The Lwów Oath ( Polish : Śluby lwowskie ) was an oath made on April 1, 1656 by Polish king John II Casimir in the Latin Cathedral of the city of Lwów (today Lviv , western Ukraine ).
145-704: During " the Deluge ", when the Swedish armies invaded Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , which was already struggling with Muscovy , the Voivode of Poznań , Krzysztof Opaliński , surrendered Greater Poland to Swedish king Charles Gustav . Other areas also surrendered in rapid succession. Almost the whole country followed suit, with the Swedes entering Warsaw unopposed in August 1655 and John Casimir fleeing to Silesia , where he took refuge in
290-499: A Palikot Movement member of the Polish parliament, announced his plan to send thousands of postcards to European politicians and journalists, in which he wanted to convince the recipients that Poland should get financial compensation from Sweden for the destruction of the country in the deluge. Poznański claims that in the 1660 Treaty of Oliwa, Sweden pledged to return all stolen goods, which never happened. The MP had previously intervened at
435-456: A Polish–Lithuanian–Ruthenian Commonwealth (Polish: Rzeczpospolita Trojga Narodów , "Commonwealth of Three Nations"). Supported by Cossack Hetman Ivan Vyhovsky and the starshyna , the treaty aimed to change the face of Eastern Europe. However, its terms never came into full operation: in addition to the unpopularity of continued integration with the Commonwealth with the majority of
580-459: A fief of Poland since 1466). This treaty is regarded by historian Józef Włodarski as one of the worst mistakes in Polish history. In the spring of 1658, the Polish army, together with its Austrian allies under Raimondo Montecuccoli , began a campaign in Royal Prussia, where several key towns and cities were still in Swedish hands. On July 1, the siege of Toruń began. The heavily fortified city
725-543: A "cultural desert". Poland and Lithuania lost 67 libraries and 17 archives. Of all major cities of the country, only Lwów and Gdańsk were not destroyed, and when Swedish soldiers were unable to steal an item, they would destroy or burn it. In ruins were castles, palaces, churches, abbeys, towns and villages. As a result of the Swedish invasion, few pre-Baroque buildings remained in Poland. An estimated 3 million died. Among others, Swedish troops stole such items as: According to
870-594: A Baltic settlement, Vilnius became significant in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . The city was first mentioned in letters by Grand Duke Gediminas, who invited Jews and Germans to settle and built a wooden castle on a hill. Vilnius became a city in 1387, after the Christianization of Lithuania, and was settled by craftsmen and merchants of a variety of nationalities. It was the capital of the Grand Duchy (until 1795), and of
1015-551: A crown of stars, was built there in 2004. Vilnius is 312 km (194 mi) from the Baltic Sea and Klaipėda , the main Lithuanian seaport . It is connected by road to other major Lithuanian cities, such as Kaunas (102 km or 63 mi away), Šiauliai (214 km or 133 mi away) and Panevėžys (135 km or 84 mi away). Vilnius has an area of 402 km (155 sq mi). Buildings cover 29.1 percent of
1160-428: A detailed, realistic style – also spread at this time. Baroque sculptures dominated sacred architecture : tombstones with sculpted portraits and decorative sculptures in wood, marble, and stucco . Italian sculptors such as G. P. Perti, G. M. Galli, and A. S. Capone, key figures in the development of sculpture in the 17th-century grand duchy, were commissioned by Lithuanian nobility . Their works exemplify
1305-568: A huge Iron Wolf at the top of a hill, howling loudly. Upon awakening, the Duke asked the krivis Lizdeika to interpret the dream. The chief priest told him: What is destined for the ruler and the State of Lithuania, is thus: the Iron Wolf represents a castle and a city which will be established by you on this site. This city will be the capital of the Lithuanian lands and the dwelling of their rulers , and
1450-567: A member of the Jesuits and had received the title of Cardinal . Nevertheless, in December 1646, he returned to Poland and, in October 1647, resigned his position as Cardinal to stand for election to the Polish throne, after the death of his brother Władysław IV Vasa . He became King in 1648. However, some of the nobility supported Charles Gustav (King of Sweden from 1654 to 1660 and John Casimir's cousin) for
1595-525: A number of art galleries and workshops. In its main square, a statue of an angel blowing a trumpet symbolises artistic freedom. The world's first bronze memorial to Frank Zappa was installed in the Naujamiestis district in 1995. In 2015, the Vilnius Talking Statues project was introduced. Eighteen statues around the city interact by smartphone with visitors in several languages. Vilnius has
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#17328483517291740-507: A peace treaty with the Commonwealth, in which he promised to break the alliance with Sweden, withdraw his troops from Kraków and Brześć Litewski, and pay for the damage inflicted by his army. On July 26, remnants of the Transylvanian army were surrounded by the Tatars near Skałat . Rákóczi himself managed to flee, and the army was temporarily commanded by John Kemény , who himself was captured by
1885-537: A small host from Silesia through Carpathian Mountains , finally reaching Lwów in March 1656. As almost the whole country was occupied by the Swedish or Russian armies, the reason behind the vow was to incite the whole nation, including peasantry in the first place, to rise up against the invaders. Thus two main issues raised by the king in the vows were primarily - a necessity to protect the Catholic faith, seen as endangered by
2030-544: A three-day siege, the Swedes, Cossacks, and Transylvanians captured Warsaw. Soon afterwards, however, the Dano-Swedish War began, and Charles X Gustav left Poland with most of his troops. The remaining Swedish army was commanded by Gustaf Otto Stenbock . The Swedish withdrawal made Rákóczi uneasy, as he was well aware of the poor quality of his soldiers. On July 7–8, 1656, at Łańcut Castle, King John Casimir and his hetmans agreed that Stefan Czarniecki would follow Rákóczi and
2175-603: A variety of museums. The National Museum of Lithuania , in the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Gediminas' Tower and the arsenals of the Vilnius Castle Complex, has exhibits about the history of Lithuania and Lithuanian culture. The Museum of Applied Arts and Design displays Lithuanian folk and religious art, objects from the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, and 18th- to 20th-century clothing. Other museums are
2320-522: Is Europe's first codification of secular law . Albertas Goštautas supported the use of Lithuanian in literature and protected Lithuanian authors (including Abraomas Kulvietis and Michael the Lithuanian ) who criticised the use of Old Church Slavonic , and called refugees Old Believers in De moribus tartarorum, lituanorum et moscorum . Since the 16th century, the Lithuanian Metrica has been kept at
2465-886: Is active in Vilnius; in 1970–71, the Ganelin/Tarasov/Chekasin trio founded the Vilnius Jazz School. The Vilnius Jazz Festival is held annually. The annual Gatvės muzikos diena (Street Music Day) gathers musicians on the city's streets. Vilnius is the birthplace of singers Mariana Korvelytė – Moravskienė , Paulina Rivoli , Danielius Dolskis , Vytautas Kernagis , Algirdas Kaušpėdas , Andrius Mamontovas , Nomeda Kazlaus , and Asmik Grigorian ); composers César Cui , Felix Yaniewicz , Maximilian Steinberg , Vytautas Miškinis , and Onutė Narbutaitė ); conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla ), and musicians Antoni Radziwiłł , Jascha Heifetz , Clara Rockmore , and Romas Lileikis ). It
2610-544: Is also located at the Slushko Palace in Antakalnis . Singers who have lectured at the academy include tenors Kipras Petrauskas and Virgilijus Noreika . The Lithuanian Grand Dukes' entertainment at the castle, rulers' visits abroad and guests' meetings had theatrical elements. During Sigismund III Vasa 's residence in Vilnius in the early 17th century, English actors performed at the palace. Władysław IV Vasa established
