Grocholski Remigian Michał h. Syrokomla (1643 – 1705)

Grocholski Remigian Michał h. Syrokomla (1643-1705), royal colonel, Bracław standard-bearer. Son of Andrzej Jakub and Helena from the Makarewicz-Iwasieńcewicz family; he started his military career early under the guidance of his father, a captain of the hussar banner of Władysław Dominik Zasławski, who fought at Zbaraż and against the Swedes. Remigian himself fought in 1660 at Cudnów and Słobodyszcze under the command of Hetman Jerzy Lubomirski. Loyal to this commander during the rebellion, he was with him in 1665 at Częstochowa, where he contributed to his victory but was severely wounded.

In 1666 he took part in the battle of Mątwy. At that time, Andrzej G. and his son were in the same banner. After his father’s death around 1667, Remigian dealt with estate matters in Volhynia and Kiev, which involved him in a complicated, armed dispute with the Łaszcz, Charłęski, Lesznicki, Drużbicki, and other heirs of the extinct Makarewicz fortune. He signed the election of King Michał Korybut with the Kyiv Voivodeship in 1669. He fought at Chocim in 1673 as a hussar lieutenant. He was constantly bonded by brotherhood in arms with the sons of his first commander, Jerzy Lubomirski. He received some property records from them in the Kraków Voivodeship and took possession of the Mikluszów key near Bochnia, as a result of which in 1674 he participated in the election of Jan III with this voivodeship. In 1683, as a royal colonel, he participated in the Vienna campaign alongside Hieronim August Lubomirski, distinguishing himself particularly at Presburg and Klosterneuburg; in these operations, he was entrusted with the command of larger combat units and was considered one of the better colonels. Shortly thereafter, he received the Bracław standard-bearer position (1686).

At that time, he became the owner of the Mietniów estate near Kraków. In 1700, Grocholski carried out a diplomatic mission to the Crimean Khan, Devlet Giray, from which the mission’s secretary submitted a report in Warsaw in June of the following year. Unmarried and childless, Grocholski made a will in 1703 in Lviv, bequeathing all his property to family members and making significant legacies for churches and monasteries. His uncle was the provincial of the Dominicans, Ezechiel Hieronim Grocholski, and his uncle was Primate Stefan Wydżga. Grocholski died on October 6, 1705, in Lubcza and was buried in the Reformed church in Biecz. Grocholski’s epitaph with his good portrait is located in Tuchów near Tarnów in the chapel he founded in the church.

“Polish Biographical Dictionary” volume VIII, Ossolineum National Institute, PAN Publishing House Wrocław – Kraków – Warsaw, 1959-1960

Receipt of Merchant’s Donation for the Banner

Grocholski R. h. Syrokomla acknowledges receipt of the sum of three thousand zlotys for the banner from the great crown treasurer, according to the assignment from the Crown Treasury from the merchant’s donation.

No date and place of issue – probably the 1660s.

Inscription on the Reverse Side of Remigian from Grabów Grocholski’s Portrait

The same inscription is under the portrait of this Remigian Grocholski in the church in Tuchów (near Tarnów Małopolska) above the entrance to the side chapel he founded.

Signifer Braclaviensis Ductor Cohortis Supremi Armorum Militiae Ducis: Hac est Remigius Grocholski in Imagine Pictus in vita Mortis, Mortis imago Modo Sternebat, Ferro Pellens E Finibus Hostes Stare Capellam Auro Nunc Facit Hanc suo. Illud Et Istud Opus simile est Ibi Barbarus actus, Ense Sacrae Sacer est Barbarae adeste locus Illic Cosaci, Moschi, Seythi, Turci cadebenit Hic Armorum Aciem, lector Amice Vides, et Videndo Hanc adora; Pro illo Abeundo Ora.

Mortuo in Lubcza Die 6.8bris Anno Domine 1705.
Aetatis suae 62
Sepulto in Ecclesia RR. PP. Reformatorum
ad Biecz

Will of Remigian from Grabów Grocholski from 1703

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, remembering the Decree of the Supreme God, who has issued and established for all of us living that whoever is born should die, and those words: “Watch, for you do not know the day or the hour.” I, a sinful man, remain early in anticipation, so that after my departure from this miserable world, my soul will not have any difficulty, and my successors will not want to turn my bloody, hard-earned substance according to their will, thus I make the final disposition concerning my soul, body, and all my goods, entrusted to me by God for a time, through labor and effort with bloody services.

