The formation of a Russian centralized state was a complex and lengthy process. At the beginning of the 14th century. and especially in its second half, a number of objective prerequisites for centralization arose. After the terrible Tatar pogrom, the country's economy is recovering. There is an upsurge in agriculture, where three-field farming is being established as the main farming system. New lands are being developed. The rise of handicraft production is noticeable, especially in industries related to military production (firearms appeared at the end of the 14th century). The development of crafts and economic activities stimulated the growth of trade and cities. Old ones are revived and grow, new ones appear. The townspeople - artisans and traders - needed the protection of a centralized state from the tyranny of local feudal lords. Trade could not develop normally in conditions of fragmentation. The feudal lords also needed a centralized state: only a strong government could ensure the further enslavement of the peasants. An important factor was the constant military threat, especially from the Tatars. Their raids and extortions dealt devastating blows to the economy. The scattered principalities could not cope with this threat.

The principality of Moscow became the head of the unifying state. The economic growth and political rise of Moscow was facilitated by its exceptionally favorable geographical location. It was located in the center of the Russian principalities, which protected it from attacks from outside. People flocked to Moscow from all sides, seeking refuge, and this increased its population. Moscow stood at the crossroads of the most important trade routes.

The strengthening of the Moscow principality took place in conditions of intense competition with Tver, which also sought to unite the Russian lands under its rule. After the establishment of Mikhail Tver in the Grand Duchy of Vladimir in 1304, a major popular uprising against the Tatars broke out in Tver (1327). The Moscow prince Ivan Kalita (1325-1340) offered the Golden Horde Khan his services in suppressing the uprising, and in 1328 received as a reward the label for the great reign of Vladimir and the right to collect Tatar tribute. From that time on, the Vladimir table was almost constantly with the Moscow princes.

The Golden Horde, weakened by contradictions, feared losing its power in Russia. Temnik Mamai, having eliminated strife in the Golden Horde and concentrated power in his hands, in 1378 made a campaign against Rus' to restore the status quo. But on the Vozha River (a tributary of the Oka) his army was defeated by the Moscow army. The following year, the enraged Mamai raided the Ryazan principality, destroyed its capital, but quickly went to the Horde, as he understood that to fight Dmitry he needed to gather all his strength.

In 1380, Mamai began to prepare for a big campaign against Rus' in order to return it to submission, ruin it and impose a heavy tribute. To ensure victory, Mamai entered into an alliance with the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiel and Oleg of Ryazan, and hired Genoese infantry from the Crimea. In addition, in Mamai’s army there were Besermens (Kama Bulgars), Armenians, Cherkassy (Circassians), Yasses (Ossetians), and Burtases. Already in the spring of 1380, the Horde nomads moved to the Don.

Rus' also gathered strength. Prince Dmitry Ivanovich forms a large army, gathering the forces of all Russian principalities. He managed to assemble an army of 100-150 thousand people, unprecedented for Rus' (the estimate of the size of the Russian army is contradictory). In essence, it was a national militia. On August 20, the Russians set out on a campaign.

Battle of Kulikovo:

Mid-14th century. The Golden Horde found itself in a state of prolonged crisis. It began with the murder of Khan Janibek. For twenty years, more than twenty khans changed on the throne, until Tokhtamysh came to power. The talented military leader and politician Mamai becomes an important person in the Golden Horde. He was a Crimean temnik, i.e. commanded the Golden Horde army located in Crimea and the adjacent steppe strip.

The enterprising Mamai repeatedly tried to seize power in the Golden Horde. Fruitless attempts to seize the throne forced Mamai to turn his gaze to Moscow. On his own initiative, he sends Dmitry Ivanovich a “label for the great reign,” which violated tradition (it was supposed that the Russian princes themselves asked the khan for this label). But since 1374, “warm” relations between Moscow and Mamai have been replaced by open hostility. It should be noted that Mamai was not the khan of the Golden Horde and his power extended to the territory indicated above.

In the summer of 1380, the 100,000-strong army of Mamai was opposed by the united forces of the Russian people. The whole people rose up for the holy war, but not everyone was taken on the campaign, selecting only the most prepared and trained in military affairs, since they relied not on numbers, but on skill.

Having received a blessing from the abbot of the Trinity Monastery Sergius of Radonezh and ignoring the “advice” of the top clergy “not to take risks and humble yourself before the khan,” Prince Dmitry with an all-Russian army gathered from almost all of North-Eastern Rus' set out from Moscow to meet Mamai. On the way to the Don, detachments from other Russian lands joined the army. In total, 60 thousand soldiers stood under the banner of Dmitry Ivanovich.

The victory on the Kulikovo field was not easy: 8 thousand Russian soldiers died, and together with the wounded, Russian losses reached 25 thousand, i.e. almost half the army. The Tatars left more than 60 thousand on the battlefield. For such a crushing defeat of the enemy, the grateful people immediately dubbed Dmitry “Donskoy”.

This great victory marked the beginning of the liberation of Rus' from vassalage. The Battle of Kulikovo is a national-historical, fateful event of worldwide significance. Mamai, unlike the creator of the Golden Horde Batu and his successors, expressed the intention not only to subjugate Rus', but to settle in its comfortable cities and enslave the Russian and other peoples. And the point is not so much the tribute that Moscow refused to pay, but the desire of the Horde to completely occupy Rus', using its potential for further aggression. Recent research provides undeniable historical facts testifying to the significant role of the Roman throne in Mamai’s campaign against Moscow. The influence of Catholics on Mamai's circle was enormous. Along with their leading role, the alliance between Mamai and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello is no less significant in its own way. As you know, Jagiello did not have time to lead his troops to the Kulikovo field, but he went there, inspired by Pope Urban VI. Incited by the Pope, Mamai marched against our Fatherland with one more goal - to crush Orthodoxy. That is why Rus' for almost a century and a half did not act as a united front in the confrontation with the Golden Horde, but went decisively against Mamai. Mamai, watching the progress of the battle from a high mound and seeing the general flight of his hordes, ran himself and exclaimed in anger: “great is the Christian God.” The Russians drove the Tatars to the Mechi River. Mamai fled to Crimea and was killed by the Genoese there.

The Battle of Kulikovo allowed Muscovite Rus' to enter the world stage.

The Battle of Kulikovo is a famous battle that took place in 1380. The battle took place on the southern side, where the bank of the Don River was located, or, to be more precise, on the Kulikovo Field. That is why this battle was called Kulikovo. The exact date of the battle is September 8, 1380. The battle was fought between two opponents, one of whom was the Tatar-Mongol conqueror, Khan Mamai, and the other, the Moscow prince Dmitry.

The battle was fierce, but both sides were strong, since the Tatar-Mongol khan had a very large army, although the prince also had many brave fighters. It was not in vain that such a war broke out between these two opponents, because the Horde used to be the most important force over all Russian lands.

But when the princes felt their own strength, they decided to repel these Tatars, who brazenly ravaged their lands. Therefore, Prince Dmitry finally broke off relations with the Mongol-Tatars. And naturally, this angered the new enemy. To begin with, the prince walked through the lands of the Horde and captured several cities that belonged to the Horde. And the horde was not fully prepared for battle, which is why it turned out to be quite easy to conquer cities.

Read more about the Battle of Kulikovo

For a long time, the Russian principalities were under the rule of the Golden Horde. This happened due to their fragmentation and civil strife at the time when the Mongols began to encroach on Rus'. But, at the beginning of the 15th century, the power and influence of the invaders began to weaken. And the Moscow lands were gaining power. Dmitry Ivanovich was there in the principality. Later, he would receive the nickname Donskoy for his victory over the Mongols on the Kulikovo Field, near the Dnieper, in 1380.

Prince Dmitry refused to pay tribute when the Mongols wanted to increase it in size. The tax from the conquered lands was then collected by the Mongol governors - the Baskaks. They reported to their ruler about the refusal to pay. The Mongol Khan Mamai, having learned about the disobedience of the Moscow prince, moved to Russian lands with his army. Dmitry, having learned about this, began to gather an army to repel the invaders. The prince turned to other Russian principalities, calling on them to join him against the Horde. However, not many responded to his call. The principalities of Smolensk and Vladimir took part in this battle. The rest, some remained silent, and some even took the enemy’s side.

