Battle of Khotyn, 1621

The Khotyn War was the largest defensive operation in the history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the largest of the old Polish wars, a trench warfare (...).

Chodkiewicz and his staff skilfully linked the area with the entire defense system and made full use of natural obstacles. The firepower of infantry and artillery was coupled with field fortifications, which were skilfully maneuvered on the battlefield, surprising the enemy many times.

Chodkiewicz, the creator of the victorious strategy and the commander-in-chief, did not live to see the end of the siege. On September 23, on his deathbed, he handed the baton to Colonel Stanisław Lubomirski without a word and folded his hands in prayer. He could only whisper: In manus tuas Domine (Into your hands, Lord).

He died the next day.

His subordinates repelled two more assaults; later, the Turks decided to hold talks culminating in the signing of a peace treaty on October 9. The defeated sultan moved south, and his slayer was transported in a coffin to Kamieniec Podolski.

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Author: Michael Morys Twarowski
sources:
– “Polish Gods of War” (2019) [fragments] – Editorial team, ZNAK publishing house (PLPJ honorary patron).
– "Chocim 1621" (1988) - Leszek Podhorodecki, publishing house of the Ministry of National Defense (currently the rights are held by the honorary patron of PCBJ), publishing house Bellona).