The recent crash of the presidential plane and the associated Katyn massacre, but also

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The recent crash of the presidential plane and the associated Katyn massacre, but also "Grunwald victory" in 1410, as a great victory ri hussars Klushino two hundred years later - these and many other events combine with a city whose fate for centuries intertwined with the fate of our country in just such a heroic / tragic string.
Today 300 thousandths of a city on the Dnieper, once (known import export companies since 862 years) the central city of the tribe Krywiczy then the capital of the Grand Duchy. It was created, grew and grew rich thanks to its location on intersecting trade routes towards the Volga and Kaspijskiemu Sea and from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The latter, morso / river, was overcome by boat. Their damage pitched at stations where favored import export companies formation of the shore and the abundance of resinous pines. Judging by the name, one of those places was just Smolensk. In a famous painting by Matejko: "Stanczyk", the character clown - with the face of the artist himself - sitting on an ornate throne-like chair, staring glumly into space. On a table by the window, for which the comet draws its sinister trail in the night sky - sheet letter with the news of the capture of Smolensk by the Russians. The year is 1514 - Sigismund peaks of power - so why Stanczyk import export companies / Matejko so experiencing the loss of a powerful little piece of the Republic, when even the king himself playing happily in the room visible in the background? The importance of Smolensk competition between Lithuania, Polish and Russia settled the rise for the "back" of Moscow: the capital of the principality - jednoczyciela "all the Russian lands" and soon the world empire, to which the town became a strategic "gateway". In the year 1404. Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas won Smoleńszczyznę assisted by his royal cousin Jagiello. Soon reciprocate his support of Grunwald. There's knights smoleńscy, Dlugosz writes: "Although import export companies the under one banner was cut them in the cruelest way, and the same banner trampled on the ground, in both but others fought bravely, as befits their husbands and knights. Emerged victorious and joined the Polish hosts and the only one in this day received in the army of Alexander Witold praise for the brave and heroic struggle. "* The city and the principality will attempt to recover Ivan III Grim (grandfather of the Terrible), but this can be only his son, Wasylowi III. It was in 1514. year, when the head of an army of 300 guns - including heavy artillery imported from Germany - will force the surrender of Smolensk and enters into it solemnly greeted by the locals. Residents who after a month, apparently fed up with the new you, send to the Polish King Sigismund with the proposal to submit to his authority. But vigilant supporters in Moscow discover collusion and powywieszają Polish allies on the walls of the city. Then she will be strengthened garrison, the local population exported into Rus' and in its place brought settlers Muscovite. For almost a hundred years the land becomes part of the Smolensk principality of Moscow. At that time, Poland and Lithuania concluded a union of Lublin (1569), and the car Fyodor (son of Ivan the Terrible) had 6.5 surround Smolensk. about 38 km long wall towers, high on 15 and 6 meters thick at changing the city's most powerful fortress in Russia. There apparently was afraid her King Sigismund III., Starting in 1609. the expedition to Russia. The road to Moscow led of course by Smolensk. For help fortress besieged by the army of Polish / Lithuanian sent 35 thousandth army of Russian / Swedish, which crashed into dust and dust Klushino (1610) hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski dozen batches 7 thousands of hussars. Before the king opened the way to the Kremlin and the tsarist crown. Smolensk and reflected This in June 1611. year when bursts min podłożonych among others. in the sewer allowed to break into the burning city and get them after a fierce battle. 3000 defenders were killed when blowing into the air along with the cathedral, in which the furnished basement of the dust. After 97 years Smolensk returned in precinct Lithuania, which is already part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. import export companies Twenty years later, the roles are reversed: the confusion import export companies caused by the death of Sigismund III. (1632) and momentary interregnum encouraged Tsar Michael (the first of the new Romanov dynasty) to attack the city / fortress. Polish crew defended the ten months while awaiting help, which finally arrived (August 1633) with the newly elected king Wladyslaw IV. and his brother John Casimir at the helm. Now besieging Russians were locked up in a lap. After five months of their arms and their chiefs fell on their faces before the Polish, the horses import export companies zdeptały Russian standards. According to the peace 'perpetual' import export companies in the Polanów (1634) tsar abdicated land at Smolensk, the king of the rights to the throne of Moscow. "Wieczystość" concluded peace did not last, of course, even the next twenty years. In 1654. years, one of the many ni