List of Polish wars
Below is a list of military conflicts in which
Polish armed forces participated or which took place on Polish territory.
During the
Middle Ages, Poland fought mostly to defend itself from the
German eastward expansion, but at the same time tried to conquer its eastern neighbor,
Ruthenia. Occasionally, it encountered
Bohemian,
Tartar,
Prussian and
Lithuanian raids.
*
972, against
Germany, see battle of
Cedynia*
1003–
1005, against Germany
*
1007–
1013, against Germany
*
1015–
1018, against Germany
*
1018, against
Kievan Rus*
1072, against
Bohemia*
1109, against
Germany*
1146, against
Germany*
1156, against
Germany*
1241, with the
Teutonic Order against
Tartars, see
battle of Legnica*
1326–
1333, against the
Teutonic Order, see
battle of P艂owceUnder the Jagiellons, Poland was frequently challenged by its powerful neighbor from the north – the
Teutonic Order.
*
1409-
1411, the
Polish-Lithuanian-Teutonic War (1409-1411),
Poland allied with
Lithuania against the
Teutonic Order, see
battle of Grunwald*
1439, against the
Hussites, see
battle of Grotniki*
1444, with
Hungary against
Turkey see
battle of Varna*
1454–
1466,
Thirteen Years' War – against the
Teutonic OrderThe
17th century saw fierce rivalry between the then major Eastern European powers –
Sweden, the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the
Ottoman Empire. At its heyday, the Commonwealth comprised the territories of present-day
Poland, and large parts of
Ukraine,
Belarus,
Lithuania,
Latvia,
Estonia, and
Russia, and represented a major
European power. However, by the end of the
18th century a series of internal conflicts and wars with foreign enemies led to the dissolution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the
partitioning of most of its dependent territories among other European powers.
*
1561 鈥"
1570 First Livonian War,
First Northern War or
Northern Seven Years' War (Polish: I Wojna o Inflanty, Pierwsza Wojna P贸艂nocna). Participants and monarchs: Poland (
Zygmunt II August), Denmark (
Frederick II), Sweden (
Eric XIV), Muscovy (
Ivan IV the Terrible). Result: inconclusive, see
Treaty of Stettin*
1577 -
Danzig War or
Gda艅sk War (Polish: Konflikt polsko 鈥" gda艅ski). Participants: City of
Gda艅sk versus king
Stefan Batory. Result: inconclusive: In return for ransom (kontrybucja wojenna) and recognition of him as the sovereign, King Batory discarded the
Karnkowski constitution of 1570. [
1]
*
1576 -
1582,
Livonian War,
Second Livonian War (Polish: II wojna o Inflanty). Participants: Muscovy (Ivan IV the Terrible), Poland (Stefan Batory). Results: Polish victory
Peace treaty in Jam Zapolski**
1577 -
First Campaign of Batory**
1579 -
Second Campaign of Batory**
1580 -
Third Campaign of Batory*
1588 -
War of Polish succession (1587-1588) - cvili war of the election (Polish:
Wojna o sukcesj臋 polsk膮) Participants: factions of
Sigismund III Vasa and
Maximilian III. Battles:
siege of Krak贸w,
battle of Byczyna (24 Jan 1588). Result: victory and coronation of Zygmunt III Waza.
*
1591 鈥"
1593 -
Kosi艅ski Uprising (Polish: Powstanie Kosi艅skiego).
Cossack uprising under
Krzysztof Kosi艅ski against Poland (
Kresy magnates). Important battles:
battle of Pi膮tek,
battle of Czerkasy. Result: Polish victory
*
1594 鈥"
1596 -
Nalewajko Uprising (Polish: Powstanie Nalewajki). Cossack uprising under
Semen Nalewajko/
Sejmon Nalewajka and
Hryhor 艁oboda against Poland (
Stanis艂aw 呕贸艂kiewski). Important battles:
battle of Ostry Kamie艅,
battle of 艁ubnie,
battle of So艂onica. Result: Polish victory
*
1595 -
1621,
Magnate wars in Moldavia, against Ottoman Empire/Turkey. Result: Polish defeat
**
1620-
1621 -
Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1620-1621) - Polish defeat at the
Battle of Cecora*
1600 -
1629,
Polish-Swedish Wars,
Third Livonian War (Polish: III wojna o Inflanty). Participants: Poland (Zygmunt III Waza), Sweden (first
Charles IX of Sweden, then
Gustavus Adolphus). Result: inconclusive/Polish minor victory, see also
Armistice of Altmark (Stary Targ).
