the Polish king not appeared, the Sultan would have triumphed, hence Sobieski and his troops were hailed as the saviours of Vienna and Sienkiewicz's novel reflects the enthusiasm of the time for the Polish king, and his queen Marie Casimire Louise de la Grange d'Arquien ('Marysienka', whom he married in 1665), which was tremendous. According to the translator, Jeremiah Curtin, the Polish character in most of its main traits is represented in this historical novel, developed from Polish experience with Germany, Russia, Rome, Byzantium and with the Turks and Tartars. As he states in his introduction, 'Through this great host of enemies and allies, and their own special character, came that incisive dramatic career which at last met a failure so crushingly manifest', (a probable reference here to the eventual dividing of Poland into the three partitions). Battle of Vienna Sobieski was in joint command of Polish, Austrian and German troops, against the invading Turks under Kara Mustafa. Upon reaching Vienna, Sobieski had planned to attack on September 13, but with the Turkish close to breaching the walls he ordered a full attack on September 12. At 4 a.m. the united army of about 81,000 men attacked a Turkish force of about 130,000 men. At about five o'clock in the afternoon, after observing the infantry battle from the hilltop, Sobieski led Polish husaria cavalry along with Austrians and Germans into a massive charge down the hillside. Soon, the Turkish battle line was broken and the Ottoman forces scattered in confusion. At 5:30 p.m. Sobieski entered the deserted tent of Kara Mustafa and the battle of Vienna ended. Sources On the Field of Glory, Henryk Sienkiewicz, authorised and unabridged translation from the Polish original by Jeremiah Curtin, Little, Brown and Company, Boston (copyright 1906). 1906 novels Novels by Henryk Sienkiewicz Historical novels