A short story about the battle in 1378. Battle of Vozha (1378). Battle of Kulikovo (1380). Russian Republic and RSFSR

After the Tatars defeated Dmitry Konstantinovich of Nizhny Novgorod, the main ally of the Moscow prince Dmitry Ivanovich, in the battle on the Piana River (1377), the then all-powerful temnik Mamai in the Horde was in a hurry to deal the same blow to both Moscow itself and its other ally, Oleg Ryazansky. Having won a victory at Pyana, the Tatar prince Arapsha in the fall of the same 1377 went into exile (raid) on the Ryazan land and captured and plundered part of it. Taken by surprise, Oleg Ivanovich was about to be captured, but broke free and ran away, all wounded by Tatar arrows.

In the summer of the following 1378, Mamai sent a large army to Ryazan and Moscow under the command of Murza Begich. Dmitry Ivanovich of Moscow understood the threatening danger, personally rushed with his army to the southern side of the Oka and met the Tatars on the banks of its right tributary, the Vozha River, 15 versts from Pereyaslavl-Ryazan. For several days both troops stood opposite each other on different banks. On August 11, 1378, the Tatars were the first to cross the Vozha and enter the battle. But Dmitry had already prepared his army for battle. One of its wings was commanded by Daniil Pronsky, the other by the Moscow okolnichy Timofey Velyaminov. The Grand Duke himself attacked the enemies with the main regiment. The Tatars did not withstand the battle for long and ran back for Vozha. At the same time, many of them were beaten and drowned in the river. Among the fallen were Begich himself and some other noble Murzas: Khazibey, Koverga, Karuluk, Kastrok. The coming night prevented the Russian pursuit. The morning after the battle there was thick fog on Vozha. Only when it dispersed did Dmitry cross the river and chase the Tatars. It was no longer possible to catch up with them; but Rus' collected large booty, because the enemies, in a hasty flight, abandoned their tents and carts filled with various goods. The monument to the Battle of Vozha in 1378 are high mounds under which fallen soldiers were buried.

Until now, Dmitry Ivanovich still maintained tributary relations with the Horde, although he paid much less tribute than his predecessors. In the Battle of Vozha in 1378, Rus''s first great victory over its enslavers was won. This was already an open and decisive uprising of the Moscow prince against the Golden Horde, a harbinger of the Battle of Kulikovo that took place two years later. One can imagine the rage of Mamai and the Golden Horde Murzas when the fugitives brought them the news of their defeat on Vozha. First of all, Mamai was in a hurry to take out his frustration on the Ryazan region. Gathering the remnants of the defeated army, he rushed to Ryazan. Not expecting such a quick return of the Tatars after their defeat, Oleg Ryazansky turned out to be unprepared for defense and retired to the left forest side of the Oka. The Tatars burned his capital Pereyaslavl and some other cities, destroyed many villages and took away a large number of prisoners. This sudden attack was to be followed by the devastation of the Moscow reign. But, having experienced his power in the battle on Vozha, Mamai first decided to prepare large forces to remind Rus' of Batu’s invasion. His preparations were all the more successful because Mamai managed to restore autocracy in the Golden Horde after long unrest. He ordered the killing of the young Khan Muhammad and himself accepted the khan title, although he did not belong to the royal family of the Jochids (descendants of Genghis Khan's eldest son, Jochi, who ruled the Golden Horde).

Mamai's campaign against Rus', which began in 1380, ended in the defeat of the Tatars in the battle on the Kulikovo field.

Battle of the Vozha River- the battle between the Russian army and the army of the Golden Horde, which took place during the Begich invasion 11 August 1378.

In the spring of 1376 Russian army led by Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok-Volynsky invaded the middle Volga, took a ransom of 5,000 rubles from Mamaev’s proteges and planted Russian customs officers there.

In 1376, Khan of the Blue Horde Arapsha, who came into the service of Mamai from the left bank of the Volga, ravaged the Novosilsk principality, avoiding a collision with the Moscow army that went beyond the Oka, in 1377 on the river. Pyana defeated the Moscow-Suzdal army, which did not have time to prepare for battle, and ruined the Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan principalities. After Arapsha's successful raid on the Russian border the following year, Mamai moved his army against Dmitry of Moscow himself.

The army of Murza Begich was sent to Rus' by Mamai for punitive purposes. Thanks to reconnaissance, the Russian prince Dmitry Ivanovich was able to determine the direction of Begich’s movement and block his ford on the Vozha River (a tributary of the Oka). The Russians took up a convenient position on a hill from which the entire area was clearly visible. Unable to use the factor of surprise, Begich did not dare to begin the crossing for three days. The Russian formation took the form of an arc, and the flanks were led by Timofey Velyaminov and Andrei Polotsky. Finally, on August 11, 1378, Begich’s cavalry began to cross the Vozha and rushed towards the Russian army, trying to encircle it from the flanks.

