Battle of Kopystrzyń

The Tatar chambuls by Józef Ryszkiewicz
Date8 September 1487
Location
Kopystyryn, Podolia, (now part of Ukraine)
Result Polish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Poland Crimean Khanate
Commanders and leaders
John I Albert Unknown
Strength
Unknown 5,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown 2,000 dead or captured

The Battle of Kopystrzyń was a battle which took place on September 8, 1487 near Kopystrzyń in Podolia, where the Polish army led by Prince John I Albert crushed the Tatar Chambul (5000 men), which the Ottomans had thrown against the Crown. 1,500 Tatars fell, and many were taken prisoner.[1]

Prelude

In 1485, the Ottoman Empire seized the ports of Chilia and Cetatea Albă, which belonged to Moldavia. The Moldavian Hospodar Stephen the Great who was a Polish vassal asked the Polish king for help. King Casimir IV Jagiellon assembled an army and set out for the Moldavian border. The combined Polish-Moldavian army set off after the enemy having reached Chilia they defeated the Ottoman army in battle. However, the Ottoman Sultan did not want to give up Moldavia and already in 1487 sent a Tatar chambul of 5,000 men towards the Polish border.[2]

The Polish army was led by Prince John I Albert.

The battle

Having crushed the Tatars, Albert retreated back to Kopystrzyń. There, meanwhile, a second, smaller Tatar detachment had already arrived. The Tatars realized the weakness of the Polish guard and seized the camp without difficulty. Convinced that the Poles had escaped, they divided their prey among themselves and began to enjoy the liquor they found in the tents. At this point Olbracht arrived with his army and unexpectedly struck at the feasting enemy from the march. Nearly 2,000 Tatars fell or were taken prisoner.[3]

Aftermath

After the battle, on the orders of John I Albert, the leader of the Tatars was captured and beheaded.[3]

Further reading

  • Mała Encyklopedia Wojskowa, Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, Warszawa 1967, Wydanie I, Tom II
  • Marek Plewczyński: "Wojny Jagiellonów z wschodnimi i południowymi sąsiadami Królestwa Polskiego w XV wieku"

References

  1. ↑ "Bitwa pod Kopystrzyniem 1487". zamki.name. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  2. ↑ Jasienica, Paweł (1986). Polska Jagiellonów. Warsaw: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy.
  3. 1 2 Plewczyński, Marek. "Wojny Jagiellonów z wschodnimi i południowymi sąsiadami Królestwa Polskiego w XV wieku". pp. Chapter 6.2.
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