The Russian Tsar was defeated by the Polish army commanded by Stanisław Żółkiewski and became the prisoner of the Polish King. Żółkiewski triumphantly returned to Warsaw in 1611 from the Moscow War that began in 1609.

He passed through Warsaw city streets bringing along the captive Tsar Vasily IV Shuysky, his two brothers Ivan and Dmitry and the wife of the latter among others. In the presence of the nobility and the Senate they gave the oath of allegiance to King Sigismund III Vasa.

412 years ago, Russia bowed its knees and paid tribute to Poland.

On October 29, 1611, after the earlier capture of Moscow by Polish troops - Tsar Vasily Shuisky and his brothers knelt before Polish King Sigismund III Vasa, kissing his hand.

In memory of @MedvedevRussiaE pic.twitter.com/DT6cC2QJi7

— Wojciech Wybranowski (@wybranowski) October 29, 2023

Political background

The policies of Tsar Ivan the Terrible led to a lasting power crisis in Russia that found itself without a ruler. Polish King Sigismund III saw this as an opportunity to conclude a personal union with Moscow.

His hope was to unite Polish and Russian forces to successfully compete for the Swedish crown. After Sigismund III’s negotiations with Moscow proved unsuccessful, the Poles invaded Russia in 1604 and took Moscow, introducing False Dmitry as the ruler of Russia.

In 1606 an anti-Polish uprising, headed by Vasily Shuysky, broke out in Moscow. The mob killed False Dmitry and massacred any foreigners they could find. In the aftermath, Vasily Shuysky was elected tsar, and in 1608 signed a truce with the Polish king.

However, lacking the support of his subjects and fearing Poland could one-day try and reclaim the throne, he aligned himself with Sweden. This alliance sparked yet another Polish expedition to Russia.

A comprehensive victory for the Polish army

The armed intervention of the Polish army in Russia began with the siege of the Smoleńsk fortress in September 1609. In February 1610, following the arrival of a boyar envoy, a truce was concluded by both sides. It provided for the accession of Sigismund III’s son, Prince Ladislaus (Władysław), to the Moscow throne.

On 4 July 1610, the Polish army, led by Stanisław Żółkiewski, defeated the army of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Shuysky at Klushino and the road to Moscow stood open. On August 27, Żółkiewski concluded a new agreement with the boyars, which provided for the conversion of Prince Władysław to Orthodoxy. On September 12 - as a result of an agreement with the boyars - Polish troops entered Moscow.

“The Moscow capital burned with great bloodshed and incalculable damage,” Żółkiewski wrote at that time.