Battle of Byczyna

51°6′48″N 18°15′45″E / 51.11333°N 18.26250°E / 51.11333; 18.26250

Battle of Byczyna
Part of the War of the Polish Succession (1587-1588)
Poddanie się Arcyksięcia Maksymiliana pod Byczyną, Juliusz Kossak
Date 24 January 1588 Location Byczyna, Silesia Result Polish–Lithuanian victory
Belligerents
Poland–Lithuania	Austria
Commanders and leaders
Jan Zamoyski	Maximilian III (POW)
Strength
6,000[1]	6,500[1]
Casualties and losses
1,000 killed[2]	2,000 killed[2]

The Battle of Byczyna, also known as the Battle of Pitschen (German: Pitschen; Polish: Byczyna), was the deciding battle of the 1587–1588 War of the Polish Succession, which erupted after two rival candidates were elected to the Polish throne. The two opposing sides had forces nearly evenly matched, with armies about 6,000 strong, roughly half infantry and half cavalry. The battle was an overwhelming victory for the Polish-Swedish faction, led by the Swedish-born king-elect Sigismund III Vasa, over the army of his rival to the throne, Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria.

Taking place near the Silesian town of Pitschen (modern Byczyna), then just a few kilometres outside the territory of Poland–Lithuania, on 24 January 1588, Sigismund's supporters were commanded by Chancellor and Great Crown Hetman Jan Zamoyski. Besides the commanders, notable participants included Stanisław Stadnicki on Maximilian's side, and Stanisław Żółkiewski on Sigismund's. The army of the Polish-Austrian (or Habsburg) faction was largely annihilated, the Archduke was captured and his cause came to an abrupt end. He subsequently renounced his claim to the Polish throne.