First, I believe and profess the Most Holy, Indivisible Trinity, One in Essence, threefold in Persons, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as all other articles of the holy Catholic faith, which our holy Roman Church, our Mother, gives us to believe, and in this faith, in which I was born and raised, and not in any other, I wish to end my life. Therefore, I humbly entrust my soul to Him who created it and redeemed it with His Most Holy Blood, crying: “Into Your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit,” and at the same time, I ask the Most Worthy Mother of God, Mary, to turn Her merciful eyes upon my soul, obtaining grace for me for the forgiveness of sins from Her Son, and to this aid, I call upon my Patrons: the Apostles and all the Saints of God, that through Their intercession, the Just Judge, having forgiven my sins, be merciful to my soul and accept it into His abodes; as for my body, which is made of the earth, I return it and ask that it be modestly buried with four candles in a plain, unlined coffin in the Church of the Reformed Fathers of Lesser Poland, of the Order of St. Francis, closest to the place where I will remain by God’s decree, without any worldly pomp and without any delay.

And since my Substance, both in leases, debts, goods, equipment, silver, and various possessions, as well as cash, calculated by a separate Register referring to this Will, amounts to one hundred twenty-one thousand two hundred Polish zlotys, I dispose of them differently.

For Holy Masses in the church where I will lie, one thousand zlotys, for the vigil, candles, the poor, bell ringing, and Consolation for the Fathers at the church, one thousand zlotys.

To the Reformed Fathers of Jarosław for the bier from the estate, I designate one thousand thalers, which will amount to: seven thousand zlotys, which, if they are not needed there, the Reverend Father Provincial of Lesser Poland will allocate according to his judgment:

To the Piarist Fathers of the Kraków Scholars also for the construction: three thousand zlotys,

To the Piarist Fathers of Rzeszów for the walls, two thousand zlotys.

To the Bernardine Fathers on Stradom near Kraków:

One thousand five hundred Polish zlotys.

To the Bernardine Fathers of Rzeszów one thousand zlotys, for which my Executors will establish a small obligation.

To the Bernardine Fathers of Lviv two thousand zlotys.

To the Trinitarian Fathers of Lviv one thousand zlotys.

To the Colette Sisters on Stradom five thousand zlotys, which they may turn to the walls or their common table and remember my soul.

To the Visitation Sisters of Kraków a donation of one thousand zlotys.

To the Jesuit Fathers of St. Peter, where my relatives Radziejewski from Kozice rest, three thousand zlotys, through the hands of Mr. Ignacy Radziewski, the Bracław cupbearer, who will arrange an obligation and devotion for the souls of my relatives with the Fathers. Through the same hands, for the completion of the chapel of Our Lady in Tuchów and the altar, one thousand five hundred zlotys, and for the construction of a hospital there, two thousand zlotys.

To the Dominicans of Podkamień, where my Mother lies, I designate two thousand zlotys, asking that their Lordships, the Executors, establish some devotion for it.

To the St. Martin Hospital in Lviv one thousand five hundred zlotys.

Debt to Mr. Życiński one thousand five hundred zlotys,

To Mr. Ignacy Radziewski five hundred thalers in specie, making three thousand five hundred zlotys.

Debt to the successors of Mr. Borkowski two thousand zlotys.

To Miss Konstancja Stawska, my sister, a donation of five thousand zlotys.

To Mrs. Szczawińska, my niece, whom I have endowed with my affection, five thousand zlotys.

To Mr. Jan and Mr. Mikołaj Grocholski, whom I designate a joint donation of my hereditary goods of Mietniów near Kraków in the sum of six thousand zlotys.

To their sister, Zofia Grocholska, for a dowry, five thousand zlotys, which shall remain with Mr. Krosnowski, the Lviv chamberlain, until her future settlement.

To the four daughters of Mr. Alexander Grocholski, one thousand zlotys each, totaling four thousand zlotys.

To the two children of Mr. Stefan Grocholski, my brother of the flesh, from Pełczanka, six thousand zlotys.

To Mr. Jan Grocholski, the son of Mr. Andrzej Grocholski from Dubrawska, three thousand zlotys.

