Jan III Sobieski
1629–1696 · Polish (Olesko / Warsaw / Vienna) · Late 17th Century Europe, Ottoman Wars
Known for: King of Poland who saved Vienna from the Ottoman siege (1683)—the largest cavalry charge in history
Sobieski led the largest cavalry charge in history—18,000 Polish hussar knights—down the hills outside Vienna, shattering the Ottoman siege and saving Central Europe from Ottoman conquest. The Battle of Vienna (1683) marked the beginning of Ottoman decline and European ascendancy.
He wrote love letters to his wife Marysienka that are among the most passionate in European literature.
Browse all 1,000 figures by category
Enable JavaScript to view the full "if they lived today" Q&A and personality profile.