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The Hello and welcome to a history of Europe key battles.

This is the concluding part of the Battle of Houghtin, part four of four.

To get the most out of this episode, you might first want to listen to the first three parts in this set.

But if you have already done so, or you don't mind, then let's begin.

Last week, I described the build-up to the Battle of Hortin, 1621.

We left the Ottoman Sultan, Osman II, at the age of just 16, leading a massive army northwards from Istanbul, towards the Polish frontier.

No Sultan had led his troops in person since Mehmet III's reluctant appearance of the Battle of Karetsa in 1596.

The young Osman seized the opportunity to show that a Sultan could still be a warrior king.

Wary of the vacuum of power, this would leave in Istanbul. He took the precaution of having

his brother, Mehmet, next to him of age, murdered before he set out. His uncle Mustafa

remained alive, as did his younger brothers, protected by their mother.

Osman set out on his campaign in 1621, but his army lacked enthusiasm, even more so because of the inclement weather. Its size is estimated at over 100,000 soldiers, the largest army

into Europe for many years.

It included a contingent of Tartars and 62 cannon, including 15 heavy siege cannons.

At the head of the Polish forces, about 33,000 strong with 28 cannon, was placed a well-respected military commander, La Gran Hepman of Lithuania, Jan Hotkovich.

In order to repel the Turkish invasion, the Polish king Sigismund III appealed to the patriarch of Jerusalem.

Theophanes, with a request to persuade the Zaporasian Cossacks, to join against the common enemy.

Theofani's appeal brought forth an answer from the Cossacks who agreed to provide a large force to help.

Sigismund was unable to obtain any help from his Habsburg or other Western allies, as their forces were by now occupied in the Thirty Years' War.

The combined Commonwealth Army was much smaller than that of the Turks

and had far fewer cannons.

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