To the children of Mr. Samuel Grocholski, three thousand zlotys.

To the daughters of Mr. Drozdowski, three thousand zlotys.

To Mr. Stefan Ciołek, two thousand zlotys.

To Mr. Bartłomiej Grocholski, the son of Mr. Paweł, three thousand zlotys.

To Mrs. Poniatowska, a donation of three thousand five hundred zlotys.

To Mr. Sulimierski, my companion, two thousand zlotys.

To Mr. Jan Dewar for retained services, seven hundred zlotys.

To the same for his kind services, I designate one thousand five hundred zlotys.

To Antoni Drągalski, one thousand six hundred zlotys.

For the officials of the Court and the Stable, three thousand zlotys.

For the payment of the Servants, one thousand zlotys.

To the Lubcza residents for assistance, two thousand zlotys.

To the Bailiffs, six hundred zlotys.

The Makarowska Estate, although liberated with my own costs, to which the other parties should contribute, I entirely relinquish, and for the purchase of the mentioned estate, the nearest shall be Mr. Castellan of Kraków, the Great Crown Hetman, for thirty thousand zlotys, so when these goods are purchased as stated above, I dispose of ten thousand zlotys as follows: for the repair of the Bernardine Fathers’ Church of Rzeszów, four thousand zlotys, and six thousand zlotys for the redemption of prisoners, soldiers, taken in occasions.

To the Trinitarian Fathers de Redemptione Captivorum, I designate, to whose Fathers I also ordain all my services due from the Commonwealth, fervently asking that the sum resulting from them be sincerely pursued and also turned to the prisoners, which, with the knowledge of Their Lordships, the Crown Hetmans, whom I ask for protection in this regard, is to be brought to fruition.

A saber set in gold, valued at one thousand six hundred zlotys, a golden Turkish harness, one golden mace, a Turkish velvet saddle, a dywidyk, a golden mace, and a harness made in Karczach I designate to Mr. Jan Zamoyski, a Knight of Malta;

A golden saber from the Khan and thirty golden buttons to Mr. Alexander Starosta Kozieniecki Lubomirski, I designate to the Sons of Mr. Castellan of Kraków and the Great Crown Hetman.

The Darachowski Inventory shall belong to Mr. Jan from Dubrawska Grocholski.

I relinquish the repair to Mrs. Wasilewska.

I relinquish my Wieliczka leases and the Miklaszewski key near Bochnia to Mr. Tomasz Szczawiński.

To him and his wife, I give all my own cattle except inventory and all household equipment.

To this, I designate half of my herd in Darachów to the same Their Lordships, and the other half shall be divided by Their Lordships, the Executors, among my relatives, from whom I designate a few of the best mares to Mr. Dominik Bohdanowicz. The boat and Dubas with all the equipment I have given to Mr. Ignacy Radziewski, the Bracław cupbearer, as well as the emerald ring, long with him, and the diamond signet ring to Mr. Jan from Krynicka Grocholski. The ruby one to Mr. Mikołaj, his brother.

Legal papers and documents belonging to Makarów and other goods are solely with Mr. Łoś, the others are in the house.

For the protectors of my last will, I humbly request Mr. Castellan Kakowski, the Great Hetman Grocholski; as Executors, I designate Mr. Mikołaj Krasnowski, the Lviv chamberlain, Mr. Żydowski, the Kraków standard-bearer, Mr. Ignacy Radziejowski, the Bracław cupbearer, Mr. Tomasz Szczawiński, Mr. Piotr Sulimierski, Mr. Wojciech Hołodyński, Mr. Dewar, my servant, asking and obliging them with God’s Love to remember my affection and friendship which they showed me during my life, to bring to fruition everything that has been laid down above inviolably and as soon as possible.

Finally, I completely cancel and annul my previous testament and its Ratification with this, which I confirm with my usual seal and my own hand signature.

Done in Lviv in the year one thousand seven hundred and third, on the twenty-fourth day of December.

(-) Remigian Grocholski

Jerzy Lubomirski’s Corps in Austria 1683

Introduction

Lubomirski’s corps fought in Lower Austria and on the border of Moravia and Slovakia, playing a significant role in these battles. Later, it took part in the battles near Vienna and the second battle of Parkany. Since even the biographer of Jerzy Lubomirski, K. Piwarski, wrote little about this, it is worth devoting more attention to this issue.

