Battle of Oliwa

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Battle of Oliwa

Part of the Polish-Sweden War of 1625–1629

Date	November 28, 1627
Location	outside Gdańsk harbour
Result	Polish-Lithuanian victory

Combatants

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

Sweden

Commanders

Arend Dickmann

Nils Stiernsköld

Strength

10 ships with 179 guns

6 ships with 140 guns

Casualties

Unknown

1 ship captured, 1 sunk

The naval Battle of Oliwa or Battle of Gdańsk Roadstead took place on 28 November 1627 during the Polish-Sweden War outside Danzig (Gdańsk) harbour. It is commonly known as the Battle of Oliva (Polish: Oliwa), named after a village which at present is a district of Gdańsk. It was the first and the last naval battle of the Polish royal navy, but it brought a victory over a Swedish squadron.

The Swedes had a strong navy, and they maintained a blockade of the Baltic shore, especially Danzig (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 Polish fleet of 10 ships, commanded by Admiral Arend Dickmann in the galleon Sankt Georg (Święty Jerzy), 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, under Jakub Mora
- Arka Noego (=Noah's Ark) - 16 guns, 180t
- Biały Lew (=White Lion) - 8 guns, 200t
- Płomień (Feuerblase) (=Fireblaze) - 18 guns, 240t