**
War against Sigismund**
Polish-Sweden War of 1600-1611**
Polish-Sweden War of 1620-1622**
Polish-Sweden War of 1625-1629*
1605 -
1618,
Polish-Muscovite War (1605 - 1618) against Russia
**
First Dimitriad: 1605-1606
**
Second Dimitriad 1607-1609
*
1606-
1608 -
Rokosz of Zebrzydowski, a civil war in Poland. Minor victory of king Zygmunt III Waza.
*
1618 -
1648,
Thirty Years' War – minor involvement on the
Habsburg side, mostly noticeable in the series of wars with Sweden (see above and below)
*1620-1621 -
Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1620-1621) - Polish defeat at the
Battle of Cecora ends the
Magnate wars in Moldavia*
1625 -
呕maj艂a Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie 呕maj艂y). Cossack uprising under
Marek 呕maj艂o and
Micha艂 Doroszenko (
Myhailo Doroshenko) against Poland (
Stanis艂aw Koniecpolski). Important battles:
battle of Kry艂贸w,
battle of Cybulnik. Result: Polish victory (see
Treaty of Jezioro Kurukowe (ugoda kurukowska)).
*
1629 -
Fedorowicz Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Fedorowicza). Cossack uprising under
Taras Fedorowicz against Poland (
Stanis艂aw Koniecpolski). Important battles:
battle of Korsu艅,
Noc Taraswowa battle of Perejas艂aw. Result: Polish victory, although Cossacks gained some minor freedoms (see
Treaty of Perejas艂aw).
*
1632 -
1634,
Smolensk War, against Russia
*
1633 - 1634,
Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1633-1634)*
1637 -
Pawluk Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Pawluka). Cossack uprising under
Pawe艂 Pawluk against Poland (
Miko艂aj Potocki). Important battles:
battle of Kumejki. Result: Polish victory, see
Treaty of Borowica.
*
1638 -
Ostrzanin Uprising. (Polish: Powstanie Ostranicy). Cossack uprising under
Jakub Ostrzanin,
Dymitr Hunia, and
Karp Skidan against Poland (
Miko艂aj Potocki,
Jeremi Wisniowiecki. Important battles:
battle of 呕o艂nin,
capitulation at Starzec. Result: Polish victory, see
Treaty of S艂oboda*
1648 -
1654,
Chmielnicki Uprising, the largest and most successful
Cossack uprising against Polish domination.
*
1654 -
1656,
Polish-Russian War (1654-1656), against
Russia.
*
1655 -
1661,
Northern Wars – against
Sweden*The wars against Sweden,
Brandenburg,
Russia and
Transylvania, known as
The Deluge.
*
1658 -
1667,
Polish-Russian War (1658-1667) against
Russia. Ends with
Treaty of Andrusovo.
*
1671 -
1676,
Ottoman-Commonwealth War (1671-1676), against the
Ottoman EmpireDuring the
18th century,
European powers (most frequently consisting of
Russia,
Sweden,
Prussia and
Saxony) fought several wars for the control of the territories of the former
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. At the end of the
18th century, some
Poles attempted to defend
Poland from growing foreign influence in the country's internal affairs. These late attempts to preserve independence eventually failed, ultimately ending in Poland's
partition and the final dissolution of the remains of the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
*
1700 -
1721,
Great Northern War – on the side of the anti-Swedish coalition
*
1733 -
1738,
War of the Polish Succession*
1768 -
1774,
Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774**
Confederation of Bar*
1792,
Polish-Russian War of 1792 – against
Russia*
1794,
Kosciuszko Uprising – against
RussiaPoles unsuccessfully struggled to win back their independence throughout the
19th century. At first, they put their hopes in
Napoleon. Later, they tried to ignite national
uprisings every now and then – all of them bloodily repressed.