The offensive of the Hungarian insurgent troops supported by Turkish forces led to their control of significant parts of Upper Hungary as early as the summer of 1682. Even before the signing of the alliance treaty between the emperor and Sobieski, the imperial resident H. Ch. Zierowsky unsuccessfully tried to persuade the Polish king to aid the imperial troops in Upper Hungary in September 1682. At that time, these attempts were met with refusal, but the situation changed dramatically when the Polish-Austrian alliance treaty was signed. In response to Zierowsky’s renewed request for help in January 1683, Sobieski responded positively, but demanded that the Polish corps, pending the treaty’s approval by the parliament, be enlisted in the emperor’s name [1].

Organization of the Corps

The imperial authorities proposed the command of the corps to the crown standard-bearer Hieronim Lubomirski. This bold and ambitious man had already distinguished himself as a cavalry commander in the earlier Polish-Turkish war. Interestingly, the emperor was not bothered by the fact that just five years earlier, the same Lubomirski had organized aid for the Hungarian insurgents fighting against the emperor. In February 1683, Lubomirski accepted the imperial proposal and began enlistment as Feldmarschall-Leutnant in March. Hieronim Lubomirski’s auxiliary corps consisted solely of cavalry, as this was mainly what the Austrians were interested in. Soon, Lubomirski, already elevated to the dignity of the crown court marshal, received an advance from Zierowsky and, despite opposition protests in the parliament, proceeded to recruit soldiers, mainly near the Silesian border. The total strength of the corps was to exceed 2,800 soldiers in two regiments of reiters, a dragon regiment, and 4 pancerni banners. The establishment for the reiters and dragons regiments was identical to the 10-company Austrian regiments, while the pancerni banners referred to Polish models [2].

It should be immediately stated that there is some confusion regarding the typology concerning the cavalry regiments. According to Austrian nomenclature, where the cavalry was divided solely into cuirassier and dragoon regiments, both regiments should be called cuirassiers. However, the lack of armor characteristic of Austrian cuirassiers causes the term reiters to also appear in studies. A clue explaining what type of cavalry it ultimately was may be the fact that in German documents, the regiments are called reiters rather than cuirassiers (reiterregimenten), and we will call them that.

There was no shortage of volunteers for enlistment, as the conditions offered by Lubomirski’s recruiters were very favorable. Not only was the pay higher than in the Polish army, but so were the advances. According to the agreement signed on February 1, 1683, Hieronim Lubomirski’s auxiliary corps included:

– two reiters regiments: one under Lubomirski’s command led by Col. Jan Butler and the other under Col. Jan Kazimierz Tedtwin;

– a dragoon regiment under Col. Kazimierz Königsegg;

– 4 pancerni banners.

The reiters and dragoon regiments were created according to Austrian establishments, identical for cuirassiers and dragoons, and included a staff (11 people) and 10 companies of 80 soldiers each. The pancerni banners were to have 100 people each, and their captains were Grocholski, Mroczek, Bielicki, and Kreuz. The overall command of the pancerni banners was held by Col. Grocholski [3].

As we know, the imperial cavalry regiment consisted of 811 soldiers by establishment. The composition and cost burden were almost identical in both the cuirassiers and imperial dragoon regiments. The only difference is that cuirassiers have one more functional in each company, which means 10 in the regiment, and therefore, with the same overall number, it means 10 fewer privates than in the dragoon regiment (prima plana 110:100 and gemajni 660:670); both regiments had the same number of corporals – 30 each. The monthly maintenance cost of both types of regiments was very similar and amounted to 6,630 thalers for the dragoon regiment and 6,882 thalers for the cuirassier regiment. In reality, however, it was even higher because the so-called service was added to the pay. Along with the service and high salaries for officers, it was calculated that the annual expenses for the entire Lubomirski corps could amount to as much as 341,000 thalers. Of this sum, 244,720 thalers were allocated to 2 reiters and dragoon regiments, 48,000 thalers to 400 pancerni, and 3,600 thalers for four officers, plus another 44,724 thalers of the so-called service, which together amounted to exactly 341,052 thalers [4].

