![]() ![]() If we add his charismatic leadership and military talents during the endless battles that he took part in, these traits were more than enough to make him a superb leader, known for his knightly virtues and submission to his destiny. Fate had him visiting Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire as a member of a Polish diplomatic mission in the 1650s, where he had a chance to observe and understand better the Islamic world and the Ottoman diplomacy. Sobieski also enjoyed learning and during his studies at Krakow, he was fascinated with the Crusades and the legendary battles of the soldiers of Jesus Christ against the centuries-old Islamic imperialist aggression. Jan Sobieski could not be an exception to this way of life. ![]() Polish people – from peasants to nobles and the king – willingly took part in religious life: Masses, rites and pilgrimages. Of course, the providence and the grace of God were often emphasized in every corner of the vast Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which righteously was considered to be Antemurale Christianitatis (Bulwark of Christendom) against the Ottomans and Tatars. It was a unique world because of its cultural mix of democratic, patriotic, noble and religious traditions that could not be found elsewhere. What pieces of his life were critical to forming this incredible leader of Poland?įirst of all, the Polish world ( Orbis Poloni) at that time was mainly responsible for producing such a great and devoted man to the Lord. Tell us a bit about the man Jan Sobieski. I took the initiative to present Sobieski and his immortal deeds to the wide readership in the present-day lingua franca. Although a great number of books in English have been published on Polish history since the fall of the Iron Curtain, “the Lion of Lechistan”, as Sobieski was called by his enemies, has remained neglected by historians outside Poland.Ī personality like Jan Sobieski – the most famous Polish military figure and the savior of Christendom – can never be ignored and forgotten. Tolkien’s epic cavalry charge of the Rohirrim that lifted the Siege of Minas Tirith in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Since World War II, no English work has been published about the king who saved Europe from the warriors of Islam at the Battle of Vienna (1683) a battle which was the inspiration for J.R.R. His patriotism, his strong faith and hope in God, his military reputation, his taste for arts and letters, and his talents – all these were legendary in his lifetime. He gained glory and fame in his thirties through his exceptional military skills and he was acknowledged as the greatest warrior-king of his time throughout the rest of his turbulent life. Varvounis: Jan Sobieski was one of the most illustrious rulers ever to command an army. Gress: Why did you write the book Jan Sobieski: The King Who Saved Europe ? Considered the greatest warrior king of his time, Sobieski is best known for winning the Battle of Vienna against the Ottoman Empire in 1683, but he his legacy goes well beyond the battlefield. I caught up with Greek-Polish historian Miltiades Varvounis, author of Jan Sobieski: The King Who Saved Europe, to talk about another Polish king-King Jan Sobieski. ![]() While these rulers are discussed at length in City of Saints, there is another leader not to be overlooked. Jadwiga, who founded the Jagiellonian University, was technically “king” because 14th century Polish law did not allow for a queen. Stanislaw, to larger than life characters like King Kazimierz, who raised 14th century Poland to greatness. Poland’s kings are a fascinating bunch, ranging from great scoundrels like Boleslaw the Bold, who hacked up St. ![]()
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