Portal:Poland/Selected article/25
The Battle of Grunwald, fought on 15 July 1410, was one of the largest battles of Medieval Europe and is regarded as the most important victory in the history of Poland and Lithuania. The alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King Vladislaus II (Jogaila, Jagiełło) and Grand Duke Vytautas, decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights, led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen. Although the defeated Teutonic Knights withstood the siege on their fortress in Marienburg (Malbork) and suffered only minimal territorial losses at the Peace of Thorn (Toruń), they never recovered their former power, and the financial burden of war reparations caused internal conflicts and an economic downturn in their lands. The battle shifted the balance of power in Eastern Europe and marked the rise of the Polish–Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force in the region. Surrounded by romantic legends and nationalist propaganda, Grunwald became a symbol of struggle against invaders and a source of national pride, also used in Nazi and Soviet propaganda campaigns. Only in recent decades have historians made progress towards a dispassionate, scholarly assessment of the battle reconciling the previous narratives, which differed widely by nation. (Full article...)