John III Sobieski

John Sobieski was born 1629 in Olesko, a small town near Lwów in Galicia, then part of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland (since 1945 in Ukraine) to a notable noble family de Sobieszyn Sobieski of Clan Janina.[4] His father, Jakub Sobieski, was the Palatine of Ruthenia and Castellan of Kraków; his mother, Zofia Teofillia Daniłowicz was a granddaughter of Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski. After graduating from the Nowodworski College in Kraków, young John Sobieski then graduated from the philosophical faculty of the Jagiellonian University.[5] After finishing his studies, together with his brother Marek Sobieski, John left for western Europe, where he spent more than two years travelling.[6] During that time he met major political figures: Louis II de Bourbon, Charles II of England and William II, Prince of Orange, and learnt French, German and Italian, in addition to Latin.[7]

This proved to be vital during his later military career. Both brothers returned to Poland in 1648 and volunteered for the army during the Khmelnytsky Uprising.[8] Jan founded his own banner of cavalry and commanded it in the rank of Rotamaster. After the Battle of Zboriv, the brothers were separated and Marek died in Tatar captivity the following year.[9] Jan was promoted to the rank of pułkownik and fought with distinction in the Battle of Berestechko.[10] A promising commander, John was sent by King John II Casimir to Istanbul in the Ottoman Empire as an envoy.[11] There, Sobieski learnt the Tatar language and studied Turkish military traditions and tactics.[11]

After the start of the Swedish invasion of Poland known as "The Deluge", John Sobieski was among the Greater Polish regiments led by Krzysztof Opaliński, Palatine of Poznań which capitulated at Ujście, and swore allegiance to King Charles X Gustav of Sweden.[11] However, in less than a year he returned with his unit to the Polish side, and after April 1656, he again fought for the Polish king.

During the three-day long battle of Warsaw of 1656, Sobieski's command of a 2,000-man strong regiment of Tatar cavalry earnt him promotion to the title of Lord Standard-Bearer of the Crown.[13] A strong supporter of the French faction, Sobieski remained loyal to the King during the infamous Lubomirski Rebellion, which further helped his military career. In 1665 he married Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien and was promoted to the rank of Grand Marshal of the Crown, and the following year, to the rank of Field Hetman of the Crown.[4]

In 1667 he achieved another great victory over the Cossacks and their Tatar allies in the Battle of Podhajce during the Polish–Cossack–Tatar War (1666–71).[11] On 5 February 1668, by now a famed and esteemed commander, he achieved the rank of Grand Hetman of the Crown, the highest military rank in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and thereby the de facto commander-in-chief of the entire Polish Army.[11]

On 11 November 1673, during the Polish–Ottoman War (1672–76), Sobieski added yet another major victory to his list, this time defeating the Turks in the battle of Chocim and capturing the fortress located there.[11] The news of the battle coincided with the news of the death of Michael I, King of Poland, who had died the day before the battle.[11] This made Sobieski one of the most leading figures in the state, and on 19 May the following year, he was elected as monarch of the Commonwealth.[4] His candidacy was almost universally supported, with only a dozen or so members of the diet opposing him. Among the most notable backers of his candidacy was his wife. Jan Sobieski was crowned Jan III 2 February 1676.[4]

Taken from Wikipedia.

Battle vs. Oda Nobunaga (by Utter noob)
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