A fact from Siege of Medvėgalis appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 31 July 2013 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
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I can hardly believe this number. When you look at the strength of medevial armed forces and when you imagine the logistical problems that a caused by the supply of such a large force in the thinly populated "wilderness" I do not think that this number is realistic. I appears exaggerated as many numbers reported from historical battles (cf. the numbers reported by Herodotus for the battles of Alexander the Great - several 100.000 to millions !). --Furfur (talk) 09:07, 31 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Well, why it can't be 18,000 remember that under one knight might hide hundred or sometimes even thousand soldiers. Pope again launched new crusade so lots of knight from Germany, England and others places comes to it. Also in the siege there was grand master which I believe brought teutons army so at least several thousands was from it, and king of Bohemia also participated in siege which also could bring his army several thousands, and most of Silesia duchies armies also participated. They needed big army because they wanted to get back what Lithuanians stole previously, help teutons against Poland and show Europe that they don't tolerate pagans invasion in holy roman empire so they organize large forces, so they can show that they stronger then pagans. --Lietuvininkas (talk) 19:19, 31 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Hello Lietuvininkas, thanks for your comments. I nevertheless think that this cannot be the true number of soldiers (=armed men), simply because it is hardly understandable how such a large army could have been supplied in terms of armament and in terms of overall supply in such a distant and remote area with little or no infrastructure. Of course, every medevial army always included a large baggage of non-combattant and unarmed people but these were no soldiers. --Furfur (talk) 08:05, 17 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, that could be problem to supply army, but in that area there was many teutons and teutons occupation lithuanians castles which would be good provider of supply for army. Also don't forget as it written in article Back in 1325 he promised Pope John XXII to launch another crusade and received a permission to collect papal income tax for three years to finance the crusade" so they could finance they supply of war needs. And teutons had roads to HRE even if they were at war with Poland they could safely transfer their goods to frontline castle they even could transfer it with ships by memel river which was surrounded by teutons castles and Medvėgalis wasn't so far from it. --Lietuvininkas (talk) 14:22, 17 August (UTC)
The Teutonic army .... numbered 350 knights and 18,000 troops, excluding foot soldiers? I can not belive that. More likely it was 350 knights and 18,000 troops, including foot soldiers. Just imaging the logistical problems of feeding 350 knights and 18.000 other cavalry. The 'ex' in excluding, is what bothers me.