2755-726: Is named after the city, which is farthest to the east among Baroque cities and the largest such city north of the Alps . The city was noted for its multicultural population during the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , with contemporary sources comparing it to Babylon . Before World War II and the Holocaust , Vilnius was one of Europe's most important Jewish centers. Its Jewish influence has led to its being called "the Jerusalem of Lithuania", and Napoleon called it "the Jerusalem of
2900-511: Is still used in German with Vilnius . According to a legend recorded during the c. 1530s , Grand Duke Gediminas ( c. 1275 –1341) was hunting in the sacred forest near Šventaragis' Valley , (where the Vilnia flows into the river Neris . The successful wisent hunt lasted longer than expected, and Gediminas decided to spend the night in the valley. He fell asleep and dreamed of
3045-525: The Baltic states . The city's estimated July 2024 population was 605,270, and the Vilnius urban area (which extends beyond the city limits) has an estimated population of 708,627. Vilnius is notable for the architecture of its Old Town , considered one of Europe 's largest and best-preserved old towns. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The architectural style known as Vilnian Baroque
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#17328483517293190-502: The Battle of Ujście , Krzysztof Opaliński surrendered Greater Poland to Charles Gustav . On July 31, 1655, the army commanded by Arvid Wittenberg captured Poznań , and on August 20 near Konin , the armies of Wittenberg and Charles Gustav joined forces, and headed for Warsaw. On September 2, the Poles lost the Battle of Sobota , and on September 4, the Swedes captured Łowicz . Four days later,
3335-585: The Braniewo Library, works of Nicolaus Copernicus , including the 1543 Nuremberg edition of De revolutionibus orbium coelestium , and the oldest printed text of Bogurodzica . Krzywiński states that as an act of goodwill, the Swedish side should cover the cost of reconstruction of the Rawa Mazowiecka castle, which was destroyed by them in the 1650s. The population in cities like Warsaw had been reduced to only 10% of its pre-war population of 20,000, and
3480-477: The Constitution of Lithuania , "the capital of the State of Lithuania shall be the city of Vilnius, the long-standing historical capital of Lithuania". Vilnius has become a modern European city. Its territory has been expanded with three acts since 1990, incorporating urban areas, villages, hamlets, and the city of Grigiškės . Most historic buildings have been renovated and a business and commercial area became
3625-639: The Deluge , Battle of Vienna , Partitions of Poland , Polish-Soviet War , World War II and the Polish People's Republic . She also is believed to have saved the Polish-Lithuanian city of Vilnius during the Great Northern War in 1702. Deluge (history) The Deluge was a series of mid-17th-century military campaigns in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . In a wider sense, it applies to
3770-618: The Duchy of Prussia . In early October 1656, an army of 11,000 under Wincenty Korwin Gosiewski entered Prussia, supported by 2,000 Crimean Tatars . On October 8, Gosiewski's army won the Battle of Prostken (October 8), but after the Tatars decided to return to the Crimea, the Polish–Lithuanian army was defeated in the Battle of Filipów (October 22). In November 1656, Greater Poland's troops invaded
3915-569: The Eastern Partnership summit at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania . Many European presidents, prime ministers, and high-ranking officials participated. In 2015, Remigijus Šimašius became the city's first directly elected mayor. The 2023 NATO summit was held in Vilnius. Vilnius is at the confluence of the Vilnia and Neris rivers in southeastern Lithuania. Several countries say that
4060-615: The Głogówek castle near Prudnik in Upper Silesia . Kraków was left in the hands of Stefan Czarniecki ; on October 3 Swedish forces once again defeated the Poles in the Battle of Wojnicz , which opened the road to Kraków. The ancient capital of Poland was captured after a siege , on October 13, 1655. With the three most populated and best developed Polish provinces in his hands (Greater Poland, Lesser Poland and Mazovia ), Charles Gustav decided to head back northwards to Royal Prussia , which
4205-562: The House of Habsburg . On December 1, 1656, the first Treaty of Vienna was signed, which was followed by a second Treaty of Vienna , in which Emperor Leopold I promised to aid John Casimir with 12,000 troops against the Swedish-Brandenburgian alliance. By late 1656, Swedish troops had been pushed out of most of the Commonwealth. They only held the right-bank half of Royal Prussia, northern Mazovia, Łowicz, Kraków, and Tykocin . In 1653,
4350-516: The House of Vasa . An earlier conflict, the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629) had ended with the Treaty of Stuhmsdorf . The Polish–Lithuanian King John II Casimir (reigned 1648–68) lacked support among the Commonwealth nobility ( szlachta ) due to his sympathies with absolutist Austria and his open contempt for the " Sarmatist " culture of the nobility. Earlier, in 1643, John Casimir had become
4495-510: The Jesuits . It published its first book, Piotr Skarga 's Pro Sacratissima Eucharistia contra haeresim Zwinglianam , in May 1576. The press was funded by the Lithuanian nobility and the church. In 1805, Józef Zawadzki bought the press and founded the Józef Zawadzki printing shop . Operating continuously until 1939, it published books in a number of languages; Adam Mickiewicz 's first poetry book
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4640-644: The Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre and by the Vilnius City Opera . The Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, the country's largest and oldest state-owned concert organization, produces live concerts and tours in Lithuania and abroad. The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra , founded by Gintaras Rinkevičius , performs in Vilnius. Choral music is popular in Lithuania, and Vilnius has three choir laureates (Brevis, Jauna Muzika, and
4785-722: The Little Traveller's Book (Ruthenian: Малая подорожная книжка ), the first printed book of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, in 1522. Three years later, he printed the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles (the Apostle ). The Vilnius Academy Press was established in 1575 by Lithuanian nobleman Mikołaj Krzysztof "the Orphan" Radziwiłł as the Vilnius Academy printing house, delegating its management to
4930-624: The Lower Castle and safeguarded by the State Chancellor . Due to the deterioration of the books, Grand Chancellor Lew Sapieha ordered the Metrica recopied in 1594; the recopying continued until 1607. The recopied books were inventoried, rechecked, and transferred to a separate building in Vilnius; the older books remained in the Castle of Vilnius. According to 1983 data, 665 books remain on microfilm at
5075-472: The New City Centre , the main administrative and business district on the north side of the river Neris. The area includes modern residential and retail space, with the municipal building and the 148.3 m (487 ft) Europa Tower its most prominent buildings. The construction of Swedbank 's headquarters indicates the importance of Scandinavian banks in Vilnius. The Vilnius Business Harbour complex
5220-409: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Vilnius flourished under the commonwealth, especially after the 1579 establishment of Vilnius University by King Stephen Báthory . The city became a cultural and scientific center, attracting migrants from east and west. It had diverse communities, with Jewish, Orthodox, and German populations. The city experienced a number of invasions and occupations, including by
5365-528: The Province of Pomerania , entered Greater Poland , one of the richest and most developed provinces of the Commonwealth, which had for centuries been unaffected by any military conflicts, and whose levée en masse had not been used to fighting. Greater Poland's noble camp, located in the valley of the Noteć river, near the town of Ujście , looked more like a large party, as the szlachta , gathered there to face