Before the start of the battle, Dmitry visited St. Sergius of Radonezh, asking him for advice and blessings. And the saint blessed the prince and the Russian army for this battle.

Mamaev's army significantly outnumbered the Russian one. Not only Horde members were included in it. There were also many mercenaries there, including from Russian lands. Lithuanian and Ossetian soldiers fought on his side.

Dmitry approached the battle cunningly. On September 7, the regiments were distributed. Behind the front line, the prince placed infantry, and horse regiments walked on the left and right sides. And yet, he resorted to one trick. An ambush regiment was hidden in the forest, which helped to win the victory.

At night the army moved to the right bank of the Don. They burned their bridges behind them.

And at dawn the next day, the opponents met on the famous field, located near the mouth of the Don and Nepryavda rivers.

Chronicle evidence has been preserved of a preliminary duel between the two strongest warriors of both sides. Peresvet spoke from the Russian army, and Chelubey from the Horde. However, no one's strength prevailed. Both warriors turned out to be equal to each other and, having inflicted mortal wounds on each other, both collapsed dead.

And after this duel, the Russian army and the Horde came together in battle. The advantage was on the enemy's side. There were about 10 thousand soldiers in the Russian army, although according to chronicles there were much more. Historians came to a smaller amount, considering that such a number of people did not fit in a rather small area. In any case, the enemy was outnumbered. But, at the most difficult moment for the Russian army, a reserve regiment came to the rescue. He suddenly appeared from the forest. The Mongols, thinking that an even greater force had arrived to help the Russians, got scared and fled from the battlefield. The Prince of Moscow himself was wounded in battle. The battle did not last long - a few hours, but many people were killed.

Victory in the battle on the Kulikovo field remained with the Russian army. It wasn't decisive. After him, the yoke in Rus' lasted for another whole century. This battle was indicative. Dmitry Donskoy made it clear that the Golden Horde was not at all omnipotent and invincible, that it was possible to overthrow its power. However, all Russian lands need to unite against it; their strength lies in unity, and not in disunity.

There is debate among scientists about some data about this battle, and much information about it is in question. And this concerns not only the size of armies. The location of the battle itself is also in doubt. And some consider the duel between Peresvet and Chelubey to be a fiction of the chronicler.

Battle of Kulikovo and its significance

The Battle of the Kulikovo Field is one of the brightest moments in the history of Russia. Despite this fact, the battle between Dmitry Donskoy’s army and Mamai’s horde is ostracized in modern history. By and large, the named battle is just a fragment of the Horde internecine wars.

First, it is necessary to name the prerequisites for the battle on the Kulikovo field. The time when the battle takes place is the 14th century. We remember from our school history course that the Golden Horde was experiencing a crisis during this time period. The main causes of the crisis were the fragmentation of the Horde and internal military conflicts. Also an important role was played by the fact that Mamai became the ruler of the Horde.

Changes are also taking place in Kievan Rus, but unlike the Horde, for the better. The main thing is that the period of fragmentation ended and Moscow became the main principality.

Let's remember the year 1378. The indicated date is Mamai’s first campaign against Moscow, which, by the way, was not crowned with victory.

1380 The Tatars approve a new tribute amount. Dmitry Donskoy ignores this fact. And it was precisely this behavior of the Russian prince that became the reason for the battle on the Kulikovo Field.

Ninth month of 1380. Donskoy's army is approximately one hundred soldiers. Mamai has more fighters, but not by much. About one hundred and fifty people. Among the Tatars there are also warriors from the Lithuanian principality, because the latter are interested in Russian lands.

The battle itself took place at the mouth of the Nepryavda and Don rivers. In the chronicles one can find very scant descriptions of such a historical moment. The battle of the strongest men of the warring parties, Chelubey and Peresvet, who fought before the start of the battle, is interesting. But it is worth remembering that not all documents contain a mention of this fact, which casts doubt on whether the heroes actually existed.

If we talk about the battle itself on the Kulikovo field, then it is worth noting the strategic move of the Russian army: luring out the Tatar cavalry and subsequent attack in the rear from an ambush. Thus, the Tatar troops were pushed back to the river and almost all were killed, and those who remained alive were captured.

In general, analyzing the Battle of Kulikovo from a modern historical point of view, we can conclude that there is a lot of understatement in it. It is impossible to reconstruct the course of the battle today due to the inconsistency of historical sources telling about it.

What is the significance of the Battle of Kulikovo? The significance of this historical event is great: the young Principality of Moscow showed its power and combat capability. Although Rus' paid tribute to the Tatars for a long time, the battle became the impetus for its further deliverance from the yoke of foreigners.

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BATTLE OF KULIKOVO - the battle of the united troops of the principalities of North-Eastern Russia under the leadership of the Grand Duke of the ruler of the world and Prince of Moscow Dmitry Iva-no-vi-cha against the troops of the Ma-may-voy Horde.

It took place on September 8, 1380. The main reasons that led to the march against the Russian princes of Ma-May’s troops: many years of delay in paying you or -dyn-quickly-out, the desire to restore its volume to the same size in which it was intended to ha-ne Ja-ni-be-ke; desire to take revenge for beating Moscow. troops and their allies in the battle on the Vo-zha River over Emir Be-gi-ch (August 11, 1378).

Background

For this, Ma-may or-ga-ni-zo-val is a large-but-mass-headquarters move, before everything is against the right-of-vi-te-lei Vla-di -the world of the great prince and the Moscow principality. In it, we should have taken part in it from the Horde's ulus and the troops of its allies, on we walked with her in you-greasy and given-no-things from-but-she-ni-yah. In connection with this, in the first half of 1380, Ma-may entered into an alliance with the Lithuanian prince Jagai-lo, and in the summer - with the Grand Duke of Ryazan Oleg Iva -but-vi-what, opa-sav-shi-mi-xia usi-le-niya av-to-ri-te-ta and the power of the Grand Duke Vla-di-mir-skogo Dmitry Iva- but-vi-cha.

March-shru-you troops. In the early summer of 1380, Ma-may began a slow movement from his co-headquarters in the lower reaches of the Don River to his faith -how-yam, expecting there to meet the troops of the allied forces there by the beginning of autumn for joint work on the land North-Eastern Russia. In early August 1380, Ma-may reached the mouth of the Vo-ro-nezh River.

According to modern research, the number of the horde's troops did not exceed 30 thousand people. The data of the late Russian summers are not confirmed, according to which it included a number of groups (in including na-em-nye) Cher-ke-sov (Ady-gov), Yasov (Don Alans), Bur-ta-sov, Armenian and representatives of a number of others on the right-hand side of the Volga and the North Caucasus; na-em-ni-kov-“frya-gov” from Crimea.

The march of the Horde troops to Russia became a complete surprise for the Grand Duke of the world's ruler Dmitry Ivan-vi-cha, since in the summer of 1379, there was a moose behind the mi-re-nie side (Ma-may gave a yar-lyk and let the Moscow Kan-di- through his lands yes-ta on mi-tro-po-lyu Mi-tyaya). Having learned at the end of July - at the end of July - at the end of August - about the rise of the opposition, the Grand Duke went to Mo -sk-vu, where in August 1380 he began to assemble a regiment. The closest clans responded to his call - the Bo-rov-sko-Ser-pu-khov prince Vla-di-mir An-d- Reevich Brave and the princes of Be-lo-zer-sky, pra-vi-te-li of the Pron-skogo, Ta-russko-go and Obol-lensko-go principalities; servants of the Lithuanian prince Ge-di-mi-no-vi-chi - An-d-rey Ol-ger-do-vich and Dmitry Ol-ger-do-vich together with your friends, you went to work in Moscow from Polotsk, Drutska, Pskov, Trubchevsk and Bryan -ska in 1378-1379, military-serving nobility of the cities of the Vladimir Great Duchy [Dmit-ro-va, Pere-yas-lav -lya, Yur-e-va (Polish), Ko-st-ro-my, Ug-li-cha and others]. However, the military forces of most of the Russian lands, for various reasons, did not take part in the process (Novgorod Republic -pub-li-ka, Tver-skoe, Nizhe-rod-skoe and Ryazan-skoe great principalities and others). According to modern research, the Russian troops could number about 15-20 thousand people (tra-di-tsi-on-but in is-to-rio -graphs indicated the number of 50-60 thousand people).

