Swedish forces under the command of King Charles X Gustav defeat the forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at the Battle of Warsaw.
The Battle of Warsaw (German: Schlacht von Warschau; Polish: Bitwa pod Warszaw; Swedish: Tredagarsslaget vid Warschau) took place near Warsaw on July 28July 30 [O.S. July 1820] 1656, between the armies of the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden and Brandenburg. It was a major battle in the Second Northern War between Poland and Sweden in the period 16551660, also known as The Deluge. According to Hajo Holborn, it marked "the beginning of Prussian military history".In the battle, a smaller Swedish-Brandenburg force, but with the fire superiority of infantry and artillery gained victory over a PolishLithuanian force superior in numbers, though in the long term the victory achieved little. PolishLithuanian losses were insignificant, since the Polish noble levy promptly and unbroken retreated from the battlefield.
Charles X Gustav, also Carl Gustav (Swedish: Karl X Gustav; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. After his father's death he also succeeded him as Pfalzgraf. He was married to Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who bore his son and successor, Charles XI. Charles X Gustav was the second Wittelsbach king of Sweden after the childless king Christopher of Bavaria (1441–1448) and he was the first king of the Swedish Caroline era, which had its peak during the end of the reign of his son, Charles XI. He led Sweden during the Second Northern War, enlarging the Swedish Empire. By his predecessor Christina, he was considered de facto Duke of Eyland (Öland) before ascending to the Swedish throne.
His numbering as Charles X derives from a 16th-century invention. The Swedish king Charles IX (1604–1611) chose his numeral after studying a fictitious history of Sweden. This king was the fourth actual King Charles, but has never been called Charles IV.