battle battle battle fought july polish lithuanian war alliance led respectively grand duke decisively defeated german prussian knights led grand master leadership killed taken prisoner defeated siege fortress suffered minimal territorial losses peace territorial disputes continuing peace knights recover power financial burden war caused internal conflicts economic lands control battle shifted balance power eastern_europe marked rise polish lithuanian union dominant political military force region battle largest regarded important victory histories poland lithuania source romantic legends national pride larger symbol struggle foreign invaders 20th century battle nazi soviet propaganda campaigns recent decades historians moved scholarly assessment battle previous narratives differed widely nation names sources names battle fought territory monastic state plains villages west northeast south referred site latin cum later polish interpreted word meaning green forest german followed suit translated germans named battle fir hill pine hill german commonly names battle german polish pod lithuanian names languages involved peoples include ukrainian russian czech romanian historical background lithuanian crusade polish lithuanian union knights military order moved launched prussian crusade pagan prussian clans support pope holy roman emperor conquered converted shifted attention pagan years knights raided lithuanian lands particularly separated knights prussia branch border regions wilderness knights gained little territory gave treaty territory chip ensure support sides internal power struggle grand duke lithuania agreed marry poland converted christianity crowned creating personal union official lithuanian conversion christianity removed religious rationale order activities area grand master supported hungarian king responded publicly sincerity conversion bringing charge papal court territorial disputes continued hands peace poland territorial claims knights land danzig states largely peace treaty conflict motivated trade considerations knights controlled lower reaches largest rivers poland lithuania war truce preparations uprising held started lithuania supported knights threatened invade poland announced support lithuanian cause threatened invade prussia return prussian troops evacuated grand master declared war august knights hoped defeat poland lithuania separately began invading catching poles surprise knights burned castle captured day siege conquered sacked towns poles organized recaptured attacked ready scale war king romans agreed dispute truce signed october set june sides time prepare war gathering troops engaging diplomatic maneuvering sides sent letters envoys accusing threats received gift knights declared belonged knights returned poland knights paid ambitions mutual military assistance attempted break polish lithuanian alliance offering king crown acceptance violated terms created polish lithuanian time managed obtain truce december agreed common strategy armies unite single massive force march capital knights took defensive position expect joint attack preparing dual invasion poles river counter perceived threat concentrated forces central location troops respond invasion direction quickly sizable garrisons left eastern castles near plans secret knights organised raids border territories forcing knights troops place opposing forces precise number soldiers involved proven difficult establish contemporary sources provided reliable troop counts provided number banners principal unit cavalry knights poles unclear men banner structure number infantry units artillery units unknown estimates biased political considerations produced historians german historians tend present lower numbers polish historians tend use higher estimates high end estimates polish historian polish lithuanian men cited western literature commonly accepted numerous army advantages discipline military training equipment heavy cavalry best europe army equipped shoot lead stone projectiles forces composed troops states lands including numerous mercenaries example bohemian mercenaries fought knights invited guest different peoples joined recruits included soldiers austria stettin hungarian nobles brought men knights support disappointing polish crown troops included seven banners poland brought mercenaries produced banners command jan serving possibly future commander forces according historians lost eye alexander good ruler commanded expeditionary corps gathered troops lithuanian modern ukraine russian lands banners respectively russian banners regiments lithuanian army grand lithuania period regiments command brother contingent golden command future din overall commander joint polish lithuanian force king directly participate battle lithuanian units commanded directly grand duke second command helped design grand strategy campaign actively participated battle managing lithuanian polish units stated low ranking sword bearer commanded polish army highly doubtful likely marshal commanded polish troops field course battle march prussia stage campaign gathering polish lithuanian troops designated meeting point prussian border joint army crossed bridge maneuver required precision intense coordination multi ethnic forces accomplished week june polish soldiers gathered june czech mercenaries arrived days later polish army meeting place lithuanian army marched june joined regiments arrived day poles crossed river crossing troops joined polish lithuanian army massive force began march north capital prussia july prussian border crossed july river crossing remained secret hungarian envoys attempting negotiate peace informed grand master soon polish lithuanian intentions left men marched main force organize line defense near river crossing fortified july meeting member war council decided crossing river strong position army instead bypass river crossing turning east sources major rivers separated army march continued east attempt capture town army followed north crossed near moved east parallel polish lithuanian army ravaged village enraged atrocities swore defeat invaders battle battle preparations early morning july armies met area covering approximately km2 villages armies formed opposing lines northeast southwest axis polish lithuanian army positioned east polish heavy cavalry formed left flank lithuanian light cavalry right flank mercenary troops center men organized lines wedge shaped formations men deep forces concentrated elite heavy cavalry commanded knights organize army battle hoped provoke poles attacking troops wearing heavy armor stand sun hours waiting attack chronicle suggested dug pits attacking army fall attempted use field artillery light rain