King of Poland from 1674 to 1696, one of the most prominent monarchs and an outstanding military commander. Previously, he was Grand Hetman of the Crown and Marshal of the Crown. During his 20-year reign he brought peace and stability to the Republic. The event that brought King John III Sobieski international fame was the victorious Battle of Vienna, in 1683.After Vienna was attacked by the armies of the Ottoman Empire, John III Sobieski, as an ally of Austria, set out with his army to help the city. In a battle that took place on September 12, 1683, the allied Austro-German-Polish army led by John III Sobieski defeated the Turkish army in spectacular style. Thus, the further invasion of Europe by Turkish troops was stopped. Jan III Sobieski was proclaimed a defender of the Christian faith and an international hero. John III Sobieski was a well-educated person; a humanist, traveller and polyglot, fluent in several languages (Latin, French, German, Italian, Turkish and Greek). He was a connoisseur and lover of literature, collecting thousands of copies of books. He was passionate about geography and was a member of the Academy of Argonauts, the Italian geographic society. He was also interested in astronomy, and was a patron of the arts, supporting Polish architects, humanists, astronomers and mathematicians. King John III Sobieski died in 1696, and was buried at Wawel Castle in Cracow, while his heart rests in the Chapel of the Capuchins in Warsaw.