Poland 10 Zlotych2010 Y# 733

The Battle of Klushino was fought at the height of the 9-year Polish-Moscow conflict. Poland entered into an open conflict with its Eastern neighbor when carrying out the dynastic plans of King Sigismund III Vasa. The support given to the Tsar by King Charles IX of Sweden was an impulse for Sigismund III for commencing in September 1609 war operations against Moscow. The first objective was to conquer Smolensk. In May 1610 the Tsar started preparations for relieving the town. He gathered over 30 thousand soldiers under the command of his brother Dmitry Shuisky and 8 thousand foreign allies commanded by Jacob De la Gardie, who stayed in a camp near Klushino. These were met by 7 thousand Polish soldiers under the command of Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski. The majority of the Polish troops were cavalrymen – hussars and lightly armored Cossacks – who arrived at Klushino after a whole night’s marching. At dawn, the hussars attacked the left wing of Moscow’s troops. Attacks came one after another, troops kept withdrawing after each charge to give space to attacks by other units. However, after hours of violent fights the battle still remained unresolved. This is when the right wing of Moscow’s army composed of foreigners was attacked; they put up great resistance. The wave-like attacks, in which Hetman Żółkiewski used all the available resources, finally had their effect: Dmitry Shuisky threw into the battle the reserves, i.e. the Reiters using the caracole strategy. The strategy meant that a unit approached the enemy as close as possible, with the first row of soldiers shooting at the enemy and then withdrawing to the rear, leaving space for the attack by another row. This moment was used by the Polish army – as soon as the first row gave its shots the Reiters were attacked by the hussars. The energy of this attack pushed the Reiters back in the direction of other Moscow forces. Further charge of the hussars broke the resistance of the Moscow army, which started withdrawing from the battlefield. The Moscow camp could now be captured. This is when it was also possible to break the resistance at the right Moscow wing through a coordinated attack of the infantry, artillerymen and cavalry. The foreign infantrymen withdrew from the battle, going into hiding in the woods and in their own camp. After almost five hours of fighting Żółkiewski was the master of the situation... A silver collector coin commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Battle of Klushino. The first Polish collector coin in the form of an ellipse. In addition, on the reverse there is a shiny fragment of a matt relief. Obverse: In the center a stylized image of Hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski on the background of: on the left – Polish troops, one the right – Moscow troops. On the left, against the background of the Polish troops, the image of an eagle established as the national emblem of the Republic of Poland. At the right bottom an inscription: 10 ZŁ. At the left bottom, semicircular, the year of issue and an inscription: RZECZPOSPOLITA POLSKA (REPUBLIC OF POLAND). Under the left foot of the eagle the symbol of the mint: M/W. Reverse: In the center stylized images of hussars galloping on horseback, holding lances with pennants. At the right bottom a stylized inscription: KŁUSZYN 1610 (KLUSHINO 1610). Coin designer: Robert Kotowicz