5510-678: The Royal Castle in Warsaw , the destruction of Poland in the Deluge was more extensive than the destruction of the country in World War II . Rottermund claims that Swedish invaders robbed the Commonwealth of its most important riches, and most of the stolen items never returned to Poland. Warsaw, the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, was destroyed by the Swedes, and out of a pre-war population of 20,000, only 2,000 remained in
5655-638: The Russian Empire was Вильна ( Vilna ), although Вильнюс ( Vilnyus ) is now used. The names Wilno , Wilna , and Vilna were used in English-, German-, French-, and Italian-language publications when the city was a capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and an important city in the Second Polish Republic . The name Vilna is still used in Finnish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Hebrew : וילנה . Wilna
5800-559: The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667 . In the summer of 1654, the Russians managed to capture most important cities and strongholds of today's Belarus . Smolensk was captured after a siege on October 3, 1654. The Swedish Empire , which technically already was at war with the Commonwealth (a ceasefire agreement existed from 1629 and was prolonged from 1635 to 1661), invaded in July 1655 and occupied
5945-553: The Russo–Swedish Deluge ( Polish : Potop szwedzko-rosyjski ) due to the simultaneous Russo-Polish War. The term "deluge" ( potop in Polish) was popularized by Henryk Sienkiewicz in his novel The Deluge (1886). During the wars the Commonwealth lost approximately one third of its population as well as its status as a great power due to invasions by Sweden and Russia. According to Professor Andrzej Rottermund, manager of
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6090-492: The San river. Charles Gustav sent some of his forces to capture Przemyśl , but on March 16 they returned to Jarosław without success. On March 22, the Swedish army set off northwards, along the San and Vistula rivers, back to Warsaw. They were followed by units of Stefan Czarniecki and Aleksander Koniecpolski, and during the retreat, Polish troops supporting the invaders changed sides, joining
6235-399: The Sejm ordered the expulsion of the Polish Brethren , who were accused of collaborating with the Swedish invaders. In 1659, the Swedish army still remaining in Poland under Lorens von der Linde was withdrawn to major Royal Prussian fortresses – Malbork, Głowa Gdańska, Grudziądz , Elbląg , and Brodnica . In August 1659, the Polish army captured Głowa and Grudziądz, and soon afterwards,
6380-559: The Swedish Army Museum , and Livrustkammaren . Almost all cities, towns, castles and churches in locations where Swedish troops were stationed were destroyed, and in guides to many Polish towns and cities one can find notes that read "object destroyed during Swedish invasion". From the Royal Castle in Warsaw the Swedes plundered approximately 200 paintings, a number of carpets and Turkish tents, musical instruments, furniture, Chinese porcelain, weapons, books, manuscripts, marbles, even dresses of maids and door frames pulled from walls. Meanwhile,
6525-400: The Teutonic Knights , Russia and, later, Germany. Under imperial Russian rule, Vilnius became the capital of Vilna Governorate and had a number of cultural revivals during the 19th and early 20th centuries by Jews, Poles, Lithuanians, and Belarusians. After World War I , the city experienced conflict between Poland and Lithuania which led to its occupation by Poland before its annexation by
6670-403: The Truce of Andrusovo (January 30, 1667). The Deluge was the climax of a series of wars that took place in Poland–Lithuania in the mid-17th century. The Commonwealth was first affected by the Khmelnytsky Uprising , which began in 1648, and affected southeastern provinces of the country. In the final stages of the uprising, the Russians invaded Poland–Lithuania in 1654, reaching as far west as
6815-401: The Truce of Vilna (November 3), in which Poland and the Tsardom of Russia formed an anti-Swedish alliance. With Russian forces attacking Sweden in Livonia (see Russo-Swedish War (1656–1658) ), Poland finally had time to recoup and gather fresh forces. On October 12, 1655, with permission from King John Casimir, Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg signed the Treaty of Rinsk , in which
6960-431: The Tyszowce Confederation was formed in support of the Polish king. John Casimir himself met with hetmans Stanisław Rewera Potocki , Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski , Stanisław Lanckoroński and Stefan Czarniecki in Krosno, on December 31, 1655. The meeting was also attended by Primate Andrzej Leszczyński , and eight voivodes . While in Krosno, the Polish king found out about the end of the siege of Jasna Góra, and about
7105-438: The Vistula river near Puławy . The Commonwealth also fought forces from Transylvania and Brandenburg-Prussia , but the Duchy of Prussia gained formal Polish recognition of its independence outside of the Polish state ( Treaty of Wehlau , 1657). The Tatars of the Crimean Khanate and the Nogai Horde conducted almost annual slave raids in the territories controlled by the Commonwealth. In all these other invasions, only
7250-750: The Vistula to the Baltic Sea and then to Sweden. In November 2011, archaeologists of the University of Warsaw found approximately 70 items (total weight five tons), which probably come from the Warsaw Royal Castle. They sank in the Vistula while being transported to Sweden. Even though Article 9 of the Treaty of Oliva stated that Sweden should return all stolen goods, all items are still kept in Stockholm and other Swedish locations. Several Polish kings (John II Casimir, John III Sobieski and Stanisław II Augustus ) sent official missions to Sweden, but without success. In most situations, Swedish authorities claimed that they did not know where stolen goods were. In 1911, Kraków's Academy of Science sent its own mission, which
7395-418: The geographical midpoint of Europe is within their territory. The midpoint depends on the definition of European extent, and the Guinness Book of World Records recognises a point near Vilnius as the continental centre. After a 1989 re-estimation of European boundaries, Jean-George Affholder of the Institut Géographique National (French National Geographic Institute) determined that its geographic centre
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#17328483517297540-582: The 1832 closure of Vilnius University, the Vilnius Art School continued to influence Lithuanian art. The Lithuanian Art Society was established in 1907 by Petras Rimša , Antanas Žmuidzinavičius and Antanas Jaroševičius , and the Vilnius Art Society was founded the following year. Artists included Jonas Šileika, Justinas Vienožinskis [ lt ] , Jonas Mackevičius (1872) [ lt ] , Vytautas Kairiūkštis , and Vytautas Pranas Bičiūnas , who employed Western European symbolism , realism , Art Nouveau and modernism . Socialist realism
7685-430: The 18th century. As a result of the Deluge, the Commonwealth began a subsequent period of decline. The Deluge had a major effect on Poland, and there are several books describing the war. In 1886 Henryk Sienkiewicz described the Swedish invasion in his novel Роtор . Based on the novel, Jerzy Hoffman directed the film The Deluge ( Роtор ) in 1974, a classic historical work. It starred Daniel Olbrychski as
7830-443: The Brandenburger province of Neumark , which resulted in withdrawal of Brandenburger forces from most of Greater Poland. Charles Gustav, knowing that he needed the support of the Elector, agreed to sign the Treaty of Labiau (November 20), which granted full sovereignty to the Prussian ruler, in exchange for his complete military support of Sweden in the ongoing war. The Commonwealth, on the other hand, had already been negotiating with
7975-430: The Chamber Choir of the Conservatoire) at the European Grand Prix for Choral Singing . The Lithuanian Song and Dance Festival in Vilnius has been presented every four years since 1990 for about 30,000 singers and folk dancers in Vingis Park . In 2008, the festival and its Latvian and Estonian counterparts were designated as a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity . The jazz scene
8120-425: The Commonwealth and began negotiations with the Swedish king Charles X Gustav of Sweden aimed at breaking up the Commonwealth and the Polish–Lithuanian union . They signed the Treaty of Kėdainiai (1655), which envisaged the Radziwiłł princes ruling over two duchies carved out from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania under Swedish protection . In July 1655 two Swedish armies, operating from Swedish Pomerania and
