The second major battle of the Khmelnytsky Uprising, resulting in the defeat and capture of both Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth hetmans.
Key Facts
- Date
- 25–26 May 1648
- Conflict
- Khmelnytsky Uprising
- Hetmans captured
- Mikołaj Potocki and Marcin Kalinowski
- Zaporozhian commander
- Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky
- Battle sequence
- Second major battle of the Uprising
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the earlier defeat at the Battle of Zhovti Vody (29 April–16 May 1648), the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's forces again adopted a defensive posture and retreated in the face of the combined Zaporozhian Host and Crimean Khanate army led by Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky and Tugay Bey, leaving them exposed and vulnerable near Korsun.
On 25–26 May 1648, Zaporozhian and Crimean Khanate forces attacked the retreating Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army near present-day Korsun-Shevchenkivskyi. The Commonwealth troops, commanded by Hetmans Mikołaj Potocki and Marcin Kalinowski, were thoroughly routed. Both hetmans were captured during the battle, representing a decisive Cossack-Tatar victory.
The capture of both Polish-Lithuanian hetmans dealt a severe blow to Commonwealth military authority in the region and amplified the momentum of the Khmelnytsky Uprising. The consecutive defeats at Zhovti Vody and Korsun effectively dismantled the Commonwealth's military presence in Ukraine, accelerating the broader conflict that would reshape the political order of Eastern Europe.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Tugay Bey, Mykhailo Krychevsky, Ivan Bohun.
Side B
1 belligerent
Mikołaj Potocki, Marcin Kalinowski.