Mikołaj Kamieniecki, the Vanquisher of the Tatar Horde

This is part of the Grand Hetmans of The Crown series.

The Early Years of Hetman Kamieniecki

Mikołaj’s parents were Henryk and Katarzyna (Pieniążek) Kamieniecki. The family was quite prominent in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, originating from Odrzykoń in the Podkarpacie region. His father was a senator and the starosta (district governor) of Sanok. Mikołaj married Anna Tarnowska of Melsztyn (daughter of Spytek IV of Melsztyn) but unfortunately did not have any children.
He began his career as a courtier to Prince Jan Olbracht. He served as starosta of Sanok and Kraków, and on June 8. 1501 AD, he became castellan of Sandomierz (shortly before King Olbracht’s death). Finally, under King Alexander Jagiellon, he was appointed on May 2, 1503 AD, as the “Grand Hetman of the Crown.”
As a courtier of Olbracht, he accompanied him on many campaigns, providing both political and military support. Little is known about his actual military service, but we do know that as a loyal courtier of Jan, he remained by his side until the king’s death, gaining increasing recognition, wealth, and influence.

Military Achievements

Under King Jan Olbracht

The first test of Mikołaj’s combat skills came at the Battle of Wiśniowiec on August 23, 1494AD, fought against the Tatars to repel their sudden attack on the lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Polish-Lithuanian forces caught up with the retreating Tatars, who were already burdened with jasyr and loot. No detailed account of the battle survives, but the Tatars undoubtedly held both numerical and mobility advantages (their specialty), leading to a painful defeat for the Polish-Lithuanian side. Among the fallen was one of the commanders—Henryk, Mikołaj’s own brother. This event undoubtedly left a mark on him and served as a crucial lesson for the future hetman.
The second opportunity to prove his military prowess came during King Jan Olbracht’s campaign against the Turks, aimed at recapturing Kilia and Bilhorod (on the Black Sea), lost during the reign of Casimir IV Jagiellon. The Polish army—estimated at a staggering 80,000 knights!—marched through Moldavia, whose ruler, Stephen the Great, was a vassal of Poland and thus obligated to support the expedition. However, Stephen proved treacherous, refusing not only to aid the Polish king but even to allow his troops passage.
Faced with this defiance, the Poles decided to force Moldavia into submission and marched on Suceava, the rebellious vassal’s capital. Yet Stephen avoided open battle, resorting to guerrilla tactics and successfully withstanding the siege—partly due to pressure from Vladislaus II of Hungary, who mediated a peace treaty guaranteeing the safe return of Polish forces.
But the treaty was broken when combined Moldavian-Turkish-Tatar forces launched a surprise attack on the Polish army at Koźmin on October 26, 1497AD, inflicting heavy losses (this battle gave rise to the saying: “Under King Olbracht, the nobility perished”). This betrayal, another defeat (though not total), and the grueling clashes with Tatars and Turks undoubtedly further honed Mikołaj’s military skills.
Despite continued Tatar threats and the king’s plans for campaigns on Poland’s northern borders, Kamieniecki saw no major military engagements before Olbracht’s premature death on June 17, 1501. However, he remained active in other affairs—though those fall outside the scope of this entry (for more, see Katarzyna Niemczyk’s book: Kamienieccy herbu Pilawa: z dziejów kariery i awansu szlachty polskiej do 1535/1536 roku).

Under King Alexander

As a loyal subject of King Jan, Mikołaj Kamieniecki supported Alexander's candidacy for the Polish throne. His faithful service after Alexander's coronation was rewarded with his appointment as the first Grand Hetman of the Crown. There were several reasons for creating this position: the constant threat on the southeastern border from Tatar raids, the prolonged Lithuanian-Muscovite War, the vast territory requiring military oversight (still divided between two separate states), and the inadequacy of the noble levy in defending against highly mobile enemies like the Tatars. This new office was meant to assist the king in securing Poland's (and Lithuania's) southeastern frontier. How did this work in practice?