Begich's hopes that his rapid onslaught would cause panic in Dmitry's troops did not come true. The Russian regiments, built in a semicircle, steadfastly repulsed the onslaught and then counterattacked Begich's cavalry. Not expecting to meet such a decisive resistance, the Golden Horde retreated in disarray, abandoning their baggage train. During their flight, many soldiers drowned in the river. The presence of cavalry and the onset of night allowed the remnants of Begich’s army to break away from pursuit and avoid complete defeat.

The Battle of Vozha was the first serious victory of the Russians over a large army of the Golden Horde and had great psychological significance on the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo. It demonstrated the vulnerability of the Tatar cavalry, which could not withstand staunch defense and decisive counterattacks. For Mamai, the defeat on Vozha from Prince Dmitry Ivanovich meant an open challenge, because of which he himself moved to Rus' two years later.

There is a version (V.A. Kuchkin) according to which the story about Sergius of Radonezh’s blessing of Dmitry Donskoy to fight against Mamai does not refer to the Battle of Kulikovo, but specifically to the battle on the Vozha River, and is connected in the life of the saint with the Battle of Kulikovo later, as with a larger event.

The Tale of the Battle of the Vozha River

Per year 6886 (1378). In the same year, the Horde prince, the filthy Mamai, having gathered a large army, sent Begich with an army against the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and the entire Russian land.

Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, hearing about this, gathered many soldiers and went to meet the enemy with a large and formidable army. And, having crossed the Oka, he entered the land of Ryazan and met the Tatars at the river near Vozha, and both forces stopped, and there was a river between them.

After a few days, the Tatars crossed to this side of the river, and, whipping their horses and shouting in their own language, they began to trot and struck at ours. And our people rushed at them: on the one hand, Timofey the okolnichy, and on the other hand, Prince Daniil Pronsky, and the great prince struck the Tatars in the forehead. The Tatars immediately threw down their spears and ran across the river for Vozha, and ours began to pursue them, chopping and stabbing, and a great many killed them, and many of them drowned in the river. And here are the names of their killed princes: Khazibey, Koverga, Karabuluk, Kostrov, Begichka.

And when evening came, and the sun set, and the light faded, and night fell, and it became dark, it was impossible to chase them across the river. And the next day there was heavy fog in the morning. And the Tatars, as they fled in the evening, continued to flee throughout the night. The great prince on this day only in the pre-dinner time went after them, chasing them, but they had already run far away. And they drove into the field to their abandoned camps, and tents, and vezhs, and yurts, and huts, and their carts, and in them there was an innumerable amount of all sorts of goods, and all this was abandoned, but there was no one themselves - they all ran to the Horde.

The great prince Dmitry returned from there to Moscow with a great victory and sent his army home with great booty. Then Dmitry Monastyrev and Nazariy Danilov Kusakov were killed. And this massacre took place on the eleventh of August, on the day of remembrance of the holy martyr Euplaus the Deacon, on Wednesday evening. And God helped the great Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, and he defeated the military, and defeated his enemies, and drove out the filthy Tatars.

And the accursed Polovtsians were put to shame, they returned in shame having been defeated, the wicked Ishmaelites fled, driven by the wrath of God! And they ran to the Horde to their king, or rather to Mamai, who had sent them, because their king, whom they had at that time, did not have any power and did not dare to do anything without the consent of Mamai, and all power was in the hands of Mamaia, and he owned the Horde.

Mamai, seeing the defeat of his squad, the remnants of which came running to him, and learning that princes, nobles, and Alpauts had died and that many of his soldiers had been beaten, became very angry and furious with malice. And that same autumn, having gathered his surviving forces and recruited many new soldiers, he quickly went as an army, in exile, without giving any news, to the Ryazan land. But the great prince Oleg did not prepare and did not stand up for battle against them, but fled from his land, abandoned his cities and fled across the Oka River. The Tatars came and captured the city of Pereyaslavl and other cities, and burned them, and the volosts and villages fought, and killed many people, and took others into captivity, and returned to their country, causing a lot of evil to the land of Ryazan.

(note: information about Oleg may be biased due to the specific relations in politics of that time).

11 August 1378 from R.H. (6886 from the creation of the world) a battle took place between the soldiers of the Moscow Principality and the Tatar army under the command of Murza Begich on the Vozha River (Ryazan Principality). This battle is considered to be a wonderful monument to Russian military glory, the first serious victory of North-Eastern Rus' over the Tatars of the Golden Horde and the forerunner of the Battle of Kulikovo.

