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The Battle of Kulikovo and its significance. Briefly: The Battle of Kulikovo and its significance

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.

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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It is very difficult to overestimate the significance of the Battle of Kulikovo. This is a fundamental event in the history of Ancient Rus'. After the battle, Rus', one might say, moved into a new stage of development, which for it became an era of prosperity.

In this article, the subject of research will be And its importance for the state and for the whole world is difficult to overestimate. In addition, this historical event had undeniable consequences that influenced the history of Russia.

Of course, after the Battle of Kulikovo, Rus' did not gain independence from the horde. But the state gained significant freedom of action. The complete liberation of Rus' from the yoke will occur only in 1480 and will be associated with the name of the Great Moscow Prince Ivan III.

This article will examine the question of why the Battle of Kulikovo was won? The significance of this event for the history of the country will also be comprehended.

However, why did Rus' still win on the Kulikovo Field? What was the reason for such success?

Many researchers point out that it was the place chosen by the Russian princes and military leaders that played a decisive role in the victory of Rus' over the Tatar-Mongols. It is known for certain that Donskoy traveled the length and breadth of the entire area in search of an ideal place for the battle. He chose this field not by chance, but for purely strategic purposes. The Russians arrived at the battlefield first, so they took an important and more advantageous position. Dmitry Donskoy's army could see everything that was happening on the battlefield. The Tatars could not boast of such luxury. The fact is that their position was absolutely unfavorable, and the morning fog that covered the field completely made it difficult to see the battlefield.

2) People's spirit.

Rus' has long been burdened by Tatar rule. Endless extortions and taxes oppressed the common people. The Russians went to this battle with special preparation, with special bitterness, dreaming of a sweet and so close victory.

3) Miscalculations of the Mongols.

The opponents were deeply convinced that the tactics and strength of the Mongol army were far superior to those of the Russian army. Chronicles indicate that the Tatars arrived on the battlefield as if they were already victors, completely relaxed and not in the mood for impressive resistance.

However, the Russians won the battle. What was the significance of the Battle of Kulikovo for history? We will try to answer this question not only from the position of Rus', but also from the position of the yoke, because for the Mongols the Battle of Kulikovo also had its consequences.

The significance of the Battle of Kulikovo for Rus'.

1) There was a general strengthening of the country’s military spirit. Finally, Rus' could breathe easy. Now it was clear to everyone that the Mongols were not invincible; their defense also had its own gaps. This was an important victory in terms of boosting morale.

2) After the Battle of Kulikovo, pressure from the Mongols weakened greatly, which was to the advantage of the Russian princes. Now they could think in detail about the plan to overthrow the yoke.

3) The victory on the Kulikovo Field showed the whole world the power and greatness of Rus' in terms of military training. After the Battle of Kulikovo, both England and France began to view Rus' as a serious contender on the world stage.

4) The victory on the Kulikovo Field was important for the economic, political and social development of the country. Having been stagnant for the past few years, Rus' has finally begun to develop at an appropriate pace.

The significance of the Battle of Kulikovo for the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

1) Only after the Battle of Kulikovo did the Mongol-Tatars begin to perceive Rus' as a serious enemy that should be fought more intensively.

2) The defeat worsened the situation within the Mongol-Tatar state itself. A crisis had been brewing in the Mongolian political system for a long time, and defeat revealed it in all its glory. Soon the powerful Tokhtamysh will come to power, and only he will be able to take control of the situation in the state.

3) The defeat on the Kulikovo Field affected the decline in the authority of the Mongols in the international arena. Soon, many lands under the control of the yoke will also begin to speak out for the overthrow of the invaders.

The Battle of Kulikovo is an event of global significance that influenced not only Rus'. Donskoy’s strategy influenced the change in the balance of power on the world stage.

The Battle of Kulikovo is a fateful event in Russian history that took place on September 8, 1380. The result of the battle was the defeat of the Golden Horde, led by Mamai. Another name for the battle is Mamaevo or the Battle of the Don.

From the beginning of the 12th century, the principalities in Rus' lived in hostility. The fragmented state, weak due to internal strife, was unable to resist the Tatar-Mongol invasion. As a result of the attack, Rus' lost its economic independence for two hundred and forty years.

After the establishment of the power of the Golden Horde, the Russian princes had to receive labels for rule from the khans of the Golden Horde, and the Principality of Vladimir began to have a special status. It served as the “great table.” The Horde gave the Vladimir prince the right to judge the princes of other Russian principalities.

