Battle of Podhajce (1698)
Part of the Great Turkish War and the Polish–Ottoman War
DateSeptember 8–9, 1698
Location
Podhajce, Ruthenian Voivodship (today Pidhaitsi, Ukraine)
Result Polish-Lithuanian victory
Belligerents
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Ottoman Empire
Crimean Khanate
Commanders and leaders
Feliks Kazimierz Potocki
Nikodem Żaboklicki
Krzysztof Skarbek[1]		 Qaplan Giray
Ğazı III Giray[2]
Strength
6,000
    • 5,000 cavalry
    • 1,000 infantry
    • 12 light cannons [1]
 11,000-14,000[3]
Casualties and losses
Uncertain
c. 100-650
960 (Parthenay)[4]		 Uncertain
c. 200-3,000
6,000 (Jonsac)[4]

Battle of Podhajce took place on 8–9 September 1698 near Podhajce in Ruthenian Voivodship during the Great Turkish War. 6000-strong Polish army under Field Crown Hetman Feliks Kazimierz Potocki repelled a 14,000 man Tatar expedition under Qaplan I Giray. Lack of sufficient number of light cavalry on the Polish side prevented a successful pursuit of Tatars and their captives.

It was the last Polish-Tatar battle ever and the last Polish battle of the Great Turkish War: only months later the Treaty of Karlowitz was signed.

Background

Ottoman Empire was defeated during Azov campaigns (1695–1696) and in 1697 in the Battle of Zenta. The empire exhausted by the war and recent janissaries riots and in fear of losing another territories began to be willing to enter into peace negotations. Habsburg Monarchy wanted to relocate forces and focus on succession of Habsburg Spain during impending death of Charles II of Spain. Habsburg Monarchy in the fall of 1697 began negotiations with Ottoman Empire proposing end of war with each member of Holy League keeping captured territories (Uti possidetis, ita possideatis).[5] This proposition was unfavorable for Commonwealth that would not regain part of Ukraine with Kamianets-Podilskyi that was lost after the Treaty of Buchach of 1672.[6]

Recently elected in 1697 Commonwealth king Augustus II the Strong decided to launch a military campaing using Commonwealth and Electorate of Saxony armies against Ottomans with purpose to occupy Wallachia and Moldavia. [7] At the same time Commonwealth senators and hetmans headed by Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski proposed to recapture Kamianets. They did not want the king to strenghten his position through this expedition. They also argued for it that Kamianets was more realistic target and already fortess garrison has problems because of partial Commonwealth supply blockade to the fortress leading to Ottomans demoralisation and dessertions.[8]

Commonwealth campaign preparations

Campaing preparations started on January 1698.[9] In June polish trops started concentration at Monastyryska.[10] On September at least 20 000 Saxons(~9300 cavalry) arrived to Lviv and 5000 Lithuanians started heading to Lviv. Commonwealth gathered 24 000 troops(12 500 cavalry).[11]

On August 10-13 Augustus met with Peter the Great returning from Grand Embassy to Russia. During talks held in Rava-Ruska Peter did not promise Augustus to support his campaing despite the king's request.[12] On August 20 a meeting of the Senate was held and on August 21 a council of war was held. Aware of the insufficient number of troops and supplies to capture initial targets Wallachia and Moldavia the Poles proposed to start siege of Kamianets while the Saxon commanders proposed a limited campaign in Moldavia to capture a few locations.[13]

Ottoman Empire preparations

Tatar horse archer

On January 1698 Stambul's intelligence started to receive information about the king's preparations that were suspected to capture Kamianets. On May the Antioh Cantemir was ordered to supply the fortress with 100,000 Thalers and 2,000 janissaries. From June Kamianets's garrison started raiding in order to gather information and kidnap slaves. These raids reached Okopy, Sniatyn and Pokuttia enslaving multiple people and stealing 1,500 cows.

On July Ottoman army arrived from Budjak to Cecora. According to older sources its number was between 30,000 and 50,000. According to recent research it was estimated to be between 12,000 and 15,0000 tatars plus 2,000 janissaries. The army was commanded by Qaplan Giray together with his deputy Ğazı III Giray. 3,000 of tatars from Budjak orda were commanded by Ğazı Giray. In the middle of August the army with supplies wagons with supplies set out for Kamianets, where it arrived on August 23.[14]

Citations

  1. 1 2 Wojtasik 1990, p. 115.
  2. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, p. 99.
  3. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, p. 100.
  4. 1 2 Wojtasik 1990, p. 125.
  5. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 9–11.
  6. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, p. 13.
  7. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 17–18.
  8. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 22–23, 62, 91–93.
  9. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, p. 64.
  10. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 68–69.
  11. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 71, 81–82.
  12. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 87–88.
  13. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 90–94.
  14. ↑ Wojtasik 1990, pp. 96–99.

References

  • (1762) Modern History being a Continuation of Universal History: History of Poland (Volume 34 of Modern History) London, pages 302-303
  • Wojtasik, Janusz (1990). Podhajce 1698 (in Polish). Warszawa, Poland: Dom Wydawniczy Bellona. ISBN 83-11-07813-0.

49°16′N 25°08′E / 49.27°N 25.14°E / 49.27; 25.14


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