Neamț Citadel was a fortress rumored to have been constructed in the thirteenth century by the Teutonic Knights, as a defense against Tatar incursions.
The Moldavian garrison was at the point of surrender, when a German prisoner held in the dungeons had the idea of using the cannons against the Ottoman position on the hill.
His idea was put into practice, and soon the camp of the Turks was being bombarded, forcing Mehmet II to leave the area.
The story goes as follows: During their return from a raid on Moldavia, the 25,000 men-strong army of Polish king John III Sobieski encountered Neamț Citadel, which was defended by fewer than 20 men.
Although a few historians contest the authenticity of this legendary siege, it nonetheless held a significant place in 19th century Romanian consciousness, finding its most popular version in Costache Negruzzi's novelette called Sobieski și românii (Sobieski and the Romanians: the title in itself indicates his attitude towards the events described), but also in the poem Cetatea Neamțului by George Coșbuc.