Artyleria Wielkiego Księstwa Litewskiego w latach 1700–1717
The Artillery of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1700–1717

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the state of the Lithuanian Artillery Corps in the early years of the 18th century. The findings are mainly based on a report prepared for the Lithuanian Fiscal Tribunal that concerned the corps’ income and expenses 1710–1717. The tribunal took place at the end of 1717 in Grodno. The Lithuanian Artillery Corps was practically non-existent in 1710 due to the losses incurred during previous wars, and the presence of both a demographic and financial crisis in Lithuania at the time only added to the problem. In the following years funding was insufficient. This is evidenced by the fact that 1710–1717 funding for the corps amounted to Polish zlotys 96,000, whereas its expenses amounted to no less than Polish zlotys 170,000. Despite the lack of funds, by 1716 the condition of the corps had improved significantly, although no attempts were made to conduct a thorough reform of its financing during the period in question. Between 1716–1717, the artillery was able to supply the infantry and dragoons of the Lithuanian army with only a few field guns and ammunition. The Silent Sejm of 1717 did not increase the funding of the corps, which could now field up to 10 cannons, a satisfactory amount considering the size of the Lithuanian army at the time, i.e. approximately 6,100 soldiers. The available sources show that the Lithuanian Artillery Corps was quite small – in total about 30 soldiers served in its ranks, most of whom were born in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

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