Battle of Berestechko

The Battle of Berestechko, fought in 1651, was a major conflict during the Khmelnytsky Uprising, involving the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Cossack forces led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky. The Polish army, equipped and organized, faced a large Cossack and Tatar coalition. Despite fierce fighting, the Poles managed to withstand the assault and eventually forced the Cossacks to retreat, securing a strategic victory. The battle demonstrated the complexity of Eastern European conflicts of the period, highlighting issues of military loyalty, national identity, and the struggle for control in the region.