View source for Battle of Cecora (1620)

{{Short description|Part of the Polish-Ottoman War of 1620–21}}
{{Distinguish|Battle of Cecora (1595)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Battle of Cecora
| partof            = the [[Moldavian Magnate Wars]] and the [[Polish–Ottoman War (1620–1621)]]
| image             = Cecora 1620 111.JPG
| image_size        = 
| caption           = ''Death of Hetman Stanislaw Żółkiewski with his confessor, Father Szymon Wybierski, in the Battle of Cecora (1620)'', painting by [[Walery Eljasz-Radzikowski]]
| date              = 17 September – 7 October 1620
| place             = Near [[Țuțora]] and the [[Prut River]], [[Moldavia]]
| coordinates       = 
| map_type          = 
| latitude          = 
| longitude         = 
| map_size          = 
| map_marksize      = 
| map_caption       = 
| map_label         = 
| territory         = 
| result            = Ottoman victory<ref>''Battle of Cecora (1620)'', [[Alexander Mikaberidze]], ''[[Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. I, ed. Alexander Mikaberidze, (ABC-CLIO, 2011), 237.</ref>
| status            = 
| combatant1        = {{Flagicon|Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|1585}} [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]<br />{{Flagicon|Moldavia}} [[Moldavia]]
| combatant2        = {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire|1517}} [[Ottoman Empire]]<br />[[File:Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg|25px]] [[Crimean Khanate]]<br />{{Flagicon|Principality of Transylvania|1596}} [[Principality of Transylvania (1571–1711)|Transylvania]]
| commander1        = {{Flagicon|Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|1585}} [[Stanisław Żółkiewski]]{{KIA}}<br />{{Flagicon|Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth|1585}} [[Stanisław Koniecpolski]]{{POW}}<br />{{Flagicon|Moldavia}} [[Gaspar Graziani]]
| commander2        = {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire|1517}} [[Iskender Pasha (governor of Ozi)|Iskender Pasha]]<br />[[File:Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg|25px]] [[Khan Temir]]<br />{{Flagicon|Principality of Transylvania|1596}} [[Gabor Bethlen]]
| units1            = 
| units2            = 
| strength1         = 9,000 Commonwealth troops<ref name="Cecora 1620">''Battle of Cecora (1620)'', Alexander Mikaberidze, ''Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia'', Vol. I, 237.</ref><br>600–1,000 Moldavian troops
| strength2         = 20,000 Ottoman troops<ref name="Cecora 1620"/> to 60,000<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}}
| casualties1       = 2,000 to 3,000 killed, wounded, or deserted<ref name="Paradowski2023">Paradowski, M. (2023). ''The Khotyn Campaign of 1621: Polish, Lithuanian and Cossack Armies versus Might of the Ottoman Empire''. [[United Kingdom]]: Helion and Company. p. 31.</ref><br>or<Br>only 1,000–1,500 survived
| casualties2       = 1,500 killed or wounded<ref name="Paradowski2023" />
| notes             = 
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Polish–Ottoman War (1620–21)}}
{{Campaignbox Polish-Ottoman Battles}}
}}

The '''Battle of Cecora''' (also known as the ''Battle of Țuțora'') took place during the [[Polish–Ottoman War (1620–21)]] between the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] (aided by rebel [[Moldavia]]n troops) and [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] forces (backed by [[Nogais]]),<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}} fought from 17 September to 7 October 1620 in Moldavia, near the [[Prut River]].<ref>Tucker, S.C., editor, 2010, ''A Global Chronology of Conflict'', Vol. Two, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC, {{ISBN|9781851096671}}</ref>{{rp|568}}

