There is perhaps no more controversial event in Russian history than the Battle of Kulikovo. Lately it has become overgrown with a large number of myths, speculations and revelations. Even the very fact of this battle is called into question.
Battle legend
According to the official version, the Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir Dmitry Ivanovich (later Donskoy), having decided to put an end to the Mongol temnik Mamai, who increased the size of the tribute paid, gathers a large army.
Having chosen the most successful place - a field between the Don and Nepryadva - Dmitry meets the Mongol army moving towards Moscow and inflicts defeat on Mamai.
Domestic history mainly draws information about the Battle of Kulikovo from four sources - “The Tale of the Battle of Mamayev”, “A Brief Chronicle Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo”, “A Long Chronicle Tale of the Battle of Kulikovo” and “Zadonshchina”.
However, these works suffer from inaccuracies and literary fiction. But the main problem is that in foreign sources there is no direct mention of either the Battle of Kulikovo or Dmitry Donskoy.
Given the paucity of information, some historians have great doubts about many facts: the composition and number of opposing sides, the place and date of the battle, as well as its outcome. Moreover, some researchers completely deny the reality of the Battle of Kulikovo.
Opposing parties
On some ancient frescoes and miniatures dedicated to the Battle of Kulikovo, we can see an interesting detail: the faces, uniforms and even banners of the warring armies are painted in the same manner.
What is it - a lack of skill among painters? Hardly. Moreover, on a fragment of the icon “Sergius of Radonezh with Lives” in the camp of the army of Dmitry Donskoy, faces with obvious Mongoloid features are depicted. How can one not recall Lev Gumilyov, who claimed that the Tatars formed the backbone of the Moscow army.
However, according to art critic Victoria Gorshkova, “it is not customary to prescribe national features, historical details and details in icon painting.” But it is quite possible that this is not an allegorical image, but a real reflection of events. The signature on one of the miniatures depicting Mamaev’s massacre can reveal the mystery: “and Mamai and her princes will flee.”
It is known that Dmitry Donskoy was in alliance with the Mongolian Khan Tokhtamysh, and Tokhtamysh’s rival Mamai joined forces with the Lithuanian prince Jagiello and the Ryazan prince Oleg. Moreover, the western Mamayev uluses were inhabited mainly by Christians, who could join the Horde army.
Also adding fuel to the fire are the studies of E. Karnovich and V. Chechulin, who found that Christian names were almost never found among the Russian nobility of that time, but Turkic ones were common. All this fits into the unusual concept of the battle, in which international troops acted on both sides.
Other researchers make even bolder conclusions. For example, the author of the “New Chronology” Anatoly Fomenko claims that the Battle of Kulikovo is a showdown between the Russian princes, and the historian Rustam Nabi sees it as a clash between the troops of Mamai and Tokhtamysh.
Military maneuvers
There is a lot of mystery in the preparation for the battle. Scientist Vadim Kargalov notes: “The chronology of the campaign, its route, and the time of the Russian army’s crossing of the Don do not seem clear enough.”
For the historian Evgeniy Kharin, the picture of the movement of troops is also contradictory: “both troops marched to meet at right angles to each other along the eastern bank of the Don (Muscovites to the south, Tatars to the west), then crossed it in almost the same place to fight on the other side! But some researchers, explaining the strange maneuver, believe that it was not Russian troops that were moving from the north, but Tokhtamysh’s army.
There are also questions about the quantitative composition of the warring parties. In Russian history, the figures most often featured were: 150 thousand Russians against 300 thousand Mongol-Tatars. However, now the number of both sides has been noticeably reduced - no more than 30 thousand warriors and 60 thousand Horde soldiers.
Some researchers raise questions not so much about the outcome of the battle, but about its ending. It is known that the Russians achieved a decisive advantage by using an ambush regiment. Rustam Nabi, for example, does not believe in such an easy victory, arguing that the strong and experienced Mongol army could not have fled so easily without throwing its last reserves into battle.
Battle site
The most vulnerable and controversial part in the traditional concept of the Battle of Kulikovo is the place where it took place. When the 600th anniversary of the battle was celebrated in 1980, it turned out that no real archaeological excavations were carried out on the Kulikovo field. However, attempts to discover anything brought very meager results: several dozen metal fragments of uncertain dating.