We do not know whether the cuirassiers according to Austrian nomenclature and reiters according to Polish, of both Lubomirski’s regiments had protective equipment similar to imperial cuirassiers – plate cuirass and a light helmet with a neck guard. It seems unlikely because it would have to be imported from Austria. We also do not know whether they were equipped with long firearms, although it is not improbable. The offensive weapons of Austrian cuirassiers consisted of sabers and short matchlock muskets, as well as a pair of pistols, so it is possible that such equipment for the cavalry regiments was recorded in the agreement about their organization. Dragoons were equipped, like imperial and Polish ones, with matchlock muskets and sabers or sabers. Uniforms (jackets, trousers, long boots, hats for dragoons) were probably sewn – according to J. Wimmer – from cloth purchased in Silesia or Greater Poland. A significant asset of Lubomirski’s cavalry was the excellent horses, not inferior to Turkish ones, as well as the experience of soldiers gained from the recent war with Turkey conducted in 1672-1676. The formation of units lasted until June and took place with the typical lamentation of the local nobility at that time. Signs of desertion and escapes with the received pay were not lacking during enlistment – it was a typical plague for recruiters of that time. The king issued a series of sharp regulations to the starosts for catching and exemplary punishment of deserters. Gradually, the situation was brought under control, and Lubomirski even announced an amnesty for returning deserters. Probably, the desertions were contributed to by delays in the payment of wages, which Gazette de France mentions in a message from Vienna on July 5, 1683 [5].

First Battles

The imperial command assigned Lubomirski’s corps to cover operations over the Vah, where only a weak corps of Gen. J. Schultz was stationed. Delays in formation and desertions seriously worried the Austrians, especially since the Vah river line was poorly guarded, and its crossing threatened the Turks’ incursion into Moravia and the northern part of Lower Austria. However, in June, Polish units were finally reviewed by the imperial commissioner and set off for the Vah. The corps probably did not reach the planned strength and, according to Wimmer’s estimates, numbered about 2,300 men. The first to cross the Silesian border near Bielsko was the reiters regiment under Tedtwin’s command, and through Cieszyn, it moved towards the Vah, with other units to follow [6].

The regiment marching ahead proceeded initially without proper security and was surprised in Bytča near Žilina by several hundred Hungarian insurgents (kuruc) and suffered some losses: 40 killed, many wounded, and many horses. However, this lesson was not wasted, and Tedtwin’s unit, already fully combat-ready, reached Trenčín, where after a few days, it joined Gen. Schultz’s corps. Here, on July 8, new orders arrived from Prince Charles of Lorraine, who realized that the main Turkish forces were marching on Vienna and ordered Gen. Schultz to leave infantry over the Vah and make a swift march with the cavalry to the capital of the empire. Tedtwin received an order to march to Bratislava, presumably to destroy the bridge on the Danube there. The regiment arrived in Bratislava on July 9. Immediately, at the head of 600 men, Tedtwin attacked the Tatars raiding on the right bank of the river, breaking them and taking some prisoners. After burning the bridge, the regiment performed the task of covering Gen. Leslie’s retreating corps, and on July 13, it reached Prince Lorraine’s camp on Tabor Island, between the arms of the Danube. In the following days, Prince Lorraine’s units repelled enemy attacks on the bridgeheads. The Tedtwin regiment also participated in these counterattacks, and among those killed were a major and a captain. As Lubomirski wrote to Sobieski on July 21, Major Greben, before he died, “beheaded three Turks in front of the army.” After burning the bridges, the prince’s cavalry withdrew to the left bank of the Danube. On July 20, the remaining units of the Polish corps entered Prince Lorraine’s camp, which, after being reviewed between Bielsko and Cieszyn, arrived at the Danube through Olomouc. Hieronim Lubomirski participated in a military council where the first idea of conducting a relief through the Vienna Woods was conceived [7].

Battle of Bratislava

On July 26, Prince Lorraine received news that the kuruc and the Turkish corps of Abaza Kör Huseyn Pasha were marching on Bratislava. The city fell, and the reinforcements sent (500 men) were also defeated. Since the Turks could rebuild the bridge in Bratislava, Prince Lorraine set out for the city at the head of cavalry and dragoons. The marching columns were harassed by kuruc patrols, but Mroczek’s and Kreuz’s banners drove the Hungarians into the forest. On July 29, Prince Lorraine’s forces reached Bratislava. Some commanders only wanted to introduce reinforcements into the city, avoiding battle, as the Turks had numerical superiority (16 to 10 thousand), but Lubomirski and Margrave Louis von Baden sought battle, and their opinion ultimately prevailed. The margrave was sent with dragoons to the city, captured it, and burned the ships that could be used by the Turks to build a bridge. Meanwhile, the rest of the forces were preparing for battle [8].

