Siege of Riga (1656)

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Siege of Riga (1656)
Part of the Russo-Swedish War (1656–1658)
The siege of Riga 1656.jpg
Siege of Riga, engraving by Adam Perelle (c.1697)
Date21 August – 5 October 1656
Location
Result Swedish victory
Territorial
changes
Russians lift the siege of Riga
Belligerents
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Swedish Empire Flag of Russia (1668-1693).svg  Tsardom of Russia
Commanders and leaders
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Simon Grundel-Helmfelt
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Heinrich von Thurn  (POW) or  
Flag of Russia (1668-1693).svg Aleksey Mikhailovich
Flag of Russia (1668-1693).svg Vladimir v. Vizin
Flag of Russia (1668-1693).svg Ordyn-Nashokin
Units involved
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Riga garrison Flag of Russia (1668-1693).svg Daniel Krafert's infantry
Flag of Russia (1668-1693).svg Lunkmann's dragoons
Strength
7,389 35,000 [1]
Casualties and losses
Minimal 8,000 [2] –14,000 dead [3]

The siege of Riga by the Russian army under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was the main event of the Russo-Swedish War. The fortifications of Riga consisted of a wall with ditch and 5 bastions around the old town. In 1652 Swedes had started construction of a new wall with 12 bastions around suburbs, but by 1656 the work had not been completed. The Russian vanguard consisting of the Vladimir v. Vizin reiters, Daniel Krafert infantry and Iunkmann dragoons approached Riga on August 20 and threw back the Swedes under count of Pärnu, Heinrich von Thurn into the city. Von Thurn was either killed, or captured in the action. The Swedes evacuated the suburbs and withdrew to the old town. A few days later, the main army under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich arrived on the ships on the Duna River, and laid siege to Riga. The Russian army occupied three camps, two on the east bank of the Duna in Riga's suburbs, and a Corps under Ordyn-Nashokin on the west bank of the Duna, opposite the Kobrun entrenchment.

As Russia had no full-fledged navy to intercept reinforcements coming to the Swedish garrison across the Baltic, Riga managed to hold out until October, when foreign officers commanding a small Russian flotilla defected to the other side and the Russians had to lift the siege. In the aftermath of this reverse, the Swedes recaptured much of Ingria and inflicted a heavy defeat on the Russian general Matvey Sheremetev in battle of Walk in 1657.

The events of the siege were recorded in an engraving by Adam Perelli that was first published in 1697 in Samuel Puffendorf's work, Konung Carl X Gustafs Bragder.

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References

  1. Claes-Göran Isacson, Karl X Gustavs Krig (2002) Lund, Historiska Media. Page 79. ISBN   91-89442-57-1
  2. Shkvarov, Alexei (2012). Россия и Швеция. История военных конфликтов 1142-1809[Russia and Sweden. The history of military conflicts 1142-1809] (in Russian). Saint-Petersburg: RME Group Oy:Алетейя. p. 140. ISBN   978-5-91419-754-1.
  3. Claes-Göran Isacson, Karl X Gustavs Krig (2002) Lund, Historiska Media. Page 81. ISBN   91-89442-57-1

56°56′56″N24°06′23″E / 56.9489°N 24.1064°E / 56.9489; 24.1064