Siege of Polotsk (1579)

The Siege of Polotsk (Russian: Осада Полоцка, Polish: Oblężenie Połocka) was a siege by forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth under Stefan Bathory of the Russian-held city of Polotsk which began on August 11, 1579. Bathory gathered a large army of over 55,000 which included Polish, Hungarian, Wallachian, Bohemian and German soldiers. His main army (over 40,000 strong) in what is known as the Second Campaign of Bathory advanced on Polotsk. The Russian defenders surrendered the city on August 30, 1579. After taking the city, Bathory's forces then moved to besiege Velikiye Luki.