Editing Battle of Kircholm (section)

== Background ==
On 27 September 1605, the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Commonwealth]] and Swedish forces met near the small town of [[Kircholm]] (now Salaspils in [[Latvia]], some {{Convert|18|km|mi}} south-east of [[Riga]]). The forces of [[Charles IX of Sweden]] were numerically superior and were composed of 10,868 men{{Sfn|Frost|2000|p=64}} and 11 [[cannon]]s. The Swedish army included two western commanders, Frederick of Lüneburg and Count Joachim Frederick of Mansfeld,{{Sfn|Frost|2000|p=64}} with a few thousand German and Dutch [[mercenary|mercenaries]] and even a few hundred [[Scot]]s.

The [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Polish Crown]] declined to raise funds for defence and send troops, only making promises they never fulfilled.{{Sfn|Šapoka|1936|p=306}} The army, led by the Great Hetman of Lithuania [[Jan Karol Chodkiewicz]], was tired and starving; however, the soldiers admired their leader.{{Sfn|Šapoka|1936|p=306}} He promised to pay army wages from his own fortune, resulting in an influx of recruits from Lithuania. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth army under Chodkiewicz was composed of roughly 1,000 infantry and 2,600 cavalry,{{Sfn|Frost|2000|p=64}} but only five cannons. However, the Polish-Lithuanian forces were well-rested, and their cavalry consisted mostly of superbly trained [[Winged Hussars]], or heavy cavalry armed with [[lance]]s.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} In contrast, the [[Swedish cavalry]] were less-well trained, armed with pistols and [[carbine]]s, on poorer horses and tired after a long night's march of  over 10&nbsp;km in torrential rain.{{Sfn|Frost|2000|p=65}} The Polish-Lithuanian forces had a small number of Lithuanian Tatar and Cossack mercenaries, used mostly for reconnaissance.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}