Siege of Danzig (1577)
Encyclopedia
The Siege of the city of Danzig (Gdańsk) in 1577 by king Stephen Báthory of Poland ended militarily inconclusive.
The conflict begun as the city of Danzig, along with the Polish episcopate and a portion of the Polish szlachta, did not recognize the election of Bathory to the Polish throne and instead supported Emperor Maximilian
. This led to a short conflict, known as the Danzig rebellion
. Siege of Danzig was the last part of that conflict.
After a siege of six months, the Danzig army of 5,000 mercenaries, among them a Scottish regiment was utterly defeated in a field battle on 16 December 1577. However, since Stephen's armies (Polish, Hungarian and Wallachian forces) were unable to take the city itself, a compromise was reached: Stephen Báthory confirmed the city's special status and her Danzig law privileges granted by the earlier Polish kings. The siege was lifted in return for reparations and recognition of him as the sovereign. The city recognised him as ruler of Poland and paid a large sum of 200,000 złotys.
The conflict begun as the city of Danzig, along with the Polish episcopate and a portion of the Polish szlachta, did not recognize the election of Bathory to the Polish throne and instead supported Emperor Maximilian
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...
. This led to a short conflict, known as the Danzig rebellion
Danzig rebellion
The rebellion of the city of Danzig in 1570s against the election and rule of Polish King and Grand Duke of Lithuania Stephen Báthory began on 12 December 1575 and ended on 16 December 1577...
. Siege of Danzig was the last part of that conflict.
After a siege of six months, the Danzig army of 5,000 mercenaries, among them a Scottish regiment was utterly defeated in a field battle on 16 December 1577. However, since Stephen's armies (Polish, Hungarian and Wallachian forces) were unable to take the city itself, a compromise was reached: Stephen Báthory confirmed the city's special status and her Danzig law privileges granted by the earlier Polish kings. The siege was lifted in return for reparations and recognition of him as the sovereign. The city recognised him as ruler of Poland and paid a large sum of 200,000 złotys.