Background of the event

After the murder of Khan Berdibek (1310-1359) by Khan Kulpa, a great turmoil began in the Golden Horde, or, as the chroniclers called it, “The Great Trouble.” In the Horde, which by that time had already entered a period of feudal fragmentation, a dynastic crisis broke out. Berdibek did not leave direct descendants, and several dozen local rulers laid claim to the throne. Some of them, indeed, were Genghisids (descendants of Genghis Khan), therefore, they had all the rights to the place of the Great Khan. However, power was seized by temnik Mamai, Berdibek’s son-in-law, who held the position of beklyarbek - one of the two main ones in the administration of the Golden Horde and had the rank of “temnik” (in fact, colonel). His functions included leadership of the army, foreign affairs and the supreme court. “Silovik” Mamai was not a Genghisid by birth, so in August 1361 he proclaimed his protege Abdullah (Abdullah) from the Batuid family khan. However, other contenders for power in the Golden Horde refused to recognize Abdullah as ruler. From 1359 to 1370, Mamai had to fight with varying success with nine khans of the Golden Horde. By 1366, he managed to bring under his control the western part of the Golden Horde (from the Crimea to the right bank of the Volga). At times (1363, 1367-1368, 1372-1373) he managed to take possession of the capital - Sarai on the left bank of the Volga. Mamaia's headquarters was located in the city of Orda in the lower reaches of the Dnieper (on the territory of the modern Kakhovka reservoir). Not finding support among the eastern khanates, in foreign policy Mamai focused on rapprochement with European states (Genoa, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Venice and a number of others). There are good reasons to consider Mamai a protege of the Genoese bankers, who with his help established complete control over the Golden Horde, through which 50% of the total length of the so-called “Great Silk Road” passed.

At the beginning of his reign, Mamai supported Moscow. In 1363, a “conclusion” (agreement) was concluded between Mamai and Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow, the de facto ruler of the Moscow principality under the young Prince Dmitry, to reduce the tribute levied on Rus'. In 1363, Mamai issued a label for the great reign to the young Moscow prince Dmitry, who, thus, admitted his dependence on Mamai and his khan Abdullah, and not on the khans from Sarai. In 1370, Mamai took away the great reign from Dmitry and handed it over to Mikhail Tverskoy, but already in 1371 Dmitry personally came to the Mamaev Horde and received his label back. Obviously, during this period, the young Moscow prince realized that his fight against the usurper Mamai could be crowned with success: there was no unity among the Horde khans, and the opposition to the former Temnik in the person of the Genghisids was ready in its policy to rely more on Moscow than on the pro-Lithuanian lands of western and northwestern Rus' or for the support of Genoese bankers. Thus, in 1374 there was a final break between Moscow and the Mamaev Horde. The “great peace” begins, ending only in 1380 with the victory of the united Russian troops on the Kulikovo Field.

In the spring of 1376, taking advantage of the weakening of the Golden Horde, the Russian army led by Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok-Volynsky (husband of Dmitry Ivanovich’s sister, Princess Anna) invaded the middle Volga. Having defeated the Bulgar army, the Russians took a payoff of 5,000 rubles from Mamaev’s proteges and placed their customs officers there.

Since the main forces of the Golden Horde did not want to serve Mamai, he began to attract small Polovtsian khans, Nogais, as well as mercenaries from Genoa and Venice into his service. In 1376, the Mamaev (White) Horde united with the Blue Horde (left bank of the Volga), and the Khan of the Blue Horde, Tsarevich Arapsha (Arab Shah), ravaged the border Novosilsk principality, avoiding a collision with the Moscow army that had crossed the Oka.

Massacre on the Piana River

The news of the approach of the Tatar army reached the southern Russian borders long before the enemy approached. In the lands of the Nizhny Novgorod principality, they managed to form a strong army, which was planned to be led by the Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich himself. But for a long time there was no news of the enemy, and Dmitry Ivanovich left for Moscow, and the regiments moved under the leadership of the son of the Nizhny Novgorod prince Ivan towards the Tatars. Having set up camp on the left bank of the Piana River, a hundred miles from Nizhny Novgorod, the army received news that Arapsha was still on Volchya Voda, that is, on the borders of the Novosilsk principality. Discipline began to rapidly decline in the Russian army. The main source about this battle, “The Tale of the Massacre on the Piana River,” reports that the Russian commanders abandoned all their weapons and indulged in entertainment: “I began to hunt for animals and birds, and actively have fun, without having the slightest doubt.” Ordinary warriors followed their example: they threw away their weapons, did not post guards, and indulged in drunkenness and carousing.

The Horde secretly bypassed the Russian camp and attacked it on August 2, 1377. The Russian army, not prepared for battle, fled to the river, but was mercilessly destroyed. A huge number of boyars and ordinary soldiers died under the blows of Tatar sabers. Many drowned, unable to swim across Piana, including the leader of the army, Prince Ivan Dmitrievich.

The Tatars ravaged the Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan principalities, which were left without any protection.

After Arapsha's successful raid on the Russian border the following year, Mamai moved his army against Dmitry of Moscow himself.

BATTLE ON VOZHA

Sources

Oddly enough, the events on Vozha were much more fully reflected in written sources than the Battle of Kulikovo, which was always considered by historians to be the largest and most significant for Rus' in the 14th century. The exact date of the battle on Vozha, its course, the names of the main participants, military leaders and fallen heroes are known. The main source about the battle is “The Tale of the Battle of the Vozha River,” which was part of the Trinity Chronicle (discovered in the library of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, burned in the Moscow fire of 1812). Fragmentary mentions of this battle are found in the Laurentian and Nikon Chronicles, as well as other Vladimir-Suzdal, Ryazan and Moscow monuments of the XIV-XVI centuries. A.G. Kuzmin in his book “The Ryazan Chronicle” notes that “the battle on Vozha is given almost identically by all chronicles. Only in Nikonovskaya one of the Moscow governors - Timofey Okolnichy - was replaced by “Prince Andrei of Polotsk”.