Lubomirski’s units were positioned on the right wing, the imperial troops in the center and on the left wing. As support on the right wing, Lubomirski received Schultz’s dragoon regiment. Soon, the army of Abaza Kör Huseyn Pasha, the beylerbey of Eger, who was personally brave but less talented, belonging to the submissive Turkish officers to Kara Mustafa, emerged from behind the hills. The Hungarian skirmishers were easily driven off by Polish skirmishers, showing little willingness to fight. To capture prisoners, Mroczek’s and Kreuz’s banners and selected comrades from other banners were sent, and after successful skirmishes, they brought back a “significant Turk,” some bey, who was immediately questioned about the strength of the Turkish forces. When Prince Lorraine ordered the entire line to move forward, the kuruc units began to retreat, only the grouping of Turkish cavalry attacked the right wing, where Polish units stood, but the Turks were repelled. At the request of the court marshal, the prince allowed the Poles to pursue, during which a fight with the kuruc attempting to counterattack occurred. These 10 Hungarian banners preparing for an attack were attacked from two sides. “From one side, Tetdwin struck them – we read in the battle report – from the other, Mr. Butler; who [i.e., the kuruc] scattered, and immediately the fleeing were cut down on the heights; who, having abandoned their horses in the vineyards, fled on foot, and our men, having also dismounted, pursued and cut them down. About a thousand Hungarians fell there, and most were cut down in the vineyards” [9].

Meanwhile, the pancerni banners pursued the Turks for a while, reportedly killing another 200 and taking many prisoners, but Lubomirski ordered them to stop the pursuit, fearing a counterattack. The fears were justified, as they had moved quite far from Prince Lorraine’s main forces, and only two dragoon regiments served as reserves. It is likely that the Turkish army was not completely broken. In the pursuit, the Polish cavalry reached the Turkish camp, and the servants, as often happened in such situations, rushed to plunder. The situation was dangerous, as the soldiers did not respond to orders, and the military units could become completely disorganized, so Lubomirski ordered the corners of the Turkish camp to be set on fire. Only now did the Polish servants leave the camp, taking over a thousand wagons, thousands of sheep, and numerous belongings [10].

The victory in the battle was achieved at the cost of minor losses. J. Wimmer estimates that about 600 opponents were killed in the pursuit, not counting the wounded and numerous prisoners. The victors captured about 1,200-1,500 wagons with loot. Minimal own losses and the course of the battle significantly improved the morale of the imperial troops, weakened in the battle of Petronell, during the retreat to Vienna. In the battle, Colonel Grocholski particularly distinguished himself, receiving special praise for it. The Turks withdrew towards Trnava, and Prince Lorraine moved beyond Moravia and set up camp in Marchegg to observe the opponent’s further actions. During the stay at Marchegg, and later at Angern, Polish units participated in many patrols. One of the numerous skirmishes with the kuruc took place on August 6, when Lubomirski’s grouping (800 men) successfully attacked a larger group of Hungarian insurgents. In the fight, the kuruc suffered heavy losses in men and horses, lost 10 standards, and were forced to withdraw beyond Moravia. In pursuit, the Polish unit was attacked again, but it also won this fight, without even using the help of the imperial dragoons sent after it [11].

