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Polish-Ottoman War (1633–1634)
Encyclopedia
Polish-Ottoman War of 1633–1634 refers to one of the many conflicts between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
and Ottoman Empire
and its vassals.
, today in Bulgaria
). In 1632, after the death of the Polish king Sigismund III Vasa
, Russia
broke an armistice and started a war with the Commonwealth (Smolensk War
1632–1634). Abazy mobilized his troops and called Moldavia
n, Wallachia
n and Nogai Tatar
(of the Budjak
Horde) as reinforcements.
Abazy was ambitious and possibly acted without the sultan
's or the grand vizier
's knowledge as the Ottoman Empire
was deeply involved with a war against the Safavids (1623–1639). The sultan claimed ignorance of Abazy's actions but it's possible that sultan Murad IV
secretly agreed to the campaign.
. This raid ended and the Tatars returned to Moldavia with their loot and jasyr. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth commander, Hetman
Stanisław Koniecpolski was in Bar
and moved immediately in pursuit with 2,000 cavalry when the news reached him. The hetman crossed Dniestr river and entered the Ottoman territory of Moldavia, which has been the theatre of the previous Commonwealth-Ottoman war just a few decades earlier (the Moldavian Magnate Wars
). The Tatars probably thought they were safe and slowed down thus allowing hetman to catch with them on July 4 near Sasowy Róg at river Prut
. Several dozens of Tatars were killed and captured, rest dispersed. Among captives were several high rank Tatars and Khan Temir
's son in law (Khan Temir, Kantymir – chief of Budjak Horde, a well known and ferocious Nogai Tatar
leader). Most of loot, all captives, cattle and horses were recovered.
Koniecpolski, who had an extensive spy network through this region and was responsible for much of Commonwealth foreign policy for this region, had probably known about Abazy plans at this moment. He returned on the left bank of Dniestr, started a construction on a fortified camp near Kamieniec Podolski (an important city and a strong fortress in Podolia
region) and called reinforcement for about 3,000 regular troops in his disposition: Cossacks and private troops of magnates (about 8,000 men came). Abaza started his march in the second half of September with Ottoman troops from his province, vassal troops and about 5,000–10,000 Tatars, including almost the whole Budjak Horde led by Kantymir. In mid-October he was near Chocim
(Khotyn) and learned about Koniecpolski's preparations. Abaza started negotiations, probably wanting to outmanoeuver Koniecpolski by diplomacy. It is possible he got news about the sultan's increasing dissatisfaction, and decided to hurry his plans. Abazy crossed the Dniestr about October 20. Kantymir started his attacks on October 20 and continued during the next day. On October 22 Abazy attacked with his full forces but was repelled with heavy loses and ordered a retreat. One can speculate why—did he get orders from Constantinople
(Istanbul), did he not believe that he could defeat Koniecpolski or did he heard the false news that more Cossacks reinforcements were coming to aid Koniecpolski?
Canibek II (Janibek, Dzhanibek), had decided to attack Muscovy. Muscovy troops were fighting with Polish troops, then-Polish Ukraine was bolstered by Cossacks and Koniecpolski's troops and besides, many times Tatars themselves offered to Commonwealth to raid Muscovy in exchange for “gifts” (or were sent “gifts” to do so). About 20,000 strong Tatar army attacked Muscovy in 1632, probably stronger in 1633, attacks continued in 1634 (till 1637). In June 1634 Tatars operated in area of Kursk
, Orel
; and Mtsensk
. A year later attacked Lesser Nogai Horde and Azov Horde. In 1636 Crimean Tatars attacked again and Greater Nogai Orde changed their allegiance to Crimea. Southern defenses were destroyed, country depopulated (the number of jasyr captives sold in Crimea is estimated at 10,000). Russian historians accuse Poles that they coordinated their attacks with those of Tatars.
Meanwhile, Commonwealth victories against Muscovy (Sztein forces capitulation near Smolensk on February 1634, further plundering of Muscovy lands by Cossacks, Commonwealth troops and Tatars) caused the tsar
to decide to seek peace with Polish new king, Władysław IV. A new peace treaty in Polanowo (or Polanówko, called pokój polanowski in Polish) was signed in June 1634. Terms of previous treaty were confirmed and in exchange for large amount of money Władysław resigned of tsar title. After that Władysław with some of his troops went south to Ukraine.
In September 1634 about 29,000 Commonwealth soldiers were concentrated near Kamieniec. Expanded regular troops of Koniecpolski (6,500 including wybraniecka infantry), 5,500 infantry and dragoon
s that came with king from Smolensk, private troops of magnates and mercenaries hired by provinces. Commonwealth was making preparations for war, Smoleńsk campaign has shown that Polish infantry reform program had succeeded, new reforms in artillery were introduced which resulted in creation of new centers of cannon-making and additionally Cossacks could be mobilized. So the whole situation has changed dramatically: instead of opening a second front and attack on soft belly of desperately fighting Commonwealth, the sultan would have to confront the whole power of a victorious king. In order to explain the previous year's “misunderstandings” the sultan sent his envoy Chavush Shaheen aga (agha) to Warsaw
, blamed Abazy and promised to punish him. Abazy tried to hide or cover his failure sending the sultan rich gifts, however was called to Istanbul and offered silk rope (sentenced to death).