There is a historical version, not without foundation, that it was the events under Vozha that were later compiled by chroniclers with the events of 1380 and taken as the basis for such a monument as “The Tale of the Massacre of Mamayev,” which tells about the Kulikovo victory. There is also a version (V.A. Kuchkin Antiklossicism // Ancient Rus'. Questions of medieval studies. - M., 2002. 2003. No. 1 (11). - pp. 114-115.), according to which the story of the “Life” about Sergius of Radonezh’s blessing of Dmitry Donskoy to fight Mamai does not refer to the Battle of Kulikovo, but to the battle on the Vozha River. In “The Tale of the Massacre of Mamaev” and other later texts, he is associated with the Battle of Kulikovo only as a larger-scale event.

Plans of the parties and balance of power

From the “Tale of the Battle of the Vozha River” it follows that the Moscow prince Dmitry Ivanovich (later nicknamed Donskoy) was well aware of the movements of the Tatar army. After successful reconnaissance of the enemy’s plans, the Russians were the first to approach the Oka Vozhe tributary, block the ford along which the Tatars were planning to cross, and take up a convenient fighting position. For the Tatar military leaders, such a maneuver was a surprise, because before the Russian army was afraid to go out into the “field”.

Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich positioned his army on a small hill on the left bank in the form of a horseshoe, pushing the flanks forward. At the head of the center stood the Grand Duke himself, on the right was the okolnichy Timofey Velyaminov, on the left was the Pronsky prince Danila (according to the “Nikon” version, Andrei Polotsky).

No other information has been preserved about the number and distribution of forces on the eve of the battle of Vozha. The “Tale” only says that “Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich gathered a lot of warriors and went to meet the enemy with a large and formidable army.” The word “many” in those days could mean 10 thousand soldiers, a thousand, or 200 people of a “big” princely squad...

The same half-journalistic, half-epic nature of the narrative is present in all Russian chronicles.

In conditions where no precise instructions have been preserved regarding the mobilization potential of the north-eastern Russian principalities, no military registers such as, for example, the Lithuanian “popis” of 1528, much less a list of the Russian “regiments” that took up defense on the Vozha River, any The reasoning of modern historians regarding the size of Dmitry Ivanovich’s troops is evaluative and largely speculative. The same can be said about historians’ assessment of the number of troops on the Kulikovo Field. In the truly vast domestic historiography of the Battle of Kulikovo, the range of estimates of the number of Russian troops ranges from 100-150 thousand to 30-50 or even less than a thousand fighters. However, over many years, researchers have developed a number of restrictions within which the size of the coalition army of the Russian lands at the end of the 14th century could be considered more or less reasonable. These arguments are based both on indirect evidence from later sources containing information about the peculiarities of military affairs of that time, and on data from archeology and paleogeography. According to the assumptions of modern historians, more than 5-6 thousand mounted warriors could not have participated in the Battle of Kulikovo (the space that today is considered to be the Kulikovo Field simply could not accommodate more). Accordingly, in the battle on Vozha, where the united army of the Moscow-Suzdal, Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod lands gathered, there could hardly have been more than 4 thousand cavalry. One should also take into account the fact that the Nizhny Novgorod and Ryazan lands, devastated by the Tatars, lost many soldiers in the Battle of Pyan and could not field a full-fledged army. Most likely, in the Battle of Vozha the main striking force was the infantry regiments of militias and archers, whose participation in the Battle of Kulikovo today is questioned by many historians. The number of militia could range from 2 to 5 thousand people (in current historical reconstructions the figure appears 10-15 thousand, but, taking into account the capabilities of the then cities of north-eastern Rus', it looks, at least, fantastic).

The forces of Murza Begich, according to some assumptions, could amount to 20 thousand Tatar cavalry. Wikipedia (Free Encyclopedia) provides data taken from nowhere about 50 thousand (5 tumens). Most likely, the Tatar-Mongols were much smaller, because by 1380 the entire Mamaev Horde, according to modern historians, had only 9 tumens of troops, which had to be replenished with Genoese mercenaries. As is known, almost all of Mamai’s military and mercenary forces died on the Kulikovo field and in the subsequent battle with Tokhtamysh on the Kalka River.

Progress of the battle

Before the battle, the main forces of the Russian troops settled in the floodplain of the Vozha River. They were covered by hillocks and ravines, swampy swamps, steep river banks and impenetrable forests. The Russians had to repel the first onslaught of the Tatar cavalry, and then, taking advantage of the confusion, overturn it in close formation (here Dmitry Ivanovich’s infantry-spearmen came in handy). Behind the Horde there was a river, which made it difficult to maneuver freely, and in case of escape, closed the path to retreat.