Rus' had to pay tribute to its conquerors every year, which consisted not only of money, but also food and handicraft goods. Every year taxes were also collected for gifts to the Khan and his entourage. The development of Rus' slowed down sharply, cities and villages were devastated, agriculture was destroyed.

Over time, the economy recovered, trade and handicrafts began to return to their usual pace of development. Nationalist sentiments grew, and with them territorial, spiritual and cultural divisions disappeared. The most powerful principalities during the reign of the Horde yoke remained:

Moscow;
Suzdal;
Ryazanskoe;
Tverskoe;
Nizhny Novgorod.

Note! Moscow became the center of the unification of Russian principalities. This was facilitated by several factors: the central location, the high level of development of crafts and agriculture.

Reasons for the start of the confrontation

The Tatar-Mongol yoke tried to hinder the growth of national self-awareness in Rus'. Observing the unity of the Russian princes, Mamai tries to quarrel between them and punish the Moscow prince Dmitry for his disobedience.

He wanted to deprive him of the Vladimir throne, transferring the title to Prince Mikhail of Tver. Dmitry does not accept Mamai’s decree and begins to concentrate around himself an army capable of repelling the enslavers.

The Russian princes began to understand that their strength was in unity. With each new victory in battle over the Tatar-Mongols, the Eastern Slavs' faith in their invincibility and exclusivity dissipated.

When the Principality of Moscow refused to pay tribute, Mamai gathered his army and went to Moscow. The prince believed that he had the right not to pay tribute, since Mamai came to power not entirely legally. Dmitry called his supporters to a congress in Pereslavl-Zalessky.

Dmitry began to gather other princes to unite against a common enemy. Troops were sent to help from all over the North-East of Rus': Smolensk, Tver, Suzdal. The troops were formed from people of different social classes: artisans, townspeople, peasants.

The armament of the Russian warrior consisted of:

sabers;
spears;
Luke.

It is important to know! Many people mistakenly believe that Russian soldiers fought under the black banner. In fact, the chronicles say that the banner was not black, but dark, that is, red.

Participants in the Battle of Kulikovo

Historians disagree about the number of warriors who took part in the battle. Most researchers believe that the Tatar-Mongols had a significant numerical superiority.

The approximate number of Russian soldiers ranged from 50,000 to 150,000 people, and on the Horde side from 60,000 to 200,000 fought. Forces controlled by the Principality of Lithuania also joined Moscow.

Mamai, realizing that his army was greatly weakened after the battles with the Russian squads, recruited the inhabitants of the Caucasus and the Volga region to his side, and they were also joined by allies from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led by Jagiello. The latter sided with the Horde because of their interest in Western Russian territories. In addition, they were afraid of a new upsurge in the development of Rus'. Oleg Ryazansky also went over to the side of the Horde against Moscow. The national composition of Mamai’s army was diverse, it also included:

fryags;
cheremis;
Circassians;
Adyghe peoples;
Kabardians;
Genoese mercenaries.

Dmitry Ivanovich understood the serious danger of this unification. Due to a well-built strategy, the Russian princes did not allow the enemy troops to unite.

Dmitry Ivanovich's strategy was very risky. He crossed the Oka River, and then the southern bank of the Don and destroyed the crossing. With such a maneuver, the Tatars would not have been able to choose encirclement tactics, but the main disadvantage of this strategy was that the Russian troops had nowhere to retreat in case of defeat. In the cities of Rus', the strategy of crossing the Oka was regarded as very dangerous; many considered it a voluntary march to death. But the plan turned out to be effective and brought victory to the Russian princes.

The battle took place on September 8, 1380 on the Kulikovo field, between the Don and Nepryadva rivers. The brutal, bloody battle lasted for three hours.

Useful video: Battle of Kulikovo

Description of the Battle of Kulikovo

Because the morning was particularly foggy, the battle did not begin until 12 noon. After the battles of the advanced infantrymen, a duel took place between the Tatar Chelubey and the Russian warrior Alexander Peresvet. As a result of the fight, both warriors died, but Peresvet was able to knock his opponent out of the saddle.

During the fierce battle, Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, who led the regiment, was dressed in an ordinary warrior and inspired the Russian soldiers with his courage and fearlessness. He exchanged clothes with the boyar M. Brenko, who was killed during the battle. At the beginning of the battle, the Horde had the upper hand: they were able to defeat the entire advanced detachment of Russian troops. The vigilantes suffered particular losses. The Tatars tried to go to the rear of the Russian troops and surround them.