The peace treaty was extended, and the sultan promised to displace Bucak Orde but never did so. Additionally Abazy was “relieved” and the new governor of Silistria got orders not to make any mischief. In 1635 Murad IV
started a war with Persia, conquered Azerbaijan
, occupied Tabriz
and captured Baghdad
in 1638.
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
and Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and its vassals.
Background
Mehmed Abazy was governor of the Ottoman province Sylistria (SilistraSilistra
Silistra is a port city of northeastern Bulgaria, lying on the southern bank of the lower Danube at the country's border with Romania. Silistra is the administrative centre of Silistra Province and one of the important cities of the historical region of Southern Dobrudzha...
, today in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
). In 1632, after the death of the Polish king Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a monarch of the united Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1632, and King of Sweden from 1592 until he was deposed in 1599...
, Russia
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...
broke an armistice and started a war with the Commonwealth (Smolensk War
Smolensk War
The Smolensk War was a conflict fought between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Russia.Hostilities began in October 1632 when Tsar forces tried to recapture the city of Smolensk, a former Russian possession. Small military engagements produced mixed results for both sides, but the surrender...
1632–1634). Abazy mobilized his troops and called Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
n, Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
n and Nogai Tatar
Nogais
The Nogai people are a Turkic ethnic group in Southern Russia: northern Dagestan and Stavropol Krai, as well as in Karachay-Cherkessia and the Astrakhan Oblast; undefined number live in Chechnya...
(of the Budjak
Budjak
Budjak or Budzhak is a historical region in the Odessa Oblast of Ukraine. Lying along the Black Sea between the Danube and Dniester rivers this multiethnic region was the southern part of Bessarabia...
Horde) as reinforcements.
Abazy was ambitious and possibly acted without the sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
's or the grand vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
's knowledge as the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
was deeply involved with a war against the Safavids (1623–1639). The sultan claimed ignorance of Abazy's actions but it's possible that sultan Murad IV
Murad IV
Murad IV Ghazi was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods...
secretly agreed to the campaign.
1633
Around June 29, 1633 a strong Tatar group of Bucak Orde (about 1,000 strong) raided the area of Kamieniec PodolskiKamianets-Podilskyi
Kamyanets-Podilsky or Kamienets-Podolsky is a city located on the Smotrych River in western Ukraine, to the north-east of Chernivtsi...
. This raid ended and the Tatars returned to Moldavia with their loot and jasyr. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth commander, Hetman
Hetman
Hetman was the title of the second-highest military commander in 15th- to 18th-century Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which together, from 1569 to 1795, comprised the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Rzeczpospolita....
Stanisław Koniecpolski was in Bar
Bar, Ukraine
Bar is a city located on the Rov River in the Vinnytsia Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Barskyi Raion , and is part of the historic region of Podolia. The current estimated population is 17,200 .-History:The city was a small trade outpost named Row...
and moved immediately in pursuit with 2,000 cavalry when the news reached him. The hetman crossed Dniestr river and entered the Ottoman territory of Moldavia, which has been the theatre of the previous Commonwealth-Ottoman war just a few decades earlier (the Moldavian Magnate Wars
Moldavian Magnate Wars
The Moldavian Magnate Wars refer to the period at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century when the magnates of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth intervened in the affairs of Moldavia, clashing with the Habsburgs and the Ottoman Empire for domination and influence over the...
). The Tatars probably thought they were safe and slowed down thus allowing hetman to catch with them on July 4 near Sasowy Róg at river Prut
Prut
The Prut is a long river in Eastern Europe. In part of its course it forms the border between Romania and Moldova.-Overview:...
. Several dozens of Tatars were killed and captured, rest dispersed. Among captives were several high rank Tatars and Khan Temir
Khan Temir
Khan Temir was a powerful khan of the Budjak Nogais ; around 1603, he formed and subsequently led the Nogai Khanate.-Biography:...
's son in law (Khan Temir, Kantymir – chief of Budjak Horde, a well known and ferocious Nogai Tatar
Nogai Horde
The Nogai Horde was a confederation of about eighteen Turkic and Mongol tribes that occupied the Pontic-Caspian steppe from about 1500 until they were pushed west by the Kalmyks and south by the Russians in the 17th century. The Mongol tribe called the Manghits constituted a core of the Horde...
leader). Most of loot, all captives, cattle and horses were recovered.
