to observe the course of the fighting and give orders, and Prince Witold decided to take part in the battle. – The Polish king delayed the clash, his knights were hidden from the heat in the forest, while the Teutonic troops weakened, standing in an open field in full sunlight," explains the historian.
The impatient Teutonic Knights sent the herolds who handed the Jagills and Witold 2 swords. As Jan Długosz describes in “The Yearbooks, or chronicles of the celebrated Kingdom of Poland”, giving arms, the heralds said: “The large Prussian master Ulryk sends you and your brother 2 swords to aid you with him and his army little slow and brave than you show, fighting.” However, this did not rush Jagiello.
The flag and the king
The conflict began around noon. The Lithuanian banners were the first to start fighting. A minute later, Polish troops hit. After an hr of fighting, the crusader crashed the Lithuanians, their formation broke down, and the knights rushed to flee. A part of the Teutonic army went after them. “To this day there is simply a dispute between historians, whether the escape of Lithuanians was a consequence of panic, or was planned to lure the opponent into pursuit,” Wolski emphasizes.
The burden of action focused on the left wing, where the spiritual army began to slow retreat under the force of Poles. Not without dramatic events. At 1 point Ensign Marcin of Wrocimowice, who held the banner of the Kraków banner, recognized as a banner of the Polish army, was thrown off the horse. “The disappearance of the banner may have been a signal to retreat,” says the historian. Fortunately, the banner was rapidly raised and the fight continued.
After fierce fighting, the Teutonic troops began to retreat towards their camps. Around 4:00 p.m., the large master decided to bring in the final detachments and himself headed the 16 flags with which he set out to invade. The attack led with a bow to hit Polish troops with flanks. During this charge, the Teutonic forces passed within a short distance the number in which Władysław Jagiełło was located. At this view the knight Dypold von Kökeritz detached from the spiritual army and attacked the Polish king. Jagiełło injured the attacker with a copy in the face, and Zbigniew Oleśnicki, a Silesian prince, knocked the Teutonic Knight off his horse and killed him.
At the same time, Polish banners remaining in the exile struck attacking spiritual troops. The Polish knighthood stopped the Teutonic assault, and Ulryk von Jungingen and the majority of spiritual dignitaries died in the fighting. Lithuanian troops besides began returning to the battlefield, which hit the wing and rear of the Teutonic army. The defeated Teutonic Knights escaped.
A wasted opportunity?
The conflict most likely killed more than 8,000 knights, including the large master and 203 knight brothers of 250 monks participating in the battles. Jan Długosz states that only 12 major knights have fallen on the Polish side, but historians estimation that the losses of allied troops were most likely 1–2,000 people.
All 51 enemy banners were captured, and the Teutonic Camp was plundered. "A fewer wagons were found in the Teutonic Army loaded with chains and shackles, which the Teutonic Knights brought to bind Polish prisoners. [...] However, by God’s just decree, which had lost their pride, Poles chained them in these shackles and shackles,” wrote Długosz.
Polish-Lithuanian troops went after the Teutonic Knights, but only 25 July arrived under Malbork's walls. By then, the castle had been well prepared to defend itself. The unsuccessful siege continued until September. Then the fresh Teutonic Master Henry von Plauen began the counteroffensive, but in October 1410 Poles defeated the monks under the Crown. Both sides exhausted from the fight signed in February 1411 I Toruń peace. Under his power Żmudź returned to Lithuania and the good land to Poland. The Order was besides to pay a advanced ransom.
Many researchers emphasize that Grunwald Battle, although it ended with the triumph of the Polish-Lithuanian army and the pogrom of the Teutonic forces, it was not utilized enough. First of all, Malbork was not captured, which would lead to the complete demolition of the order. "It is worth remembering, however, that after the defeat at Grunwald, the order gradually lost its meaning and never reached its erstwhile glory," Wolski points out.
