Topics of coins
The Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna in 1683 was in many
respects a breakthrough in the history of
Europe and one of the largest military
operations for both its sides: the Ottoman
Empire and the Polish-Imperial army.
The Turks fielded an army of over 100,000 men
(of whom approximately 65,000 actually fought
in the battle), while the allied forces amounted
to some 70,000 soldiers, including 27,000 Poles.
The clash was a rare example of effective
coordination between the large forces of
the Empire and Poland. Commander-in-Chief
Jan III Sobieski concentrated his troops close to
the enemy’s forces and brought the Ottomans
to a decisive battle, fought in accordance with
the old Polish art of war, in which he defeated
the enemy and freed Vienna, previously
besieged for two months. The effective
cooperation of Christians against the Ottomans
was an event unprecedented in history
— and one of the reasons for the success.
The victorious battle on 12 September 1683
saved the imperial capital, broke the fear of
the Ottoman army and initiated an agreement
between the neighbouring Christian states.
As a result, a peace was made in 1699, liberating
almost all of Hungary from the Turks, while
Podolia and Right-Bank Ukraine, lost in
1672, returned to Poland. It was also the last victorious treaty the Commonwealth concluded
before its downfall. It permanently normalised
Polish-Turkish relations, ushering in good relations
and friendship in the age of partitions.
The obverse of the gold coin bears an image of
Jan III Sobieski, Commander-in-Chief at the Battle
of Vienna. The king is depicted in right semiprofile,
in Polish attire, in accordance with his
image from the time. The reverse features hussars
in gallop with their lances lowered for attack.
The figures commemorate the decisive role
of the charge of the Polish cavalry.
Dariusz Milewski
The obverse of the silver coin shows hussar
wings, while the reverse — a stylised
equestrian portrait of Jan III Sobieski as
the victor, holding a standard in his left hand
and a sabre in his right hand, knocking down
the defeated enemies.
The image is modelled on the memorial
plaque from 1883, put up on the wall of St
Mary's Basilica in Kraków.