Historical calendar: the anniversary of the triumph of the naval conflict at Salis by Poles and Lithuanians. respective Swedish warships were destroyed during the fight.
Today in our calendar we will look at the circumstances of this clash.
In 1599 the Swedish invasion of Estonia began. Therefore, Zygmunt III Vasa announced the accession of this land to Poland at the General Sejm of 12 March 1600. He hoped that he could pull the Republic into his fight for the Swedish crown. Unfortunately, before the Sejm decided on hauls, Karol Sudermański's army was already in full force.
Three times weaker than the Swedish troops, the forces of the Venezuelan voivode Jerzy Farensbach, resisted fiercely, but did not prevent the enemy from occupying the major inflantic cities. Additionally, underpaid Polish-Lithuanian soldiers deserted and plundered their own country. It was only in early 1601, that the Sejm dealt seriously with the Swedish War. Taxes were passed on to the army, which defeated the Swedes in June at the conflict of Kokenhausen.
The opponent withdrew in the disorder north, awaiting reinforcements and weapons. At the end of July, he arrived at the Swedish camp close Parnawa, most likely along with immense sums of money, adopted by Wilhelm Oranski, studhoudera The Netherlands, prominent chief Jan of Nassau. He helped regroup decimated troops and equip them with state-of-the-art peaks and muskets. Soon, an experienced Dutchman took full command of the Swedish army at the hands of Karol Sudermański.
Reorganized troops moved on to a fresh offensive against Poles, but the tough defence of Riga and the epidemic in the attack camp forced the aggressors to retreat again. A struggled war began, during which Poles recovered almost the full Infinity. Unfortunately, the money allocated to the military by the parliament was exhausted and most of the army withdrew into the country. any of the unpaid soldiers, for a time they maintained from a private box 2 hetmans: Zamoyski and Chodkiewicz, thus continuing the offensive to the north.
After sending the expected money and meals, the Polish-Lithuanian troops defeated the enemy in the conflict of the White Stone (26 September 1604) and caused him a devastating defeat at Kircholm (27 September 1605).
Poles besides excelled at sea. On the night of 23 to 24 March 1609, Chodkiewicz's fleet unexpectedly attacked the Swedish fleet. Rented Inflantians, utilizing a favorable wind blowing toward the mainland, introduced respective branders (Most likely 4 and this was the first always usage of branders in the Baltic), they set them on fire and pushed them towards the rowed anchored Swedish ships.
Among the amazed Swedish ships there was a stampede. Crews cut off anchor ropes and tried to escape. Nevertheless, 2 Swedish ships burned down and shortly sank. The withdrawals from the port Swedish units got under fire waiting for Polish-Lithuanian ships. amazed by Chodkiewicz's surprise attack, the Swedish squadron did not even effort to take up the fight and as shortly as it fled to the waters of Ryska Bay.
The units of the Republic, slower than Swedish ships, did not pursue. The full port in Salis, along with the supplies of weapons, ammunition and food, got into the hands of the Polish-Lithuanian side.
Previous entry from our calendar is available Here..
