Siege of Pskov

This article is about the 1581-1582 siege. For the 1615 siege during the Ingrian War, seeSiege of Pskov (1615).

Siege of Pskov
Part of theLivonian War
A Siege of Pskov, an etching byBoris Chorikovfor "Picturesque Karamzin, the Russian history in pictures" published in 1836.
Date August 18, 1581 – February 4, 1582 Location Pskov,Russia 57°49′N28°20′E Result Tactical Russian victory,strategic Polish victory Peace of Yam-Zapolsky
Belligerents
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Principality of Transylvaniaand foreign mercenaries	Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
King Stephen Báthory Jan Zamoyski	Prince Ivan Shuisky Prince Vasili Skopin-Shuisky
Strength
27,000 4,000 Cossacks (500 officially registered)	16,000

Thesiege of Pskov,known as thePskov DefenseinRussia(Russian:оборона Пскова), took place between August 1581 and February 1582, when the army of thePolish kingandGrand Duke of LithuaniaStephen Báthorylaid an unsuccessfulsiegeand successful blockade of the city ofPskovduring the final stage of theLivonian War of 1558–1583.

The first detachments of thePolish–Lithuanianarmy, which in the previous two years capturedPolotsk(1579) andVelikiye Luki(1580), appeared at the walls ofPskovon August 18, 1581. This action completely cut off Russian forces from the territory ofLivonia.The main invading force (31,000 men,Polish, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Bohemian, Wallachian, and German soldiers) laid siege to the city on August 24-26.PrinceVasili Skopin-Shuiskywas nominally in charge of the defense of Pskov, but PrinceIvan Shuiskywas the one to actually implement it. The latter had up to 4,000dvoryane,streltsy,andCossacksand some 12,000 armed citizens of Pskov and its surroundings at his disposal.

After a two-day shelling of Pskov, the Polish army attacked for the first time on September 8. TheRussiansrepelled the assault, which resulted in heavy Polish losses. Attempts to blow up the fortifications withminesand a general attack on November 2 also turned out to be fruitless. In November some Polish forces attacked thePskovo-Pechorsky Monastery,but to no avail.

King Stephen Báthory then ordered a passive siege, and the battle became a blockade. On December 1 the king left the siege together with most of the Lithuanian army, volunteers, and German, Hungarian, Romanian, Bohemian and Scottish mercenaries. Command of the remaining forces was given toJan Zamojski.At the same time, during the siege in 1581, Polish cavalry raids devastated many regions of Russia, reachingVolgaandLake Ladoga.The regular cavalry was the best unit of the Polish forces. During the harsh winter of 1581-2 the rest of the besieging army would have mutinied but for the iron will of Chancellor Zamojski. The Chancellor held the blockade, although Russianpartisanshad been active in the Pskov area, attacking enemyforagersandcommunications.

The Pskoviangarrisonundertook frequentsallies(approximately 46), mostly in November and December 1581. There were 31 attacks by Polish troops during the five-month siege.The siege dragged on, with neither side able to end it; in the meantime diplomatic negotiations, in which theVaticanbecame involved, led to the end of hostilities.

Siege of Pskov,from the Russian perspective. The final (and unfinished) painting ofKarl Briullov.

Painting of the siege from Polish perspective,Bathory at PskovbyJan Matejko.

Báthory andIvan IVfinally signed theTreaty of Jam Zapolskion January 15; Russia renounced its claims toLivoniaand Polotsk and in exchange the Commonwealth returned Russian territories its armies had captured. On February 4, 1582, the last detachments of the Polish-Lithuanian army left the outskirts of Pskov.

The siege of Pskov is commemorated on theTomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw,with the inscription "PSKOW 24 VIII 1581-15 I 1582".

See also

• Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars

Further reading

• Jasienica, PawełRzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów. Srebrny wiekISBN83-07-02520-6
• A brief account of the siege can be found inSavignac, David (trans).The Pskov 3rd Chronicle.

External links

• Summary of Conflict between 1577–1582
• The Struggle for the Dominum Maris Baltici