The general co-man-do-va-nie was carried out by Prince Dmitry Ivanovich. Submitting to him, with your half-ka-mi ru-ko-vo-di-li prince-zya-so-yuz-ni-ki, ter-ri-to-ri-al-ny- mi militia-che-niya-mi - serving princes and Moscow battle-re-vo-vo-dy. On August 15, Russian troops gathered at Devich-e-m-le near Ko-lom-ny, on August 20 - you-stood from-there and moved-on zhen-nie along the Oka River. Standing la-ge-rem at the mouth of the Lo-pas-nya river, they awaited the arrival of additional forces brought by Prince Vla-di-mir An- d-re-vi-what and around-no-chim T.V. Vel-i-mi-no-vym, and news from reconnaissance officers who followed the movements no Ma-may troops from the Ti-haya So-sna river to the Kra-si-vaya Me-cha river. On August 26-27, Russian troops crossed the Oka River and began moving south along the border with the Ryazan Grand Duchy. This ma-neur made it possible to prevent the ra-ti of the Grand Duke of Ryazan Oleg Iva-no-vi-cha from uniting with the troops of Ma- May. Further, the army of Dmitry Iva-no-vi-cha moved along the path, known later as the Old Dan-kovskaya road . She pro-le-ga-la through the division of the rivers Don and Mok-rai Ta-bo-la. In early September they reached Be-re-zuya, and on September 6 they stood at the mouth of the Mok-raya Ta-bo-la River. On September 7, there was a raz-bi-ta ordyn-skaya raz-ved-ka, after which Dmitry Iva-no-vi-chu became aware that the army Ma-may con-tro-li-ru-yut Gu-si-ford in the upper reaches of the river Kra-si-vaya Me-cha, which was located in one horse-nom per-re-ho-de from the mouth of the Ne-pryad-va river.

Troop deployment

On the night of September 7-8, Russian troops for-si-ro-va-li r. Don and for-a-year-old position on the Ku-li-ko-vo-vo-le, which the elk came to the north. part of the forest-steppe of the Russian Plain and included in itself the lands in the basins of the Upper Don and Ne-pryad- You. Here, between the Rybiy Verkh balk and the Smol River, the Russian regiments stood, behind the front no more than 1.5 kilometers. Their rear was reliably covered by the rivers Don and Ne-pryad-va. For the attack, Ma-mayu was left with a narrow steppe corridor, which did not give him the opportunity to use the thread for any reason. -len-nu-or-dyn-tsa-mi tak-ti-ku pro-ry-va along the flanks, especially from the left side, calling for luck- but use pre-eminently their rays. In the forest mass of Green Oak-ra-va, behind the left flank of the Russian troops, a general reserve was left - a behind-the-garden regiment, which to-rym ko-man-do-va-li princes Vla-di-mir An-d-ree-vich and D. M. Bob-rock-Vo-lyn-sky.

The composition of the Russian troops was traditional and included three regiments - regiments of the right and left hands, a great (that is, large) regiment. A detachment was placed in front of them (the name given to them in “The Tale of Ma-may’s Battle” half), in which the Grand Duke of Vladimir Dmitry Ivanovich went. He had to control the approach of the troops against the enemy and take the first blow on himself. In front of this row there is a small hundred-thousand regiment. Opposite him, for the attack, the Horde troops were located, which did not wait for the troops of the Grand Duke -comrade Yagai-lo, settled in Odoye.

Progress of the battle

The Battle of Kulikovo began in the morning (from 10-11 o’clock) on September 8. According to the data of the Chro-no-graph of the Russian edition of 1512, An-d-rey Os-la-bya was in them, according to later data is-exact-ni-kov - his brother Alexander Pere-re-light. After this, the main battle began. In those 2-3 hours, Ma-may raz-gro-miled the detachment of the Russian army and put his main forces into action. Grand Duke Dmitry Iva-no-vich, long-lived the battle in the ranks of the rat-niks for more than half a half, su-mel near-tel-but otse -thread of strength and number of hordes. In the middle of the day, the Horde broke through the Russian defense on the left flank and went to the rear to the fallen enemy. sho-mu half-ku. Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich was wounded. At the critical moment of the battle there was a sudden attack in the rear of the hordes of Russian warriors behind the garden of the regiment, ra-di-kal -but because of the changing course of the Battle of Kulikovo. Ma-maya’s army didn’t you hold on to the tis-ka and run away. The pursuit of the opposition lasted until night, the Russian troops seized the camp of the Or-dyn-skogo howl -ska on the river Kra-si-vaya Me-cha.

Ito-gi

According to the Russian troops, they were significant, since the soldiers died not only from wounds, but also from “close quarters” coy." Many members of the command team died, including the Be-lo-Zer princes Fedor Ro-ma-no-vich and his son Ivan Fe -do-rovich, Ta-Russian princes Fyo-dor and Msti-slav Yur-e-vi-chi, great-princely battles and warriors M. V. Vel-ya-mi-nov, Ti-mo-fey Va-sil-e-vich Vo-luy, An-d-rey Iva-no-vich Ser-kiz, Mi-ha-il Iva-no-vich (Akin-fo-vich), L. I. Mo-ro-zov, M. I. Bren-ko, Ivan Alek-san-d-ro-vich, Kon-stan-tin Ko-no-no-vich, Fe-dor Grun-ka, Se-myeon Me-lik, Alexander Pe-re-svet and others. Russians for a few days. the troops collected their wounded and fallen, and on September 14 they moved back to Kolom-ne. Along the way, the Ryazans started attacking individual squads of warriors, trying to take away their rich trophies and take prisoners. In 1381, this became the subject of a negotiation between Dmitry Iva-no-vi-cha and the Grand Duke of Ryazan Oleg Iva-no-vi-ch, who was obligated to clear the captives and return their property (wouldn’t you -but until the end of the Ryazan sto-ro-noy, the question about this again came up in 1402).

After the victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, the influence and authority of the Moscow princes increased (Dmitry Ivanovich received an honorary nickname Donskoy), due to the real possibility of establishing Russian lands and principalities from the power of “Ma-mae- howl of the Horde,” destroyed by the thunder of Khan Tokh-ta-my-sh in the same year. Its tactical meaning was in-ko-le-le-but ra-zo-re-ni-em of the cities of North-Eastern Russia in the course of Tokh-ta-my -sha na-be-ga 1382, in the re-zul-ta-te-to-ro-go-la not only in-goit-nov-le-na you-paid-ta or-dyn- How long have you been? Nevertheless, the Battle of Kulikovo had important political consequences for Russian lands and principalities. For example, the experience of joint participation in military actions helped to unite the troops of the government North-Eastern Russia marched to Novgorod (1386) led by Grand Duke Dmitry Iva-no-vi-chem. His first-ven-st-st-name among the princes was for-the-cre-p-le-but the 2nd spiritual gram-toy of Dmitry Iva -no-vi-cha Don-sko-go (May 1389), according to which his eldest son Va-sily I Dmit-rie-vi-chu was not only the Moscow Grand Prince's table was re-given, but also the Great Prince of Vladimir as a successor due-my “from-chi-ny”.