This gave new strength to skeptics to claim that the Battle of Kulikovo took place in a completely different place. Even in the code of the Bulgarian chronicles, other coordinates of the Battle of Kulikovo were named - between the modern rivers Krasivaya Mecha and Sosna, which is slightly to the side of the Kulikovo field. But some modern researchers - supporters of the “new chronology” - literally went further.
The site of the Battle of Kulikovo, in their opinion, is located almost opposite the Moscow Kremlin - where the huge building of the Military Academy of the Strategic Missile Forces named after. Peter the Great. Previously, there was an Orphanage here, which was built, according to the same researchers, in order to hide traces of the real site of the battle.
But on the site of the nearby Church of All Saints on Kulishki, according to some sources, there was already a church before the Battle of Kulikovo; according to others, a forest grew here, which makes this place impossible for a large-scale battle.
A battle lost in time
However, a number of researchers believe that there was no Battle of Kulikovo. Some of them refer to information from European chroniclers. Thus, Johann Poschilge, Dietmar of Lübeck and Albert Kranz, who lived at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries, almost simultaneously describe a major battle between the Russians and Tatars in 1380, calling it the “Battle of Blue Water”.
These descriptions partly echo Russian chronicles about the Battle of Kulikovo. But is it possible that the “Battle of Blue Waters” between the troops of the Lithuanian prince Olgerd and the Horde troops, which took place in 1362 and the Massacre of Mamaevo, is one and the same event?
Another part of the researchers is inclined to believe that the Battle of Kulikovo can most likely be combined with the battle between Tokhtamysh and Mamai (due to the proximity of the dates), which took place in 1381.
However, the Kulikovo Field is also present in this version. Rustam Nabi believes that the Russian troops returning to Moscow could have been attacked at this place by the Ryazan people who did not participate in the battle. This is what Russian chronicles also report.
Six underground squares
Perhaps recent discoveries will help solve the puzzle of the Battle of Kulikovo. Using the Loza spatial georadar, specialists from the Institute for the Study of the Earth's Crust and Magnetism discovered six underground squares on the Kulikovo Field, which, in their opinion, could be military mass graves.
Professor Viktor Zvyagin says that “the contents of the underground object are ashes, similar to those found in burials with complete destruction of flesh, including bone tissue.”
This version is supported by Andrey Naumov, deputy director of the Kulikovo Field Museum. Moreover, he believes that doubts about the reality of the battle that took place here in 1380 are unfounded. He explains the absence of a large number of archaeological finds at the battle site by the enormous value of clothing, weapons and armor. For example, the cost of a full set of armor was equal to the cost of 40 cows. In a short time after the battle, the “good” was almost completely carried away.
Battle of Kulikovo briefly
The Russian man takes a long time to harness, but rides quickly
Russian folk proverb
The Battle of Kulikovo took place on September 8, 1380, but it was preceded by a number of important events. Beginning in 1374, relations between Russia and the Horde began to become noticeably more complicated. If earlier the issues of paying tribute and the supremacy of the Tatars over all the lands of Rus' did not cause discussion, now a situation began to develop when the princes began to feel their own strength, in which they saw an opportunity to repel the formidable enemy who had been ravaging their lands for many years. It was in 1374 that Dmitry Donskoy actually broke off relations with the Horde, not recognizing Mamai’s power over himself. Such freethinking could not be ignored. The Mongols did not leave.
Background to the Battle of Kulikovo, briefly
Along with the events described above, the death of the Lithuanian king Olgerd occurred. His place was taken by Jagiello, who first decided to establish relations with the powerful Horde. As a result, the Mongol-Tatars received a powerful ally, and Russia found itself sandwiched between enemies: from the east by the Tatars, from the west by the Lithuanians. This in no way shook the Russians' resolve to repel the enemy. Moreover, an army was assembled, headed by Dmitry Bobrok-Valyntsev. He made a campaign against the lands on the Volga and captured several cities. Which belonged to the Horde.
