Battle of Lwów (1695)

Battle of Lwów
Part of Great Turkish War and the Polish–Ottoman War
Monument to Stanisław Jabłonowski in Lviv built by the city's residents in gratitude to the hetman for defending Lviv
Date 11–12 February 1695 Location Lviv Ukraine Result Polish–Lithuanian victory
Belligerents
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth	Crimean Khanate
Commanders and leaders
Stanisław Jan Jabłonowski	Szehbaz Girej
Strength
about 4,000	8,000-12,000
Casualties and losses
400	400

Battle of Lwów was an armed clash that took place on February 11–12, 1695 during the Polish–Ottoman War (1683–1699).

Battle

The Tatars, wanting to take advantage of the surprise, contrary to their custom, did not set fire to the surrounding villages when approaching the city. Being close to their destination, the Tatars learned from a captured nobleman about the concentration of Polish troops, so they decided to attack Lviv from the north. By doing so, their sudden appearance on February 11 really surprised the Poles, and this was made easier by the fact that at that time there were noisy parties at the magnates' weddings in Lviv. After unsuccessful attacks on the bridge, the Tatars bypassed the Polish positions on the outskirts with part of their forces, forcing the Polish army, threatened by the surroundings, to retreat to the very walls of Lviv. The retreat brought significant losses to the Poles, and a large group of Tatars managed to break through the gate into the city itself. The situation became dramatic, so crowds of townspeople and local peasants rushed to the walls and towers. They shot at the Tatars not only with small arms, but also with hookshots and helicopter guns. Fierce fighting ensued and lasted until February 12. The Polish cavalry had to fight the Tatars in narrow streets. Behind the walls of the monasteries, dismounted cavalry fired at the attackers.

The Tatars were driven out of Lviv thanks to an organized counterattack, in which peasants armed with flails played a significant role . A dozen or so Tatars were knocked down by the blows of the flails and later taken prisoner. The invaders, who felt unwell in the buildings, were driven out of the city. The Tatars made further attempts to take over Lviv from another side, but without success.

Polish losses, excluding losses among volunteers, amounted to about 400 soldiers and were probably comparable to the Tatars.