Once in one of the universities I happened to hear a comic student song, which began with the words “How sandpipers gathered on the Kulikovo Field, and shelves were quickly built in a stupid manner. As they breathed in fumes, it smelled a mile away. Let's push up guys! The enemy will be defeated! In Soviet times it was. Why do you remember this joking song now? Moreover, on September 8, 1380, that is, 637 years ago, the Mamaev massacre took place, or the Battle of Kulikovo, in which the Russian army, gathered by the Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy, defeated the army of one of, as they would say now, the leaders of the Golden Horde - Mamai … Some historians believe that this victory became a kind of source for the emergence of Russia - in all its strength and glory, in all its greatness. So what kind of jokes are there? True, there is another point of view, which says,that the Battle of Kulikovo is just one of the episodes that does not stand out from a number of other similar episodes that predetermined the future rise of Russia and the weakening of its rivals.
History, myths and legends
Be that as it may, the event, frankly, is extraordinary. Even, one might say, majestic. This is despite the fact that, perhaps, those who speak of the carnage as just an episode are right. We will return to this issue later. For now, let's just note that the Battle of Kulikovo still remains largely a mystery, covered in darkness. No matter how hard and hard scientists try to open the veil of this mystery, but still, each new version refutes the previous one, in order to be refuted itself after a while. There are many different layers, conflicting legends, fragmentary information, vague legends. Although scientists still managed to unravel something. In some ways they agree. But who knows if something will appear that will again force them to enter into polemics even on seemingly already clarified issues.
Casus belli
Everyone agrees that the immediate, formal reason that eventually led to the battle was that Dmitry Donskoy refused Mamai his demand to increase the tribute. Mamai demanded to be paid as much as they paid under Janibek. However, according to historians, this is really only a formal reason. Historians tell us that in the second half of the XIV century there was a simultaneous strengthening of both the Moscow principality and the positions of Mamai, who fought for power in the Golden Horde. We will not go into the details of the policy of Mamai and Dmitry, we will only say that they simply could not but collide. And now the moment has come.
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But intelligence reported exactly
Yes, it became known about Mamai's plans in Moscow in advance. The fact is that Zakhary Tyutchev was sent to him with gold. For negotiations. But, apparently, not only for negotiations. Because it was from him that it became known about Mamai's alliance with the Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagail and Oleg Ryazansky. Then two more so-called watchmen were sent for the language. The information was confirmed. Even the approximate time of the proposed invasion of Mamai with the allies became known.
How many were there?
Now it's worth talking about discrepancies, legends, myths, confusion in evaluating facts and figures. Let's start, perhaps, with the size of the Russian army, preparing to repel the attack. Here, as the accountants say, numbers do not hit. Suffice it to say that it was said about two hundred thousand soldiers of the Moscow principality, together with allies, and about four hundred thousand. However, later scientists agreed on fifty to sixty thousand. But that's not all. Some researchers note that in fact, six to ten (6-10) thousand people could participate directly in the battle from the Moscow army, as, by the way, from the Mamai army. In this case, mostly horsemen. And thus, it was, in fact, an equestrian battle, and it lasted not three chronicle hours, but about half an hour. The same inconsistencies in the assessment of the number of Mamai's troops:from sixty to eight hundred thousand people. And, of course, six to ten thousand horsemen, if we accept the version of a short-term equestrian fight.
And now they found a large field
Scientists, relying on information from the chronicles, where it was said that the battle took place on the Don, the mouth of the Nepryadva, found out that at that time there was … a forest on the left bank of the Nepryadva. Solid. No field for you. However, a treeless area was found. And, in fact, the size of the place of hostilities was determined - two kilometers in length, eight hundred (maximum) meters in width. So, having received such dimensions, they began to say that from six to ten thousand horsemen from both sides took part in the battle.
Blessing of Sergius of Radonezh
Everyone who is in the slightest degree interested in the history of the Battle of Kulikovo is undoubtedly aware of the episode of the blessing of the Russian army by Sergius of Radonezh. As noted, information about him received such distribution thanks to the life of the monk. It is said that at first Sergius of Radonezh advised the prince to show humility and honor Mamai with gifts in order to save Christian lives. When Dmitry said that he had already done this, and Mamai did not calm down, the elder blessed him, predicting victory. But it is also noted that in the early sources about the battle there is no fact of such a blessing.
Peresvet and Chelubey
The same story is with the famous battle before the battle of the monk of Peresvet with the Tatar warrior Chelubey. And the very course of their duel is described in different sources in different ways, and even the fact of its holding is not recognized by all historians.
Don icon of the Mother of God
There is another interesting legend associated with the Mamayev massacre. Allegedly after the battle, returning to Moscow, the prince drove to Sirotin, a Cossack town. And there he received an icon as a gift, which later became one of the greatest Russian relics. According to another version, the Cossacks themselves arrived with the icon in the camp of the Russian army even before the battle, and during the battle she was in this camp, and the victory was won thanks to her intercession. In any case, today it is known as the Don Icon of the Mother of God. In the Russian Empire, she was a particularly revered shrine, and she was always addressed when there was a danger of an enemy invasion.
Burn the bridges behind you
Our task is not to give a detailed description of the Battle of Kulikovo itself. Everything was there. And sober calculation, and luck, and cunning, and audacity. At first, the Russian army found itself in a very difficult situation, but then the course of the battle was reversed, and only great losses, as some historians note, did not allow the success to be developed. One thing can be highlighted: it would probably not be too great an exaggeration to say that the battle was won even before it began. Dmitry moved the army to the southern bank of the Don and destroyed the bridges behind him, thus solving two problems: he did not allow Mamai to join the allies and provided the rear of the troops in case of their approach.
Than the heart calmed down
And now let's return to the historians' assessment of the consequences of the Battle of Kulikovo. As mentioned above, someone believes that from her, to some extent, began, or rather, received the opportunity to continue, the formation of great Russia. That Russia, which then grew to an empire and under various names, having experienced more than once a change in the political system, exists to this day. Since this is both a huge step towards liberation from dependence on the Golden Horde, and a Christian feat of resisting the aggression of the Gentiles. Others, as noted, say that the significance of this battle should not be exaggerated, that Tokhtamysh became its real beneficiary, who received the weakening of both Mamai and Dmitry, that the dominion of the Golden Horde rulers has not gone anywhere. But the fact thatthat after the battle, Moscow turned into a kind of ideological center for the unification of the East Slavic lands should not be overlooked.
Symbol of spiritual achievement
Be that as it may, here we come to the question that real historical facts (the reality and interpretation of which are so different in the study and interpretation of scientists) and their symbolic meaning often do not coincide. Symbols have their own content. And it often and densely plays a much more important role in the formation of this or that state than historical reality (again, reality, which is different for different researchers). The Battle of Kulikovo became one of such symbols. Its content for a Russian person (Russian in the broadest, supranational sense) is uplifting. There is something to rely on, something to push off from in order to rush upward.
Mark Raven