In the northwestern part of modern Lithuania there is a territory that several centuries ago was called Samogitia, which is translated from Lithuanian as “lower”. It had a unique location, being between the possessions of the Teutonic and Livonian orders, but this was precisely the reason for the frequent battles for Samogitia, because both orders could not divide it for a long time. In the middle of the XIII century, the Lithuanian ruler Mindovg decided to give this land to the Livonians, but a little more than ten years passed and the people who inhabited Samogitia were able to win back their territory and join the battle with the Teutonic Order.
Beginning of the Great War of 1409-1411
At the very beginning of the XIV century, at the suggestion of Prince Vitovt, Zhematiyya was under the rule of the Germans. And the desire of the Lithuanian principality to regain these lands at any cost became the cause of the Great War of 1409-1411, the results of which turned out to be deplorable forTeutonic order. In the spring of 1409, a mass uprising began in the Principality of Lithuania against the aggressive policy of the Teutons.
Soon the news of this reached the master of the order Ulrich von Juningen, and he decided to declare war on Lithuania and Poland. This happened on August 6, 1409. It took both sides some time to train troops, and after a slight lull, in late autumn, hostilities began.
The course of the war
At the beginning of the war, the size of the army of the Lithuanian-Polish alliance significantly exceeded the German one. In July 1410, the army of the union was able to reach Prussia, where the border of the territory of the Teutonic Order passed along the river. On the other side, one of the German detachments was waiting for them, planning to suddenly attack the rivals after they had crossed the river, but the Lithuanian prince Vitovt foresaw their plan and ordered his troops to go around.
Start of the Battle of Grunwald
The Germans were waiting for their rivals near the village of Grunwald. In mid-July, detachments of Lithuania and Poland approached them, starting the battle. The date of the Battle of Grunwald is July 15, 1410.
While the fighters of the Teutonic Order were in ambush, the master gave the order to intensively prepare the territory for the battle: the Germans dug several traps, and also equipped inconspicuous places for guns and crossbowmen. Despite the fact that the rivals attacked from the wrong side from where they were expected, the Teutonic Order skillfully used all its advantages.
Before things startedthe famous battle of the Great War of 1409-1411, both armies lined up in three columns, which are called “gufs”.
Polish commander with the charismatic name of Jagiello was in no hurry to announce the start of the attack, and the troops began to expect his symbolic order. But Prince Vitovt was less patient and ordered the advance of the Tatar cavalry, which rushed into battle immediately after the Teutons began firing from hidden cannons. When the Germans gave a worthy rebuff, the fighters of the union began to retreat, and Jagiello began to think over a new plan. The Germans acted more foolishly: rejoicing that they were able to repulse the offensive, they began to pursue the Lithuanians and Poles without any tactics, leaving behind all their shelters and prepared traps. Prince Vitovt managed to react in time to this, and most of the Teutons were surrounded and destroyed within a few hours.
Height of the Battle of Grunwald
Angry at such a mistake, the Chapter Master decided to launch a more powerful attack and ordered his troops to advance, which was the beginning of a great battle. Everyone remembered this day as the date of the Battle of Grunwald.
The master planned everything well enough for the Teutons to start to take good positions, in connection with which Jagiello decided to withdraw all the Lithuanian troops that were in reserve. After about five hours of battle, the Union soldiers began to retreat again, and the joyful Germans began to pursue them again.
Combatthe actions of the Great War of 1409-1411 are known for the interesting and often unexpected strategic moves of Prince Vytautas and his commander Jagiello. Upon learning of the persecution, Jagiello brought another reserve to the battlefield. Ulrich von Jungingen realized that the number of enemy fighters was only increasing, and ordered the second line of his cavalry to surround the Lithuanians. Both sides began to run out of ammunition, and soon almost everyone switched to hand-to-hand combat. Vitovt, who was watching this, was able to wait for the right moment and ordered the remaining cavalry to surround the Germans from the left flank, where their command was located. They did not have time to protect their ruler, and very soon the master, along with his entourage, was killed. Learning about this, the Teutons fled. The Lithuanian troops spent a few more days on the field, and then went to Marlborok, the current Marienburg, which they reached without any obstacles. Thus, the Polish-Lithuanian alliance won and regained Samogitia.
Results of the Great War
In the first months of 1411, Prince Vitovt and the rest of the alliance announced a peace treaty with the Teutons, on the condition that they would pay an indemnity and return all previously captured territories. The results of the Great War of 1409-1411 turned out to be beneficial not only for the Lithuanians, but also for other countries nearby, and which were often raided by the Teutonic Order before. After the war, the Teutons, who suffered heavy losses, began to pursue a more peaceful policy.