Is-to-ri-che-skaya pa-memory

The Battle of Kulikovo found its origins in the epic (le-gen-dy about the battle-ri-not of Za-kha-ria Tyut-che-ve; there were “Ilya Muro- Mets and Ma-may”, “About Ma-may without God”), literary and cultural memories. Already in 1380, a nickname was created for those who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo. His brief edition, in which the dead Bel-lo-Zer princes, Moscow boy-res and warriors yes, from the lists of the Eternal si-no-di-kovs of the Us-pen-sko-go-bo-ra of the Mo-s-kov-skogo Kremlin from the beginning of the 1490s years. (Ma-zu-rinsky list), and with a reference to them - in a number of summer-written codes of the 15th-16th centuries. A more complete list of the fallen, including junior warriors, is presented in the Pro-country edition of the summer-written edition. news about the Battle of Kulikovo, known from the 2nd half of the 15th century, as well as in the so-called Condensed Chronicles of 1493 and 1495. The Battle of Kulikovo was also reflected in the “Word about the life and the death of the great prince Dmitry Ivan-no-vi-cha, tsa -rya Rus-ka-go.” In the 15th-16th centuries, a circle of sources about the Battle of Kulikovo developed, united not only by a common theme, but also by the idea of ​​unity Russian lands for protection from foreign invaders. Memory of the Ku-li-kov-skogo cycle (“Za-don-schi-na”, summer-written “The Tale of the Ku-li-kov-skaya bit” -ve”, “The Tale of Ma-may-vom in the battle”) did the literary traditions of the descriptions of battles in “By-the-time” last -men-ny years”, “The Tale of Igo-re-ve’s half-ku”, etc. In the composition of the summer-written codes “The Tale of Ku-li-kov battle" came to us in 2 editions: Brief - "On the battle on Do-nu" (created shortly after the beat -you, preserved in the Ro-gozh-le-to-scribe of the 1st half of the 1440s, the First White-Russian-Lithuanian svo- de mid-15th century and Si-me-o-nov-sky le-to-pi-si of the beginning of the 16th century) and Spacious, composed with use-zo-va-ni -We eat “On the life of Alek-san-Dr. Nev-skogo”, Brief edition of “On-the-vest”, Si-no-di-ka, “Readings about Boris and Glebe.” In printed publications about the Battle of Kulikovo, elk were first mentioned in “The Life of Sergius Ra-do-tender” (1642) and “ Si-nop-si-se" by archimandrite In-no-ken-tiya (Gi-ze-lya), who first published the text "Stories about Ma -may-vom-battle” (1680).

The study of the Battle of Kulikovo began in the 18th century in the works of A. I. Man-kiev, V. N. Ta-ti-shche-va and Prince M. M. Shcherba- then-va. Literary works dedicated to her by M. V. Lo-mo-no-sov and G. R. Der-zha-vin. The memory of the Battle of Kulikovo began to grow under the influence of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the increase in in-te-re-s to the past of Russia after the release of the first volumes “Is-to-rii of the state of the Russian Federation” by N. M. Ka -ram-zi-na (introduced the “Battle of Ku-li-Kov-va” into historical science).

An important role in the study and appreciation of is-to-rich. the memory of the Battle of Kulikovo was played by S. D. Ne-cha-ev, who lived in the Ku-li-ko-va museum -la. In 1850, a pillar monument to Dmitry Donsky (architect A. P. Bryullov, engineer A. A. Fullon). In 1865-1884, near the mouth of Ne-pryad-vy in the village. The monastery erected the Church of Ro-zh-de-st-va Bo-go-ro-di-tsy, replacing the village church, which was founded by the previous -nu, at the burial place of the Russian soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulikovo. Since the 1880s, Ku-li-ko-vo has been surveyed by military is-to-ri-ka-mi and Tula ar-heo-log-g N.I. Tro-its-kim. In 1913-1917, not far from the table, the Church of Sergius Ra-do-nezh-sky was built (architect A.V. Shu-sev).

In 1965, a branch of the Tula Regional History Museum was opened on Red Hill. In 1981, on the initiative of the State Historical Museum, together with the Institute of Geography of the USSR Academy of Sciences and Tula specialists, inter-dis-ci-p- li-nar-nye-studies according to the program “Ku-li-ko-vo-le. Story. Landscape". On the Ku-li-ko-vo-le ob-na-ru-zhe-ny ancient Russian towns, villages and let-ni-ki, bes-kur-gan mo- gil-ni-ki late XII - mid-XIV centuries. In the results of pa-leo-soil-ven-nyh and pa-leo-bo-ta-nic research, you-revealed previously not-from- famous con-tu-rys of the landscape and the most important com-mu-ni-ka-tions of the Ku-li-ko-va po-la na-chi-naya from the era go-lo-tse-na. In 1996, the State Military Historical and Natural Museum “Ku-li-ko-vo-le” was created, in its the composition includes a museum-no-me-mo-ri-al-nye complexes in the village of Mo-na-styr-schi-na and on Red Hill, on-le bit -you are with the adjacent ter-ri-to-ri-ey.

Additional literature:

Sham-bi-na-go S.K. We're talking about Ma-may-vom in the fight. St. Petersburg, 1906;

“The Word about Igo-re-ve’s half-ku” and the memory of Ku-li-kov’s cycle. Moscow; Leningrad, 1966;

Zi-min A.A. “The Tale of Ma-may-vom in the battle” and “Za-don-schi-na” // Archeo-graphic-che-year-book for 1967. Moscow, 1969;

Ku-li-kov-skaya battle and the rise of na-tsio-nal-no-go sa-mo-soz-na-niya. Leningrad, 1979;

Ku-li-kov-skaya battle. Moscow, 1980;

Kuch-kin V.A. Po-be-da on Ku-li-ko-vo-le // Questions of is-to-rii. 1980 No. 8;

Kir-pich-ni-kov A.N. Ku-li-kov-skaya battle. Leningrad, 1980;

Ku-li-kov-skaya battle in li-te-ra-tu-re and art-kus-st-ve. Moscow, 1980;

Ku-li-kov-skaya battle in the history and culture of our Ro-di-ny. Moscow, 1983;

Kar-ga-lov V.V. The end of the Horde yoke. 2nd edition. Moscow, 1984;

Ku-li-ko-vo-le: ma-te-ria-ly and research-to-va-niya. Moscow, 1990;

Study of the is-to-ri-ko-kul-tur-no-go and nature-no-go on-the-trace of Ku-li-ko-va po-la. Moscow; Tu-la, 1999;

Ku-li-ko-vo-le: in-pro-sy is-to-ri-ko-kul-tur-no-go on-the-next. Tu-la, 2000;

Dmitry Donskoy and the era of the rise of Ru-si. Tu-la, 2001;

N.I. Tro-its-kiy and modern-research-to-va-niya is-to-ri-ko-kul-tur-no-go-on-the-succession of the Central noah Russia. Tu-la, 2002. Volumes 1-2;

Ku-li-ko-vo-le. Is-to-ri-che-sky landscape: Pri-ro-yes. Archeology. Story. Tu-la, 2003. T. 1-2;

Upper Po-do-nye: Collection of articles by Tu-la, 2004-2008. Issues 1-3;

Ku-li-ko-vo-le and Don-skoye battle-sche 1380. Moscow, 2005;

Great Russian Encyclopedia (BRE)

Battle of Kulikovo (Mamaevo Massacre), a battle between the united Russian army led by the Moscow Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and the army of the temnik of the Golden Horde Mamai, which took place on September 8, 1380 on the Kulikovo field (a historical area between the Don, Nepryadva and Krasivaya Mecha rivers in the south- east of the Tula region.

Strengthening the Moscow Principality in the 60s of the 14th century. and the unification around him of the remaining lands of North-Eastern Rus' occurred almost simultaneously with the strengthening of the power of the temnik Mamai in the Golden Horde. Married to the daughter of the Golden Horde Khan Berdibek, he received the title of emir and became the arbiter of the destinies of that part of the Horde, which was located west of the Volga to the Dnieper and in the steppe expanses of the Crimea and Ciscaucasia.

Militia of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich in 1380 Lubok, 17th century.

In 1374, Moscow Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, who also had a label for the Grand Duchy of Vladimir, refused to pay tribute to the Golden Horde. Then the khan in 1375 transferred the label to the great reign of Tver. But virtually the entire North-Eastern Rus' opposed Mikhail Tverskoy. The Moscow prince organized a military campaign against the Tver principality, which was joined by Yaroslavl, Rostov, Suzdal and regiments of other principalities. Novgorod the Great also supported Dmitry. Tver capitulated. According to the concluded agreement, the Vladimir table was recognized as the “fatherland” of the Moscow princes, and Mikhail Tverskoy became Dmitry’s vassal.

