Battle of Vilnius (1655)

Battle

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was invaded by large Russian (starting the Russo-Polish War (1654–67) in July 1654) and Swedish armies (starting the Swedish Deluge in July 1655). When a large Russian army approached Vilnius, hetman Janusz Radziwiłł could muster just 5,000 to 7,000 men. The morale was further damaged by the order of king John II Casimir Vasa to royal troops (about 5,000 men) to retreat to Marienburg. Lithuanian commanders hetman Janusz Radziwiłł and treasurer Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski could not agree on defense. City residents began hasty evacuations. Most valued treasures, including the coffin of Saint Casimir, main books of Lithuanian Metrica, and valuables from Vilnius Cathedral, were transported outside the city.

Radziwiłł took up a defensive position on the northern shore of the Neris river near the present-day Green Bridge to cover the evacuations. The battle started around 6 a.m. and lasted the whole day. The Lithuanians managed to capture three Russian flags. At night, the Lithuanian army split into two groups that retreated to Vilkaviškis and to Kėdainiai. The garrison of the Vilnius Castle Complex surrendered two days later.

Aftermath and plunder

The invading forces plundered the city and murdered its inhabitants for several days. A fire consumed part of the city. In particular, the Jewish quarter was burned by the Cossacks and many Jews were killed. According to an eyewitness, the fire lasted 17 days and the death toll exceeded 20,000 people. However, those are exaggerated numbers. All palaces were looted and only four churches were spared. The invaders not only took valuables such as furniture or silverware, but also smashed altars, desecrated graves (including silver sarcophagus of the Sapieha family), and tore down decorative elements (such as marble columns of the Radziwiłł Palace). The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania fell into ruins and was rebuilt only in 2000s. Some scholars have suggested that certain relics, as well as the body of Vytautas the Great, were lost during the plunder of Vilnius Cathedral. Tsar Alexis of Russia arrived at the city on 14 August. He could not find suitable accommodations in the city and instead built a large tent in . He proclaimed himself the Grand Duke of Lithuania.

The Lithuania's capital Vilnius was liberated by the Lithuanian military forces in 1661.

References

References

1. Babulin. Igor. (2017). Milhist Info. link
2. Bobiatyński, Konrad. (2004). "Od Smoleńska do Wilna: wojna Rzeczypospolitej z Moskwą: 1654-1655". "Inforteditions".
3. 0-231-04326-0. / Iš anglų kalbos vertė Inga Mataitytė, Linutė Miknevičiūtė. — 2-asis pataisytas leidimas. — Vilnius: Lietuvos rašytojų sąjungos leidykla, 1998. — Vol. I: Nuo seniausių laikų iki 1795 metų. — p. 502. — 637 pp. — {{ISBN. 978-9986-39-520-1.
4. Bobiatyński, Konrad. (2004). "Od Smoleńska do Wilna: wojna Rzeczypospolitej z Moskwą: 1654-1655". "Inforteditions".
5. "1661 12 03 Vilniaus pilyje kapituliavo rusų įgula".
6. Batūra, Romas. (2014-09-18). "Pamiršta kovos su priešais vieta". Lietuvos žinios.
7. Bloch, Abraham P.. (1987). "One a day: an anthology of Jewish historical anniversaries for every day of the year". KTAV Publishing House.
8. Čaplinskas, Antanas Rimvydas. (2010). "Vilniaus istorija: legendos ir tikrovė". Charibdė.
9. Frost, Robert I.. (2004). "After the Deluge: Poland-Lithuania and the Second Northern War, 1655-1660". Cambridge University Press.
10. Meilus, Elmantas. (2014). "Kaip praradome ir atgavome Vilnių "Tvano" metu". Vilnius University.
11. Meilus, Elmantas. (2014). "Karas su Maskva 1654–1667 metais". Vilnius University.
12. Meilus, Elmantas. (5 June 2013). "LDK istorija. Didieji Vilniaus gaisrai, po kurių senasis miestas visiškai dingo". 15 min.
13. Ochmański, Jerzy. (1990). "Historia Litwy". Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich.
14. (1936). "Lietuvos istorija". Švietimo ministerijos Knygų leidimo komisijos leidinys.
15. Stone, David R.. (2006). "A military history of Russia: From Ivan the Terrible to the War in Chechnya". Greenwood Publishing Group.
16. Sužiedėlis, Simas. (1973). "Vilnius istorijos vingiuose". Aidai.
17. Terleckas, Vladas. (3 July 2010). "Pamirštų pirmųjų masiškų Lietuvos žmonių trėmimų ir žudynių 355-osios metinės". Voruta.