The next major events that created the preconditions for the Battle of Kulikovo took place in 1378. It was then that a rumor spread throughout Rus' that the Horde had sent a large army to punish the rebellious Russians. Previous lessons showed that the Mongol-Tatars burn out everything in their path, which means they cannot be allowed into fertile lands. Grand Duke Dmitry gathered a squad and set off to meet the enemy. Their meeting took place near the Vozha River. The Russian maneuver had a surprise factor. Never before had the prince's squad descended so deep into the south of the country to fight the enemy. But the fight was inevitable. The Tatars were unprepared for him. The Russian army won the victory quite easily. This instilled even more confidence that the Mongols were ordinary people and could be fought against.
Preparing for the battle - the Battle of Kulikovo in brief
The events at the Vozha River were the last straw. Mamai wanted revenge. Batu’s laurels haunted him and the new khan dreamed of repeating his feat and walking through all of Rus' with fire. Recent events have shown that the Russians are not as weak as before, which means the Mongols need an ally. They found him quickly enough. Mamai’s allies were:
- King of Lithuania - Jogaila.
- Prince of Ryazan - Oleg.
Historical documents indicate that the Prince of Ryazan took a contradictory position, trying to guess the winner. To do this, he entered into an alliance with the Horde, but at the same time regularly reported information about the movements of the Mongol army to other principalities. Mamai himself gathered a strong army, which included regiments from all lands that were controlled by the Horde, including the Crimean Tatars.
Training of Russian troops
Impending events required decisive action from the Grand Duke. It was at this moment that it was necessary to gather a strong army that could repel the enemy and show the whole world that Rus' had not been completely conquered. About 30 cities expressed their readiness to provide their squads to the united army. Many thousands of soldiers entered the detachment, the command of which was taken by Dmitry himself, as well as other princes:
- Dmitry Bobrok-Volynits
- Vladimir Serpukhovsky
- Andrey Olgerdovich
- Dmitry Olgerdovich
At the same time, the whole country rose up to fight. Literally everyone who could hold a sword in their hands enrolled in the squad. Hatred of the enemy became the factor that united the divided Russian lands. Let it be only for a while. The combined army advanced to the Don, where it was decided to repel Mamai.
Battle of Kulikovo - briefly about the course of the battle
On September 7, 1380, the Russian army approached the Don. The position was quite dangerous, since holding the ruck had both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it was easier to fight against the Mongol-Tatars, since they would have to cross the river. The disadvantage is that Jagiello and Oleg Ryazansky could arrive at the battlefield at any moment. In this case, the rear of the Russian army would be completely open. The only correct decision was made: the Russian army crossed the Don and burned all the bridges after itself. This managed to secure the rear.
Prince Dmitry resorted to cunning. The main forces of the Russian army lined up in a classical manner. In front stood a “large regiment”, which was supposed to hold back the main onslaught of the enemy; a regiment of the right and left hands was located at the edges. At the same time, it was decided to use the Ambush Regiment, which was hidden in the thicket of the forest. This regiment was led by the best princes Dmitry Bobrok and Vladimir Serpukhovsky.
The Battle of Kulikovo began in the early morning of September 8, 1380, as soon as the fog cleared over the Kulikovo field. According to chronicle sources, the battle began with the battle of heroes. The Russian monk Peresvet fought with the Horde member Chelubey. The blow of the warriors' spears was so strong that both of them died on the spot. After this the battle began.
Dmitry, despite his status, put on the armor of a simple warrior and stood at the head of the Great Regiment. With his courage, the prince inspired the soldiers to the feat that they had to accomplish. The initial onslaught of the Horde was terrible. They threw all the force of their blow onto the left-hand regiment, where the Russian troops began to noticeably lose ground. At the moment when Mamai’s army broke through the defenses in this place, and also when it began to maneuver in order to go to the rear of the main forces of the Russians, the Ambush Regiment entered the battle, which with terrible force and unexpectedly struck the attacking Horde in the rear. The panic began. The Tatars were sure that God himself was against them. Convinced that they had killed everyone behind them, they said that it was the dead Russians rising to fight. In this state, they lost the battle quite quickly and Mamai and his horde were forced to hastily retreat. Thus ended the Battle of Kulikovo.
