Painting of the aftermath of the battle by Alphonse MuchaPresident Lech Kaczynski has invited foreign heads of state for the 600 anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald, but put the wrong date on the invitations.
President Kaczynski has invited honoured guests for 15 July, which is the exact date of the great medieval battle, in which the Knights of the Teutonic Order were defeated by forces of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. However, local authorities, which organize the celebrations, planned to re-enact the battle on 17 July, two days later.
The re-enactment is staged every year and attracts a vast number of participants, ready to adorn medieval battle armour, as well as thousands of spectators. The knights come prepared and equipped with swords and medieval artillery.
This year the 600 anniversary celebrations will last three days and, apart from the battle re-enactment, will also include an outdoor performance depicting the entry of the Polish King Jagiello and Lithuanian prince Vytautas the Great to Grunwald, and a knightly tournament and a visit at the Teutonic Knights’ Castle in Malbork.
The Battle of Grunwald took place on 15 July 1410. It was one of the most important battles in Medieval Europe and the largest battle to involve knights. The forces of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were led by King Wladyslaw Jagiello and the knights of the Teutonic Order by the Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen.
The battle was a complete defeat for the Teutonic Knights, who never recovered from it. (mg)