Siege of Smolensk (1654)

The siege of Smolensk was one of the first great events of the Russo-Polish War (1654–67). Smolensk, which had been under the rule of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during 1404–1514 and since 1611, was besieged by a Russian army in June 1654. The Polish garrison of the city (commanded by Smolensk Voivode Filip Obuchowicz) hoped to get reinforcements from the army of Janusz Radziwiłł (1612–1655), stationed in Orsha. Its situation worsened when Radziwiłł suffered a defeat from Prince Yakov Cherkassky in the Battle of Shklow. In September, the Polish garrison agreed to leave the city after it was promised a free retreat. The garrison left Smolensk and handed over its weapons and ensigns to the Russians before retreating to the Commonwealth-controlled territory. A significant number of landowners, however, preferred to stay and keep their estates, becoming subjects of the Russian Tsardom.

Siege of Smolensk
Part of the Russo-Polish War (1654–67)
Date6 July – 16 September 1654
Location
Smolensk
54°47′N 32°03′E
Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Filip Obuchowicz Alexander Leslie[1]
Yury Baryatinsky

References
  1. Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries 1635-1699 Archived 12 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine, University of Aberdeen website


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