Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, Polish commander (b. 1560)
Jan Karol Chodkiewicz (Lithuanian: Jonas Karolis Chodkevičius; c.1561 – 24 September 1621) was a military commander of the Grand Ducal Lithuanian Army, who was from 1601 Field Hetman of Lithuania, and from 1605 Grand Hetman of Lithuania. He was one of the most prominent noblemen and military commanders of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth of his era. His coat of arms was Chodkiewicz, as was his family name.
He played a major role, often as the top commander of the military of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in the Wallachian campaign of 1599–1601, the Polish–Swedish War of 1600–11, the Polish–Muscovite War of 1605–18, and the Polish–Ottoman War of 1620–1621. His most famous victory was the Battle of Kircholm in 1605, in which he dealt a major defeat to a Swedish army three times the size of his own. He died on the front lines during the battle of Khotyn, in the besieged Khotyn Fortress, a few days before the Ottomans gave up on the siege and agreed to negotiate.
1621Sep, 24
Jan Karol Chodkiewicz
Choose Another Date
Events on 1621
- 17Feb
Plymouth Colony
Myles Standish is appointed as first military commander of the English Plymouth Colony in North America. - 16Mar
Plymouth Colony
Samoset, a Mohegan, visited the settlers of Plymouth Colony and greets them, "Welcome, Englishmen! My name is Samoset." - 22Mar
Wampanoag people
The Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony sign a peace treaty with Massasoit of the Wampanoags.