Koniecpolski, who had an extensive spy network through this region and was responsible for much of Commonwealth foreign policy for this region, had probably known about Abazy plans at this moment. He returned on the left bank of Dniestr, started a construction on a fortified camp near Kamieniec Podolski (an important city and a strong fortress in Podolia
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
region) and called reinforcement for about 3,000 regular troops in his disposition: Cossacks and private troops of magnates (about 8,000 men came). Abaza started his march in the second half of September with Ottoman troops from his province, vassal troops and about 5,000–10,000 Tatars, including almost the whole Budjak Horde led by Kantymir. In mid-October he was near Chocim
Khotyn
Khotyn is a city in Chernivtsi Oblast of western Ukraine, and is the administrative center of Khotyn Raion within the oblast, and is located south-west of Kamianets-Podilskyi. According to the 2001 Ukrainian census, it has a population of 11,124...
(Khotyn) and learned about Koniecpolski's preparations. Abaza started negotiations, probably wanting to outmanoeuver Koniecpolski by diplomacy. It is possible he got news about the sultan's increasing dissatisfaction, and decided to hurry his plans. Abazy crossed the Dniestr about October 20. Kantymir started his attacks on October 20 and continued during the next day. On October 22 Abazy attacked with his full forces but was repelled with heavy loses and ordered a retreat. One can speculate why—did he get orders from Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
(Istanbul), did he not believe that he could defeat Koniecpolski or did he heard the false news that more Cossacks reinforcements were coming to aid Koniecpolski?
1634
In next year a full war with the Ottoman Empire was close (according to one source, the sultan created a huge army, according to others, it was just near its creation), however the sultan suffered from another failure: his vassal, khan of CrimeaCrimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
Canibek II (Janibek, Dzhanibek), had decided to attack Muscovy. Muscovy troops were fighting with Polish troops, then-Polish Ukraine was bolstered by Cossacks and Koniecpolski's troops and besides, many times Tatars themselves offered to Commonwealth to raid Muscovy in exchange for “gifts” (or were sent “gifts” to do so). About 20,000 strong Tatar army attacked Muscovy in 1632, probably stronger in 1633, attacks continued in 1634 (till 1637). In June 1634 Tatars operated in area of Kursk
Kursk
Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
, Orel
Oryol
Oryol or Orel is a city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Oka River, approximately south-southwest of Moscow...
; and Mtsensk
Mtsensk
Mtsensk is a town in Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Zusha River northeast of Oryol. It stands on the Moscow–Simferopol highway. Population: 28,000 ....
. A year later attacked Lesser Nogai Horde and Azov Horde. In 1636 Crimean Tatars attacked again and Greater Nogai Orde changed their allegiance to Crimea. Southern defenses were destroyed, country depopulated (the number of jasyr captives sold in Crimea is estimated at 10,000). Russian historians accuse Poles that they coordinated their attacks with those of Tatars.
Meanwhile, Commonwealth victories against Muscovy (Sztein forces capitulation near Smolensk on February 1634, further plundering of Muscovy lands by Cossacks, Commonwealth troops and Tatars) caused the tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
to decide to seek peace with Polish new king, Władysław IV. A new peace treaty in Polanowo (or Polanówko, called pokój polanowski in Polish) was signed in June 1634. Terms of previous treaty were confirmed and in exchange for large amount of money Władysław resigned of tsar title. After that Władysław with some of his troops went south to Ukraine.
In September 1634 about 29,000 Commonwealth soldiers were concentrated near Kamieniec. Expanded regular troops of Koniecpolski (6,500 including wybraniecka infantry), 5,500 infantry and dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s that came with king from Smolensk, private troops of magnates and mercenaries hired by provinces. Commonwealth was making preparations for war, Smoleńsk campaign has shown that Polish infantry reform program had succeeded, new reforms in artillery were introduced which resulted in creation of new centers of cannon-making and additionally Cossacks could be mobilized. So the whole situation has changed dramatically: instead of opening a second front and attack on soft belly of desperately fighting Commonwealth, the sultan would have to confront the whole power of a victorious king. In order to explain the previous year's “misunderstandings” the sultan sent his envoy Chavush Shaheen aga (agha) to Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, blamed Abazy and promised to punish him. Abazy tried to hide or cover his failure sending the sultan rich gifts, however was called to Istanbul and offered silk rope (sentenced to death).
The peace treaty was extended, and the sultan promised to displace Bucak Orde but never did so. Additionally Abazy was “relieved” and the new governor of Silistria got orders not to make any mischief. In 1635 Murad IV
Murad IV
Murad IV Ghazi was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1623 to 1640, known both for restoring the authority of the state and for the brutality of his methods...
started a war with Persia, conquered Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, occupied Tabriz
Tabriz
Tabriz is the fourth largest city and one of the historical capitals of Iran and the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. Situated at an altitude of 1,350 meters at the junction of the Quri River and Aji River, it was the second largest city in Iran until the late 1960s, one of its former...
and captured Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 1638.