Suddenly, the ambush cavalry of Prince Serpukhov struck the Horde subjects in the back, thereby driving the mounted Tatars into the river and destroying them. The attack from the rear was decisive. Following it, the Russian cavalry from the reserve rushed to the offensive. Such a military cunning allowed the Eastern Slavs to turn the tide of the battle.

Mamai, according to Mongolian custom, watched the battle from afar, from the Red Hill. When the superiority of forces was finally secured by the Russian troops, he fled along with the remnants of his army. Slavic warriors caught up with the Tatar-Mongols many kilometers from the Kulikovo field and finished off Mamai’s warriors.

During the battle, Dmitry Ivanovich was wounded and found unconscious in the forest under a felled birch tree. After the battle, the corpses of people were collected for 8 days. The Russian losses were staggering - half the army. A church was erected at the site of the battle in memory of those killed. The shrine has not survived to this day.

It is important to know! In the troops of the Eastern Slavs, among the noble class, losses amounted to more than 60%.
Mamai's army lost about 70% of its soldiers. The subjects of the Golden Horde suffered their main losses when Russian soldiers caught up with them after the defeat far from the Kulikovo field.

Goals of the Battle of Kulikovo

After the battle, the Grand Duke visited the Cossack town of Sirotin. In this place he was given an icon of the Mother of God, which later became a shrine in the Russian Empire. People turned to her with a plea for help when there was a danger of a bloody war.

Result of the battle

After the victory over the Golden Horde, Prince Dmitry received the nickname Donskoy, and Vladimir began to be called the Brave. Mamai tried to gather soldiers for a revenge battle, but did not have time, and was defeated by the new ruler of the Golden Horde.

The battle was not decisive and did not free the Russian people from the Tatar-Mongol invaders.

After the defeat of the Golden Horde in 1380, power was gained by Khan Tokhtamysh, who set Moscow on fire two years later.

For another 100 years, the Horde regularly raided Rus' and forced them to pay tribute (but in a much smaller amount). After the battle, the independence of the Moscow princes increased.

Many more bloody battles were fought until the Russian people finally gained independence. The date of liberation from the Mongol yoke is officially considered to be 1480.

Useful video: the historical significance of the Battle of Kulikovo

Exploring the battlefield

The first historian and archaeologist who began to study the site of the great battle was S.D. Nechaev.

Historians collect information about the epochal battle on the basis of four main ancient Russian chronicles, which to one degree or another contain a retelling of the events of those days:

“A short chronicle story about the Battle of Kulikovo.” It was compiled by an unknown writer. Considered to be the earliest and most reliable source of description of the battle.
“Zadonshchina.” The exact date of writing the work is unknown.
“The Life of Sergius of Radonezh.” The book contains a partial description of the battle.
“The Tale of the Massacre of Mamayev” (the most voluminous of the surviving documents).

On the site of the battlefield there is now a historical museum, the doors of which are open to visitors.

Conclusion

The greatest victory of Dmitry Ivanovich’s squad is key in history because it gave confidence to the Russian troops in the possibility of getting rid of centuries-old oppression. It was the Battle of Kulikovo that became a turning point in this period of history and shook the blind confidence in the invincibility of the enemy.

However, there is another opinion about the Battle of Kulikovo and its significance. Some historians are inclined to believe that this battle is not much different from others, that this is just one of many military episodes that predetermined the revival of Rus' and the weakening of the enemy. The Russian Orthodox Church considers the battle a victory for Christian Rus' over the Muslims.

The Battle of Kulikovo is briefly the most important event in Russian history. The battle took place in 1380 on the Kulikovo Field, hence the name of the battle. This is probably one of the most famous battles of the period of Medieval Rus'; many people know its date along with the Battle of Kalka and the Battle of the Ice.

There is a huge amount of information about the causes, course and results of the Battle of Kulikovo. It is often very difficult for an ordinary person, and even a professional historian, to isolate the most important information from a large flow of information. In this article we will briefly try to understand the origins of the battle, its participants, the course and significance of this event.

Battle of Kulikovo briefly

In general, in historical science in the Battle of Kulikovo, briefly, there are two sections called:

“White myth” - from about the 16th century. people began to become interested in the event of 1380, in connection with this, many vivid myths and legends were invented related to the Battle of Kulikovo; historians of a later time began to use these myths in their works. We are talking, for example, about exaggerating the scale of the battle or about idealizing the personality of Dmitry Donskoy, although it is clear that he is a great commander and hero;
The “black myth” began to be created much later. Here there is a huge misleading of the population, the expression of the most incredible theories. For example, that the Horde yoke did not exist in principle, and accordingly the events on the Kulikovo field should be viewed differently. There is even a theory that the battle actually took place in Moscow between Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible. These theories are absurd and should not be considered, but you should know that in principle these arguments exist.