== Prelude ==
Because of the failure of the Commonwealth [[diplomatic mission]] to [[Constantinople]], and violations of the [[Treaty of Busza]] by both sides (as [[Cossacks]] and [[Tatars]] continued their raids across the borders), relations between the Ottomans and the Commonwealth rapidly deteriorated in early 1620. Both sides began preparing for war, although neither was quite ready for it at the time. The Ottomans declared war against Poland in 1620 and planned to attack in the spring of 1621.<ref name=Hrushevsky>Hrushevsky, M., 1999, The History of the Ukrainian Cossacks, Vol. 1, The Cossack Age to 1625, Edmonton: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, {{ISBN|1895571286}}</ref>{{rp|341}}  The Commonwealth [[Sejm]] denied most funds the [[hetman]]s had asked for. The [[Senate of Poland|Senate]]'s secret council finally decided, convinced by the [[Habsburg monarchy|Habsburgs]]' representative, to contribute the Commonwealth forces in 1620—even though many members of the Sejm thought that Polish–Lithuanian forces were neither sufficient nor fully prepared. Hetman [[Stanisław Żółkiewski]], who was by then over 70 years old (as Commonwealth policy didn't allow for a possibility of forced retirement from government offices such as that of hetman), foresaw the coming confrontation with the Ottoman Empire and decided to meet [[Military of the Ottoman Empire|Ottoman troops]] on foreign soil, Moldavia being the obvious choice.<ref>There are several accounts that Żółkiewski was sent to relieve the Habsburgs from the very beginning. Iskender Pasha, during his talks with Żółkiewski at Ţuţora, confirmed that was sent to support Bethlen, not to fight the Commonwealth.</ref> However, the sultan sent [[Iskender Pasha (governor of Ozi)|Iskender Pasha]] to Moldavia to remove Hospodar [[Gaspar Graziani]], who had allied himself with Poland.<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|341}}

[[Hetman]]s [[Stanisław Żółkiewski|Zółkiewski]] and [[Stanisław Koniecpolski|Koniecpolski]] led the army to [[Țuțora]] (''Cecora'' in Polish sources), a [[Commune in Romania|commune]] in [[Iași County]], [[Romania]], to fight the [[Orda (organization)|Horde]] of [[Khan Temir]] (Kantymir). The army numbered between 5,000<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|342}} to 9,000 (2,000 infantry but only about 1600 Cossack cavalry<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}}), with many regiments being made up of the private forces of [[magnate]]s [[Korecki family|Korecki]]s, [[Zasławski]]s, [[Kazanowski]]s, [[Kalinowski]]s, and [[Potocki]]s. The army entered Moldavia in September. The Moldavian ruler, hospodar [[Gaspar Graziani]], nominally a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, decided to rebel and support the Commonwealth against the Ottomans. Graziani killed the [[Janissary|janissaries]] in [[Iași]], imprisoned envoys of [[Ottoman dynasty|Sultan]] [[Osman II]] (who had ordered his removal from power and his transport to Istanbul) and then prepared to flee, but was forced by Żółkiewski to attach his troops to the Polish–Lithuanian camp.<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}} However, many of the Moldavian [[boyars]] left the camp in order to defend their own [[Estate (house)|estates]] against pillaging by undisciplined Commonwealth magnates' troops, others decided to wait and see what the outcome appeared to be so they could join the winning side, and others joined the Turks.<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}} Consequently, only about 600–1000 rebel Moldavian troops appeared in the Commonwealth camp. Żółkiewski ordered the army to proceed to the fortified camp (standing from previous wars) at Cecora.

== Battle ==
[[File:Ryszkiewicz Tatars in the vanguard.jpg|thumb|[[Tatars|Tatar]] warriors of the [[Crimean Khanate]] during the Battle of Cecora (1620)]]

On 10 September, near Țuțora (close to Iași, Romania), the Commonwealth army encountered the [[Tatars|Tatar]] and Ottoman forces, 13,000–22,000 strong, under the command of [[Iskender Pasha (governor of Ozi)|Iskender Pasha]], the beylerbey of [[Ochakiv]] (Ozi). The Ottoman sultan's force included [[Gabriel Bethlen]]'s Transylvanian army.<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|342}} The Tatar forces surprised the Commonwealth defenders, taking many prisoners. On the 17th, during the first day of fighting, most of the rebel Moldavians decided to switch sides and quickly attacked the Polish–Lithuanian flank. Mercenaries, private troops and their magnate leaders were lacking in discipline and morale. Stanisław Koniecpolski commanded the right flank of the Commonwealth forces during the ensuing battle. On 19 September it had become clear that the Polish–Lithuanian forces were defeated, although they still managed to hold their positions; on 20/21 September, Koniecpolski prevented the army from disintegrating. On 29 September, Commonwealth troops had broken through Ottoman ranks with [[Tabor (formation)|tabor]] wagon trains and started their retreat. However, after Graziani bribed some magnates, units of private troops begun to flee and some mercenary cavalry panicked and also ran. This was a prelude of things to come. Consecutive attacks during the retreat (including a particularly violent one on 3 October) were repelled, but troop units started disintegrating.