Russian troops: 1. Movement of regiments after crossing the Oka in the Kolomna area; 2. Combat position of the Great Regiment of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich on the left bank of the Vozha; 3. Regimental combat position right hand okolnichy Timofey Velyaminov; 4. Combat position of the regiment of the Left Hand of Prince Daniil Pronsky. Mongol-Tatar troops: Tumen combat positions on the right bank of the Vozha before the battle. 5. Position of Khazibey’s tumen; 6. Position of the tumen of Kovergi; 7. Position of the tumen of Karabuluk; 8. Position of the tumen of Kostrok; 9. Position of Begichka’s tumen; 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. The position of the tumens after crossing the Vozha: defeat and retreat; 15. Location of the military council of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich with the governors before the start of the cutting; 16. Begich's rate. Reconstruction of V.I. Polyancheva.

The Mongol-Tatar army concentrated on the right bank. Separated by Vozha, the opponents stood in their occupied positions for several days, not daring to start a battle. Most likely, Begich expected help from the Ryazan prince Oleg, who was in alliance with the Lithuanians and Mamai, but chose not to get involved in the battle on Vozha. After all, Mamai sent his people against the Prince of Moscow, and not against Ryazan. In addition, Prince Danila Pronsky fought with his squad and most of the Ryazan army on the side of Dmitry Ivanovich.

For several days, the opponents showered each other with clouds of red-hot arrows from bows. The Tatars wanted to lure the Russians out of advantageous positions, but the Russians, knowing the advantages of the Tatar cavalry in open areas, did not leave the occupied lines. The Moscow prince managed to impose his plan on the enemy, forcing him to take battle where it was disadvantageous to him. Seeing that the Tatars did not dare cross the river in full view of the Russian army ready for battle, he withdrew his regiments from Vozha and, perhaps, hid part of his forces in the forest. The road to the Russian coast was cleared for the Horde cavalry. And Begich decided to attack - unable to adequately assess the number of enemy troops, he himself walked into a pre-set trap.

By the evening of August 11, 1378, the Tatar-Mongol cavalry began to cross the Vozha River. The Russian system stood motionless. The Tatars, with wild whistles, screams and terrifying screams, rushed at the Russian army. The strings of their bows rang. But the armor and shields reliably covered the Russian warriors, and the long spears did not allow the Horde to get closer for hand-to-hand combat.

Begich hoped to deliver a crushing blow to the center of Russian positions, to stun, sow panic, dismember and destroy the Russian army piece by piece. But he miscalculated. The Russian regiments survived and managed to repel the first onslaught of the enemy. Finding themselves in unfavorable conditions, the Tatar cavalry could not quickly maneuver on rough terrain. The advanced Horde hundreds began to turn around their horses, other detachments pressed on them from behind, everything was confused. A closed formation of Russian warriors, stretching long, heavy spears forward, moved towards the enemy. The cavalry of Timofey Velyaminov and Danila Pronsky struck from the flanks. Thus, the Russians rushed at Begich, who attacked them head-on, from three sides simultaneously. An oncoming cavalry battle with spears took place. And the Tatars, unable to withstand the flank attacks, threw down their spears and ran away. Many drowned in the river.

The Russians did not pursue the Tatars across the river. Some researchers suggest that the battle was protracted and lasted until the evening or even into the night. But an oncoming cavalry battle simply cannot be protracted. This is the shortest and bloodiest type of cavalry combat for both sides. Rather, it can be assumed that, having attacked Begich’s troops from three sides, the Russians dealt with them unexpectedly quickly, which could have given them the impression that they had defeated not the entire Tatar army, but only part of it. The military leaders suspected that the flight of the Tatars was feigned. The next morning there was a heavy fog, and only after it cleared did the Russian army cross the river, but there was already no trace of the enemy. The winners captured only the convoy abandoned by the Horde. Murza Begich himself and four other Horde princes died in the battle.

It was a crushing defeat, after which the pitiful remnants of Begich’s army fled to the Horde. Russian losses were insignificant. Of the command staff, only two governors died: “Dmitrei Manastynev and Nazarene Danilov Kusakov were killed then in that battle.”

Results of the battle

The Battle of Vozha was the first serious victory of the troops of North-Eastern Rus' over the large army of the Golden Horde. It had enormous psychological significance. Russian warriors realized that the Tatars could be beaten with small forces: on rough terrain, the Tatar cavalry turned out to be the most vulnerable and could not withstand staunch defense and decisive counterattacks. According to official version, this technique was later used by Prince Dmitry Ivanovich when choosing a place for the Kulikovo battle. However, to this day archaeologists have not found a single direct evidence of the battle on the Tula Kulikovo field, which has given rise to various historical versions about the place, time, and the very fact of the Kulikovo victory. It has not yet occurred to any historian to dispute the undoubted victory of the Russian troops on Vozha.