However, the ambitious Mamai continued to consider the defeat of the Moscow principality, which had escaped subordination, as the main factor in strengthening his own positions in the Horde. In 1376, the Khan of the Blue Horde, Arab Shah Muzzaffar (Arapsha of Russian chronicles), who went over to the service of Mamai, ravaged the Novosilsk principality, but returned back, avoiding a battle with the Moscow army that had gone beyond the Oka border. In 1377 he was on the river. It was not the Moscow-Suzdal army that defeated Pian. The governors sent against the Horde showed carelessness, for which they paid: “And their princes, and boyars, and nobles, and governors, consoling and having fun, drinking and fishing, imagining the existence of the house,” and then ruined the Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan principalities.

In 1378, Mamai, trying to force him to pay tribute again, sent an army led by Murza Begich to Rus'. The Russian regiments that came out to meet were led by Dmitry Ivanovich himself. The battle took place on August 11, 1378 in Ryazan land, on a tributary of the Oka river. Vozhe. The Horde were completely defeated and fled. The Battle of Vozha showed the increased power of the Russian state emerging around Moscow.

Mamai attracted armed detachments from the conquered peoples of the Volga region and the North Caucasus to participate in the new campaign; his army also included heavily armed infantrymen from the Genoese colonies in the Crimea. The Horde's allies were the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello and the Ryazan Prince Oleg Ivanovich. However, these allies were on their own: Jagiello did not want to strengthen either the Horde or the Russian side, and as a result, his troops never appeared on the battlefield; Oleg Ryazansky entered into an alliance with Mamai, fearing for the fate of his border principality, but he was the first to inform Dmitry about the advance of the Horde troops and did not participate in the battle.

In the summer of 1380 Mamai began his campaign. Not far from the place where the Voronezh River flows into the Don, the Horde set up their camps and, wandering, awaited news from Jagiello and Oleg.

In the terrible hour of danger hanging over the Russian land, Prince Dmitry showed exceptional energy in organizing resistance to the Golden Horde. At his call, military detachments and militias of peasants and townspeople began to gather. All of Rus' rose up to fight the enemy. The gathering of Russian troops was appointed in Kolomna, where the core of the Russian army set out from Moscow. The court of Dmitry himself, the regiments of his cousin Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhovsky and the regiments of the Belozersk, Yaroslavl and Rostov princes walked separately along different roads. The regiments of the Olgerdovich brothers (Andrei Polotsky and Dmitry Bryansky, the Jagiello brothers) also moved to join the troops of Dmitry Ivanovich. The brothers' army included Lithuanians, Belarusians and Ukrainians; citizens of Polotsk, Drutsk, Bryansk and Pskov.

After the troops arrived in Kolomna, a review was held. The assembled army on the Maiden Field was striking in its numbers. The gathering of troops in Kolomna had not only military, but also political significance. The Ryazan prince Oleg finally got rid of his hesitations and abandoned the idea of ​​​​joining the troops of Mamai and Jagiello. A marching battle formation was formed in Kolomna: Prince Dmitry led the Big Regiment; Serpukhov Prince Vladimir Andreevich with the Yaroslavl people - the regiment of the Right Hand; Gleb Bryansky was appointed commander of the Left Hand regiment; The leading regiment was made up of Kolomna residents.

Saint Sergius of Radonezh blesses Saint Prince Demetrius Donskoy.
Artist S.B. Simakov. 1988

On August 20, the Russian army set out from Kolomna on a campaign: it was important to block the path of Mamai’s hordes as soon as possible. On the eve of the campaign, Dmitry Ivanovich visited Sergius of Radonezh at the Trinity Monastery. After the conversation, the prince and the abbot went out to the people. Having made the sign of the cross over the prince, Sergius exclaimed: “Go, sir, against the filthy Polovtsians, calling on God, and the Lord God will be your helper and intercessor.” Blessing the prince, Sergius predicted victory for him, albeit at a high price, and sent two of his monks, Peresvet and Oslyabya, on the campaign.

The entire campaign of the Russian army to the Oka was carried out in a relatively short time. The distance from Moscow to Kolomna is about 100 km; the troops covered it in 4 days. They arrived at the mouth of Lopasnya on August 26. Ahead there was a guard guard, which had the task of protecting the main forces from a surprise attack by the enemy.

On August 30, Russian troops began crossing the Oka River near the village of Priluki. Okolnichy Timofey Velyaminov and his detachment monitored the crossing, awaiting the approach of the foot army. On September 4, 30 km from the Don River in the Berezuy tract, the allied regiments of Andrei and Dmitry Olgerdovich joined the Russian army. Once again, the location of the Horde army was clarified, which, awaiting the approach of the allies, was wandering around the Kuzmina Gati.

The movement of the Russian army from the mouth of Lopasnya to the west was intended to prevent the Lithuanian army of Jagiello from uniting with the forces of Mamai. In turn, Jagiello, having learned about the route and number of Russian troops, was in no hurry to unite with the Mongol-Tatars, hovering around Odoev. The Russian command, having received this information, decisively sent troops to the Don, trying to forestall the formation of enemy units and strike at the Mongol-Tatar horde. On September 5, the Russian cavalry reached the mouth of the Nepryadva, which Mamai learned about only the next day.

To develop a plan for further action, on September 6, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich convened a military council. The votes of the council members were divided. Some suggested going beyond the Don and fighting the enemy on the southern bank of the river. Others advised staying on the northern bank of the Don and waiting for the enemy to attack. The final decision depended on the Grand Duke. Dmitry Ivanovich uttered the following significant words: “Brothers! An honest death is better than an evil life. It was better not to go out against the enemy than to come and do nothing and return back. Today we will all cross the Don and there we will lay our heads for the Orthodox faith and our brothers.” The Grand Duke of Vladimir preferred offensive actions that made it possible to maintain the initiative, which was important not only in strategy (hitting the enemy in parts), but also in tactics (choosing the location of the battle and the surprise of a strike on the enemy’s army). After the council in the evening, Prince Dmitry and voivode Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok-Volynsky moved beyond the Don and examined the area.

The area chosen by Prince Dmitry for the battle was called Kulikovo Field. On three sides - west, north and east, it was limited by the Don and Nepryadva rivers, cut by ravines and small rivers. The right wing of the Russian army forming into battle formation was covered by the rivers flowing into the Nepryadva (Upper, Middle and Lower Dubiki); on the left is the rather shallow Smolka River, which flows into the Don, and dried-up stream beds (beams with gentle slopes). But this lack of terrain was compensated for - behind Smolka there was a forest in which a general reserve could be placed to guard the fords across the Don and strengthen the wing’s battle formation. Along the front, the Russian position had a length of over eight kilometers (some authors significantly reduce it and then question the number of troops). However, the terrain convenient for enemy cavalry action was limited to four kilometers and was located in the center of the position - near the converging upper reaches of Nizhny Dubik and Smolka. Mamai's army, having an advantage in deployment along a front of more than 12 kilometers, could attack the Russian battle formations with cavalry only in this limited area, which excluded maneuver by cavalry masses.

On the night of September 7, 1380, the crossing of the main forces began. Foot troops and convoys crossed the Don along built bridges, and cavalry forded. The crossing was carried out under the cover of strong guard detachments.

Morning on the Kulikovo field. Artist A.P. Bubnov. 1943–1947.

According to the guards Semyon Melik and Pyotr Gorsky, who had a battle with enemy reconnaissance on September 7, it became known that the main forces of Mamai were at a distance of one crossing and should be expected at the Don by the morning of the next day. Therefore, so that Mamai would not forestall the Russian army, already on the morning of September 8, the army of Rus', under the cover of the Sentinel Regiment, took up battle formation. On the right flank, adjacent to the steep banks of Nizhny Dubik, stood the Right Hand regiment, which included Andrei Olgerdovich’s squad. The squads of the Big Regiment were located in the center. They were commanded by the Moscow okolnichy Timofey Velyaminov. On the left flank, covered from the east by the Smolka River, the Left Hand regiment of Prince Vasily Yaroslavsky formed. Ahead of the Big Regiment was the Advanced Regiment. Behind the left flank of the Big Regiment, a reserve detachment was secretly located, commanded by Dmitry Olgerdovich. Behind the Left Hand regiment in the Green Dubrava forest, Dmitry Ivanovich placed a selected cavalry detachment of 10–16 thousand people - the Ambush Regiment, led by Prince Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhovsky and the experienced governor Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok-Volynsky.

