Page 86 - All About History - Issue 52-17

Greatest Battles

Imperial- 01 Arduous trek
The Imperialist-Polish army marched
Polish Army through the rugged, hilly terrain of the Wienerwald,
which Duke Charles of Lorraine correctly surmised the
Troops Ottomans would not expect them to use. The troops
had to cut their own roads through the forest. The
march proved particularly difficult for the Polish heavy
TROOPS 88,000 cavalry. Polish King Jan Sobieski complained bitterly
afterwards that the maps issued to the Poles did not
CANNON 500 accurately reflect the true ruggedness of the terrain. 01

02 First blood
The battle heated up at 8am when Charles
of Lorraine’s infantry squares and German dragoons
fighting dismounted dislodged Ottoman janissaries
from several key villages near the Danube River. The
janissaries were armed with matchlock muskets that
had greater range and fired larger bullets than the
lighter Austrian muskets. This allowed the Turks to
POLISH KING JAN III inflict significant casualties on the Austrians in the
clashes that occurred throughout the morning.
SOBIESKI
LEADER
Sobieski was a devout, decisive
and charismatic commander whose
presence on the battlefield boosted
the morale of the Imperial-Polish Army.
Strengths: A gifted battlefield No
commander with proven administrative
and tactical skills. 03quarter
Weaknesses: Fragile ego and Neither side expected
suspicious of his allies. nor did it receive mercy
from its opponent. When
the Turks temporarily
regained ground in their
counterattacks during the
morning on the slopes of
the Kahlenberg Heights,
they methodically
beheaded wounded
Christian soldiers.

POLISH WINGED
HUSSARS
KEY UNIT
Heavy cavalry that served as shock 10
troops whose objective was to
shatter enemy formations for lighter
cavalry to mop up.
Strengths: Proven effectiveness
against Ottoman sipahis.
Weaknesses: Ineffective against
volley fire by musketeers.
LANCE
KEY WEAPON
The main weapon of the Ottoman reserve 05 Rallying point
Polish winged hussars 04 committed Kara Mustafa ordered the
was the 17-foot long Sobered by the success of the vanguard of Holy Banner of the Prophet planted on
hollow pole with a the Christian relief army against his right flank, the Turkenschanz, a fortified position two
forged steel tip. Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa sent his bodyguard miles northwest of Vienna, to signify the
Strengths: Transmitted and household troops to reinforce the Ottoman location as a rallying point. The Turks had
combined force of horse right flank and committed the remainder of his to hold the position at all costs in order
and rider for powerful reserve to strengthen the Ottoman left wing. to prevent the relief army from opening a
shock effect. corridor to the Imperial garrison in the city.
Weaknesses: Often
lost or shattered in the
initial charge.

86