For Mamai, the defeat at Vozha was a serious blow. The former Temnik began to rapidly lose its position in favor of Chingizid Tokhtamysh, who adhered to a pro-Moscow orientation in his policy, rejecting an alliance with the Western princes and Lithuania.

In 1379, Russian princes Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhovsky and Andrei Olgerdovich, with the participation of the famous governor Dmitry Bobrok-Volynsky, launched a successful campaign against the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, taking the cities of Trubchevsk and Starodub.

The Battle of Vozha was also one of the reasons for Mamai’s largest campaign against Rus' in 1380 and his complete defeat.

Today, in near-historical literature, the version first expressed by Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.T. Fomenko and specialist in the field of probability theory G.V. is becoming increasingly popular. Nosovsky, according to which the place of the Kulikovo battle was Moscow itself (the battle of Kulishki). This version is supported by the burials of 14th-century soldiers found by archaeologists in Moscow and the coincidence of toponymy of some surviving names. For example, not far from Sretenka there is a place that still exists under its ancient name - Kulishki; there is also Red Hill, on which Mamaia’s headquarters was located - today Krasnokholmskaya embankment; Nepryadva River - underground river Neprudnaya (Samoteka) in the very center of Moscow; Starosadsky Lane with the Church of St. Vladimir in the Gardens, where Dmitry Bobrok’s ambush regiment could have been located, Devichye Pole, etc. and so on.

This version also fits well with the fact that after the crushing defeat on Vozha, Mamai did not intend to independently oppose Rus'. Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, considering the issue with the Horde had already been resolved, in 1379-80 completely reoriented his foreign policy to fight the Lithuanians who were attacking him from the west. It is quite possible that the main initiator of the attack on Moscow in 1380 was not Mamai, but the Lithuanian prince Olgerd, who only attracted the Mamaev Horde as his ally.

Memory and legends

Until now, among residents of villages and hamlets there are stories and legends about the battle on the Vozha River. One of them says that the battle took place “on the banks of the Vozha and Bystritsa rivers, in sight of new Ryazan, near the village of Gorodishche, in the dachas of the village of Perekola. There are many more signs of the glorious battle: graves and parts of the fortifications. The main assistant in the military affairs of 1378 on Vozha was a certain Ryazan Cossack Ermachok. He and his hundreds were hiding all the time in the copses between Vozha and Bystritsa and carefully lay in wait for the enemies, hiding in one of the swamps. And when the Russians were tired of fighting to the death, Ermachok jumped out of his ambush and decided the matter. But, crushed by the fleeing enemies, he himself ended up with them back in his swamp and died there. This swamp is still called Ermachkovo. They say that here in the old days they often heard Yermachkov’s whistles and songs, and over the swamp they saw a white horse, neighing on the morning of August 11th. Among Yermachok’s brave comrades, Perekol peasants sometimes named the Cossack heroes Rogozha and Chaitsa. After the Battle of Vozhsky, the Ryazan prince granted them lands, and therefore here, near Perekola, many dachas still retain the names and nicknames of their ancient owners.

Archimandrite Jerome, as if confirming this legend, wrote: “According to popular legend, the Grand Duke of Moscow owes the victory over the Tatars to the Ryazan Cossack Ermochka, who, noticing that Dmitry’s soldiers began to weaken, jumped out of an ambush and decided the matter with one blow.”

Discussions about the location of the battle

634 years have passed since the battle on the Vozha River. Material and written sources from those years have not survived, and in Russian chronicles the location of the battle is not precisely indicated. For centuries, historians and researchers have tried to find this place, but it has not yet been scientifically established.

Judging by numerous written sources of prominent historians and researchers of the Ryazan region of a later period, the battle took place in the area of ​​​​the village of Khodynino. For example, the author of the largest study on the history of the Ryazan principality D.I. Ilovaisky wrote: “15 versts from the provincial city of Ryazan, there are still monuments to the Battle of Vozhin - high mounds along which the village of Khodynino is scattered.” The same point of view was shared by the prominent scientist M.S. Baranovich: “On the bank of the Vozha, near its mouth, in the vicinity of the village. Khodynino, high mounds overgrown with bushes are visible; these are monuments to the glorious battle with the Tatars in 1378.” Archimandrite Jerome wrote in approximately the same way: “The monuments to the Battle of Vozhin are the large mounds that have survived to this day near the mouth of the Vozha, overgrown with bushes, near the village of Khodynino.”

The largest Russian scientist and traveler, Ryazan resident P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky noted that “the village of Khodynino is located on the Vozha River... Near this village on the Vozha River in 1378 a battle took place that was remarkable in its consequences...”.

Great expert on Ryazan history D.D. Solodovnikov reported that “about 15 versts from Ryazan there is the village of Khodynino and the Vozha River flows there, and some ramparts are still visible near the Vozha River. This is where Dmitry had a battle with the Tatars...” Professor N.P. Milonov explained that “...for the village of Khodynina, Rybnovsky district, the tract where the famous Battle of Vozh took place in 1378, when the troops of the Moscow and Ryazan princes on the banks of the Vozha River defeated the hordes of the Tatar prince Begich.”