8265-472: The Commonwealth, but were later defeated in the Battle of Konotop and the Battle of Polonka . On May 3, 1660, the Treaty of Oliva was signed, which ended the Polish–Swedish War. After the conclusion of the conflict, Poland–Lithuania initiated a large offensive against the Russians, who were beaten in the Battle of Chudnov . In 1661, Vilnius was recaptured (December 2), and in 1663–64, Polish forces invaded Left-bank Ukraine . The war with Russia ended with
8410-454: The Commonwealth. Meanwhile, Rákóczi had already been negotiating with Bohdan Khmelnytsky, and on September 7, 1656, Transylvania and the Zaporizhian Sich signed a peace treaty, which obliged both sides to help each other in war. On December 8, 1656, the Treaty of Radnot was signed, which divided Poland-Lithuania among Charles X Gustav, Bogusław Radziwiłł, Elector Frederick William, Bohdan Khmelnytsky, and George II Rákóczi. In late January 1657,
8555-476: The Commonwealth. The Swedish king decided to find allies, who would help him to divide Poland-Lithuania. On June 29, 1656, he signed the Treaty of Marienburg , in which he offered Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg a reward for fighting on his side. Brandenburg-Prussia was promised sovereignty in four voivodeships – Poznań, Kalisz, Łęczyca, and Sieradz. On July 28, a reinforced Swedish–Brandenburgian army, under Charles Gustav, set out for Warsaw. Even though
8700-406: The Cossacks, Russia refused to recognize Hadiach, and maintained its claims to Ukraine . The Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) ended with the Treaty of Andrusovo of January 13, 1667. (Poland-Lithuania profited from Turkish participation in the Russo-Turkish War (1676–1681) due to Ottoman links with the Crimea .) The peace settlement gave Russia control over the so-called Left-bank Ukraine (left of
8845-523: The Cossacks, while Lubomirski's and Potocki's divisions together with Crimean Tatars. The Ottomans were offended that George II Rakoczi, who was officially their vassal, did not ask their approval to attack Poland and did not want to open another war (in that time they tried to attack Venice through Dalmatia) but when he ignored them they ordered the Crimean Tatars to help the Polish troops and punish Rakoczi. They already replaced Rakoczi's vassal voivodes from Moldavia and Wallachia. On June 20, 1657, Stenbock
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#17328483517298990-411: The Deluge "did not end in a Swedish defeat" and "did not end in a Polish victory". Some claim that Sweden won the war. However, other historians claim that Sweden lost the war. Other historians also claim that the war ended favourably for Sweden. With other historians claiming the war to have ended favourably for the Commonwealth or unfavourably for Sweden. The Swedish invasion affected
9135-448: The Deluge in the region of Kaszuby ), Znak Jastrzębca ( The sign of the Jastrzębiec ) by Stanisław Maria Jankowski, and Pamiętnik oblężenia Częstochowy ( The memoir of the siege of Częstochowa ), by Father Augustyn Kordecki . Furthermore, James Michener describes the Deluge in his novel Poland (1983). The Deluge has also found its way into video games. The video game Mount & Blade: With Fire & Sword (named after
9280-413: The Kingdom's folk from any impositions and unjust bondage . Today, the Blessed Virgin Mary is known as the Queen of Poland . After the King, a similar vow was taken by the Deputy Chancellor of the Crown and the bishop of Kraków Andrzej Trzebicki in the name of the szlachta noblemen of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth forces finally drove back the Swedes in 1657 and the Russians in 1661. After
9425-420: The Lithuanian State Historical Archives in Vilnius. Over 200 tiles and plaques commemorating writers who lived and worked in Vilnius and foreign authors connected to Vilnius and Lithuania adorn walls on Literatų Street (Lithuanian: Literatų gatvė ) in the Old Town, outlining the history of Lithuanian literature. The Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore and the Lithuanian Writers' Union are in
9570-460: The Lutheran (and to some point Orthodox ) aggressors, secondly - to manifest the will to improve the peasantry's condition. On 1 April 1656, during a holy mass in Lwów's Cathedral conducted by the papal legate Pietro Vidoni , John Casimir, in a grandiose and elaborate ceremony, entrusted the Commonwealth to the Blessed Virgin Mary's protection, whom he announced as The Queen of the Polish Crown and other of his countries . He also swore to protect
9715-511: The Moon , was first shown at the Lukiškės Square movie theater in 1902; it was the first feature film shown in Vilnius. The first movie theater in Vilnius, Iliuzija (Illusion), opened in 1905 at 60 Didžioji Street . The first movie theaters, similar to theatres, had boxes with more-expensive seats. Because early films were silent, showings were accompanied by orchestral performances. Cinema screenings were sometimes combined with theatrical performances and illusion shows. On 4 June 1924,
9860-401: The North" when he passed through in 1812. Vilnius was a 2009 European Capital of Culture with Linz in Austria. In 2021, the city was named one of fDi 's 25 Global Cities of the Future. Vilnius is considered a global financial centre, ranked 76th globally and 29th in Europe on the Global Financial Centres Index . It hosted the 2023 NATO Summit . Vilnius is a member of Eurocities and
10005-452: The Paneriai Memorial visitor information centre. Vilnius has a number of art galleries. Lithuania's largest art collection is housed in the Lithuanian National Museum of Art . The Vilnius Picture Gallery, in the city's Old Town, houses a collection of Lithuanian art from the 16th to the early 20th centuries. Across the Neris, the National Art Gallery has a number of exhibitions of 20th-century Lithuanian art. The Contemporary Art Centre ,
10150-438: The People's Commissariat of Education, which established the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, the following year. In 1965, Lithuania's most modern movie theater ( Lietuva ) opened in Vilnius; it had over 1.84 million visitors per year, and an annual profit of over 1 million roubles . After reconstruction, it had one of Europe's largest screens: 200 square metres (2,200 sq ft). Closed in 2002, it
10295-460: The Poles from taking control of the northern districts of the country, and departed Warsaw with an army of 10,000 (April 17). On April 21, the Lithuanians under Sapieha freed Lublin, and on April 23, the Lithuanian army reached Praga , which today is a right-bank district of Warsaw. The forces of Czarniecki and Lubomirski joined other troops near Piła , but on May 7 they were defeated in the Battle of Kłecko , despite their numerical superiority. After
10440-478: The Polish Crown army under Stanisław Potocki, and the Lithuanian army under Paweł Sapieha, to force a decisive battle. On April 29, the Polish and Lithuanian armies joined forces at Łosice , and in early May 1657, the Poles decided to organize a revenge raid on Transylvania, under hetman Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski. On May 13, Rákóczi and Charles X Gustav seized the fortress of Brześć Litewski , and on May 17, after
10585-538: The Polish Crown'. After the Battle of Warka, Czarniecki and Lubomirski decided to head towards Greater Poland and Kujawy , to support guerrilla forces active there. By April 9, Polish troops reached Royal Prussia, capturing Bydgoszcz and Nakło (April 19). The Polish attempt to capture Toruń , on April 17, was a failure. After a short rest, Stefan Czarniecki considered a raid of Swedish Pomerania , but other Polish leaders opposed this idea. Charles Gustav decided to prevent
10730-783: The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture; he also visited the Embassy of Sweden in Warsaw. A businessman from Warsaw, Sławian Krzywiński, joined Poznański, creating the Foundation of Reconstruction of Destruction Caused by the Swedish Invasion (Fundacja Odbudowy Zniszczeń Dokonanych w Czasie Potopu Szwedzkiego). According to Krzywiński, looted goods are still kept in Swedish museums and private collections. Among others, Poland lost