If we take purely information from sources, we must admit that the events of the battle are presented very well there, even in foreign sources. But it is important to know that the chronicle is not the “ultimate truth”; all records must be checked and considered extremely objectively. If the basis for some reasoning is incorrect conclusions, then the further construction of the reasoning will be fundamentally incorrect. In order to correctly assess the events of the battle, a comparative analysis should be carried out based on:

Chronicle data (most of them);
Documents (much less);
Archaeological data;
Numismatics and other sciences.

But no matter how deep the analysis is carried out by historians and ordinary people, this will not allow them to obtain the most reliable information about this event, as it actually happened. The same applies to many other historical facts. No historian can say about any event in the past: “I know how it really happened!” This statement rather speaks of his lack of professionalism. A historian must question facts and look for evidence.

Sources of the Battle of Kulikovo briefly

The sources of the Battle of Kulikovo are presented in a very diverse manner, primarily we are talking about chronicles. The earliest information about those events is a short chronicle that tells about the battle on the Don. The term “Battle of Kulikovo” itself was introduced in the 19th century. The chronicle story was recorded in the Trinity Chronicle, its approximate writing was 1406-1408. The Trinity Chronicle itself was lost in a fire in 1812, but historians can only use Karamzin’s records mainly. It is worth considering that the story about the battle on the Don is the most reliable source.

The legend about the Battle of Mamaev is a source of the 16th century; the narrative about the course of the battle is presented there colorfully, but historians have come to the conclusion that it is not reliable. This source rather sets out the meaning of the battle for people in the 16th century.

Another source is the Synodikon of the Murdered. Its dating is between the 14th and 15th centuries. This source mentions several princes and boyars who died in the battle.

Let’s also not forget about such a famous historical literary monument - “Zadonshchina”. There are several opinions about when the work was written. Some believe that it was written immediately after the battle, others argue that in the first half of the 15th century. However, this source does not contain detailed information about the battle itself. This is just a literary work that conveys to us the vision of the author himself. But this is a wonderful work and you can still glean some information from it.

So, the main sources about the Battle of Kulikovo:

“A short chronicle story about the massacre on the Don”;
“The Tale of the Massacre of Mamayev”;
Synodik on the murdered;
"Zadonshchina."

Reasons for the Battle of Kulikovo briefly

The most important fact that influenced the causes of the Battle of Kulikovo was the relationship between Russia and the Golden Horde. In 1359, Khan Berdibek, son of Janibek, died; he did not die himself. The “Great Rebellion” begins in the Horde - 25 khans changed in 20 years. It was then that the temnik Mamai became popular; he was not a Genghisid and was not from the highest aristocracy, but he was still able to make excellent career advancement in the Horde.

Relations with the Horde were very important for Rus'; sometimes there were those who refused to pay the “Horde exit”. The output is a domestic tax. Refusal to pay this tax entailed consequences, namely the arrival of a punitive expedition of the Ordynts on the territory. In general, we tried not to quarrel with the Horde.

For the absence of a constant threat, one had to pay a “way out.” On the one hand, this state of affairs had a good effect on the principalities. Many got a chance to improve their inner lives, and Moscow took advantage of this. Since the reign of Ivan Kalita, the Moscow prince received the status of the Vladimir prince, and he himself began to collect tribute from all the principalities in favor of the Horde. There are some assumptions that not all the tribute went to the Horde, some ended up in Moscow.

At the beginning of the 14th century. Civil strife began within the Golden Horde. Dmitry Donskoy in the second half of the 14th century. decided that this was the right time to try to weaken the influence of the Horde on Rus', here are some reasons for the Battle of Kulikovo:

Donskoy stopped paying tribute to the Horde;
The desire of Rus' to free itself from the Horde;
In 1378, the Russians won a victory on the river. Vozhe;
Internecine wars within the Golden Horde;

Prince Dmitry gathers other princes and calls on them to unite. Khan Mamai gathers an army and sets off on a campaign against Rus'.

