The most famous and the most important historical event that took place under Khotyn in the XVII century, in 1621 was a war between the Turks and the Poles, then owned vast territory of Ukraine and in which the crucial role played by Ukrainian Zaporozhye Cossacks headed by Hetman Petro Konashevych Sagaydachnogo. The initial stage of Khotyn war between Poland and Turkey was Tsetsorskih 1620 war.
In early August 1621 the Turkish Sultan Osman AI concentrated under Khotyn nearly 160 thousandth army, which had more than 300 guns, a large number of camels, mules, horses, four elephants fighting. Poland at the time was able to counter the Turks, only 35 thousand army led by Jan Chodkiewicz. The first of the two armies fighting forced the Poles recall the recent Tsetsoroy mistakes and ask for help from the Zaporozhye Cossacks. Cossack Council decided to provide assistance to the king sent an embassy headed by P. Sagaidachnogo. Sorokotysyachnym the Cossack army under the leadership of hetman J. Warts gone to Moldova to meet the enemy. In addition to spray the Turkish forces, it was decided to intensify military operations in the Black Sea, which was sent to about 10 thousand. Zaporozhtsev.
The focal point of the fighting has become a fortress m. Khotyn where Poles took up defensive positions. This hurried P. Sahaidachny which King verbally promised to meet the requirements of Ukrainian. Not finding Cossacks under Khotyn, he went to meet them, the road was wounded and nearly fell into Turkish captivity, and still managed to break into the Cossack camp was at that time near Mogilev. Here Cossacks, disgruntled unsuccessful leadership of J. Warts in the Moldavian campaign, convened parliament, which threw him from the Hetman and sentenced to death. New Hetman Sagaidachnogo chosen again.
September 1, 1621 Cossack army came under Khotyn.
September 2 Sagaydachnogo headed over forty thousandth troops, engages in battle with the Turks. Sultan top of his troops to send Ukrainian realizing that breaking Sagaydachnogo can win the war. All day, from early morning until the evening were fierce battles. The fight was so brutal that the night could hardly stop it. Turkish artillery shelled continuously Zaporozhye trenches. Tatars violently attacked the advanced detachments of the Cossacks tried to cut them off from the rest of the troops. But the Cossacks bravely withstood the blows huge Turkish army, the enemy inflicted heavy losses to shake their confidence.
September 4 Sultan began a new offensive. Now he directs his numerous horde then the Cossacks, then the Poles, but again received a decisive rebuff. Turks continuously shelled Cossack regiments from large-caliber guns. Proficient in fighting Jan Karol Chodkiewicz admitted that "all my life heard such a roar of guns."
Skillfully maneuvering, Sagaydachnogo got positional advantage over the enemy, appearing not expected for this location, thus it demoralized the enemy army, and later directed the course of events toward the total defeat of the enemy.
From morning till evening, and then, with a few interruptions, and in the following days were bloody battles. The Cossacks held out, despite the fact that the enemy is much higher than their strength. Cossacks succeeded courage, skilful military tactics. They used their actions night raids into the enemy's rear, which gave significant results. Repeatedly Cossacks led a sortie himself Sagaydachnogo.
Successful actions of Cossacks, skillful maneuvers Polish troops gradually saps the strength of the Turks. Osman AI completely confused. September 28, he decided to give a decisive battle. This is how the day of an eyewitness and participant of the Battle Jan Sobieski:
"More than 60 guns rattled continuously, the sky glowed, and smoke in the air, the earth trembled, moaning walls, rock disintegrates. What the eye could see during the day, in order not to describe. You can not express exactly what zeal courage or rather despair fought both sides. " Undoubtedly, the main role in this battle, as in the past, played a Cossack regiments. Having exhausted the Turkish forces, Sagaydachnogo led the Cossacks in the counteroffensive. The attack went and Polish troops. Sultan Osman was forced to conclude peace with Poland Khotin, which equates to defeat. Khotyn war in 1621 was a turning point in the history of the Ottoman Empire. It struck his contemporaries as the number of troops took part in it, the scale of military operations, and the consequences. She dispelled the legend of power and invincibility of the Turks. Turks ceased to be an object of horror irresistible for many nations in Europe and Asia.
The victory at Khotyn saved Western Europe from the invasion of Janissaries, Cossacks and glorified Sagaydachnogo Hetman, whose authority as the commander has increased significantly. Khotyn battle made a strong impression on all the people and found a ready response in the literature. The songs of the heroes of this battle singing the Ukrainian people, the Polish poets have composed poems. Even on the distant shores of the Adriatic Sea on the heroism of Ukrainian and Polish soldiers he wrote to Croatian poet Ivan Gundulic, all participants in the war diaries copied. Polish poet Waclaw Potocki wrote a poem about Khotyn war, and Ukrainian writer Osip Macovei - story "Yaroshenko." On those events recalls Zinaida Tulub in his historical novel "Lyudolovy." Ivan Franko Khotyn about the meaning of victory, wrote that Turkey was defeated near Khotyn in 1621, the beginning of the slope of the zenith of its greatness and glory.
In ancient manuscripts preserved Ukrainian song:
"Oh glorious town Khotyn The whole earth is a very nice "
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