*
1803 -
Haitian Revolution – on the French side, see
Polish Legions in Italy*
1809 -
Franco-Austrian War (see
Napoleonic Wars) – on the French side
*
1808 -
1814,
Peninsular War – on the French side
*
1812 -
1814,
Franco-Russian War – on the French side
*
1830 -
1831,
November Uprising – against Russia
*
1863 -
1864,
January Uprising – against Russia
*
1914 -
1918,
World War IIn the turmoil of the First World War, Poles managed to regain independence and then to expand their territory in a series of local wars and uprisings; only to be occupied again during the next world war. The second half of the
20th century was more peaceful, but still tense, as Poland was involved in the
Cold War on the
Soviet side.
*
1918 -
1919,
Polish-Ukrainian War, defending
Lw贸w (L'viv) and eastern
Galicia against the
Western Ukrainian National Republic*
1918 -
1919 Great Poland Uprising – against
Germany*
1919, defending
Cieszyn against
Czechoslovakia*
1919,
First Silesian Uprising – against Germany
*
1919 -
1921,
Polish-Soviet War*
1920,
Second Silesian Uprising – against Germany
*
1921,
Third Silesian Uprising – against Germany
*
1939 -
1945,
Second World War – on the
Allied side
**
1939,
Polish September Campaign**
Polish contribution to World War II*
1968, invasion of
Czechoslovakia on the Soviet side, see
Prague Spring*
2003,
Invasion of Iraq – on the
U.S. side
**
Polish contribution to the 2003 invasion of IraqThe Polish concept of uprising is derived from the system of the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where the
szlachta was supposed to play an important role in the governing of the country.Unsatisfied noblemen were allowed to form
Rokosz, the legal rebellion against government. Rebellion movements were shaped in the
Confederation, a council whose members voted.
Following the example, national uprising were perfectly organised movements against the oppressors.Many of them occurred during the century of uprisings (
1764-
1864), and were, with small exceptions, all defeated.
*
Confederation of Bar 1768*
Ko艣ciuszko Uprising 1794*
November Uprising 1830-
1831*
Krak贸w Uprising 1846*
January Uprising 1863-
1864(Polish:
powstania wielkopolskie) were a series of 5 military insurrections of the Polish people in the
Greater Poland region (also called the
Grand Duchy of Pozna艅) against the occupying
Prussian and
German forces, after the
partitions of Poland (1772-1795).
**
Greater Poland Uprising 1794 - to help the
Ko艣ciuszko Uprising**
Greater Poland Uprising 1806 - to help
Napoleon I to liberate Poland and create the
Duchy of Warsaw**
Greater Poland Uprising 1846 - part of the all-Polish 3-partion uprising
**
Greater Poland Uprising 1848 - part of the
Spring of Nations**
Greater Poland Uprising (1918-1919) -
Poland regains independence after the
World War IThe next era of uprising started with forming years of the Poland after
WWI:
The
Silesian Uprisings (Polish:
Powstania 艣l膮skie) was a series of three military insurrections (
1919-
1921) of the Polish people in the
Upper Silesia region against the occupying German/Prussian forces in order to liberate the region and join to
Poland, that regained her independence after the
World War I (
1914-
1918)
*
First Silesian Uprising:
16 August-
26 August 1919*
Second Silesian Uprising:
19 August-
25 August 1920*
Third Silesian Uprising:
2 May-
5 July 1921*
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising (the largest of
Ghetto Uprisings in Poland)
1943*
Operation Tempest, all-national uprising against Germany
**
Warsaw Uprising 1944**
Wilno Uprising (
Operation Ostra Brama)
1944**
Lw贸w Uprising 1944**
艁achwa uprising 1942*
Pozna艅 1956 protests.
*
Polish 1970 protests.
*
Solidarity movement
1980-
1989*
Military of Poland*
History of Europe*
List of wars