“The most valuable monuments of this glorious battle,” wrote V.I. Zubkov, - local residents are still found in the vicinity of Rybnoye. Thus, a bakhterets - a metal shirt that protected a noble Tatar military leader who died in 1378 under a mighty Russian sword - was delivered to the Ryazan Museum of Local Lore.”

The fact that the battle took place in the area of ​​the village of Khodynino was mentioned in the “Historical and statistical description of churches and monasteries of the Ryazan diocese” by I. Dobrolyubov, N.V. Lyubomudrov in “Local-geographical antiquities in the Ryazan province” and other researchers. However, modern historians and local historians have a different point of view when determining the location of the battle. So, for example, V.I. Chernyshova believes that “the battle area was the banks of the Vozha... from the village of Khodynina to Glebov-Gorodishche.” A.A. Levin claims that Russian troops “chose their position on the Vozhsky Ridge at the confluence of the Mecha with the Vozha River.” The authors of the book “On the Land of Ryazan” share the same opinion. V.P. Chelyapov believes “that the battle on the Vozha took place in the middle reaches in the area of ​​the villages of Palnye-Glebovo-Gorodishche.” The literary almanac “Pereyaslavl” says that “the battle on the Vozha took place in the space between the Oka rivers and its right tributary Vozha, or rather, on a wide field near the village of Skonishchevo (Kanishchevo).”

On August 24, 2003, a memorial sign “Battle of Vozha” was unveiled in the village of Glebovo-Gorodishche. Celebrations have been held, but it’s too early to put an end to it. The exact location of the battle on the Vozha River in 1378 is a matter for future generations of historians, archaeologists and local historians, who may have yet to make this important discovery.

Elena Shirokova

Material used:

Battle on the Vozha River. 1378 Miniature of the front chronicle vault. 70s XVI century

August 19 (11th century), 1378 on the river Vozhe (Ryazan region) a major battle took place between the Russian army led by the Moscow prince Dmitry Ivanovich and the Mongol-Tatars under the command of Murza Begich.

The campaign of the Golden Horde army against Rus' was initiated by Mamai, who apparently feared the strengthening of the Moscow principality.

Successful reconnaissance allowed Dmitry Ivanovich to learn in advance about the impending danger, gather an army and move towards the enemy. Having crossed the Oka, the Russian squad met with the Horde on the banks of the Vozha River, which divided the troops. Perhaps the meeting place was specially calculated by the Russian commanders in advance, because The relief gave an initial tactical advantage to the army of the Moscow prince: it was located on the high western bank.

For several days the opponents did not take active action, and “I stand, having a river between me”. But then the Tatars, having crossed the Vozha, launched a cavalry attack, accompanied by a loud battle cry. In response, Russian soldiers struck from three sides: Prince Dmitry Ivanovich himself in the center, and the okolnichy Timofey and Prince Danila Pronsky from the flanks. The Tatars were overthrown and, throwing down their weapons, fled across the river, and “Ours followed them, beating them, and cutting them, and pricking them, and killing many of them, and stamped them in the river.”. The leader of the Tatars, Begich, and many of their military leaders were killed, but the Russian losses were insignificant. The coming night allowed the remnants of the Golden Horde army to retreat from the battlefield, avoiding complete defeat. The flight of the Tatars was chaotic: a convoy was left behind with all its property, which, of course, went to the victors.

After the battle “Great Prince Dmitry returned from there to Moscow with a great victory and disbanded the army with much self-interest.”

Battle diagram

If we talk about historical significance battle on the Vozha River, it is rightfully considered one of the most important events in the Russian-Horde confrontation. Of course, the struggle of Rus' with the Golden Horde did not stop from the moment of the first attack of the Tatars, and Russian troops sometimes achieved good success. But the battle on Vozha is quite reasonably considered the first major victory of the Russians over a serious, large army of the Horde. And, despite the fact that the consequences of the battle include the punitive raid of the Tatars on the Ryazan land a year later, the battle undoubtedly had a huge positive significance, giving Russian soldiers the combat and psychological experience of victory over large forces of the Horde. Obviously, this experience was successfully applied in the fall of 1380 on the Kulikovo field.

It is impossible to say exactly the date when the battle on the Vozha River took place. There is information that in 1378, the Horde prince Mamai decided to gather a large army and march it to Russian soil. Having received this information, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich gathered an army for a retaliatory offensive. The Russian prince and his army of thousands marched towards the enemy. Having crossed the Oka, they met the Tatar army, and it was then that the battle took place. It will be quite difficult to determine the place where the battle on Vozha took place. We can say for sure that this place is on Ryazan land near the Vozhe River. Many believe that Murza Begich wanted to march as an army to Ryazan soil, but this is not so. The Horde prince was going precisely to the lands of Dmitry Ivanovich, and the fact that they met on this territory was a complete accident.