10875-632: The Polish–Lithuanian throne. Many members of the Polish nobility regarded John Casimir as a weak king or a "Jesuit-King"; Grand Treasurer Bogusław Leszczyński , a Protestant, and Deputy Chancellor of the Crown Hieronim Radziejowski , an old enemy of the Polish King who had been exiled to Sweden, encouraged Charles Gustav to claim the Polish crown . Two Lithuanian noble princes, Janusz Radziwiłł and Bogusław Radziwiłł , introduced dissension into
11020-548: The Protestant Polish Brethren from Poland in 1658 exemplified the increasing intolerance. During the Deluge, many thousands of Polish Jews also fell victim to violence carried out by the Zaporozhian Cossacks and Polish-Lithuanian forces. The Treaty of Oliva signed in 1660 meant that: Poland gave up most of Livonia with Riga, retaining only part of it (Latgale – the south-eastern part of Livonia) which
11165-522: The Radziwiłłs was the result of the 1654 Russian invasion, as Janusz Radziwiłł accused the Poles of not helping the Lithuanians with the defence of the Grand Duchy. The Russian capture of Vilnius (August 9, 1655) and the subsequent slaughter of its residents convinced the Lithuanian nobility that Swedish protection was the best solution. The situation of the Commonwealth was desperate, but hope appeared with
11310-487: The Royal Prussian nobility agreed to allow Brandenburgian garrisons in their province to defend it against the Swedish invasion (the treaty did not include the cities of Gdańsk , Elbląg and Toruń ). In November and December 1655 the Swedish army under Gustaf Otto Stenbock captured all the towns of Royal Prussia except for Gdańsk, Puck and Malbork . To prevent John Casimir's return to Poland, Swedish units protected
11455-590: The Russian invaders caused the most similar damages to the Swedes, due to Russian raids, destructions and rapid incursion which crippled Polish industries. With the Treaty of Hadiach on September 16, 1658, the Polish Crown sought to elevate the Cossacks and Ruthenians to a position equal to that of Poland and Lithuania in the Polish–Lithuanian Union, and in fact transform the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth into
11600-488: The Russian invaders in the east had also destroyed and damaged much of the eastern part's infrastructure, partly due to heavy agricultural fertile developments there. Hubert Kowalski of the University of Warsaw Institute of Archeology says that Swedes stole anything they could lay their hands on – windows, stairs, chimneys, sculptures, floors, doors and gates. Most goods were loaded on boats and transported along
11745-918: The Soviet Union during World War II. After that war, Vilnius became the capital of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic . On 11 March 1990, the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR announced its secession from the Soviet Union and intention to restore an independent Lithuania. On 9 January 1991, the Soviet Union sent in troops; this culminated in the 13 January attack on the State Radio and Television Building and Vilnius TV Tower which killed 14 civilians. The Soviet Union recognised Lithuanian independence in September 1991. According to
11890-507: The Swedish Army, was more interested in drinking. To make matters worse, two powerful magnates, the Voivode of Poznań Krzysztof Opaliński , and the Voivode of Kalisz , Andrzej Karol Grudziński, argued with each other whether to fight or to give up. Polish troops lacked gunpowder, cannons, and even food, which was stolen at local villages by hungry soldiers. After an easy Swedish victory at
12035-558: The Swedish and Transylvanian armies from meeting. After joining the Cossacks, Rákóczi decided not to attack Lwów, but set off towards Kraków, where the situation of the Swedish garrison under Wirtz was desperate. On March 21, Rákóczi captured Tarnów , and on March 28, he reached Kraków. Along the way to the ancient Polish capital, the Transylvanian-Cossack army burned and looted towns and villages, murdering thousands. Since his army
12180-470: The Swedish army entered the Polish capital, becoming the first foreign army in history to capture Warsaw. King Charles Gustav left a garrison in Warsaw, under Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna , and headed southwards, in pursuit of John Casimir. On September 16, the Swedes defeated Polish troops in the Battle of Żarnów , and the Polish forces gave up resistance and surrendered to the invaders. The Polish king headed towards Kraków on September 25, and then fled to
12325-699: The Tatars. After six months of fighting in Poland, Rákóczi's army of 25,000 ceased to exist, with all survivors taken prisoner by the Tatars. On August 30, the Swedish garrison left Kraków, and throughout August and September 1657, all Swedish troops in Poland moved northwards, to Royal Prussia . Altogether, by autumn of that year, only some 8,000 Swedish soldiers remained in Poland–Lithuania. The Swedes still kept some Prussian cities, as Malbork, Elbląg, Sztum , Brodnica , Grudziądz , and Toruń . On September 11, an Austrian army of 11,000, allied with Poland, concentrated near Kraków and set off to Płock , where it spent
12470-590: The Transylvanian Hungarian ruler George II Rákóczi signed an alliance with Poland, and the relations between the Commonwealth and Transylvania were friendly. George had even been offered the Polish crown, on condition that he convert to Catholicism. Stunning Swedish successes, however, made Rákóczi change his mind. On May 18, 1656, Charles X Gustav, in a letter sent from Malbork, offered the Hungarian prince Red Ruthenia, in exchange for military support against
12615-509: The Transylvanian army of 25,000 crossed the Carpathians , heading towards Medyka , where 10,000 Cossack allies awaited them. To face the new invader, the army of hetman Stanisław Rewera Potocki rushed southwards. At the same time (January 2), in the Battle of Chojnice , the Swedes defeated the Poles. On February 26, Stefan Czarniecki and King John Casimir met in Kalisz , where they decided to prevent
12760-692: The Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU). Vilnius' name originates from the river Vilnia , the Lithuanian word for ripple . Its name has had a number of derivative spellings in various languages throughout its history; Vilna was once common in English. The most notable non-Lithuanian names for the city include Latin : Vilna , Polish : Wilno , Belarusian : Вiльня ( Vilnia ), German : Wilna , Latvian : Viļņa , Ukrainian : Вільно ( Vilno ), Yiddish : ווילנע ( Vilne ). A Russian name dating to
12905-402: The Vilnius magistrate established a 1,200-seat movie theater in the city hall ( Polish : Miejski kinematograf , City Movie Theater) to provide cultural education for students and adults. In 1926, 502,261 tickets were sold; 24,242 tickets were given to boarding children, 778 to tourists, and 8,385 to soldiers. In 1939, Lithuanian authorities renamed it Milda. The last city government gave it to
13050-660: The Vilnius Museum, the House of Histories, Church Heritage Museum, Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights , Fight for Freedom Museum in the Vilnius TV Tower , M. K. Čiurlionis House, Samuel Bak Museum, Centre for Civil Education, Toy Museum, Vilnil (Museum of Illusions), Energy and Technology Museum, House of Signatories, Tolerance Center, Railway Museum, Money Museum, Kazys Varnelis House-Museum, Liubavas Manor Watermill-Museum, Museum of Vladislovas Sirokomlė, Amber Museum-Gallery, and
13195-492: The allied army was smaller, it still managed to defeat the Poles and Lithuanians in the Battle of Warsaw (July 28–30), and to recapture Warsaw. This victory, however, achieved little, as the Poles retreated behind the Wieprz , where they regrouped, and were soon ready to continue fighting. Finally, Charles Gustav decided to abandon Warsaw, and retreat to Royal Prussia. To punish Brandenburg-Prussia, Commonwealth forces decided to invade
13340-443: The battle, the surviving Polish units regrouped near Gniezno , and in late May, they headed for Warsaw, to help the Lithuanians in the siege of the Polish capital (April 24 – July 1). Warsaw was being defended by Arvid Wittenberg with 2,000 soldiers, as the main Swedish army was busy besieging Gdańsk. Wittenberg capitulated on July 1, 1656. Already in late 1655, Charles Gustav realized that it would be impossible for him to control
