Rywalizacja polsko-rosyjska w dobie potopu w kontekście wojny obu państw ze Szwecją w latach 1656–1661

ENDuring the so-called "Deluge", namely from 1656 to 1658, there began a rivalry between Muscovy and Sweden for the control over the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Joining Inflanty and Riga was one of the main goals of the Moscow state. In August 1656 Moscow managed to seize Dyneburg (present-day Daugavpils), an important fortress on the Daugava River. However, Aleksey Mikhailovich’s priority was to regain the Ukraine and keep under control eastern provinces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth occupied in 1655 (that is Smolensk and Chernihiv Voivodeships) rather than to continue his military actions in northern theatre of war. Despite the A. Ordin-Naschokin’s opinion, who preferred to continue military actions against Sweden in order to conquer Livonia together with Riga, the Tsar gave up on it, because of his military strength did not allow him to carry on his military operations since 1654. The outcomes of this choice will remain firm and solid and as a result of Andrusovo Treaty Moscow will decide to give back Dyneburg stronghold in return for strategically important fortresses in Smolensk and Kyiv as well as the provinces taken during the first years of the war with the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.