Battle of Zasław (1491)

The Battle of Zasław was a military engagement that took place in 1491 near Zasław (modern-day Iziaslav, Ukraine). It was fought between the forces of the Kingdom of Poland, led by Janusz Ostrogski, and the Tatars of the Crimean Khanate. The battle was a significant Polish victory, preventing a large-scale Tatar raid into Polish territories.

The Crimean Tatars, frequently allied with the Ottoman Empire, conducted raids into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, seeking plunder and captives for the slave trade. In 1491, one such raid reached the vicinity of Zasław.

Janusz Ostrogski, a powerful Polish nobleman and military commander, gathered local forces and confronted the Tatars near the town. The Polish army, though possibly smaller in number, was better equipped and organized. The battle resulted in a decisive Polish victory, with heavy losses inflicted on the Tatar raiders. Many Tatars were killed or captured, and much of the loot they had gathered was recovered.

The victory at Zasław was important in halting the immediate Tatar threat and bolstered Polish morale. It enhanced Janusz Ostrogski's reputation as a capable military leader. While the battle did not end Tatar raids completely, it demonstrated the ability of Polish forces to effectively resist these incursions and served as a warning to future raiding parties. The Battle of Zasław is remembered as a significant event in the history of Polish-Tatar relations.