13485-581: The border with Silesia. On November 18, 1655, the Swedes besieged the monastery at Jasna Góra , located in Lesser Poland, near the border. Led by the Grand Prior Augustyn Kordecki , the garrison of this symbolic sanctuary-fortress of Poland held off its enemies in the Siege of Jasna Góra . The defense of Jasna Góra galvanized Polish resistance against the Swedes. The news of the siege spread across
13630-690: The character Andrzej Kmicic , a patriot who valiantly fought against the Swedish invasion. The film received a nomination for an Oscar in 1974, but lost to the Italian film Amarcord . In 2000, Renata Ocieczek wrote the book Czasy potopu szwedzkiego w literaturze polskiej ( The time of the Swedish deluge in Polish literature ), and in 2006 Jacek Płosiński wrote Potop szwedzki na Podlasiu ( Swedish deluge in Podlasie ). Other books about this topic include: Warszawa 1656 by Mirosław Nagielski, Krwawy sztorm ("Bloody storm") by Augustyn Necel (describing
13775-435: The city after the war. According to the 2012 Polish estimates, the material damage caused by the Swedish army amounted to 4 billion złotys . 188 cities and towns, 186 villages, 136 churches, 89 palaces, and 81 castles were completely destroyed in Poland. In 1648, Bohdan Khmelnytsky led a popular uprising of Zaporozhian Cossacks and Ukrainian peasants discontented with the rule of Polish and Lithuanian magnates . Although
13920-703: The city have increased significantly during the last 30 years, a change which the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service attributes to human-induced global warming . Summer days are warm to hot, especially in July and August, with daytime temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) during periodic heat waves. Outdoor bars, restaurants and cafés are frequented during the day. Winters can be very cold, although temperatures above 0 °C (32 °F); still occasionally occur. Temperatures below −25 °C (−13 °F) are recorded every other year. Vilnius's rivers freeze in particularly cold winters, and
14065-849: The city. The Vilnius book fair is held annually at LITEXPO , the Baltics' largest exhibition centre. The first public film session in Vilnius was held in the Botanical Garden (now the Bernardinai Garden ) in July 1896. It was held after 1895 film sessions by Auguste and Louis Lumière in Paris. The session in Vilnius showed the Lumière brothers' documentary films. The first films shown were educational, filmed outside Vilnius (in India and Africa), and introduced other cultures. Georges Méliès ' film, A Trip to
14210-461: The city; green space covers 68.8 percent, and water covers 2.1 percent. The city has eight nature reserves : Vokės Senslėnio Slopes Geomorphological Reserve, Aukštagiris Geomorphological Reserve, Valakupių Klonio Geomorphological Reserve, Veržuva Hydrographic Reserve, Vokė Hydrographic Reserve, Cedronas Upstream Landscape Reserve, Tapeliai Landscape Reserve, and Šeškinė Slopes Geomorphological Reserve. Several lakes, including Balžis , are located on
14355-534: The crypts of Vilnius Cathedral and decorated hymnbooks . Sixteenth-century wall paintings are in the city's Church of St. Francis and St. Bernard and the Church of Saint Nicholas . Gothic wooden polychrome sculptures decorate church altars. Some Gothic seals from the 14th and 15th centuries still exist, including those of Kęstutis , Vytautas the Great and Sigismund II Augustus . Renaissance sculpture appeared during
14500-586: The death of Janusz Radziwiłł. On January 12, 1656, John Casimir left Krosno, and after three days, arrived at Łańcut Castle , which belonged to the Lubomirski family . On February 10, the king came to Lwów , which, together with Gdańsk, was one of only two major cities of the Commonwealth not seized by any of Poland's enemies. Soon Polish Army units began to concentrate in the area of Lwów, including militias from Red Ruthenia , Volhynia and Lublin , as well as forces under Potocki and Prince Lubomirski, together with
14645-469: The devastating Deluge was the subsequent weakening of Poland's international standing. While Sweden destroyed more, Russia also took part and was second only to Sweden in the level of destruction. With the entire Polish nation crippled by the Swedes and Russians, Russia was able to rise, found the Russian Empire in the early 18th century and play a major role in the Partitions of Poland in the latter half of
14790-630: The early 16th century, primarily by the Italian sculptors Bernardinus Zanobi da Gianotti, Giovani Cini, and Giovanni Maria Padovano. During the Renaissance, portrait tombstones and medals were valued; examples are the marble tombs of Albertas Goštautas (1548) and Paweł Holszański (1555) by Bernardino de Gianotis in Vilnius Cathedral. Italian sculpture is characterized by its naturalistic treatment of forms and precise proportions. Local sculptors adopted
14935-457: The early 19th century was singer Maria de Neri . In the early 20th century, Vilnius was the hometown of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis , Mikas Petrauskas , and Juozas Tallat-Kelpša . Late-20th- and early 21st-century musicians include Vyacheslav Ganelin , Petras Vyšniauskas , Petras Geniušas , Mūza Rubackytė , Alanas Chošnau , and Marijonas Mikutavičius . The Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre , headquartered on Gediminas Avenue ,
15080-454: The entire city was razed to the ground, akin to the centuries-after Nazi occupation of the city during World War II . Kraków and Vilnius were also devastated, with their populations being reduced by over half. Additionally, the Polish Gross national product ( GNP or GNI) was reduced to 55% of its pre-war levels as a consequence of the Swedish invasion. One of the most notable effects of
15225-551: The estimates of Polish scholars I. Ihnatowicz, Z. Landau, A. Mączak and B. Zientara, the invasion by the Swedish army and its allies (Brandenburg-Prussia and Transilvania), resulted in the loss of 25% of the population in four core Polish provinces. Lesser Poland lost 23% of population, Mazovia 40% in villages and 70% in towns, Greater Poland 50% in villages and 60% in towns. Royal Prussia lost some 60% of its population. The Commonwealth's population losses are estimated at between 30% and 50% in 1648–1660. In January 2013 Marek Poznański,
15370-452: The first book of Sienkiewicz 's trilogy) contains a quest called "The Deluge" that is based on the events of the actual Deluge. Vilnius Vilnius ( / ˈ v ɪ l n i ə s / VIL -nee-əs , Lithuanian: [ˈvʲɪlʲnʲʊs] ), previously known in English as Vilna , is the capital of and largest city in Lithuania and the second-most-populous city in
15515-440: The first local musicians in written sources was Steponas Vilnietis (Stephanus de Vylna). The first textbook of Lithuanian music, The Art and Practice of Music ( Latin : Ars et praxis musica ), was published in Vilnius by Žygimantas Liauksminas in 1667. Italian artists produced Lithuania's first opera on 4 September 1636 at the Palace of the Grand Dukes, commissioned by Grand Duke Władysław IV Vasa . Operas are produced at
15660-437: The forces of John Casimir. On March 30, the starving, cold and tired Swedish army of 5,000 stopped near Sandomierz , which was already in Polish hands. The Swedes camped among the forests of Sandomierz Forest near Gorzyce , where they were quickly surrounded by approximately 23,000 Poles and Lithuanians. To help the besieged army, on March 27 Frederick VI left Warsaw with 2,500 reiters and dragoons , so John Casimir ordered
15805-459: The garrison of Kamieniec Podolski fortress. Charles Gustav, after finding out about the return of the Polish king, ordered his armies to concentrate in Łowicz. On February 8, 1656, the Swedes defeated Czarniecki in the Battle of Gołąb , and continued their march towards Lwów, reaching the Zamość Fortress on February 25. On March 1, realizing that without heavy guns it was impossible to capture
15950-682: The glory of their deeds shall echo throughout the world. Gediminas, obeying the gods , built two castles: the Lower Castle in the valley, and the Crooked Castle on Bald Hill . He moved his court there, declared it his permanent seat and capital, and developed the surrounding area into a city he named Vilnius. Vilnius' history dates to the Stone Age . The city has been ruled by imperial and Soviet Russia , Napoleonic France , imperial and Nazi Germany , interwar Poland , and Lithuania. Initially