Battle of Bisamberg

On August 24, when the prince’s cavalry was already marching to Tulln to oversee the construction of bridges over the Danube for the approaching Polish army, a report arrived about the crossing of the Morava by significant Turkish forces. This news caused the halt of Prince Lorraine’s corps and a new order for Lubomirski, who was sent to the Morava with his own corps and 3 imperial cavalry regiments to destroy the enemy. The Polish patrol soon brought a Turkish prisoner, who testified that behind the hill near Bisamberg were the forces of the beylerbeys of Varadin and Eger, numbering about 8,000 Turks, 12,000 Tatars, and about 1,000 kuruc. Moreover, the main Hungarian forces of Thököly were expected the next day. The marshal immediately informed the prince, and he prepared his forces for battle. Prince Charles, realizing the enemy’s superiority, ordered Lubomirski to retreat, and he himself, without baggage, rushed to Bisamberg. After joining Lubomirski, he had about 12,000 cavalry and dragoons and several small cannons – 12.5 cuirassier regiments, 5 dragoon regiments, and about 2,000 Poles. The right wing, anchored on a small grove by the Danube bank (manned by several small cannons and dragoons), was personally taken by the prince, the left wing was entrusted to Margrave Louis von Baden, while the Poles formed the first echelon in the center, supported from behind by dragoon regiments.

In reality, the Turkish-Hungarian forces under the command of the already known Abaza Kör Huseyn Pasha, the beylerbey of Eger, did not have such a significant advantage over the imperial forces as the prisoner’s testimony suggested. In the first echelon were about 5,000 Tatars under the command of the khan’s son Alp Gerey, in the further echelon about 6,000 Turks and about 1,000 kuruc. The Tatars immediately attacked the left wing of Louis von Baden but were repelled by firearms and a counterattack. Their next attack, this time on the right wing, where Prince Lorraine commanded, was repelled in a similar way. Knowing the Tatars’ low resistance to firearms, it can be assumed that both attacks were not particularly fierce. After the arrival of the Turks and Hungarians, Kör Huseyn ordered an attack on the center, which, as we remember, was occupied by Polish units. It was around 6 p.m. The Poles greeted the enemy with musket fire, which probably suggests that primarily the dismounted Polish dragoons fired (however, there are no explanations on this matter). Allegedly, Lubomirski himself killed one of the Turkish commanders with a musket shot. The pancerni banners under Grocholski‘s command laid down their spears at his order and were already preparing for a counterattack, but the Turkish attack was directed against the adjacent Lubomirski’s reiters regiment under Col. Butler’s command. Two companies of the regiment were broken by a violent charge, and the Polish formation cracked, but the enemy, who broke through Lubomirski’s regiment, was stopped by a salvo from the dragoons placed in the second line. Meanwhile, the pancerni banners Grocholski struck the Turkish cavalry from the side and forced it to retreat. Probably during this clash, the attacking at the head of the cavalry Abaza Kör Huseyn Pasha was wounded several times. Despite personal bravery, he failed to stop the retreat of his own units. The retreat of the first echelon weakened the spirit of the remaining Turkish troops, who fled. The Tatars also withdrew from the battlefield, unsuccessfully attacking Margrave Louis von Baden’s left wing for the second time [12].

The defeated Muslim army fled in two directions: the Tatars, Hungarians, and part of the Turkish cavalry fled northeast towards Moravia, while the rest of the Turkish cavalry, along with the wounded Kör Huseyn, fled towards the Danube and then along the road leading along the river. Since a feigned retreat was part of Turkish tactics, Prince Charles initially held back the pursuit and allowed it only when it became clear that the entire enemy cavalry was fleeing the battlefield. Polish units caught up with the Turks on the Danube bank and inflicted further losses on them. Most importantly, the Turks were cut off from the bridge. Silahdar Mehmed Aga writes that when Abaza Kör Huseyn, wounded several times in battle (including in the head and knee), reached the Morava, the bridge was already destroyed. The Turkish commander attempted to cross the river on the beams of the destroyed bridge, but he was already very weakened by wounds and drowned when he fell into the river. During the river crossing, the Turkish forces suffered heavy losses, amounting to nearly 1,000 killed and captured, 25 banners, and many horses. Some Turks fell fighting to the last, including alongside the sandjakbey of Szolnok, some drowned. Polish losses were relatively small: a companion from Modrzejowski’s pancerni banner, 12 retainers, and several reiters from Lubomirski’s regiment were killed; the number of wounded was probably several times higher. However, the Tatars and Hungarian troops avoided greater losses, who “returned without hindrance and [not even a drop] of blood from their noses” – noted Silahdar with bitterness [13].

