Battle of Płowce
Płowce, Kuyavia, Poland
What happened
King Władysław I of Poland and his son Casimir fought the army of the Teutonic Order. The Teutonic Knights had seized Polish lands in Pomerania and were invading Poland to join the King of Bohemia. Władysław attacked one part of their army near Płowce in heavy fog. When the Order's banner fell, the knights retreated, but a relief force arrived and the fighting went on until night.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The result is disputed, but it stopped the Teutonic army from joining the Bohemian forces. It boosted Polish morale by showing that the Knights could be beaten.
What came next
Władysław entered Kraków in triumph with captured Teutonic leaders. He died in 1333, and his son Casimir III the Great succeeded him.
Did you know?
Władysław was nicknamed 'Elbow-high'; a 2019 study of his tomb estimated he was 152-155 cm tall.
Timeline
- 20 January 1320Władysław is crowned at Wawel Cathedral.
- 27 September 1331The Battle of Płowce.
- 1332The Knights capture Brześć Kujawski.
- 2 March 1333Władysław dies.