Background

There were quite a few reasons for the battle on the Vozha River to take place. The reasons that caused the battle arose long before it. It all started when Khan Berdibek was killed. It was then that great turmoil began in the horde. At this time, the horde was in a period of feudal fragmentation, which became the reason for the development of the crisis in it. Since the murdered khan had no offspring, almost all city rulers began to lay claim to his place. However, only Mamai managed to get the desired power. He was the son-in-law of Khan Berdibek. Mamai got his place, since even before the death of the khan he had one of the most important positions in the horde. He was the main leader of the entire army, decided all external affairs of the horde, and also had the main say in supreme court. Many did not recognize the power of Mamai; it was for this reason that he had to fight with many rulers of the horde. During the four years of his reign, he was able to subjugate only the western part.

Relations between peoples

At the beginning of his reign, Mamai even supported Moscow. But already in 1371, a conflict began between the Russian prince and the khan, and in 74 all relations were completely severed. Already in 1376, realizing that the Horde was weakened at that time, Dmitry Ivanovich decided to seize these lands. Since there were constantly disagreements in the Golden Horde, the Russian prince is trying to win over some Tatar khans to his side. This was done so that the battle on the Vozha River would be successful. As a result, it happened.

The first battle between troops

The news that the Tatar army was marching on Russian lands came to Dmitry Ivanovich much faster than the enemy was approaching. On the territory of the Nizhny Novgorod principality it was possible to create an army, which they planned to send to the horde. However, time passed and there was no news about the enemy, it is because of this that the prince goes to Moscow. As a result, the army had to be led by Prince Ivan. The Russian army set up a camp near two rivers. The Horde noticed their camp quickly enough and therefore decided to carry out battles: on the Pyan and Vozha rivers. The Tatars made a very smart move. They bypassed the Russian army and attacked them. This happened in August 1377.

Since the Russian army was not ready for the attack, its soldiers were defeated, and in order to escape, they fled to the river. However, their opponents were waiting for them there too. During this period, many hundreds of soldiers died from the Tatars. Some soldiers drowned because they could not swim across the river. One of those who died was Prince Ivan Dmitrievich. Due to the successful attack on the principality, Mamai decided to repeat his success a year later. However, this time he went after Dmitry Ivanovich.

Troop disposition

Prince Dmitry Ivanovich knew for sure that the Tatar army was coming towards him. The prince's scouts coped with their task very well, it was thanks to them that the prince's army was able to be the first to approach the Vozhe tributary. Having arrived at the appointed place, the Russian army blocked the ford through which the Tatar army was supposed to pass. Dmitry Ivanovich and his army took the most convenient position for the attack. The Tatars did not expect such an outcome of events, since they were confident that the Russians would not leave their territory.

Number of soldiers in the army

There is no information about how many people were in the Russian army. We can only say that there were quite a large number of warriors. This is exactly the number specified in the Tale, however, there is no information about exact numbers. There is information about the Tatar army. According to one source, their number was about 20 thousand. We can say for sure that Dmitry Igorevich’s army was much larger.

How did the battle on the Vozha River begin? Briefly about the main thing

Since the Russian army took a very good position, they had some privilege. According to Dmitry Ivanovich’s plan, his army was supposed to cut off the first wave of the offensive, and then, taking advantage of the unexpected offensive, do everything so that the battle on the Vozha River would end in victory for them. The Tatars should have had a river behind them, which would have prevented them from retreating.

The initial positions of the enemies were on opposite sides of the river. For the first few days they didn't even start the battle. Most likely, the Tatars were expecting help from the Ryazan prince Oleg. But as a result, help never came. During the first days, the battle on the Vozha River took place with the help of arrows from bows. The Horde waited for the Russian army to leave its camp. But Dmitry Ivanovich knew that in open areas the Tatar cavalry would have privileges. The Russian prince was able to ensure that the battle went according to his plan. He, realizing that the Tatars would not attack first, led most of his army to the forest. There their number was very difficult to estimate. As a result, the road to the Russian coast was cleared. Khan Begich decided to take advantage of the moment and attack, however, he did not even suspect that he would fall into the planned trap. According to some sources, August 11 is the main date. The Battle of the Vozha River, according to other versions, took place on a different day.

End of the battle

At the end of the day, the Tatar army begins to cross the river. The Horde army crosses the river very loudly and they immediately begin to attack the Russians. The Russians began their attack. Initially, they shot them with bows. The Tatars were approaching, but their long spears did not give them the opportunity to engage in hand-to-hand combat with them.

The battle on the Vozha River continues and the Tatar Khan plans to make his main attack on the center of the opposing army. But things didn't go according to his plan. Dmitry Ivanovich's army was able to repel the first attack, as a result of which the khan's army found itself in unfavorable conditions. Russian army closed the enemy circle and began to advance. As a result, the Tatars could not stand it and began to retreat. There was nowhere to retreat and they had to swim across the river. A lot of people drowned. Those who managed to swim across the river survived, but they were few.

The Battle of the Vozha River in 1378 was the first serious victory of Rus'. Mamai, after his defeat, began to develop a new plan for the conquest of Russian land. However, his campaign in 1380 was the result of his final defeat.