MINISTERSTWO OBRONY NARODOWEJ POLAND place of freedom Introduction of Christianity, 965 A.D. by Jan Matejko (1889) 2 POLAND’S BAPTISM AND THE RECOGNITION OF ITS INDEPENDENCE The coat of arms of Poland (1295-1569) A.D. 966 he lands situated between the Baltic Sea and the Carpathian Moun- tains, the Oder and Bug rivers, inhabited by the Polanie tribe came Tinto existence as a powerful country in the 10th century. This is the first reference to the country of Poland. In 966 Mieszko I, known as first historical ruler of Poland, opting for conversion from Rome, not Constantinople, chose the western over the eastern variant of European culture. This placed Poland between the two great sibling civilizations of medieval Christian Europe. A c o p y o f t h e o l d e s t P o l i s h w r t i n g s ‘ O l d Ś w i ę t o k r z y s k i e ’ n o t e d i n 9 6 6 : “Mieszko, the duke of Poland was baptized”. This year is considered to be the beginning of the evan- gelization of Poland and also the recognition of its state- hood. Missionaries and monks began arriving in the coun- try. The Latin language was introduced, reading and writing were taught, brick churches and monasteries were built, and modern agricultural methods were introduced. Savage pagan traditions were being replaced by efforts to live by the com- mandments of love as found in the Christian Decalogue. 966 Duke Mieszko I, the first historical ruler of Poland (by Jan Matejko) Original polish sword (from the collection of the Polish Army Museum) 3 One of the greatest and bloodiest battles in Medieval European history THE BATTLE OF TANNENBERG A.D. 1410 he Teutonic Knights also known as the Order of the Brothers ar- rived in the Polish lands in the 13th century. Their mission was to T Christianize the Prussians tribes and to protect the northern borders of Poland. As time passed the power of the Teutonic Knights increased so much, as to threaten the interests of Poland and Lithuania which were in personal union together since 1385. The diplomatic and military conflict lasted many years and reached its peak in the early 15th century when the Great War with the Order of the Brothers broke out. The Royal banner of King Ladislaus Jahiełło The decisive grapple came on 15th July 1410 near Tannenberg (in Polish Grunwald) where the combined armies of Poland, Lithuania and Ruthe- nia, commanded by king from Lithuanian Dynasty Ladislaus Jagiełło, crushed the Teutonic power. The commonwealth’s victory became the corner- stone of Polish patriotism for many ceturies to come 1410 and has entered the national pantheon of illustrious historical events. Szczerbiec - - the coronation sword that was used in crowning ceremonies of most Polish monarchs from 1320 to 1764 The heavy suit of armor presented on the permanent exhibition in the Polish Army Museum The biggest monument of the Central Park NYC: Jagiello the King of Poland (by Stanisław Ostrowski 1910, to International Fair in New York 1939) 4 THE BATTLE OF TANNENBERG A.D. 1410 “Bitwa pod Grunwaldem” by Wojciech Kossak (1931) 5 Portrait of Jan Kochanowski (a woodcut of Alexander Regulski, 1870) “Astronom Kopernik, czyli rozmowa z Bogiem” by Jan Matejko (1873) 6 POLAND’S GOLDEN AGE he 15th and 16th century was a special time in Poland, for both political, military and cultural reasons. The Polish-Lithuanian union The coat of arms of Polish-Lithuanian governed by the Jagiellon’s dynasty made the largest state in Europe Jagiellonian state 1386-1569 T (with an area of nearly 1 million square kilometers and 14 million citizens), which was undisputed political and military power of the Central and East- ern Europe. It also went through a period of speedy economic growth. Well in tune with that, a revival of arts and sciences continued, especially con- spicuous in Cracow as the state capital. century The Cracow Academy, established just after the Prague University and prior to the one in Vienna, in the late 15th and early 16th century was the leading institution in developing the country’s intellectual elite, th e.g. Nicolaus Copernicus – outstanding Pol- ish astronomer and author of the revolutio- nary heliocentric theory of universe and Jan Kochanowski – probably the greatest Slavic poet of the pre-modern era. At the end of 16th century Poland was at pinnacle of its power and influence with Portrait of Jan Kochanowski (a woodcut of Alexander achievements in culture and the arts match- Regulski, 1870) ing its renown in military triumphs. -16 th “Astronom Kopernik, czyli rozmowa z Bogiem” by Jan Matejko (1873) The Union of Lublin Act, 15 1st July 1569 7 Stylish and skilled calvary, the finest in the world POLISH HUSSARS olish Hussars are the great symbol of the