Many people on both sides were killed in the battle. Dmitry himself could not be found for a very long time. Towards evening, when the corpses of the dead were being cleared from the field, the body of the prince was discovered. He was alive!
Historical significance of the Battle of Kulikovo
The historical significance of the Battle of Kulikovo cannot be overestimated. For the first time, the myth of the invincibility of the Horde army was broken. If previously various armies managed to achieve success in minor battles, then no one has ever been able to defeat the main forces of the Horde.
The important point for the Russian people was that the Battle of Kulikovo, which we briefly described, allowed them to feel faith in themselves. For more than a hundred years, the Mongols forced them to consider themselves second-class citizens. Now this was over, and for the first time conversations began that Mamai’s power and his yoke could be thrown off. These events found expression in literally everything. And it is precisely with this that the cultural transformations that affected all aspects of the life of Rus' are largely connected.
The significance of the Battle of Kulikovo also lies in the fact that this victory was perceived by everyone as a sign that Moscow should become the center of the new country. After all, only after Dmitry Donskoy began to collect lands around Moscow, there was a major victory over the Mongols.
For the horde itself, the significance of the defeat on the Kulikovo field was also extremely important. Mamai lost most of his army, and was soon completely defeated by Khan Takhtomysh. This allowed the Horde to once again unite forces and feel its own strength and significance in those spaces that had previously not even thought of resisting it.
Have a good time of day everyone!
The Battle of Kulikovo in short is the most important historical event, which constituted another milestone in the liberation of Rus' from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. There should not be any particular difficulties in studying this event: you need to know the background, the main names on the Russian and Tatar sides, you also need to imagine a map of the battle and geographically where it was. In this article we will briefly and clearly examine the most important things in this battle. I’ll tell you where to find a video tutorial on this topic at the end of this article.
"The duel between Peresvet and Chelubey on the Kulikovo Field." Artist Mikhail Ivanovich Avilov, 1943.
Background and reasons
From the point of view of various historians, the Battle of Kulikovo became a kind of apogee of the confrontation between Rus' and the Golden Horde. It wasn't even a matter of tribute. So, according to the latest research, the tribute was not so heavy. The fact was that the horde, with its policy of labels, prevented the unity of the Russian lands. So, for example, when in 1371 Prince Dmitry Ivanovich went to the Horde to confirm his label, he arrived gloomy, because the Tatars had imposed even more tribute.
Prince Dmitry Ivanovich (Donskoy). Years of reign: 1359 - 1389.
As a result, when the prince’s second son Yuri was born, at a meeting on this occasion in 1374, a decision was made to sever relations with the khans. At the same time, the Principality of Moscow began to prepare for battle. Another advantage of the situation was that the Horde began the “great turmoil” - a long internecine war between contenders for power.
Preparation of the parties
In order to resist the Horde, more than 30 Russian principalities sent their soldiers to the army of Dmitry Ivanovich. Almost every man who was able to hold a weapon came to his army. Mamai was also preparing. He entered into alliances with Prince Jagiello of Lithuania, who was interested in expanding trade with the Horde. In addition, the Ryazan prince Oleg occupied the pro-Mamaev side. True, Oleg was cunning: he expressed servility to the khan, and reported to Moscow about Mamai’s movements.
In addition to alliances, Mamai included Crimean Tatars and mercenaries from the North Caucasus in his army. There are also persistent rumors that he hired heavy Genoese cavalry in Genoa.
Beginning of the confrontation
Since 1374, the Tatars began to attack the Nizhny Novgorod lands and the southern border. Since 1376, Dmitry went south of the Oka and further into the steppe with reconnaissance. Thus, the Russian prince did not expect aggression, but showed it himself.
In 1377, Mamai sent his khan Arapshah against Moscow. Dmitry Ivanovich was far from the army. And it relaxed—perhaps it had drunk some beer. As a result, the unexpectedly sneaking up enemy inflicted a crushing defeat on the Russian troops.
Khan Mamai. Reigned 1361 - 1380.
But in 1378, the first victory of the Russian army led by the Moscow prince over the regular Mongol army took place - on the Vozha River. The Russians struck suddenly, which ensured success. After this event, the parties began to prepare for the decisive battle.
