Early Military History
Poland gave up the barbarous creed of war very early. As soon as she passed out of the youthful period of her history she ceased the pursuit of martial conquests. During the last five centuries of her independent existence her growth was entirely due to her moral force. The invasion of a foreign country, after the manner of robbers, even under the cover of "State interests", was commonly considered in Poland as cowardly. Arms were taken up only in legitimate defense and this explains the characteristic name of "necessity" ("potrzeba") that in olden times was given to war.
Stephen Buszczynski, speaking of the historical role of the Polish people, dwells upon the fact that while other States almost always owe their origin to the power of a conqueror or to the plunderings of a brigand chief, popular legend places near the cradle of Poland a peasant king, - the legendary Piast, - symbol of labor, the creator of peace. It is also to be noted that the title of "great" bestowed but once by the Polish people was not conferred upon one of the many warrior kings, but upon a sovereign who made himself memorable by his codification (the Statute of Wislica) ; who founded the first university in Poland; who erected public monuments; who built cities and who passed on to posterity with the praise of having found "a wooden Poland and left one built of stone". It was this architect-King, this King friend of labor and peace who alone received the title of "great": Piast and Casimir the Great, symbolized all of Polish history.
The imperialistic desire to extend dominion "over all the earth", that was the cause of such misery and so much bloodshed, was never felt by the Polish people, although this people was famous for its legendary bravery. This tendency of domination was never manifest in Poland not even when she was at the height of her power and constituted one of the largest monarchies in Europe.
"In the midst of general robbery," says Julian Klaczko, "Poland exempt from covetousness never monopolized the lands of others even though she had every opportunity to 'rectify' boundaries or undertake the role of providence." The reply of the illustrious King, Sigismund "the Old", to those who offered him the crown of Hungary and Bohemia, "why wish to reign over several peoples when it is so difficult to contribute to the happiness of one", were memorable words that have many times proven true.
With Casimir the Piast dynasty became extinct. His nephew, Louis the Great, King of Hungary, succeeded him by the will of the deceased monarch and the election of the Diet: but during his reign Poland was treated merely as an appanage of Hungary. After the death of Louis of Hungary without male issue (1382) Jadwiga or Hedwig, daughter of Louis the Great, was chosen Queen of Poland (c.1384) by the Diet, and two years later she married Jagello (Jagellon), Grand Prince of Lithuania. Jagello ascended the throne as Ladislas II (q.v.) and founded the Jagellon dynasty, which ruled over Poland and Lithuania from 1386 to 1572 and under which Poland was at the height of its greatness. Jagello at his accession embraced Christianity, which was now introduced into Lithuania, hitherto a heathen country. Jagello inflicted a great defeat upon the Teutonic Knights at Tannenbcrg in 1410. He was succeeded in Poland by his elder son, Ladislas III (1434-44), and in Lithuania by his younger son, Casimir. Ladislas, whom the Hungarians placed upon their throne, was overwhelmed by the Turks and slain in the battle of Varna. He was succeeded after an interregnum by his brother, Casimir IV (1447-92), during whose reign the Teutonic Knights, by the Treaty of Thorn (1466), ceded West Prussia to Poland and agreed to hold East Prussia as a Polish fief. Notwithstanding the aversion of the Poles to war and notwithstanding the imperfections and gaps in the system of the "general call", the history of the Polish army is full of glorious achievements. It was the Polish Knights who in the XV century, after a long series of terrible struggles, finally broke the greatest military power of contemporary Europe: the Teutonic Order, that under the sign of the Cross, gave themselves up to plunder and extortion. These Knights who had been called by Conrad, Prince of Mazovia, to convert the still pagan Prussians, established themselves on lands given them by this Prince, formed themselves little by little into a band of brigands and began a system of conquests even against their ancient benefactors, the Poles.
Casimir rewarded the inferior nobles, or warrior class, with more extensive privileges, putting them on an equality of rank with the great chiefs of the realm and at the same time necessarily oppressing the peasantry. Choisnin, a delegate to Poland in 1573, wrote with the greatest admiration "this nation hates the spilling of blood except it be in open fight against declared enemies". The Poles were aware of these peculiar traits of character and of the high moral level of their principles. It pleased them to cite the opinions that foreigners had of them: "dulcis est sanguis polonorum" and they added proudly: "abhorrent lectissimi et dulcissimi mores nostri abomni crudelitate, natura ipsa nostra ad omnem humanitatem facia, refugit ferocitaten".
Hardly had the brilliant victory of Grunwald put an end to this pre-eminently defensive war against the Teutonic Order, when the Poles were obliged to turn to the East, where the Turks were menacing Europe. Situated on the Eastern border of Europe, Poland, conscious of fulfilling her historic mission, threw herself into this new struggle, that was to continue for more than two centuries, for the defense of Christianity and Western civilization.
The young King Ladislas fell in the battle of Varna in 1444. From then on, especially after the fall of Hungary, the Polish Knights became imbued with the idea that they were really the living rampart chosen "to defend the Cross" against the "fanatical power of the Osmans". The task was brilliantly accomplished but only after the most terrible struggles. The exploits of the "winged Hussars", the flower of the Polish Army, were everywhere celebrated. From the steppes of Bessarabia and Hungary, even as far as the Balkans, the ground was covered with the graves of the Polish knights. For generations the greatest leaders of the Polish army began over and over again this traditional struggle and not only did they take part in the campaigns but they gave their lives as well on the battlefields.
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