16095-699: The iconographic scheme of Renaissance tombs; their works, such the tomb of Lew Sapieha ( c. 1633 ) in the Church of St. Michael , are stylized. During this period, local and Western European painters created religious and mythological compositions and portraits with late Gothic and Baroque features; illustrated prayerbooks, illustrations, and miniatures have survived. During the late-16th-century Baroque , wall painting developed. Most palaces and churches were decorated in frescoes with bright colors, sophisticated angles, and drama. Secular painting – representational, imaginative, epitaph portraits, scenes of battles and politically important events in
16240-552: The initial phase of the rebellion ended (after much destruction) at the Battle of Berestechko (1651), it brought into focus the rivalry between Russia and the Commonwealth for hegemony over Ukraine and over the eastern Slavic lands in general. Thus, in October 1653, the Russian Zemsky Sobor declared war on the Commonwealth, and in June 1654 the forces of Tsar Alexis of Russia invaded the eastern half of Poland-Lithuania, starting
16385-539: The internationally acclaimed contemporary writers such as Jurga Ivanauskaitė , Undinė Radzevičiūtė and Kristina Sabaliauskaitė . The first consideration of the First Statute of Lithuania took place in 1522 at the Seimas of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania . The code was drafted under the guidance of Grand Chancellor of Lithuania Albertas Goštautas in accordance with customary law , legislation, and canon and Roman law . It
16530-456: The lakes surrounding the city are almost always frozen from December to March, and even April, in the most extreme years. The Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service, headquartered in Vilnius, monitors the country's climate. Vilnius was an artistic centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, attracting artists across Europe. The oldest surviving early Gothic artworks (14th century) are paintings dedicated to churches and liturgy , such as frescoes in
16675-583: The largest contemporary-art venue in the Baltic States, has an exhibition space of 2,400 square metres (26,000 sq ft). The centre develops international and Lithuanian exhibitions and presents a range of public programs which include lectures, seminars, performances, film and video screenings, and live music. On 10 November 2007, the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center was opened by avant-garde filmmaker Jonas Mekas ; its premiere exhibition
16820-456: The main attack took place in the night of November 16–17, and on December 30 Toruń capitulated. Meanwhile, Stefan Czarniecki's division headed to Denmark–Norway , to help the Danes in the Dano-Swedish War . In October 1658, the Polish army of 4500 reached Hamburg , and in December 1658, with the help of Polish troops, the fortress of Kolding was captured (see Battle of Kolding ). On July 1, 1658,
16965-914: The mature Baroque, with expressive forms and sensuality. Local sculptors emphasized Baroque decorative features, with less expression and emotion. Lithuanian painting was influenced by the Vilnius Art School during the late 18th and 19th centuries, which introduced classical and romantic art. Painters had internships abroad, mainly in Italy. Allegorical, mythological compositions, landscapes, and portraits of representatives of various circles of society began, and historical themes prevailed. The era's best-known classical painters are Franciszek Smaglewicz , Jan Rustem , Józef Oleszkiew , Daniel Kondratowicz [ pl ] , Józef Peszka , and Wincenty Smokowski . Romantic artists were Jan Rustem, Jan Krzysztof Damel , Wincenty Dmochowski and Kanuty Rusiecki . After
17110-566: The mighty stronghold, the Swedish army gave up the siege, and headed towards Bełżec . On March 3, Charles Gustav, whose units were harassed by Polish guerilla forces, decided to retreat. At the same time, guerilla warfare also broke out in Mazovia and Greater Poland, and Lithuanian units under the Grand Hetman of Lithuania Paweł Jan Sapieha began moving towards Red Ruthenia. On March 11, the Swedish army arrived at Jarosław , fighting its way across
17255-709: The most holy sanctuary, created massive anti-Swedish sentiments. In December 1655 the Tyszowce Confederation formed in support of the exiled John Casimir. Spontaneous uprisings started all over the country, attacking the dispersed occupation forces — who, in their turn, retaliated. The uprisings soon merged under the leadership of Polish military leaders Stefan Czarniecki and Grand Hetman of Lithuania Paweł Jan Sapieha , who started organized counterattacks in order to eliminate those loyal to Charles Gustav. Considering these facts, John II Casimir decided to return. Trying to pass Swedish troops unexposed, he rode with only
17400-578: The mounted units of Czarnecki and Lubomirski to face the margrave. Frederick's army was defeated on April 7 in the Battle of Warka . At Gorzyce, however, second-quality Polish forces remained, and the Swedish king managed to break out (April 5), and on April 13, Charles Gustav reached Warsaw. Meanwhile, the Polish king made the Lwów Oath (April 1), in which he entrusted the Commonwealth to the Blessed Virgin Mary's protection, and declared her 'The Queen of
17545-422: The nation, and in several areas guerrilla units were created, outraged at the Swedes' attempt to seize the monastery. On December 7, 1655, the unit of Colonel Gabriel Wojniłłowicz defeated the Swedes and their Polish collaborators near Krosno . On December 13, Polish troops under Wojniłłowicz recaptured Nowy Sącz , and soon afterwards Sweden lost Biała , Dukla , Biecz , Wieliczka , and Oświęcim . By late 1655,
17690-415: The north-eastern outskirts of Vilnius. Vilnius has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ), with temperature records since 1777. The average annual temperature is 7.3 °C (45 °F); the average January temperature is −3.9 °C (25 °F), and the July average is 18.7 °C (66 °F). Average annual precipitation is 691 mm (27.20 in). Temperatures in
17835-841: The period between the Khmelnytsky Uprising of 1648 and the Truce of Andrusovo in 1667, comprising the Polish theatres of the Russo-Polish and Second Northern Wars . In a stricter sense, the term refers to the Swedish invasion and occupation of the Commonwealth as a theatre of the Second Northern War (1655–1660) only; in Poland and Lithuania this period is called the Swedish Deluge ( Polish : potop szwedzki , Lithuanian : š vedų tvanas , Swedish : Svenska syndafloden ), or less commonly
17980-721: The remaining half of the country. Following the Thirty Years' War , the Swedish Empire emerged as one of the strongest kingdoms on the continent. It had a large army but little money to pay its soldiers. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, weakened by wars with the Cossacks and Tsardom of Russia , seemed like easy prey, also because its best soldiers had been either killed in the 1652 Battle of Batih or massacred after it. Furthermore, Swedes remembered claims to their throne by Polish kings Sigismund III Vasa and his sons Władysław IV Vasa and John II Casimir , who themselves belonged to
18125-598: The richest provinces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth ( Greater Poland , Lesser Poland , Mazovia , Pomerelia , Kujawy , Podlasie ), which for the most part had not been affected by major wars for 200 years. According to Professor Andrzej Rottermund, manager of the Royal Castle in Warsaw , the Swedish army robbed Poland of her most precious goods – thousands of works of art, books and valuables. Most of these items have never been returned to Poland, and are kept both in private Swedish hands and in Stockholm museums, such as
18270-638: The river Dnieper ), with the Commonwealth retaining Right-bank Ukraine (right of the Dnieper). While initially the agreement stipulated that Russia would return Left-bank Ukraine to the Commonwealth in twenty years, the division became permanent with the Eternal Peace Treaty of 1686 . The Deluge brought to an end the era of religious tolerance in the Commonwealth: mostly non-Catholic invaders antagonized Catholic (including Uniate) population. The expulsion of
18415-531: The situation in southern Lesser Poland had deteriorated to such an extent for the invaders that on December 27 they decided to lift the siege of Jasna Góra. On December 16, 1655, in Sokal , Polish Crown hetmans urged the nation to fight the Swedish armies. Two days later, King John Casimir left the Głogówek in Silesia, and via Racibórz and Cieszyn , returned to Poland, arriving at Lubowla on December 27. Two days later,