Battle of Kulikovo. Artist A. Yvon. 1850

This formation was chosen taking into account the terrain and the method of fighting used by the Golden Horde. Their favorite technique was to envelop one or both flanks of the enemy with cavalry detachments and then move to his rear. The Russian army took up a position reliably covered on the flanks by natural obstacles. Due to the terrain conditions, the enemy could attack the Russians only from the front, which deprived him of the opportunity to use his numerical superiority and use the usual tactics. The number of Russian troops, formed in battle formation, reached 50–60 thousand people.

Mamai’s army, which arrived on the morning of September 8 and stopped 7-8 kilometers from the Russians, numbered about 90-100 thousand people. It consisted of a vanguard (light cavalry), the main forces (mercenary Genoese infantry were in the center, and heavy cavalry deployed in two lines on the flanks) and a reserve. Light reconnaissance and security detachments scattered in front of the Horde camp. The enemy's plan was to cover the Russian. army from both flanks, and then surround it and destroy it. The main role in solving this problem was assigned to powerful cavalry groups concentrated on the flanks of the Horde army. However, Mamai was in no hurry to join the battle, still hoping for Jagiello’s approach.

But Dmitry Ivanovich decided to draw Mamai’s army into the battle and ordered his regiments to march. The Grand Duke took off his armor, handed it over to boyar Mikhail Brenk, and he himself put on simple armor, but not inferior in its protective properties to the prince’s. The Grand Duke's dark red (black) banner was raised in the Big Regiment - a symbol of honor and glory of the united Russian army. It was handed to Brenk.

Duel between Peresvet and Chelubey. Artist. V.M. Vasnetsov. 1914

The battle began around 12 o'clock. When the main forces of the parties converged, a duel between the Russian warrior monk Alexander Peresvet and the Mongolian hero Chelubey (Temir-Murza) took place. As folk legend says, Peresvet rode out without protective armor, with only one spear. Chelubey was fully armed. The warriors dispersed their horses and struck their spears. A powerful simultaneous blow - Chelubey fell dead with his head towards the Horde army, which was a bad omen. Pere-light stayed in the saddle for several moments and also fell to the ground, but with his head towards the enemy. This is how the folk legend predetermined the outcome of the battle for a just cause. After the fight, a fierce battle broke out. As the chronicle writes: “The strength of the Tatar greyhound from Sholomyani is great, coming and then again, not moving, stasha, for there is no place for them to make way; and so stasha, a copy of the pawn, wall against wall, each of them has on the shoulders of his predecessors, the ones in front are more beautiful, and the ones in the back are longer. And the great prince also with his great Russian strength went against another Sholomian.”

For three hours, Mamai’s army unsuccessfully tried to break through the center and right wing of the Russian army. Here the onslaught of the Horde troops was repulsed. Andrei Olgerdovich’s detachment was active. He repeatedly launched a counterattack, helping the center regiments hold back the enemy onslaught.

Then Mamai concentrated his main efforts against the Left Hand regiment. In a fierce battle with a superior enemy, the regiment suffered heavy losses and began to retreat. Dmitry Olgerdovich's reserve detachment was brought into the battle. The warriors took the place of the fallen, trying to hold back the onslaught of the enemy, and only their death allowed the Mongol cavalry to move forward. The soldiers of the Ambush Regiment, seeing the difficult situation of their military brothers-in-arms, were eager to fight. Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhovskoy, who commanded the regiment, decided to join the battle, but his adviser, the experienced governor Bobrok, held the prince back. Mamaev's cavalry, pressing the left wing and breaking through the battle formation of the Russian army, began to go to the rear of the Big Regiment. The Horde, reinforced by fresh forces from the Mamaia reserve, bypassing Green Dubrava, attacked the soldiers of the Big Regiment.

The decisive moment of the battle had arrived. The Ambush Regiment, the existence of which Mamai did not know, rushed into the flank and rear of the Golden Horde cavalry that had broken through. The attack by the Ambush Regiment came as a complete surprise to the Tatars. “I fell into great fear and horror of wickedness... and cried out, saying: “Alas for us!” ... the Christians have become wise over us, the daring and daring princes and governors have left us in hiding and have prepared plans for us that are not tired; our arms are weakened, and the shoulders of the Ustasha, and our knees are numb, and our horses are very tired, and our weapons are worn out; and who can go against them?...” Taking advantage of the emerging success, other regiments also went on the offensive. The enemy fled. Russian squads pursued him for 30–40 kilometers - to the Beautiful Sword River, where the convoy and rich trophies were captured. Mamai's army was completely defeated. It practically ceased to exist.

Returning from the chase, Vladimir Andreevich began to gather an army. The Grand Duke himself was shell-shocked and knocked off his horse, but was able to get to the forest, where he was found unconscious after the battle under a felled birch tree. But the Russian army also suffered heavy losses, amounting to about 20 thousand people.

For eight days the Russian army collected and buried the dead soldiers, and then moved to Kolomna. On September 28, the winners entered Moscow, where the entire population of the city was waiting for them. The Battle of Kulikovo Field was of great importance in the struggle of the Russian people for liberation from the foreign yoke. It seriously undermined the military power of the Golden Horde and accelerated its subsequent collapse. The news that “Great Rus' defeated Mamai on the Kulikovo field” quickly spread throughout the country and far beyond its borders. For his outstanding victory, the people nicknamed Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich “Donskoy”, and his cousin, Prince Vladimir Andreevich of Serpukhov, nicknamed him “Brave”.

Jagiello's troops, having not reached the Kulikovo field 30-40 kilometers and having learned about the Russian victory, quickly returned to Lithuania. Mamai’s ally did not want to take risks, since there were many Slavic troops in his army. In the army of Dmitry Ivanovich there were prominent representatives of Lithuanian soldiers who had supporters in Jagiello’s army, and they could go over to the side of the Russian troops. All this forced Jagiello to be as careful as possible in making decisions.

Mamai, abandoning his defeated army, fled with a handful of comrades to Kafa (Feodosia), where he was killed. Khan Tokhtamysh seized power in the Horde. He demanded that Rus' resume the payment of tribute, arguing that in the Battle of Kulikovo it was not the Golden Horde that was defeated, but the usurper of power, Temnik Mamai. Dmitry refused. Then, in 1382, Tokhtamysh undertook a punitive campaign against Rus', captured and burned Moscow by cunning. The largest cities of the Moscow land - Dmitrov, Mozhaisk and Pereyaslavl - were also subjected to merciless destruction, and then the Horde marched through the Ryazan lands with fire and sword. As a result of this raid, Horde rule over Russia was restored.

Dmitry Donskoy on the Kulikovo field. Artist V.K. Sazonov. 1824.

In terms of its scale, the Battle of Kulikovo has no equal in the Middle Ages and occupies a prominent place in military art. The strategy and tactics used in the Battle of Kulikovo by Dmitry Donskoy were superior to the strategy and tactics of the enemy and were distinguished by their offensive nature, activity and purposefulness of action. Deep, well-organized reconnaissance allowed us to make the right decisions and make an exemplary march-maneuver to the Don. Dmitry Donskoy managed to correctly assess and use the terrain conditions. He took into account the enemy’s tactics and revealed his plan.

Burial of fallen soldiers after the Battle of Kulikovo.
1380. Front chronicle of the 16th century.

Based on the terrain conditions and the tactical techniques used by Mamai, Dmitry Ivanovich rationally positioned the forces at his disposal on the Kulikovo field, created a general and private reserve, and thought through the issues of interaction between the regiments. The tactics of the Russian army received further development. The presence of a general reserve (Ambush Regiment) in the battle formation and its skillful use, expressed in the successful choice of the moment of entry into action, predetermined the outcome of the battle in favor of the Russians.

