The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth won a stunning victory at Klushino on 4 July 1610, when a small army under hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski, spearheaded by the winged hussars, beat a far larger Russian and mercenary force. The win opened the road to Moscow.
The hussar charge
Żółkiewski's cavalry attacked before the larger Russian-mercenary army could fully deploy, and repeated hussar charges broke its cohesion.1
Our article on the Battle of Klushino covers the campaign and the battle. › Battle of Klushino, 1610
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Battle of Klushino?
It was fought on 4 July 1610 at Klushino (Kłuszyn), in the Smolensk region of Russia on the road from Moscow, during the Polish-Muscovite War amid Russia's Time of Troubles.
Who commanded the Polish-Lithuanian army?
The Polish-Lithuanian forces were led by the hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski, with the winged hussars as the core of his army.
How were the Poles so outnumbered and still won?
Żółkiewski's cavalry attacked before the larger Russian-mercenary army could fully deploy, and repeated hussar charges broke their cohesion.
Notes
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