18560-529: The starving Swedish garrison at Brodnica surrendered. The siege of Malbork was continued, and Polish – Brandenburgian troops blocked Elbląg. In December 1659, the siege of Elbląg began. Meanwhile, in late 1658, the Polish–Russian truce ended when Russian forces under Ivan Andreyevich Khovansky (Tararui) and Jurij Aleksiejewicz Dołgorukow again attacked the Polish – Lithuanian units (see Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) ). The Russians managed to capture large parts of
18705-414: The town of Oberglogau ( Polish : Głogówek ) staying there in a local castle from October 17, 1655 until December 18 of the same year. However, several places still resisted, most remarkably (and symbolically) the monastery at Jasna Góra (November 1655 to January 1656). The defense of Jasna Góra galvanized Polish resistance against the Swedes, as aggression on that place, perceived by Catholic Poles as
18850-527: The war, promises made by John Casimir in Lwów, especially those considering peasants' lot, were not fulfilled, mostly because of Sejm 's objection. The Sejm represented the szlachta nobility who were not attracted to the idea of reducing serfdom, which would negatively affect their economic interests. Since the Lwów Oath Holy Virgin Mary is commonly believed to have saved Poland miraculously during
18995-498: The winter. Polish army commanders and King John Casimir, gathered in Poznań on November 26, decided to delay the attack on Swedish forces in Royal Prussia until spring 1658. On November 6, 1657, Poland and Brandenburg–Prussia signed the Treaty of Bromberg . Ducal Prussia , which had previously allied itself with Sweden and attacked Poland, changed sides and guaranteed military support of the Commonwealth, in return for sovereignty (it had been
19140-503: Was The Avant-Garde: From Futurism to Fluxus . In 2018, the MO Museum opened as an initiative of Lithuanian scientists and philanthropists Danguolė and Viktoras Butkus. Its collection of 5,000 modern pieces includes major Lithuanian artworks from the 1950s to the present. Around 1520, Francysk Skaryna (author of the first Ruthenian Bible ) established eastern Europe 's first printing house in Vilnius. Skaryna prepared and published
19285-407: Was at 54°54′N 25°19′E / 54.900°N 25.317°E / 54.900; 25.317 ( Purnuškės (centre of gravity) ) . The method used to calculate the point was the centre of gravity of the European geometrical figure , and is near the village of Girija (26 kilometres from Vilnius). A monument by sculptor Gediminas Jokūbonis, a column of white granite surmounted by
19430-522: Was built and expanded. Over 75,000 flats were built from 1995 to 2018, making the city a Baltic construction leader. Vilnius was selected as a 2009 European Capital of Culture with Linz , the capital of Upper Austria . The 2007–2008 financial crisis led to a drop in tourism, which prevented many projects from completion; allegations of corruption and incompetence were made; tax increases for cultural activity led to protests, and economic conditions sparked riots. On 28–29 November 2013, Vilnius hosted
19575-407: Was defended by 2400 soldiers under Barthod Hartwig von Bülow. The Polish troops included the divisions of Krzysztof Grodzicki , Jan Sapieha and Stefan Czarniecki. Furthermore, they were provided support by the Brandenburgian-Prussian army of Bogusław Radziwiłł , which after the Treaty of Bromberg changed sides. Altogether, almost 25,000 soldiers besieged Toruń. After a prolonged artillery bombardment,
19720-482: Was defended by the Voivode of Malbork , Jakub Wejher . The Swedes, who were generally superior in training, discipline, and equipment, advanced rapidly. Meanwhile, in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , whose eastern part had been occupied by another Swedish army under Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie since August 1655, Janusz Radziwiłł and his cousin Bogusław Radziwiłł signed the Union of Kėdainiai (October 20, 1655), which ended Lithuania's union with Poland. The decision of
19865-436: Was demolished in 2017 and replaced by MO Museum. Kino Pavasaris is the city's largest film festival. The Lithuanian Film Centre ( Lithuanian : Lietuvos kino centras ), tasked with promoting the development and competitiveness of the Lithuanian film industry, is in Vilnius. Musicians performed at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania as early as the 14th century, since Grand Duke Gediminas' daughter Aldona of Lithuania
20010-446: Was in Russian hands at the time, until the Armistice of Andrusov in 1667. King John II Casimir Vasa renounced his right to claim the Swedish throne for himself and those who succeeded him. He did, however, retain the title of King of Sweden for the rest of his life. Sweden had pledged to uphold freedom of trade in the Baltic. The evaluation of the outcome of the Deluge is disputed. Historians like Michael Fredholm von Essen state that
20155-439: Was introduced after World War II , with propaganda paintings, historical and household works, still lives , landscapes, portraits, and sculptures. Late 20th- and 21st-century painters are Žygimantas Augustinas, Eglė Ridikaitė, Eglė Gineitytė, Patricija Jurkšaitytė, Jurga Barilaitė, and Solomonas Teitelbaumas. The Užupis district near the Old Town, a run-down district during the Soviet era, hosts bohemian artists who operate
20300-413: Was known to be enthusiastic about music. Aldona brought court musicians and singers to Kraków after marrying King Casimir III the Great . During the 16th century, composers such as Wacław of Szamotuły , Jan Brant , Heinrich Finck , Cyprian Bazylik , Alessandro Pesenti , Luca Marenzio , and Michelagnolo Galilei lived in Vilnius; the city was also home to virtuoso lutist Bálint Bakfark . One of
20445-410: Was made up of renowned professors Eugeniusz Barwiński, Ludwik Birkenmajer and Jan Łoś. In Stockholm and Uppsala they found 205 manuscripts and 168 rare Polish books, describing their foundings in a report. In 2002, the Warsaw Royal Castle organized an exhibition, "Eagle and Three Crowns", which presented many items stolen from Poland, and kept in Swedish museums. After the Deluge, the Commonwealth became
20590-412: Was ordered by Charles X Gustav to abandon Rákóczi and head with his army to Stettin . To save his skin, the ruler of Transylvania began a quick retreat southwards, towards the Carpathians. On July 11, Stefan Czarniecki's division defeated Rákóczi at Magierów near Lwów, and on July 20, the Transylvanian-Cossack army was destroyed in the Battle of Czarny Ostrów in Podolia . Three days later, Rákóczi signed
20735-807: Was published in 1822. Mikalojus Daukša translated and published a catechism by Spanish Jesuit theologian Jacobo Ledesma in 1595, the first printed Lithuanian-language book in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He also translated and published Jakub Wujek 's Postilla Catholica in 1599. Many writers were born in Vilnius, lived there, or are alumni of Vilnius University; they include Konstantinas Sirvydas , Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski , Antoni Gorecki , Józef Ignacy Kraszewski , Antoni Edward Odyniec , Michał Józef Römer , Adam Mickiewicz, Władysław Syrokomla , Józef Mackiewicz , Romain Gary , Juliusz Słowacki , Simonas Daukantas , Mykolas Biržiška , Petras Cvirka , Kazys Bradūnas , Nobel laureate Czesław Miłosz ). Vilnius Academy of Arts alumnae have also added to
20880-474: Was the hometown of 18th-century composers Michał Kazimierz Ogiński , Johann David Holland (colleague of C. Bach ), Maciej Radziwiłł , and Michał Kleofas Ogiński . Nineteenth-century Vilnius was known for singer Kristina Gerhardi Frank , a close friend of Mozart and Haydn (who starred in the premiere of Haydn's Creation ), mid-19th century guitar virtuoso Marek Konrad Sokołowski and composer Stanisław Moniuszko . The wealthiest woman in Vilnius during
21025-407: Was too busy looting Lesser Poland , only 5,000 soldiers reached Kraków, which by the Treaty of Radnot, was to be ruled by Transylvania. After leaving 2,500 soldiers to help the Swedish garrison of Kraków, Rákóczi's army headed northwards, along the Vistula . On April 12, 1657, the Transylvanian-Cossack army met with Swedish forces under Charles X Gustav, at Ćmielów . The joined forces began to follow
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