golden age of Polish mili- tary. They were astonishingly successful on the battlefields, often de- Pfeating enemies which outnumbered them several times. The army of Maximilian III of Austria realized what this felt like during the battle at The coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Byczyna in 1588, as much later did the army of Charles IX of Sweden at Kir- Commonwealth (after the Union cholm after being defeated in 1605 by a Polish-Lithuanian army three-times of Lublin 1569) smaller in size. So did the Russians at Klushino in 1610 (this Polish victory led to a two-year occupation of the Kremlin), the Turks at Khotyn in 1621, the Tatars at Martyniv and Okhmativ, and finally the Great King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden whose armies faced the Polish Hussars. Polish hussars units were established in the early 16th century, but the decisive period of their exist- ence was connected with the reign of the king of Hungarian origin, Stephen Batory. He modified the century weaponry the hussars carried, turning the light Ser- bian cavalry into heavy cavalry, protected with light armor on specifically chosen horses bred in Poland – large, fast, hardy and so expensive that only the th wealthiest could afford them. The hussar horsemen had frames with eagles wings attached to their backs or saddles and 5 and half meter lances with pennons. They also carried long sabers, axes and muskets with leopard, tiger and wolf pelts covering their armor. The wings and five-foot-long silk pennants made a terribly loud noise that frighten the enemy’s horses, when they charged. In the 18th century the hussars lost their military importance as a result of the advances in controlled volleys of musket fire which effectively could stop their charges. 17 Polish Hussar armor called karacena and a hussar helmet from the collections of the Museum Polish Army in Warsaw 8 Stylish and skilled calvary, the finest in the world For over a century the Hussars were the lords of the battlefield “Kircholm” by Wojciech Kossak (1925) 9 “Bitwa pod Wiedniem” by Józef Brandt (1873) 10 The greatest victorious battle which saved Vienna and finally halted the expansion of the mighty Ottoman Empire THE BATTLE OF VIENNA The coat of arms of Jan III Sobieski, A.D. 1683 king of Poland s far back as the 16th century, Poland was known as the Bulwark of Christianity, A protecting Christians from the Muslim Ottoman Empire and from the Tatars hoards. In the 17th century Turkey, the mightiest empire in the world, conquering all in its path, was pressing Portrait of John III Sobieski, into the heart of Europe. In 1683, the Turkish army king of Poland (unknown laid siege to Vienna and after two months the author, from collections of Polish Army Museum city was ready to capitulate. A call from the in Warsaw) Austrian emperor Leopold I for help brought a Polish army. This battle was settled when Sobieski led the great- est military charge to ever to take place in Europe, consisting of 20,000 Polish hussars and Bavarian cavalry, the result of which drove the Turks from the walls of Vienna and saved Christianity in Europe. The Viennese victory not only saved the capital of Habsburg Empire. It also “broke the back” of the Ottoman army which never again was able to undertake an offensive of similar scale. “Bitwa pod Wiedniem” by Józef Brandt (1873) 1683 “Sobieski pod Wiedniem” by Juliusz Kossak (1882) 11 The first democratic constitution in Europe and second in the world (after the USA) THE CONSTITUTION OF MAY 3rd 1791 The War Order of Virtuti Militari oldest military decorations in the world still he Polish Commonwealth became a weakened state in the in use (by Polish King Stanisław August 18th century. The ruination of the wars of the preceding Poniatowski in 1792) T century, the “golden liberty” or the freedoms and privileges bestowed upon the nobility which had introduced a form of anar- chy weakened Poland’s position in the international arena. In 1772, the neighbors: Russia, Prussia and Austria took advantage of it and conducted the First Partition of Poland. This set the stage for reformers to make a great effort to save a quickly disintegrating situation. They captured a sufficient amount of power to control the agenda of parlia- ment and enacted many sweeping changes. This movement culminated in the announce- ment of the May 3rd Constitution in 1791, Europe’s first written constitution. It revoked the privileges of nobility, which have been supported by the state, and strengthened the country. And although its life was very short, this Polish Constitution became the symbol of modern changes and aspirations for inde- pendence for other European countries.