John III Sobieski, King of Poland

John (Jan) III Sobieski (August 17, 1629 – June 17, 1696) was the king of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1674 to 1696. He was nicknamed by the Turks "Lion of Lehistan".

1 Royal titles
2 Biography
3 Battles under command of Sobieski
4 Marriage and family
5 Trivia
6 See also

Royal titles

Official title was (in Latin): Joannes III, Dei Gratia rex Poloniae, magnus dux Lithuaniae, Russie, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiae, Livoniae, Smolenscie, Kijoviae, Volhyniae, Podlachiae, Severiae, Czernichoviaeque, etc.

English translation: John III, by the grace of God King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia (Ukraine & Belarus), Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia, Smolensk, Kyiv, Volhynia, Podlasie, Severia and Czernichow, etc.

Biography

Jan was born in 1629 at Olesko, Poland to Jakub (James) Sobieski (1580-1646), Voivod of Ruthenian Voivodship and Castellan of Kraków and Zofia Teofillia (Daniłowicz), granddaughter of Hetman Stanislaw Zolkiewski. He had won fame as outstanding military commander in wars against the Ottoman Empire, Tatars, Muscovy, Cossacks and Sweden.

In 1665 he became Great Marshal of the Crown and Field Crown Hetman in 1666. In 1668 King Jan II Kazimierz appointed John Sobieski the Great Crown Hetman and Commander-in-Chief of the Polish army. After a distinguished military career, and following the death of King Jan II Kazimierz's successor, Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki, John Sobieski was elected by the szlachta (nobility) as king of Poland on May 21 1674 and was crowned on February 2, 1676.

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John Sobieski's military prowess, as exhibited in a war against the Ottoman Empire, contributed to his election as king of Poland. One of Sobieski's ambitions was to unify the Christian Europe in a crusade to drive the Turks out of Europe. He allied with the Holy Roman Emperor and joined the Holy League initiated by Pope Innocent XI to preserve Christendom.

According to Oscar Halecki, noted Polish historical writer, John III planned to occupy Prussia with Swedish cooperation and French support. This undertaking was doomed to failure, because of the war with Turkey and the opposition of magnates.

His greatest success came on September 12, 1683 as victor at the Battle of Vienna, with Polish, Austrian and German troops, once more against the Turks under Kara Mustafa. The pope and other foreign dignitaries then hailed Sobieski as the "Savior of Vienna and Western European civilization." In a letter to his wife he wrote, ...All the common people kissed my hands, my feet, my clothes; others only touched me, saying: Ach, let us kiss so valiant a hand!".

Upon reaching Vienna, he joined up with the Austrians and Germans. Sobieski planned to attack on the 13th of September, but he had noticed that the Turkish resistance was weak and ordered full attack on September 12, 1683. At 4 a.m. in the morning Sobieski’s army of about 81,000 men attacked a Turkish army that numbered about 130,000. Sobieski charged with husaria forward and soon after the Turkish battle line was broken as the Turks scattered in confusion. At 5:30 p.m., Sobieski entered the deserted tent of Kara Mustafa and the battle of Vienna was over.

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In a strange twist of events a statue of John III Sobieski was brought to the city of Gdansk by people from his native land (from Lwów), when they were resettled there. Already John's family had been famous guests in the city.

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Now the statue overlooks the little park at the old Gdansk town hall, now a museum.

King John III Sobieski, nicknamed by the Turks the "Lion of Lechistan", and the last great king of Poland, died in Wilanów, Poland on June 17, 1696. His wife, Marie Casimire, died in 1716 in Blois, France and her body was returned to Poland. They are interred together in Wawel Castle, Kraków, Poland.

King John III was succeeded by Augustus II, elector of Saxony who stayed in power primarily because of Russian support. On his death in 1733, a struggle for the crown of Poland ensued, referred to as the War of the Polish Succession.

Battles under command of Sobieski

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Marriage and family

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He was married to the widow of Jan "Sobiepan" Zamoyski, Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien (1641-1716), of Nevers, Burgundy, France, since July 5, 1665. Their children were:

James Louis Henry, (1667-1736) - Crown Prince
Teresa Kunegunde, (1676-1730) - In 1695, the Princess married Maximilian II Emanuel, elector of Bavaria
Aleksander Benedykt, (1677-1713)
Konstanty Wladyslaw, (1680-1720)
Jan, (1682-1685)

Trivia

The constellation Scutum was named in honour of John III Sobieski by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius. The constellation represents his shield, and was originally known as the Scutum Sobiescii. While other constellations have been named after monarchs of modern times, such as Cor Caroli after King Charles II, this is the only one that is recognised by modern astronomers.

American actress Leelee Sobieski claims to be his descendant. This is certainly not where she obtained her surname: John III had no great-grandchildren that bore the name Sobieski or Sobieska.

Preceded by: Stefan Czarniecki	Field Crown Hetman of Poland 1666–1667	Succeeded by: Dymitr Wiśniowiecki
Preceded by: Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki	Great Crown Hetman of Poland 1667–1674	Succeeded by: Dymitr Wiśniowiecki
Preceded by: Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski	Great Marshal of the Crown of Poland 1667–1674	Succeeded by: Stanislaw Herakliusz Lubomirski
Preceded by: Michael	King of Poland 1674–1696	Succeeded by: Augustus II