A quiz question · hard
How many cavalry did Jan III Sobieski lead in the 12 September 1683 charge that broke the Ottoman siege of Vienna?
About 20,000 cavalry, including 3,000 Polish Winged Hussars, descended the Kahlenberg slope. It is the largest single cavalry charge in recorded military history. The Ottoman line broke within 30 minutes.
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The Ottoman Siege of Vienna That Was Broken on 12 September 1683 by the Largest Cavalry Charge in History The Ottoman Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha besieged Vienna from 14 July 1683 with approximately 150,000 troops. The relief army arrived on the Kahlenberg ridge on 11 September. The Polish king Jan III Sobieski led approximately 20,000 cavalry — including 3,000 Polish Winged Hussars — in a downhill charge against the Ottoman positions on the afternoon of 12 September. It is the largest single cavalry charge in recorded history. The Ottoman northwestern expansion ended.
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