Ekdahl S. Politics, Diplomacy and the Recruitment of Mercenaries before the Battle of Grjunval’d in 1410

Title of the article Politics, Diplomacy and the Recruitment of Mercenaries before the Battle of Grjunval’d in 1410
Authors Ekdahl S.
In the section Commentarii
Year 2010 Issue 2 Pages 17-24
Type of article RAR Index UDK   Index BBK  
Abstract This article will cast a refl ection on politics and power during the months preceding the battle,
the consequenses for the important recruitment of mercenaries and thus also for the result of the
confl ict. During the months preceding the battle the political and diplomatic activity on and behind
the scenes was intense. The main actors in this drama were Ulrich von Jungingen, Grand Master
of the Teutonic Order, Władysław II (Jagiełło, in Lithuanian: Jogaila), King of Poland, Vytautas
(Polish: Witold), Grand Duke of Lithuania, Venceslas IV, King of Bohemia, and Sigismund (or
Sigmund) of Luxembourg, King of Hungary and vicarius generalis of the Holy Roman Empire.
the mighty Teutonic Order in Prussia had been thrown down from the peak of power within a few
weeks, because its military planning, preparations and possibilities were undermined in the political
battle for power. Some thousand mercenaries had arrived too late or had offered their war service
to the king of Poland instead of to the Grand Master of the Order. This is surely one of the most
important facts when looking for the causes of the disastrous defeat of the Knights on 15 July
1410, even when considering other facts like the disadvantageous location of the battlefi eld, the
unfavourable position of the sun (dazzling the troops of the Order) or the feigned retreat of a part
of the Lithuanian army. No wonder that the Order bitterly complained later about the role of King
Sigismund during the months preceding the battle. The rise of the united Kingdom of Poland and
Grand Duchy of Lithuania to the most important power in the east of Central Europa after 1410
was thus also made possible by Hungary, which was an ally of Prussia.
Keywords Battle of Grunwald (1410), Teutonic Order mercenaries, art of war, Poland, Hungary, Holy Roman Empire, Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Full text version of the article. Article language transl. in russia
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