The troops of the Golden Horde represented a very serious opponent. It was a perfectly organized army according to the Mongol model. Which included light steppe cavalry, plus bagaturs - elite heavy cavalry. By and large, the Russians had not won large battles, especially in the steppe zone, for a long time against the Mongols - such experience was absent. We were increasingly interested in the West - the threat from their side.

The course of the Battle of Kulikovo briefly

The Battle of Vozha, one might say, became the prologue to the victory on the Kulikovo Field. Let's take a closer look at the course of the Battle of Kulikovo. Mamai began to prepare for war; he no longer considered carrying out some kind of solo raid; after the defeat of 1378, his intentions were very tough. Two years of preparation and in 1380 the army went to Rus'. At the same time, he was able to negotiate with Jagiel, Prince of Lithuania, so that he would also act with the Mongols against Rus'. The Ryazan principality was forced to fight on the side of Mamai, since it was captured back in 1374 by the Horde.

In the first days of August 1380, Donskoy was informed. That Mamai’s army came to Rus'. Dmitry reacted instantly; we need to mobilize our troops. By August 15, everyone was supposed to arrive in Kolomna, near Moscow. By August 20, all the troops united and set off towards Serpukhov, where the troops of the local prince were also waiting for them. Near Serpukhov there were convenient fords across the river. Oku - Senkin Ford, for example. Therefore, the localization in this particular locality was not accidental.

On August 26, Russian troops crossed the Oka River and are heading towards the Great Steppe. On September 6, 1380, the troops stopped near the river. Untruths. It is worth noting that the troops moved extremely slowly, even at that time. Early in the morning of September 8, the united Russian army crosses to the other side of the Don.

We have an idea of exactly how the battle took place only from such a source as the “Mamaevo Massacre”, but this source is extremely unreliable, as we discussed above. It is clear that the Horde sent light cavalry each time to fire at the Russian troops. The Russians responded with advanced skirmishers, pulling heavy cavalry forward. And apparently a special role was played by the leadership talent of such a commander as Bobrov-Volynsky - the most experienced of all. His strategy could bring the Tatars under the attack of heavy cavalry, which overthrew the Tatar troops. As for the attack by the ambush regiment, it is difficult to judge whether it actually happened (data about it is dated much later).

As for the number of troops, it is difficult to determine the number. There are even cosmic figures of 400-500 thousand people. But such a number of soldiers could not fit on the landscape of the Kulikovo Field. Many historians, based on available data, suggest that there were about 10-12 thousand Russian troops. There were more Mongols, this is evidenced by the fact that they were constantly advancing, which means they had significant forces for this. But calculating the exact amount is quite difficult.

Summary of the Battle of Kulikovo

The result for the Mongols was disappointing. The rest of the army, led by Mamai, had to flee to Crimea. Mamai soon died there. The Mongol failed to gather the strength to go to Rus' again. The victory had a huge impact on the Russian people. It became clear that the Horde was not so invincible, it could be fought. And for the Golden Horde, the defeat on the Kulikovo Field was almost the first such large-scale and devastating one.

The results of the Battle of Kulikovo were briefly as follows:

The fall of the myth of the invincibility of the Horde;
The Russian people got the opportunity to fight the Mongol yoke;
Moscow rose in power, its authority on the territory of Rus' became indisputable.

Battle of Kulikovo briefly the most important video

The scheme of the Battle of Kulikovo is an important topic in the study of this event in the history of medieval Rus' of the 14th century. It indicates the participants in the battle, the location of the troops, the location of the regiments, cavalry and infantry, as well as the features of the terrain. It clearly shows the course of the battle and therefore must be used when addressing the topic of the struggle for liberation from the Tatar-Mongol yoke.

General characteristics of the era

The diagram of the Battle of Kulikovo allows us to better understand the strategic maneuver undertaken by the Moscow prince and his entourage for victory. However, before embarking on such an analysis, it is necessary to briefly characterize the socio-political situation in the Russian lands. Already by the middle of the 14th century, there was a tendency to unite the fragmented principalities into a single state. Moscow became the center around which this important process began. However, its superiority was not yet decisive, since at the time in question there were still other strong principalities whose rulers aspired to become all-Russian leaders.

One of the most significant events of the time in question was the Battle of Kulikovo. was marked by a number of important phenomena. In the middle of the century, a crisis began in the Golden Horde. Civil strife began to occur in it, one khan replaced another, which could not but weaken it. However, with the actual coming to power of Mamai (who ruled on behalf of the ruler who was under his influence), the situation changed. He began to gather forces to strike Russian lands, and he succeeded. Temnik even enlisted the support of Prince Jagiello and used the Genoese cavalry. Moscow Prince Dmitry Donskoy also gathered a large army from almost all the principalities and set out to meet the enemy.

