Battle of Lwów ( 1675 ) Battle of Lwów or Battle of Lesienice refers to a battle between the armies of Polish - Lithuanian Commonwealth and Ottoman Empire that took place near the city of Lwów ( nowadays Lviv , western Ukraine ) on August 24 , 1675 . History . Before the Battle . In the early summer of 1675 the Turkish forces of Ibrahim Shyshman ( " Abraham the Fat " ) crossed the Polish border and started its rapid march towards Lwów along the banks of the Dnister . The army numbered some 20 . 000 men and was composed of Turkish infantry and cavalry with significant Tatar detachments . The Polish king John III Sobieski decided to concentrate his troops in and around Lwów and face the assaulting Muslim armies after more reinforcements arrived . The Turkish commander was notified of the concentration and sent a detachment of approximately 10 . 000 men of the Tatar forces to stop it . The Polish king gathered 6 . 000 men . Approximately 1 . 700 of them were Hussars while the rest were composed of infantry , dragoon s and light cavalry . In the early morning of August 24 the reconnaissance units encountered the Turkish columns quickly approaching the city of Lwów from the direction of the village of Gliniany ( today ' s Hlyniany ) . The main road from the area of Gliniany passed through a plain surrounded by swamps on both sides . Shortly before reaching the city itself the road passed through hilly terrain . Sobieski predicted that the Tatars would have to reach the road by either of the two narrow valleys located nearby . Sobieski decided to split his forces . A unit of 180 infantrymen , 200 light cavalry and several cannons was placed in the easternmost of the ravines leading to the road to Lwów . Most of the heavy cavalry were placed on the road itself , directly behind the valleys and the plain . The left flank of his forces was guarded by 200 Hussars stationed in the village of Zboiska , while the rest of the light cavalry and infantry guarded all other approaches towards the city in case the Tatars outflanked the defenders and attacked the city from other directions . The remaining taborites and civilians were ordered to group on the hills surrounding the plains . They were given spare lances of the Hussars in order to give the impression that the number of Polish troops was much higher . Battle . Exactly as Sobieski predicted , the Tatars arrived on the plains at noon . Convinced that a large group of Hussars were hiding in the woods on the hills , Ibrahim Shyshman ordered a strong group of cavalry to reach the road through one of the ravines . They were stopped by the Polish infantry and then pushed back by a counter - attack of light cavalry . At the same time , Sobieski ordered all troops guarding other approaches towards the city to join the main forces located along the road . The 1700 - strong group of Hussar s was joined by three banners ( 300 men ) of Lithuanian light cavalry under hetman Michał Kazimierz Radziwiłł . Sobieski ordered the cavalry group to advance through the unguarded western gorge . The ravine was relatively narrow and the Turks could not outflank the Polish and Lithuanian cavalry while on the move . After reaching the plain , Sobieski ordered his troops to form a battle line and ordered a cavalry charge which he led personally . After less than 30 minutes the battle was over with the Turkish lines broken , infantry surrounded and cavalry in retreat . The pursuit lasted until the dusk .