Bauska Žečpospolitas un Zviedrijas kara laikā 1658.-1660. gadā

ENThe subject of this article is the history of Bowsk (Bauska), one of the main cities of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia during the war between Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, the so-called Second Northern War. During this conflict Courland’s prince Jacob Kettler, who was a vassal to Polish-Lithuanian state, initially took a middle course between waring powers and kept neutrality. At the end this tactic was not successful and did not prevent his country from Swedish intervention and takeover in October 1658. Bowsk is a good example how weak the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was in confrontation with the powerful neighbours. Bowsk castle, despite good defensive location and partially modernized fortifications, but lacking proper defensive crew, without a fight capitulated to Swedes on 12 October 1658. The commanding officer, Colonel Wilhelm Korff, earlier having served over 30 years as an officer in the Lithuanian army, was accused of betrayal and sentenced to death at the Diet in Warsaw in 1659, but the sentence was not carried out. However, the experienced Swedish soldiers took advantage of the defensive possibilities of Bowsk and more than four months (from October 1659 till March 1660) successfully defended the castle from the Lithuanian army. However, the highest price was paid by the Latvian population, who perished during the conflict in large numbers and the environs of Bowsk were devastated in the radius of several kilometres. This article deals also with the history of Bowsk after the end of the war of 1660. Jacob Kettler had big problems with taking the city back, because the Swedish garrison did not want to vacate it and the Lithuanians wanted to take the castle as a barter for defending Courland’s interests during the peace negotiations in Oliva.