Siege of Warsaw (1656)

The Siege of Warsaw took place between April 24 and July 1, 1656. Swedish Empire forces had occupied the Polish capital without fighting in early September 1655 (see Deluge (history)). In late April 1656, Poles and Lithuanians began the siege, with the purpose of recapturing their capital. They were successful, but later lost the city for a second time after a battle held on July 28–30, 1656 (see Battle of Warsaw (1656)).

Swedish Army entered Warsaw on September 8, 1655. The city immediately became administrative center of Swedish administration of occupied Poland. First months of Swedish rule were not marked by any atrocities, but after some time, when it became clear that Sweden would not be able to control Poland for a longer period of time, the invaders began looting Warsaw. The city was robbed of everything that was of value, including such details, as window frames, marble fireplaces, floors, tiles, columns and stairs. All goods were loaded on boats and transported along the Vistula to the Baltic Sea.

By the spring of 1656, residents of Warsaw suffered from hunger and epidemic. All shops had been robbed by the Swedes, and due to dangerous situation in the countryside, food was not delivered to the city.

In early spring of 1656, the army of Charles X Gustav was surrounded at the confluence of the Vistula and San river. Swedes managed to escape total annihilation, and after a daring manoeuver, they headed northwards, back to Warsaw. They were chased by slow-moving Lithuanian Army under Pawel Jan Sapieha, which reached Lublin on April 20. Meanwhile, Charles X Gustav, after a short rest, left Warsaw (April 17), and marched with his soldiers to Greater Poland, to fight local anti-Swedish insurrection and Polish armies of Stefan Czarniecki and Jerzy Lubomirski. Charles left in Warsaw a garrison of some 2,500, under Arvid Wittenberg.

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