Livonian War
1558 · Livonia (modern Estonia and Latvia) · World · Modern
Russia at first captured large parts of Livonia, but was driven back by Poland–Lithuania and Sweden and ultimately lost all of its conquests
Belligerents
Poland–Lithuania, Sweden and others
- Commanders
- Stephen Báthory, John III
- Strength
- Tens of thousands
Russia
- Commanders
- Ivan IV
- Strength
- Tens of thousands
Background
The Livonian Order had grown weak, and Tsar Ivan IV, hoping to seize an outlet to the Baltic Sea, invaded in 1558 on the pretext that Livonia was in arrears on its tribute.
Course of the battle
- Russian breakthroughIn 1558 the Russian army captured Narva and Tartu, and Livonia was powerless to resist
- Order dissolvedIn 1561 the Order was disbanded; northern Estonia submitted to Sweden, and the remaining territories submitted to Poland–Lithuania
- Báthory's counteroffensiveKing Stephen Báthory of Poland recaptured Polotsk and in 1581 laid siege to Pskov
- Russia defeatedIn 1582–1583 Russia made peace with Poland and Sweden, giving up all of its conquests
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1558 |
|---|---|
| Place | Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia) |
| Result | Russia at first captured large parts of Livonia, but was driven back by Poland–Lithuania and Sweden and ultimately lost all of its conquests |
| Winner | Poland–Lithuania and Sweden |
| Casualties | Military and civilian casualties numbered in the tens of thousands, and Livonia was severely devastated |
| Territorial change | The Livonian Order was dissolved, and its lands were partitioned among Sweden, Poland and Denmark |
Impact
The Livonian War ended more than three hundred years of rule by the Order; thereafter the eastern shore of the Baltic became a focus of rivalry among Sweden, Poland and Russia.
See the world in 1558 on the map →