Battle of Kulikovo Field
In tests and exam papers they are very fond of asking on which river the Battle of Kulikovo took place. Many answer that on the Kulikovo Field, despite the fact that they ask about the river. Those who are more attentive answer that it is on the Don River. And the smartest ones said that the river was Nepryadva, a tributary of the Don River.
So the Battle of Kulikovo took place on September 8, 1380 on the Kulikovo field. In order to cut off their own path to retreat (such Russian kamikazes!) the army crossed the Nepryadva River. This was also done in case the army of the traitor of the Ryazan prince Oleg suddenly creeps up, or the Lithuanians want to strike in the rear. And it will be more difficult for them to cross the river.
Early in the morning, at 4 o'clock or 6 o'clock, the Battle of Kulikovo began. Here is the schematic map:
It shows that the Russian troops were lined up in the traditional order: the Big Regiment in the center, the right and left regiments on the flanks. Dmitry Ivanovich also resorted to cunning and arranged an additional ambush or reserve regiment, commanded by Dmitry Bobrok-Volynsky and Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhovskoy. Also with the Russian army was the confessor of Prince Sergius of Radonezh, the founder of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
There is a beautiful legend according to which the battle began with a duel of heroes. On the Russian side, the prince's assistant Alexander Peresvet was put up, and on the Tatar side - Mamai's right hand - the hero Chelubey. Peresvet understood that he would not survive, but the enemy could not be left alive. Therefore, he took off his armor, and when Chelubey’s spear (which was longer) pierced him, he did not fly out of the saddle, but hit his enemy, who also fell dead.
This event is described in “The Tale of Mama’s Massacre.” In addition to Peresvet, Andrei Oslyabya became famous in the battle. Both of these heroes were also monks, which makes me wonder whether there was some kind of heroic or knightly monastic order in Rus'. How do you think? Write in the comments!
The Tatars attacked head-on. They wanted to crush one of the regiments and hit the Russian troops in the flank and rear. And they almost succeeded: after 4 hours of fighting, the regiment of the left hand began to retreat to Nepryadva, it was almost defeated, when a reserve regiment came out of the forest and struck the Tatars in the flank and rear. On the field itself, it seemed to the enemy that the dead Russians stood up and launched a second attack! Well, imagine, you defeated the enemy, only the dead are behind you, and then again the Russians are coming at you from the rear again! What made you feel uneasy? What was it like for the Mongol-Tatars?
In general, the enemy could not stand it and ran. The Battle of Kulikovo ended in the complete victory of Russian weapons.
Results
Many people think that from that time on, with the victory on the Kulikovo Field, it ended. But in fact, this most important victory is only an important milestone in the historical process of Rus'’s struggle against him. In two years, Tokhtamysh will burn Moscow and tribute will still have to be paid. However, the Russian principalities rallied against a common enemy. The Moscow prince began to play the role of initiator of this necessary struggle and became the first among equals - other Russian princes.
Also important was that the Russians realized that the enemy was not so invincible, that they could be beaten with a Russian sword!
In conclusion, I want to say that this topic is just a drop in the sea of History that needs to be studied. It’s easier and more effective to do this with video tutorials. So I recommend you mine. The video course contains 63 video lessons that cover the entire history course, including topics on World History. It also contains my recommendations for solving tests and all the materials (my own) necessary to prepare for the Unified State Exam with high scores.
Best regards, Andrey Puchkov
Battle of Kulikovo- a large-scale battle between the Russian army under the command of Dmitry Donskoy and part of the Golden Horde army under the leadership of Mamai. The victory of Russian soldiers over the enemy played an important role on the path to restoring the unity of Rus' and the complete overthrow of the Tatar-Mongol yoke.
In this article we will briefly highlight the main events of the Battle of Kulikovo, and also tell interesting facts related to it. Fans will find it interesting.
So, in front of you Battle of Kulikovo briefly.
Date of the Battle of Kulikovo
The significance of the Battle of Kulikovo
Historians agree that the Battle of Kulikovo became one of the most important battles in the history of the Moscow principality. This victory is perceived by some as a triumph of Europe over Asia.
After the Battle of Kulikovo, the fragmented principalities began to unite into a single Russian state.