Packing and starting the hike

The Battle of Kulikovo (14th century) became the largest military conflict in medieval Rus'. It made a great impression on contemporaries, as evidenced by the appearance of a number of literary monuments dedicated to this event. Dmitry Ivanovich carefully prepared for battle. He called for help from all the Russian princes who united under the banner of Moscow. The gathering was appointed at Kolomna, an important strategic point near the capital of the principality. From here the troops advanced to the Don and, having reached this river, crossed it in order to cut off their path to retreat in advance.

Troop disposition

The diagram of the Battle of Kulikovo shows how the opposing sides deployed their forces. Below is shown how the infantry were positioned. Ahead of the Russian troops stood a guard, or advanced regiment. His main task was to withstand the enemy's onslaught and protect a large regiment. At the rear there were reserve units that covered the main forces. There were two regiments on the right and left. The main idea was the decision to hide a special separate ambush regiment for a surprise attack on the enemy.

The Mongol forces consisted of cavalry and infantry and a Genoese unit. Mamai also expected and counted on the help of Prince Jagiello, who also moved with his forces to help him. The task of the Russian command was to prevent the union of their groups.

Before the collision

The diagram of the Battle of Kulikovo clearly shows the features of the location of combat forces. The location of the ambush regiment can undoubtedly be considered a successful decision by the prince and his assistants. However, Mamai’s powers were also very great. In addition, the battle took place in an area surrounded on three sides by river flows: the field was located in a bend where the Nepryadva River flows into the Don. The main stages of the Battle of Kulikovo are as follows: a duel, confrontation between troops and pursuit of the enemy by Russian regiments.

Start of the battle

The battle of September 8, 1380, also called the “Mamaevo Massacre,” began with a duel between two fighters: Peresvet and Chelubey, who died in the clash. After this, the battle of the troops began. The main goal of the Mongols was to crush and overturn the main regiment, but it was successfully defended by the soldiers of the advanced detachment. With the help of reserve forces, the soldiers of the large regiment held out and withstood the enemy's onslaught. Then Mamai unleashed forces on the flanks. The right-hand regiment was greatly weakened, but the Mongols managed to break through the forces on the left flank. Thus, they were able to bypass the main forces and press them to the river.

Climax of the battle

The Battle of Kulikovo, in which the troops were positioned in such a way that the Russians had no possibility of retreat, after the events described above, entered a decisive stage. When the Mongol cavalry broke through the left regiment, an ambush army unexpectedly entered the battle under the command of Prince Vladimir Andreevich Serpukhovsky and the governor. It was these forces that determined the outcome of the battle. The regiment attacked the enemy's cavalry, which, taking flight, crushed its own cavalry. This was a decisive turning point in the course of the battle, which determined the victory of the Russians.

Final stage and significance

The story of the Battle of Kulikovo ends with the flight of Mamai and his remaining forces from the battlefield. For some time Russian troops pursued them. Temnik fled to Crimea, where he was soon defeated by the new ruler, Tamerlane, where he was killed.

The importance of the battle of 1380 is enormous. Firstly, she raised the question of the final liberation of Russian lands from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Secondly, it strengthened the prestige and power of Moscow as the basis and initiator of the unification of fragmented principalities into a single state. Thirdly, the victory contributed to the spiritual uplift of the Russian people, who dedicated a number of outstanding literary monuments to this event, the most famous of which are “Zadonshchina” and “The Tale of the Massacre of Mamayev.”

Results

After the Battle of Kulikovo, the Tatar-Mongol yoke was not overthrown. The final liberation occurred only a hundred years later. Nevertheless, after this significant victory, Dmitry Donskoy in his will expressed the hope of liberating the Russian lands from Horde dependence, and also, without the sanction of the Horde khan, bequeathed to his eldest heir the Grand Duchy of Vladimir, a label for which previously only the khans had always granted. And although two years later Moscow experienced a terrible invasion by the new Horde ruler Tokhtamysh, who devastated it, nevertheless it became obvious that this city became the center of the unification of Russian lands. The Massacre of Mamaev showed her strength and ability to organize troops to fight the enemy. After this event, he took on the role of initiator in the unification of Russian lands. Many historians pay attention to the fact that a big role in this was played by the fact that Moscow gathered almost all the forces from Russian lands for the battle.

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