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Who commanded the army that relieved Vienna in 1683?

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Leopold I Leopold I, detail of a portrait bust, c. 1700; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.

The army that relieved Vienna in 1683 was commanded by John III Sobieski, the king of Poland.12

Because he held the highest rank among the various military leaders gathered to defend the city, Sobieski took command of the entire relief force, which consisted of approximately 75,000 to 80,000 troops, including forces led by Charles of Lorraine and contingents from Saxony, Bavaria, and other German states. Under his leadership, this combined army achieved a decisive victory over the Ottoman forces at the Kahlenberg on September 12, 1683.12