Background of the battle
The Battle of Kulikovo was preceded by many events, and the most important thing was that in 1374, Moscow Prince Dmitry Ivanovich refused to pay tribute to the Horde. At that time, the main principality was Tver, since this was the decision of the khan.
Dmitry Donskoy The Moscow prince, together with his allies, went to war against Tver and won. As a result, the principality fell into vassalage to Dmitry.
The Russian prince sought to make the Moscow principality the main one in Rus' and wanted this right to be transmitted hereditarily. Needless to say, all these events seriously angered the Khan.
Mamai, who wanted to become the khan of the Golden Horde, took advantage of this situation for his own selfish purposes. He began preparing for a military campaign against the Russians to subdue them and once again demonstrate force.
Long before the start of the Battle of Kulikovo, in the period 1376-1378. Mamai attacked the principalities of Rus' several times. He plundered and ravaged cities, and also killed and captured Russian citizens.
In 1378, an important battle took place on the Vozha River, in which Russian soldiers defeated the Tatars for the first time.
Battle of Kulikovo briefly, for 4th grade And today is the eighth day of September, only a few will remember,
like their ancestors in the blood,
returned home victorious.
Battle of Kulikovo led by Dmitry Donskoy. On September 8, 1380, the battle took place on the Kulikovo field, sometimes called the “Mamaev’s Massacre.”
Before this event, Rus' had been burdened with the heavy yoke of the Golden Horde for almost a century and a half. Our ancestors had to pay a large tribute to the Tatar-Mongols, and the princes had to make humiliating trips to the Horde to receive labels to reign.
Prerequisites
The Russian Land expanded, Moscow grew stronger. Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, who ruled at that time, managed to gather the Russian Land around the Moscow Principality.
Dmitry Ivanovich stopped paying tribute to the Tatars, and continued a policy aimed at centralizing power in Rus' and strengthening the influence of Moscow. This position did not suit the Golden Horde at all. In connection with such events, Mamai began to gather troops for a punitive campaign against Rus'.
Prince Ryazan, who entered into an agreement with the Horde, informed Dmitry about the impending punitive campaign of Mamai. Dmitry sent messengers to all the Russian principalities, with a call to act together against the foreigners. He gathered under his banner an army ready to fight for the freedom and independence of Rus'. Before the campaign, Dmitry went to bow to Sergei of Radonezh, who blessed the entire Russian Army for a just cause. Sergius sent two of his monks with Dmitry - Osyablya and Peresvet.
Battle
Walking to the field, Dmitry Ivanovich ordered to burn all the bridges behind him, so that no one would have any thoughts of retreating. Before the battle, according to tradition, two warriors came together. Russian monk Peresvet and Tatar hero Chelubey. On horseback they rushed to meet each other and each of them pierced his opponent. Both died. Chelubey fell headfirst towards his army, which was a bad omen...
The chronicle describes the event of September 8, 1380: “There was a strong battle, and an evil slaughter, spears broke like straw, arrows fell like rain, swords flashed with lightning, and blood flowed like water, and fell like grass under a scythe, countless dead on both sides. » The battle was equal, and it was unclear how the battle might end. The Tatars began to press, the Russian army was very tired, and it began to seem that Mamai would win. But not everything was so simple.
Dmitry left a cavalry regiment of about 13 thousand people in ambush. The ambush regiment was commanded by governor Dmitry Bobrok, who at a difficult moment brought it into battle. The Tatars were broken, Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy, his commanders, and the rest of the Russian people celebrated the Great Victory. After the battle, the warriors and governors discovered that Prince Dmitry, who, as a simple warrior, participated in the battle along with everyone else, was nowhere to be found. He was found alive, crushed by a fallen birch tree, in dented armor. Dmitry survived, and upon arrival in Moscow he was named Donskoy.
Results
The Mongols wanted to force Rus' to continue paying tribute and convert Russians to Islam. The victory on the Kulikovo Field put an end to such plans. Rus' was still under the influence of the Horde, but it weakened significantly. The Russians realized that their strength lies in unity. And finally, the people began to believe in the imminent liberation of Rus' from the Tatar-Mongol yoke.
