The opposition of the city of Gdańsk is reduced only after a six months siege and a fierce battle on December 16, 1577, in which its army of five thousand mercenaries is utterly defeated in open field combat, but Stephen Báthory’s armies are now too weak to take the city by force and a compromise is reached.

Báthory confirms Gdańsk in some of its privileges and the city recognizes him as ruler of Poland, paying an enormous sum of two hundred thousand guldens in gold as an "apology".

With the surrender of Gdańsk, all armed opposition collapses.

A brilliant soldier, Báthory has closely cooperated with Jan Zamoyski, chancellor of the Crown and grand hetman (commander in chief) but has been unable to totally pacify the country: the Hanseatic city of Gdańsk (German Danzig), encouraged by its immense wealth and almost impregnable fortifications, as well as by the secret support of Denmark and the emperor, had backed Emperor Maximilian II and had shut her gates against the new monarch.