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<img height='250' src='http://vaticanstamps.org/VPS/images/296/A22.jpg'> 
King John III Sobieski Aerogramme 1984</center>
 
On June 18, 1984, Vatican City issued its annual aerogramme, which commemorated the Battle of Vienna, fought in 1683. The left-hand side of the aerogramme features an image of John III Sobieski, the commander of the Christian forces in that battle. He died on June 17, 1696.
 
The Battle of Vienna took place at Kahlenberg Mountain near Vienna on September 12, 1683. Vienna had been besieged by the forces of the Ottoman Empire for two months. The forces of the Holy Roman Empire were led by the Habsburg monarchy and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, both under the command of King John III Sobieski. It marked the first time the Commonwealth and the Holy Roman Empire had cooperated militarily against the Ottomans. The Battle of Vienna featured the largest cavalry charge in recorded military history.
 
Once defeated at the Battle of Vienna and during the ensuing war which lasted until 1699, the Ottomans ceased to be a menace to the Christian world. It is viewed as a turning point in history.
 
John III Sobieski was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1674 until his death in 1696. Following his victory at the Battle of Vienna, Pope Innocent XI labeled him the saviour of Western Christendom. As noted in the Vatican Philatelic Office release document for the aerogramme, Pope Innocent XI: "in a token of gratitude to the Polish Sovereign John Sobieski, replaced the black eagle in his coat of arms with the crowned white eagle of the Polish monarchy."
 
That change is represented in the postal indicia in the upper right hand corner of the aerogramme.
 
 REFERENCES: 
<li>Governatorato Vatican City, Philatelic Office, June 18, 1984, <a href = 'https://vaticanstamps.org/UFN/images/1984-3-01-1.jpg'>Aerogramme 1984</a> 
<li>Wikipedia, <a href = 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vienna'>Battle of Vienna</a> 
<li>Wikipedia, <a href = 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_III_Sobieski'>John III Sobieski</a> 
<li>Vatican Philatelic Society website, www.vaticanstamps.org, Stamp Database Search

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