Siege of Pskov (1615)

This article is about the 1615 siege. For the 1581–1582 siege during the Livonian War, see Siege of Pskov.

Siege of Pskov
Part of the Ingrian War
Pskov Kremlin
Date 9 August – 27 October 1615 Location Pskov, Tsardom of Russia Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Swedish Empire	Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Gustavus Adolphus Evert Horn   † Jacob De la Gardie	Vasily Morozov  [ ru ]
Strength
9,317 [1]	2,200–4,000 [2]
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Heavy

The siege of Pskov between 9 August and 27 October 1615 was the final battle of the Ingrian War with which the hostilities ended. Swedish forces under Gustav II Adolf laid siege to Pskov, but were unable to take the city.

Prelude

After the Battle of Klushino, the Swedish troops, located in Russia, called in 1609 by Vasily Shuisky, declared war on Russia and in 1611 occupied Novgorod Land. The siege of Tikhvin in 1613 was unsuccessful for the Swedes, but in 1614 they managed to take Gdov. In 1615 the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus intended to subdue the Pskov land. ^[3]

Siege

Approaching Pskov, the Swedes tried to take it immediately, but were repelled by the Pskov garrison with heavy losses. In front of the king, famed field marshal Evert Horn was shot dead from the wall.

On 22 August, the city was fully encircled and cut off. ^[4]

During the siege, the Swedes shelled the city with artillery, but at night Pskovites successfully closed any breach in the walls, and repeatedly made bold sallies causing the Swedes considerable losses. In September, Pskov even received reinforcements from Moscow. ^[5]

In early October, the Swedes undertook a second decisive assault. The attackers managed to occupy part of the city wall and one of the towers. However, the Pskovites managed to blow up the tower, together with the Swedes that were in it, and went into a fierce counterattack.

After two and a half months, the Swedes withdrew from Pskov to Narva in view of the coming cold weather, as well as the high mortality from diseases and famine. ^[6]

Aftermath

After a cruel defeat, King Gustavus Adolphus decided not to continue the war with Russia. Sweden already then planned to resume the struggle with Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for the Baltic states and was not ready for a war on two fronts. On December 15, 1615, a truce was concluded, and both parties initiated peace negotiations that ended with Treaty of Stolbovo in 1617. ^[3]

The obsolete nature of Gustavus Adolphus' army was made apparent following the siege, prompting its reorganization after its return to Sweden. ^[7]

Sources

References

1. Generalstaben 1936, p. 596.
2. Essen 2024, p. 331.
3. The Cambridge history of Russia. Perrie, Maureen, 1946-, Lieven, D. C. B., Suny, Ronald Grigor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2006. ISBN   9780521812276. OCLC   77011698.
4. Essen 2024, p. 333.
5. Željko., Fajfrić (2008). Ruski carevi (1. izd ed.). Sremska Mitrovica: Tabernakl. ISBN   9788685269172. OCLC   620935678.
6. Velikai︠a︡ russkai︠a︡ smuta : prichiny vozniknovenii︠a︡ i vykhod iz gosudarstvennogo krizisa v XVI-XVII vv. Strizhova, I. M., Стрижова, И. М. Moskva: Dar. 2007. ISBN   9785485001230. OCLC   230750976.
7. Essen 2024, p. 334.

Bibliography

• Essen, Michael Fredholm von (2024). Sweden's War in Muscovy, 1609-1617. Warwick: Helion & Company. ISBN   9781804510087.
• Generalstaben (1936). Jung, Helge (ed.). Danska och Ryska krigen [Danish and Russian wars]. Sveriges krig 1611-1632. Vol. 1. Stockholm: V. Petterson. OCLC   873580936.