The defeat of Abaza Kör Huseyn Pasha’s grouping meant the collapse of the second attempt of an offensive on the left bank of the Danube. The kuruc and the defeated Turkish forces withdrew to Trnava, no longer undertaking any offensive actions despite Kara Mustafa’s orders. Lubomirski’s units received numerous expressions of recognition from the emperor, but their numerical strength was constantly decreasing. This happened not only due to combat losses but primarily due to diseases. Therefore, in the relief operation itself, the strength of Lubomirski’s corps is estimated at only 1,500 soldiers [14].

Battle of Vienna

In the Battle of Vienna, the corps supported the Austrian left wing. Sobieski assigned the court marshal additional Polish compot regiment of Lubomirski and 3 hussar banners, significantly strengthening his forces. In the battle, the Königsegg dragoon regiment particularly distinguished itself, supported by Saxon dragoons of Gen. Reuss, attacking along the Danube at the head of Gen. Caprara and Lubomirski’s cavalry columns, reinforced by Saxon cavalry. Königsegg’s and Reuss’s regiments first fought for the fortified village of Kahlenbergerdörfer, repelling the first wave of the Ujvar beylerbey Szejchoglu Ali Pasha’s units, but were surprised by a Turkish counterattack. During the repulsion of the attack, the regiment suffered heavy losses, and its commander, Kazimierz Königsegg, was killed. A Turkish saber blow split the colonel’s head despite the horse’s horseshoe placed on his hat. Both dragoon regiments were forced to retreat, but soon regained the lost position, and the Turks suffered heavy losses, including the deaths of the beylerbeys of Anatolia and Sivas. After capturing the village of Nussdorf, around 1 p.m., Prince Charles ordered the left wing’s advance to be halted, facing another fortified village – Döbling [15]. After resuming the left wing’s advance, the corps units and other assigned Polish units, mainly hussars, paved the way for Prince Lorraine’s forces, and after the Turkish forces fled, they participated in the fight with the janissaries in the trenches around the city.

During the further campaign along the Danube, Lubomirski’s corps took part in the second battle of Parkany (October 9, 1683), and the court marshal himself commanded the right wing of the allied forces composed of Polish units. During the siege of Esztergom, Lubomirski’s corps, along with the entire imperial cavalry, covered the siege operations against a possible enemy relief. In November, Lubomirski’s regiments went to winter quarters in Spiš. They still participated in the campaigns of 1684-1685 in Hungary. In the fall of 1685, both reiters regiments and pancerni banners were disbanded, and Lubomirski himself resigned from further imperial service in December and returned to the country. Only Königsegg’s dragoon regiment, under different command, remained in imperial service until 1700 [16].

Notes

 

[1] Jan Wimmer, Poles in Battles on Austrian Territory before the Relief of Vienna in 1683, Sobótka 1982, no. 3-4, p. 366.

[2] J. Wimmer, op. cit., pp. 366-367.

[3] J. Wimmer, Vienna 1683. History of the Campaign and Battle, Warsaw 1983, p. 152. Since the report from the Battle of Bratislava also mentions captains Modrzejewski, the Sieradz hunter, and Dymiszewicz, it is unknown whether there were more of these banners, or whether these commanders led some companies in one of the reiters regiments. According to J. Wimmer, the latter assumption is more likely.

[4] Franciszek Kluczycki, Writings on the Age and Matters of Jan Sobieski 1629-1671, Acta Historica, vol. II, pp. 136-140. There we find the exact establishment of Lubomirski’s corps in German.

[5] J. Wimmer, Poles…, pp. 367-368; J. Wimmer, Vienna 1683…, pp. 153-154.

[6] J. Wimmer, op. cit., p. 368.

[7] J. Wimmer, op. cit., p. 369; Acta…, p. 184.

[8] J. Wimmer, op. cit., p. 370.

[9] Acta…., pp. 205-207.

[10] Acta…, pp. 207-208.

[11] J. Wimmer, op. cit., p. 371.

[12] J. Wimmer, op. cit., p. 372.

[13] J. Wimmer, op. cit., pp. 372-373; Kara Mustafa under Vienna. Muslim Sources on the History of the Vienna Expedition 1683, ed. Zygmunt Abrahamowicz, Kraków 1973, pp. 149-150.

[14] J. Wimmer, op. cit., p. 373. To this, 200 people on the Klosterneuburg garrison should be added.

[15] J. Wimmer, Vienna 1683, pp. 319-322.

[16] J. Wimmer, Poles…, p. 374.