Last Updated on September 6, 2023 by Christopher G Mendla
There is a fantastic statue of a Winged Hussar (Husaria) in the cemetery at Our Lady of Czestochowa as well as a memorial to the Poles murdered by the Soviets in the Katyn Forest.
The Siege of Vienna
The Statue is in the cemetery section of Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine. The Husaria were the elite Polish Cavalry. During the Battle of Vienna in 1683, the Turkish army was poised to capture the walled city of Vienna. If Vienna fell, the Muslim Turks would most likely have conquered all of Europe. There were an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 Turks besieging Vienna and it’s 15,000 defenders. The aging Polish King, Jan III Sobieski had signed a treaty with Austria. With the permission of the Polish Parliament he headed to Vienna with 30,000 Polish troops, 3000 of which were Husaria. Sobieski stopped to pray briefly at every shrine on the way. When he arrived near Vienna, he met with another 30,000 troops of the Holy League. The allies made Sobieski the overall commander.
Sobieski took his men and cannons on what was thought to be an impossible trek to the Kahlenberg hills which overlooked Vienna. He held an open air mass on the morning of September 12th, 1683. He began a cannon bombardment of the Turkish troops and camp below. The Turkish Grand Vizer, Kara Mustapha, moved about 90,000 of his men to face the Poles, Austrians and Germans on the Kahlenberg. Sobieski sent out one Banner (100 men) of Husaria to probe the Turks. These men basically sacrificed themselves as they were no match for the 30,000 men they attacked.
The Charge
Sobieski now had critical information on the Turkish formation. At 5:30 PM he led 3000 Husaria and an additional 15,000 cavalry into the 30,000 strong left wing of the Turks that had been positioned against the Holy League. His 14 year old son rode at his side. That part of the battle lasted only a few minutes. Sobieski and the Husaria succeeded in cutting a quarter mile wide hole through the Turkish left. The Husaria pressed on to the Turkish camp and headquarters. The Austrians under the Duke of Lorraine and other allies pressed their attacks on the disintegrating Turkish Lines. The remaining defenders of Vienna under Ernst Rüdiger von Starhemberg sallied out from Vienna to hit the now retreating Turks from the rear.
When Sobieski attacked the Turks were in the process of mining a Bastion. Had they been successful, the battle would have gone the other way.
Victory Speech
Sobieski’s victory speech was “Venimus, Vidimus, Deus Vicit”.. His paraphrase of Ceaser was “We came, we saw, God Conquered.”
The Husaria
The Husaria went into battle with 4′ wings on their backs, an 18′ lance that outreached any pikes of the time, a carbine or bow on their back, 2 to 4 large pistols, a 4′ mail piercing sword, a saber and a battle axe. They wore full musket resistant armor. Their technique was to charge in Banners of 100 men. They used warm blooded horses that were fast and agile. During an attack they could change directions. After they went through an enemy formation, they would wheel around, regroup and attack the disorganized enemy from the rear. Once the Husaria cracked the formation, more lightly clad cavalry and then infantry would follow up.
The Poles and Sobieski were deeply religious following the Roman Catholic religion. It is not surprising that a Polish shrine such as Czestochowa would have a statue honoring the Husaria.
Popular Culture
There is a movie called The Siege of Vienna documenting Sobieski and the Hussars as well as the part Brother Marco played in the events. The Siege of Vienna trailer is below. At first I thought the part of Brother Marco was contrived but found out he was
“Behind Sobieski, Blessed Marco d’Aviano, the Capuchin monk can be seen carrying the icon of Our Lady of Loreto. He was nominated as Chaplin to the Christian army headed for Vienna by Pope Innocent XI. D’Aviano encouraged the army and the people of Vienna to resist the Turks by the recitation of the Holy Rosary. During the two-month siege of Vienna he negotiated the agreement of all the European princes to defend the city. Thanks to this Capuchin monk all the princes of Europe ceded control of their own armies and allowed them to be led by the Polish king.”
https://www.mdrevelation.org/the-battle-of-vienna-11-september-1683/#:~:text=Behind%20Sobieski%2C%20Blessed%20Marco%20d,recitation%20of%20the%20Holy%20Rosary.
The Heavy Metal band Sabaton did a song in honor of the Winged Hussars. This video uses scenes from The Siege of Vienna
Plaque commemorating the Katyn Massacre
There is a plaque memorializing the massacre of over 10,000 Polish leaders and intellectuals by the Communist government in the Katyn Forest. Stalin and Lavrentiy Beria, the head of the NKVD, orchestrated the systematic massacre of the Polish Leadership.
The statue of the Winged Hussar with the plaque is located at the spot marked Pomnik Msciciela
The postal city for the shrine is Doylestown but the shrine is in New Britain township.
Getting there
The statue is on the grounds of the The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. It is in the cemetery area. You can visit during the hours the cemetery is open. The shrine is on the southeast side of the Peace Valley Reservoir. There is usually adequate parking except during some special events. Please keep in mind that the shrine is a religious center.