On May 3, 1503, the king issued what was likely the first official document to the Grand Hetman, ordering him to raise an army in anticipation of war with the Tatars and the unresolved dispute with Moldavia over Pokuttia. As we know, maintaining an army required substantial funds (though for many knights, payment wasn't the sole motivation - yet mercenaries without proper wages could mutiny, as happened in 1504). Thus, Kamieniecki's primary task was to collect taxes for the army, which involved considerable political effort. Serious recruitment and tax collection began in 1506 when the Sejmik at Nowy Korczyn imposed heavy levies for this purpose and, crucially, established "public treasury stewards." That July, news reached the Commonwealth of an impending Tatar attack - what seemed like the first true test of the Hetman's capabilities. Unfortunately, King Alexander did not live to see this challenge - he died on August 15, 1506.

The king's death and the subsequent interregnum changed the nature of Kamieniecki's first military test as commander. Temporary power passed to the senators, who scrapped the late king's plans for a marital alliance with Moldavian ruler Bogdan III. The broken marriage pact provoked an immediate Moldavian response - the armed reoccupation of Pokuttia (which Alexander had previously regained through diplomacy). Kamieniecki marched to intervene at the head of 2,500 mercenaries. The campaign proved successful: though the Polish vanguard lost its initial skirmish with Moldavian forces, the main battle resulted in victory. The invaders were defeated, and Pokuttia was retaken - this time by force. This marked Kamieniecki's first military success as Hetman.

Under King Sigismund

It was during this king’s reign (though he desired peace) that our Hetman could truly demonstrate his craft and skillful warfare, beginning the glorious lineage of Grand Hetmans of the Crown.
The 1509 conflict with Moldavia - a complete military victory, though small in scale (about 600 Polish cavalry participated), yet significant as it secured this section of the border for years to come.
Repelling the Tatar invasion of 1512 - thanks to the reformed Małopolska levy, they finally managed to assemble an army efficiently enough that, with good intelligence, they intercepted the Tatar forces. Though not fully successful (many Tatars escaped), the Polish forces achieved a great and significant victory at the Battle of Łopuszno (April 28, 1512). Approximately 6,000 troops defeated a horde that likely numbered around 40,000, with sources reporting Tatar losses between 10,000 to 24,000 warriors. This victory allowed for a reversal of alliances, enabling King Sigismund to ally with Meñli I Giray against Moscow (while the Lithuanian-Muscovite war continued).

The Hetman's Legacy

Taxation

A crucial matter for maintaining an army and waging war. Kamieniecki confronted this issue seriously as early as 1506, as difficulties in financing mercenary forces led to repeated attempts at reform to ensure stable funding. In 1512, during the April assembly in Koło, it was finally decided to replace the noble levy with a permanent tax for army maintenance. However, full success was hindered by the lack of a complete reform and effective census implementation.

A Professional Army

The first steps toward reducing the Polish-Lithuanian state’s reliance on the slow and inefficient noble levy came in 1511. At the assembly in Nowy Korczyn, a reform of the Małopolska levy was passed, stipulating that one-third of the noble levy should remain permanently ready for mobilization to respond swiftly to threats (primarily Tatar raids). After several trials, the concept evolved—dividing the country into five sectors, with at least one always on high alert, while Ruthenia was to remain in constant readiness. Unfortunately, this reform was never fully implemented.

Both measures aimed to create at least a partially standing, professional army. Kamieniecki was a strong advocate for such a solution—unsurprising, given his firsthand experience with the need for rapid response and mobility, especially against an enemy like the Tatars. Despite the efforts of both the Hetman and the king, noble resistance prevailed in subsequent assemblies, and though reforms were passed, they were never enforced.

Kamieniecki’s Timeless Military Principles

The first Grand Hetman of the Crown left behind enduring lessons, later echoed by great military minds:

1. Guarantee sufficient army funding – Without money, there is no effective defense.
2. Ensure mobility and rapid response – Speed wins battles against elusive foes.
3. Base military actions on solid intelligence – No "we’ll manage somehow"—always be prepared.

These principles stemmed from his hard-earned experience—lessons still worth heeding today.

(Left: AI-generated portrait of Hetman Kamieniecki | Right: A contemporary painting from his lifetime.)