John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was born c.1629 at Olesko, Ukraine, and died on June 17, 1696. He was elected king of Poland in 1674, following the death of Michael Korybut Wisniowiecki.
John Sobieski's military prowess, as exhibited in a war against Turkey, contributed to his election as king of Poland. Later he allied with the Holy Roman Emperor. His greatest success came on September 12, 1683 as victor at the Battle of Vienna, with German and Polish troops, once more against the Turks under Kara Mustafa.
He married Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange (1641-1716), of France. Their children were:
- James Louis Henry, (1667-1736) - Crown Prince
- Teresa Kunegunde, (1676-1730) - In 1695, the Princess married Maximilian II Emmanuel, elector of Bavaria.
- Aleksander Benedykt Sobieski, (1677-1713)
- Konstanty Wladyslaw Sobieski, (1680-1720)
- Jan Sobieski, (1682-1685)
According to Oscar Halecki, noted Polish historical writer, John III planned to occupy Prussia with Swedish cooperation and French support. This undertaking was doomed to failure, because of the war with Turkey, the skillful diplomacy of the Elector of Brandenburg, and the frequent shifts of alliances amongst the western powers.
It is noteworthy that John III came belatedly to the battlefield, but rushed to Vienna in order to receive a hero's welcome, while the Elector of Saxony's German and Austrian troops were still busy on the battlefield tending to their dead and wounded. This may be why John Sobieski's hopes for imperial Habsburg marriages for his children were not fulfilled. His son James married Hedwig Elizabeth Amelia von Pfalz-Neuburg, and his daughter Maria Casimira Clementina married the Duke of Cornwall, the Stuart pretender to the British throne. Another daughter, Therese Kunigunde, was married to the Elector of Bavaria, Maximilian II Emmanuel.
In a strange twist of events a statue of John III Sobieski was brought to the city of Gdansk by people from his native land (from L'viv), when they were resettled there. Already John's family had been famous guests in the city. Now the statue overlooks the little park at the the old Gdansk town hall, now a museum.
Kinh John III Sobieski died on June 17, 1696 and is interred in Wawel Castle, Krakow, Poland.