During another heavy assault on 6 October, most of the magnates and nobles broke and fled north,<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}} leaving infantry and camp, thus sealing the fate of the whole expedition: most of the Polish–Lithuanian troops were killed or captured. The ensuing battle saw the death of Żólkiewski<ref>Czesław Miłosz (1983). ''The History of Polish Literature''. University of California Press, p. 113.</ref> Koniecpolski,<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}} and many others including [[Samuel Korecki]], [[Mikolaj Struś]], [[Mikołaj Potocki]], [[Jan Żółkiewski]], [[Łukasz Żołkiewski]], while [[Stanisław "Rewera" Potocki]] and [[Bohdan Khmelnytsky]] were taken captive. Before his death, Żółkiewski received the blessing of his [[confessor]], [[Father Szymon Wybierski (Wybierek)]] of the [[Society of Jesus]], who stood by his side (7 October).<ref>{{Cite web |title= Histoire du roi Jean Sobieski et du royaume de Pologne |trans-title= History of King John Sobieski and of the Polish Kingdom |year= 1855 |publisher= Didier |location= Paris |url= https://archive.org/stream/histoireduroije02salvgoog/histoireduroije02salvgoog_djvu.txt}}</ref> Żółkiewski's head was mounted on a pike and sent to the sultan; Duke Korecki, having often meddled in Moldavian territories, was executed in prison in  [[Constantinople]].{{Citation needed |date=April 2015}}

In the face of such an important victory, advised by [[grand vizier]] [[Güzelce Ali Pasha|Ali Pasha]] and Gabriel Bethlen, Osman II decided that he could reinforce his rule or even extend it. [[Alexandru Iliaș]] was appointed as the ruler of Moldavia, the rebel Graziani having been killed during his flight on 29 September.

==Aftermath==
Between 1,000 and 1,500 Commonwealth men survived the battles, while the Tatars moved into [[Podolia]], [[Wołyń]] and eastern [[Lesser Poland]].<ref name=Hrushevsky/>{{rp|344}}

In 1621 an army of 200,000–250,000 Ottoman veterans, led by Osman II, advanced from [[Edirne]] towards the Polish frontier. The Ottomans, following their victory in the Battle of Cecora, had high hopes of conquering the southern part of the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. Polish commander Jan Karol Chodkiewicz crossed the Dniester in September with approximately 35,000 Polish troops and [[Cossack]] supporters and entrenched himself at the [[Khotyn Fortress |Chocim (Khotyn) Fortress]], blocking the path of the slow Ottoman march. During the [[Battle of Khotyn (1621)|Battle of Khotyn]], for more than a month (2 September – 9 October 1621), the Commonwealth hetman held the sultan at bay until the first autumn snow. The lateness of the season and the loss of approximately 40,000 men in battle compelled Osman II to initiate negotiations. A few days before the siege was to be lifted, on 24 September, the aged grand hetman died of exhaustion in the fortress. The battle was a stalemate and the resulting [[Treaty of Khotyn]] reflected it, providing some concessions to the Commonwealth but meeting some Ottoman demands.

Osman II blamed the stalemate of war on the lack of zeal and the "degeneracy" of the [[Janissaries]]. His efforts at modernizing the Ottoman army were not well received by the Janissaries and the conservative "learned" class. A revolt led by Janissaries and the students of the [[ madrasa |madrases]] erupted on 18 May 1622 and Osman II was deposed, and two days later he was killed by the rebels.

==Commemoration==
The Battle of Cecora is commemorated on the [[Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Warsaw]], with the inscription "CECORA 18 – 29 IX 1620".

== See also ==
* [[Magnate wars in Moldavia]]

== Notes and references ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Podhorodecki, Leszek (1978). ''Stanisław Koniecpolski ok. 1592–1646''. Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, pp.&nbsp;65–100

==External links==
{{Commons category|Battle of Cecora (1620)}}

{{Polish wars and conflicts}}
{{Ottoman battles}}

{{coord missing|Romania}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cecora 1620}}
[[Category:1620 in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]
[[Category:Battles involving Moldavia]]
[[Category:Battles involving Wallachia]]
[[Category:Battles of the Polish–Ottoman wars]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Crimean Khanate]]
[[Category:Military history of Romania]]
[[Category:History of Western Moldavia]]
[[Category:1620 in the Ottoman Empire]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1620]]
[[Category:17th century in Moldavia]]
[[Category:Polish–Ottoman War (1620–1621)]]
[[Category:History of Iași County]]