Grunwald: Polish-Lithuanian Alliance Crushes Teutonic Knights
The combined armies of Poland and Lithuania met the Teutonic Knights at Grunwald (Tannenberg) on July 15, 1410, in one of medieval Europe's largest battles. An estimated 39,000 Polish-Lithuanian troops faced 27,000 Teutonic Knights and their mercenaries across open farmland. The battle hinged on a deliberate Lithuanian feigned retreat that drew the Knights' right wing into a disorganized pursuit, exposing their flank. Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen was killed in the final melee. The victory broke the Teutonic Order's military dominance over the Baltic region permanently and cemented the Polish-Lithuanian union as a European superpower that would endure for nearly four centuries.
July 15, 1410
616 years ago
Key Figures & Places
Battle of Grunwald
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Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons
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Grand Duchy of Lithuania
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Teutonic Order
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Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War
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Battle of Grunwald
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History of Poland during the Jagiellonian dynasty
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Grand Duchy of Lithuania
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Teutonic Order
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List of Polish monarchs
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Władysław II Jagiełło
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Ulrich von Jungingen
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Masuren
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Crown of the Kingdom of Poland
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