Battle of Oliwa
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The naval Battle of Oliwa or battle of Gdańsk roadstead took place on 28 November 1627 during the Polish-Swedish war outside Gdańsk harbour, but it is commonly known as the Battle of Oliwa (Oliwa is now a part of Gdańsk). It was the first and the last naval battle of the Polish fleet, but it brought a victory over a Swedish squadron.
The Swedes had a strong navy, and they maintained a blockade of the Polish shore, especially Gdańsk harbour. On 28 November 1627, the Polish fleet engaged the Swedish blockading squadron. The Polish ships were more numerous, but only 4 galleons had full combat value, the rest were smaller ships. The Swedes had a longer tradition of a seamanship, while the Polish navy was new-born.
The Poles were commanded by Admiral Arend Dickmann, in the galleon Sankt Georg (Święty Jerzy). The Polish fleet of 10 ships was anchored at Gdańsk roadstead, while the Swedish squadron of 6 ships sailed from the direction of the Hel Peninsula. The Poles raised anchors and rushed towards the Swedes, who did not expect such reaction. The battle soon split into two encounters.
The Polish flagship Sankt Georg, supported by a smaller ship Meerweib (Panna Wodna), attacked the Swedish Tigern, flagship of Admiral Nils Stiernsköld. The ships stuck together and the Polish naval infantry, fighting hand-to-hand, captured Tigern. Meanwhile, the Polish Vice-Admirals ship, the small galleon Meerman (Wodnik) attacked the bigger Swedish galleon Solen. As a result, the Swedish captain of Solen blew his ship up rather than allow its capture. The remaining 4 Swedish ships escaped and a pursuit failed. In the battle, both Admirals were killed.
The battle was propagated widely by the Polish court. There also appeared a saying, that: "the sun set at noon that day" (for "Solen" means the sun).
Polish ships:
They were known in sources with German names (given in brackets), though now they are known for their reconstructed Polish names.
- 1st Squadron
- Rycerz Święty Jerzy (Ritter Sankt Georg) (=Knight St. George) - galleon, 31 guns, 400t (also known as Sankt Georg)
- Latający Jeleń (Fliegender Hirsch) (=Flying Deer) - galleon, 20 guns, 300t
- Panna Wodna (Meerweib) (=Sea Virgo) - 12 guns, 160t
- Czarny Kruk (=Black Raven) - 16 guns, 260t
- Żółty Lew (=Yellow Lion) - 10 guns, 120t
- 2nd Squadron
- Wodnik (Meerman) (=Aquarius) - galleon, 17 guns, 200t
- Król Dawid (König David) (=King David) - galleon, 31 guns, 400t
- Arka Noego (=Noah's Ark) - 16 guns, 180t
- Biały Lew (=White Lion) - 8 guns, 200t
- Płomień (Feuerblase) (=Fireblaze) - 18 guns, 240t
Swedish ships:
- Tigern - galleon, 22 guns, 320t (captured)
- Solen - galleon, 38 guns, 300t (sunk)
- Pelikanen - galleon, 20 guns, 200t
- Manem - galleon, 26 guns, 300t
- Enhörningen - galleon, 18 guns, 240t
- Papegojan - 16 guns, 180t