The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth won a crushing victory at Kircholm near Riga on 27 September 1605, when a force of about 3,600 men, led by the winged hussars, routed a much larger Swedish army. The hussar charges broke the Swedish cavalry in about half an hour.
The hussars
The husaria were Polish-Lithuanian heavy cavalry who charged in disciplined formation with very long lances. Kircholm became the most famous triumph of the Commonwealth's cavalry.1
Our article on the Battle of Kircholm covers the battle and its context in the Livonian war. › Battle of Kircholm, 1605
Also on this day
1810: Battle of Bussaco. On the Bussaco ridge in Portugal, Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army held a strong position against Marshal Masséna's French invasion force in the Peninsular War.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Battle of Kircholm?
The battle was fought on 27 September 1605 at Kircholm near Riga, today Salaspils in Latvia, during the Polish-Swedish war over Livonia.
How large were the two armies?
The Polish-Lithuanian army numbered roughly 3,600 men, most of them cavalry. The Swedish army was much larger, commonly given as around 11,000.
What were winged hussars?
The husaria were Polish-Lithuanian heavy cavalry who charged in disciplined formation with very long lances.
Notes
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