Assessing the results of the Battle of Kulikovo and the activities of Dmitry Donskoy preceding it, a number of modern scientists who have most fully studied this issue do not believe that the Moscow prince set himself the goal of leading the anti-Horde struggle in the broad concept of the word, but only spoke out against Mamai as a usurper of power in Zolotaya Horde. So, A.A. Gorsky writes: “Open disobedience to the Horde, which developed into an armed struggle against it, occurred during a period when power there fell into the hands of an illegitimate ruler (Mamai). With the restoration of “legitimate” power, an attempt was made to limit ourselves to a purely nominal, without payment of tribute, recognition of the supremacy of the “king,” but the military defeat of 1382 thwarted this. Nevertheless, the attitude towards foreign power has changed: it has become obvious that, under certain conditions, its non-recognition and successful military opposition to the Horde are possible.” Therefore, as other researchers note, despite the fact that protests against the Horde occur within the framework of previous ideas about the relationship between the Russian princes - “ulusniks” and the Horde “kings”, “The Battle of Kulikovo undoubtedly became a turning point in the formation of a new self-awareness of the Russians people,” and “the victory on the Kulikovo field secured Moscow’s role as the organizer and ideological center of the reunification of the East Slavic lands, showing that the path to their state-political unity was the only path to their liberation from foreign domination.”

Monument-column, made according to the design of A.P. Bryullov at the Ch. Berd plant.
Installed on the Kulikovo field in 1852 on the initiative of the first explorer
battles of the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod S. D. Nechaev.

The times of the Horde invasions were becoming a thing of the past. It became clear that in Rus' there were forces capable of resisting the Horde. The victory contributed to the further growth and strengthening of the Russian centralized state and raised the role of Moscow as a center of unification.

September 21 (September 8 according to the Julian calendar) in accordance with the Federal Law of March 13, 1995 No. 32-FZ “On Days of Military Glory and Memorable Dates of Russia” is the Day of Military Glory of Russia - Victory Day of the Russian regiments led by Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy over the Mongol-Tatar troops in the Battle of Kulikovo.
A chronicle collection called the Patriarchal or Nikon Chronicle. PSRL. T. XI. St. Petersburg, 1897. P. 27.
Quote by: Borisov N.S. And the candle would not go out... Historical portrait of Sergius of Radonezh. M., 1990. P.222.
Nikon Chronicle. PSRL. T. XI. P. 56.
Kirpichnikov A.N. Battle of Kulikovo. L., 1980. P. 105.
This number was calculated by the Soviet military historian E.A. Razin based on the total population of Russian lands, taking into account the principles of recruiting troops for all-Russian campaigns. See: Razin E.A. History of military art. T. 2. St. Petersburg, 1994. P. 272. The same number of Russian troops is determined by A.N. Kirpichnikov. See: Kirpichnikov A.N. Decree. op. P. 65. In the works of historians of the 19th century. this number varies from 100 thousand to 200 thousand people. See: Karamzin N.M. History of Russian Goverment. T.V.M., 1993.S. 40; Ilovaisky D.I. Collectors of Rus'. M., 1996. P. 110.; Soloviev S.M. History of Russia from ancient times. Book 2. M., 1993. P. 323. Russian chronicles provide extremely exaggerated data on the number of Russian troops: Resurrection Chronicle - about 200 thousand. See: Resurrection Chronicle. PSRL. T. VIII. St. Petersburg, 1859. P. 35; Nikon Chronicle - 400 thousand. See: Nikon Chronicle. PSRL. T. XI. P. 56.
See: Skrynnikov R.G. Battle of Kulikovo // Battle of Kulikovo in the cultural history of our Motherland. M., 1983. S. 53-54.
Nikon Chronicle. PSRL. T. XI. P. 60.
Right there. P. 61.
“Zadonshchina” talks about the flight of Mamai himself-nine to the Crimea, that is, about the death of 8/9 of the entire army in the battle. See: Zadonshchina // Military stories of Ancient Rus'. L., 1986. P. 167.
See: The Legend of the Massacre of Mamaev // Military Tales of Ancient Rus'. L., 1986. P. 232.
Kirpichnikov A.N. Decree. op. P. 67, 106. According to E.A. Razin’s Horde lost about 150 thousand, the Russians killed and died from wounds - about 45 thousand people (See: Razin E.A. Op. cit. T. 2. pp. 287–288). B. Urlanis speaks of 10 thousand killed (See: Urlanis B.Ts. History of military losses. St. Petersburg, 1998. P. 39). The “Tale of the Massacre of Mamaev” says that 653 boyars were killed. See: Military stories of Ancient Rus'. P. 234. The figure given there for the total number of dead Russian combatants of 253 thousand is clearly overestimated.
Gorsky A.A. Moscow and Horde. M. 2000. P. 188.
Danilevsky I.N. Russian lands through the eyes of contemporaries and descendants (XII-XIV centuries). M. 2000. P. 312.
Shabuldo F.M. The lands of Southwestern Rus' as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Kyiv, 1987. P. 131.

The Battle of Kulikovo in 1380 was the most important event in the history of medieval Rus', which largely determined the future fate of the Russian state. The Battle of the Kulikovo Field served as the beginning of the liberation of Rus' from the yoke of the Golden Horde. The growing power of the Moscow principality, the strengthening of its authority among the Russian principalities, Moscow’s refusal to pay tribute to the Horde, defeat in the battle on the river. Vozhe became the main reasons for the plan of the temnik of the Golden Horde Mamai to organize a large campaign against Rus'.

BATTLE OF KULIKOVO - the battle of Russian regiments led by the Grand Duke of Moscow and Vladimir Dmitry Ivanovich and the Horde army under the command of Khan Mamai on September 8, 1380 on the Kulikovo field (on the right bank of the Don, in the area where the Nepryadva River flows into it), a turning point in the struggle of the Russian people with the yoke of the Golden Horde.

After the defeat of the Golden Horde troops on the Vozha River in 1378, the Horde temnik (the military leader who commanded the “darkness”, that is, 10,000 troops), chosen by the khan, named Mamai, decided to break the Russian princes and increase their dependence on the Horde. In the summer of 1380 he gathered an army numbering approx. 100-150 thousand warriors. In addition to the Tatars and Mongols, there were detachments of Ossetians, Armenians, Genoese living in the Crimea, Circassians, and a number of other peoples. The Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello agreed to be an ally of Mamai, whose army was supposed to support the Horde, moving along the Oka. Another ally of Mamai - according to a number of chronicles - was the Ryazan prince Oleg Ivanovich. According to other chronicles, Oleg Ivanovich only verbally expressed his readiness to ally, promising Mamai to fight on the side of the Tatars, but he himself immediately warned the Russian army about the threatening union of Mamai and Jagiello.

At the end of July 1380, having learned about the intentions of the Horde and Lithuanians to fight with Russia, Moscow Prince Dmitry Ivanovich made an appeal for the gathering of Russian military forces in the capital and Kolomna, and soon gathered an army slightly smaller than Mamai’s army. Mostly it consisted of Muscovites and warriors from lands that recognized the power of the Moscow prince, although a number of lands loyal to Moscow - Novogorod, Smolensk, Nizhny Novgorod - did not express their readiness to support Dmitry. The main rival of the Prince of Moscow, the Prince of Tver, did not give his “wars”. The military reform carried out by Dmitry, having strengthened the core of the Russian army at the expense of the princely cavalry, gave access to the number of warriors to numerous artisans and townspeople who made up the “heavy infantry”. The foot warriors, by order of the commander, were armed with spears with narrow-leaved triangular tips, tightly mounted on long strong shafts, or with metal spears with dagger-shaped tips. Against the foot soldiers of the Horde (of which there were few), Russian warriors had sabers, and for long-range combat they were provided with bows, knobby helmets, metal ears and chain mail aventails (shoulder collars), the warrior’s chest was covered with scaly, plate or stacked armor, combined with chain mail . The old almond-shaped shields were replaced by round, triangular, rectangular and heart-shaped shields.

Dmitry's campaign plan was to prevent Khan Mamai from connecting with an ally or allies, force him to cross the Oka, or do it themselves, unexpectedly going out to meet the enemy. Dmitry received a blessing to fulfill his plan from Abbot Sergius of the Radonezh Monastery. Sergius predicted victory for the prince and, according to legend, sent with him “to battle” two monks of his monastery - Peresvet and Oslyabya.