powder cannon shots fired delayed grand master sent swords assist battle swords meant insult known national symbols poland battle begins lithuanian attack retreat supported polish banners started assault left flank forces hour heavy fighting lithuanian light cavalry began retreat described development complete entire lithuanian army according knights assumed victory theirs broke formation disorganized pursuit retreating gathered returning battlefield face polish troops mention later returned battlefield portrayed battle single handed polish victory view contradicted challenged modern historians starting article proposed retreat planned strategic maneuver borrowed golden false retreat battle river lithuanian army dealt crushing defeat barely escaped alive theory gained wider acceptance discovery publication german letter swedish historian letter written years battle new grand master look false kind great battle asserted lithuanian retreat fit tried formula false retreat retreat usually staged units opposed entire army swiftly followed counterattack returned late battle battle continues polish fight retreating heavy fighting broke polish forces commanded grand forces concentrated polish right flank von banners pursue retreating instead joining attack right flank particularly valuable target royal banner knights gaining upper hand point royal standard bearer lost banner soon recaptured fighting continued deployed reserves second line army grand master personally led banners original strength right polish flank deployed reserves line army melee reached polish command knight identified charged directly king secretary saved king life gaining royal favor influential people poland battle ends defeated time reorganized returned battle attacking rear forces outnumbered mass polish knights advancing lithuanian cavalry attempted break lithuanian lines killed according thrust lance grand master neck presented killer surrounded began retreat routed units retreated camp camp followers turned masters joined knights attempted build wagon fort camp surrounded wagons serving improvised fortification defense soon broken camp ravaged according knights died battlefield battle lasted hours knights attributed defeat treason commander banner beheaded trial founder leader group knights sympathetic poland according knights von lowered banner taken signal surrender led panicked retreat legend knights stabbed echoed post world war stab legend preoccupied german historiography battle aftermath casualties captives defeat soldiers killed additional taken captive according payroll records men reported claim pay men sent danzig returned according different sources brothers order killed including leadership grand master grand marshal friedrich grand grand treasurer marshal supply forces von executed order battle bodies high ranking officials transported castle burial july bodies lower ranking officials polish knights buried church rest dead buried mass graves highest ranking official escape battle polish lithuanian forces took thousand captives vii mercenaries released shortly battle condition report november expected pay ransom kept considerable recorded example mercenary pay prague amounting silver campaign peace battle polish lithuanian forces delayed attack capital remaining battlefield days marching average day main forces reach heavily fortified july delay gave time organize defense sent troops fortresses surrendered resistance including major cities castles remained hands expected capitulation prepared long siege suffering lack ammunition low morale epidemic knights appealed allies help king romans order promised financial aid reinforcements siege lifted september polish lithuanian forces left garrisons fortresses taken returned home knights quickly recaptured castles end october castles border remained polish hands raised fresh army dealt defeat knights battle october following brief engagements sides agreed negotiate peace signed february terms knights ceded poland agreed resign claims wars hunger war war waged treaty permanently resolved territorial disputes poles unable translate military victory territorial diplomatic gains peace imposed heavy financial burden knights recovered pay silver estimated times annual income annual installments meet payments knights borrowed heavily confiscated gold silver churches increased taxes major prussian cities revolted tax increases defeat left forces defend remaining territories officially christened poland lithuania long time knights difficulties recruiting new volunteer needed rely mercenary troops proved expensive drain depleted budget internal conflicts economic decline tax increases led unrest foundation alliance turn led series conflicts culminated thirteen years war legacy poland lithuania battle regarded important histories poland lithuania history ukraine battle better associated great stood leader eastern orthodox christianity time lithuania victory synonymous grand political military peak source national pride age romantic nationalism inspired resistance policies german knights portrayed invaders victory achieved small oppressed nation mark anniversary battle monument unveiled day celebration attended people towns villages erected monuments anniversary time nobel prize winner wrote novel knights cross polish prominently featuring battle chapters polish filmmaker book basis film museum monuments memorials constructed battlefield battle site poland official national designated october tracked battle lent military decorations sport teams organizations annual battle takes place july event commemorating battle anniversary held attracted spectators watched participants playing role knights battle additional participants played peasants camp followers organizers believe event largest medieval combat europe commemorated tomb unknown soldier warsaw inscription vii germany russia germans generally saw knights heroic noble men brought christianity civilization east august world war germany won battle russia near site germans realized propaganda potential named battle battle despite having actually taken place closer framed revenge polish lithuanian victory years earlier nazi_germany later exploited sentiment portraying policies continuation knights historical mission participation regiments russians saw battle victory polish lithuanian russian coalition invading germans chronicler jan praised banners fought banners grand lithuania retreat soviet historiography styled racial struggle knights portrayed medieval hitler armies battle seen medieval counterpart summary accounts battle 1960s influenced romantic legends propaganda fact historians progress scholarship reconciliation national accounts battle
Battle of Grunwald