440th anniversary of the Battle of Vienna.

The Battle of Vienna began on September 12, 1683. The Austrian and German forces were ordered to attack the left flank of the Ottomans. The Poles were advancing through the Vienna Woods, aiming to surprise the enemy. The Turks did not expect an attack from this side and were unprepared for it. At 18:00, the charge of the Hussars led by hetmans Stanisław Jabłonowski and Mikołaj Sieniawski began. Polish regiments led by King Jan III Sobieski followed. The Turks turned back and fled in panic. Kara Mustafa himself barely escaped with his life. The remaining allied forces had an easier task and surrounded the Turkish camp. The victory was complete, and the threat of Vienna being captured was averted. The Turks lost about 10,000 men in the battle, while the allied forces lost 1,500. The Turkish army quickly withdrew from Vienna, abandoning many weapons, all cannons, and even supplies along the way. Jan III Sobieski demonstrated great command skills in the Battle of Vienna. He skillfully used artillery, which inflicted significant losses on the enemy, and only later, after leading the enemy troops onto the plain, he launched the cavalry into battle. The Republic of Poland saved Vienna from the inevitable capture by the Ottomans and also halted Turkish conquests in Europe for the coming years. The Relief of Vienna is therefore one of the most important victories of the Polish military. After the battle, Emperor Leopold did not show respect to King Jan Sobieski or his son Jacob, nor to the Polish standards. The Austrians stopped providing provisions to Polish soldiers and refused to allow the fallen to be buried in Vienna, instead directing the Poles to the cemeteries where the Turks were buried. Many Poles were hurt and outraged by the attitude of the Austrians. Such behavior from a recent ally made many ordinary soldiers regret that the relief of Vienna happened at all.