From Kolomna, where Dmitry’s army of thousands had gathered, at the end of August he gave the order to move south. The rapid march of Russian troops (about 200 km in 11 days) did not allow the enemy forces to unite.

On the night of August 7–8, having crossed the Don River from the left to the right bank along floating bridges made of logs and having destroyed the crossing, the Russians reached the Kulikovo Field. The Russian rear was covered by the river - a tactical maneuver that opened a new page in Russian military tactics. Prince Dmitry rather riskily cut off his possible retreat routes, but at the same time he covered his army from the flanks with rivers and deep ravines, making it difficult for the Horde cavalry to carry out outflanking maneuvers. Dictating his terms of battle to Mamai, the prince positioned the Russian troops in echelon: in front stood the Advanced Regiment (under the command of the Vsevolzh princes Dmitry and Vladimir), behind him was the Greater Foot Army (commander Timofey Velyaminov), the right and left flanks were covered by the cavalry regiments of the “right hand” "(commander - Kolomna thousand Mikula Velyaminova, brother of Timofey) and "left hand" (commander - Lithuanian prince Andrei Olgerdovich). Behind this main army stood a reserve - light cavalry (commander - Andrei's brother, Dmitry Olgerdovich). She was supposed to meet the Horde with arrows. In a dense oak grove, Dmitry ordered the reserve Zasadny floor to be located under the command of Dmitry’s cousin, Serpukhov prince Vladimir Andreevich, who after the battle received the nickname Brave, as well as an experienced military commander, boyar Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok-Volynsky. The Moscow prince tried to force the Horde, whose first line was always cavalry, and the second - infantry, to a frontal attack.

The battle began on the morning of September 8 with a duel of heroes. On the Russian side, Alexander Peresvet, a monk of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, was put up for the duel, before he was tonsured - a Bryansk (according to another version, Lyubech) boyar. His opponent turned out to be the Tatar hero Temir-Murza (Chelubey). The warriors simultaneously thrust their spears into each other: this foreshadowed great bloodshed and a long battle. As soon as Chelubey fell from the saddle, the Horde cavalry moved into battle and quickly crushed the Advanced Regiment. Further onslaught of the Mongol-Tatars in the center was delayed by the deployment of the Russian reserve. Mamai transferred the main blow to the left flank and began to press back the Russian regiments there. The situation was saved by the Ambush Regiment of Serpukhov Prince Vladimir Andeevich, who emerged from the oak grove, struck the rear and flank of the Horde cavalry and decided the outcome of the battle.

It is believed that Mamaev’s army was defeated in four hours (if the battle lasted from eleven to two o’clock in the afternoon). Russian soldiers pursued its remnants to the Krasivaya Mecha River (50 km above the Kulikovo Field); The Horde Headquarters was also captured there. Mamai managed to escape; Jagiello, having learned of his defeat, also hastily turned back.

The losses of both sides in the Battle of Kulikovo were enormous. The dead (both Russians and Horde) were buried for 8 days. 12 Russian princes and 483 boyars (60% of the command staff of the Russian army) fell in the battle. Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, who participated in the battle on the front line as part of the Big Regiment, was wounded during the battle, but survived and later received the nickname “Donskoy”.

The Battle of Kulikovo instilled confidence in the possibility of victory over the Horde. The defeat on the Kulikovo Field accelerated the process of political fragmentation of the Golden Horde into uluses. For two years after the victory on the Kulikovo field, Rus' did not pay tribute to the Horde, which marked the beginning of the liberation of the Russian people from the Horde yoke, the growth of their self-awareness and the self-awareness of other peoples who were under the yoke of the Horde, and strengthened the role of Moscow as the center of the unification of Russian lands into a single state.

The memory of the Battle of Kulikovo has been preserved in historical songs, epics, stories Zadonshchina, The Legend of the Massacre of Mamayev, etc.). Created in the 90s - 14th - first half of the 15th century. following the chronicle stories, the Legend of the Massacre of Mamayev is the most complete coverage of the events of September 1380. More than 100 copies of the Legend are known, from the 16th to the 19th centuries, which have survived in 4 main editions (Basic, Distributed, Chronicle and Cyprian). The widespread one contains a detailed account of the events of the Battle of Kulikovo, which are not found in other monuments, starting with the prehistory (the embassy of Zakhary Tyutchev to the Horde with gifts in order to prevent bloody events) and about the battle itself (participation in it of the Novgorod regiments, etc.). Only the Legend preserved information about the number of Mamai’s troops, descriptions of preparations for the campaign (“harnessing”) of Russian regiments, details of their route to the Kulikovo Field, features of the deployment of Russian troops, a list of princes and governors who took part in the battle.

The Cyprian edition highlights the role of Metropolitan Cyprian, in it the Lithuanian prince Jagiello is named as Mamai’s ally (as it actually was). The Legend contains a lot of didactic church literature: both in the story about the trip of Dmitry and his brother Vladimir to St. Sergei of Rodonezh for a blessing, and about the prayers of Dmitry’s wife Evdokia, by which the prince himself and their children were “saved,” and what was said in the mouth of the governor Dmitry Bobrok - Volynets included the words that “the cross is the main weapon”, and that the Moscow prince “carries out a good deed”, which is guided by God, and Mamai - darkness and evil, behind which stands the devil. This motif runs through all the lists of the Legend, in which Prince Dmitry is endowed with many positive characteristics (wisdom, courage, courage, military talent, courage, etc.).

The folklore basis of the Legend enhances the impression of the description of the battle, presenting an episode of single combat before the start of the battle between Peresvet and Chelubey, a picture of Dmitry dressing up in the clothes of a simple warrior and handing over his armor to the governor Mikhail Brenk, as well as the exploits of the governor, boyars, ordinary warriors (Yurka the shoemaker, etc. ). The Legend also contains poetics: a comparison of Russian warriors with falcons and gyrfalcons, a description of pictures of nature, episodes of farewells to soldiers leaving Moscow for the battle site with their wives.

In 1807, the Legend was used by the Russian playwright V.A. Ozerov when writing the tragedy Dmitry Donskoy.

The first monument to the heroes of the Kulikovo battle was the church on the Kulikovo field, assembled shortly after the battle from the oak trees of the Green Oak Forest, where the regiment of Prince Vladimir Andreevich was hidden in ambush. In Moscow, in honor of the events of 1380, the Church of All Saints on Kulichiki (now located next to the modern Kitay-Gorod metro station), as well as the Mother of God Nativity Monastery, which in those days gave shelter to widows and orphans of warriors who died in the Battle of Kulikovo, were built. On the Red Hill of Kulikovo Field in 1848, a 28-meter cast-iron column was built - a monument in honor of the victory of Dmitry Donskoy over the Golden Horde (architect A.P. Bryullov, brother of the painter). In 1913-1918, a temple was built on the Kulikovo field in the name of St. Sergei Radonezhsky.

The Battle of Kulikovo was also reflected in the paintings of O. Kiprensky - Prince Donskoy after the Battle of Kulikovo, Morning on the Kulikovo Field, M. Avilov - The Duel of Peresvet and Chelubey, etc. The theme of the glory of Russian weapons in the 14th century. represented by Yu. Shaporin's cantata On the Kulikovo field. The 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kulikovo was widely celebrated. In 2002, the Order “For Service to the Fatherland” was established in memory of St. V. book Dmitry Donskoy and Venerable Abbot Sergius of Radonezh. Attempts to prevent the declaration of the day of the Battle of Kulikovo as the day of glory of Russian weapons, which came in the 1990s from a group of Tatar historians who motivated their actions with the desire to prevent the formation of an “enemy image,” were categorically rejected by the President of Tatarstan M. Shaimiev, who emphasized that Russians and Tatars have long “gathered in a single Fatherland and they must mutually respect the pages of the history of the military glory of peoples.”

In Russian church history, the victory on the Kulikovo Field began to be celebrated over time simultaneously with the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated annually on September 21 (September 8, old style).

Lev Pushkarev, Natalya Pushkareva