Battle of the Russians with the Polovtsians
1111 year. On February 26, Vladimir Monomakh, at the head of the united princely squads, sets out from Pereyaslavl on a long-distance campaign against the Polovtsy, in order to defeat their nomad camps in the Don steppes and eradicate the threat of raids that constantly hangs over Russian lands.
The Kiev prince Svyatopolk, prince Davyd Svyatoslavich, squads from Smolensk, Chernigov, Novgorod-Seversky participate in the campaign.
In an effort to rally the united army, Vladimir Monomakh gives the campaign the character of a war for faith. Going to war, the princes make a solemn kiss of the cross. Priests with icons and banners follow with the army. At the walls of the besieged settlements and before the battles, prayers are performed. In later Russian historiography, this war with the Polovtsy is often called the "Russian crusade"
Vladimir Monomakh
In the campaign, the Russian army is successful. Some Polovtsian "vezhs" surrender without a fight, others are easily taken on the move.
The offensive of the Russians becomes disastrous for the Polovtsians. At the end of winter and in early spring, the supplies of the nomads were depleted, and the destruction of the camps deprived them of all opportunities for survival. Finally, on March 27, 1111, a decisive battle took place on the Salnitsa River. In a bloody battle, the Polovtsy were completely defeated. Khan Sharukan managed to escape with a small detachment of close associates, but nothing could change this.
Battle with the Polovtsy at Salnitsa
The victory of the Russian squads was unconditional. During the entire subsequent reign of Monomakh, the Polovtsy in Rus' was no longer feared.
N.I. Kostomarov. Russian history in the biographies of its main figures. Section 1. Chapter 4. Prince Vladimir Monomakh.
Vladimir again undertook a campaign with the princes, which, more than all others, was clothed with glory in the eyes of his contemporaries. Tradition associated miraculous omens with him. They say that on February 11 at night a pillar of fire appeared over the Pechersk Monastery: first it stood over a stone meal, moved from there to the church, then stood over the tomb of Theodosius, finally rose towards the east and disappeared. This phenomenon was accompanied by lightning and thunder. The scholars explained that it was an angel announcing victory over the infidels to the Russians. In the spring, Vladimir and his sons, Prince Svyatopolk of Kiev with his son, Yaroslav and David and his son went to Sula in the second week of Lent, crossed Psyol, Vorskla and on March 23 came to the Don, and on 27 on Holy Monday they utterly defeated the Polovtsy on the Salnitsa River and returned back with a lot of booty and captives. Then, says the chronicle, the fame of the exploits of the Russians passed to all peoples: Greeks, Poles, Czechs, and even reached Rome. Since then, the Polovtsy have ceased to disturb the Russian land for a long time.
S.M. Soloviev. History of Russia since ancient times. Volume 2. Chapter 3. Events under the grandchildren of Yaroslav I (1093-1125)
Svyatopolk, Vladimir and Davyd went with their sons, they went on the second Sunday of Great Lent, on Friday they reached Sula, on Saturday they were at Khorol, where they abandoned the sleigh; on Sunday of the Cross we went from Khorol and reached Psel; from there they went and stood on the Golta River, where they waited for the rest of the soldiers and went to Vorskla; here on Wednesday Kissed the cross with many tears and moved on, crossed many rivers and on Tuesday in the sixth Week reached the Don. From here, putting on armor and lining up regiments, they went to the Polovtsian city of Sharukan, and Vladimir ordered his priests to ride in front of the regiments and sing prayers; the inhabitants of Sharukan came out to meet the princes, brought them fish and wine; the Russians spent the night here and the next day, on Wednesday, they went to another city, Sugrov, and set it on fire; on Thursday they set off from the Don, and on Friday, March 24, the Polovtsy gathered, equipped their regiments and moved against the Russians. Our princes put all their hope in God, says the chronicler, and said to each other: "We die here; we will stand strong!" kissed each other and, raising their eyes to heaven, called on the god on high. And God helped the Russian princes: after a fierce battle, the Polovtsy were defeated, and many of them fell.
The Russians celebrated Lazarus Sunday and the Annunciation merrily the next day, and on Sunday they went further. On Holy Monday, many Polovtsy gathered again, and the Russian regiments surrounded the Salnitsa River. When the Russian regiments collided with the Polovtsian regiments, it sounded like thunder, the abuse was fierce, and a lot fell from both sides; finally, Vladimir and Davyd set out with their regiments; seeing them, the Polovtsy rushed to run and fell before Vladimirov's regiment, invisibly struck by an angel; many people saw their heads flying, cut off by an invisible hand. Svyatopolk, Vladimir and Davyd glorified God, who gave them such a victory over the filthy ones; the Russians took a lot of stock - they took a lot of cattle, horses, sheep and convicts with their hands. The victors asked the prisoners: "How did you have such strength, and you could not fight us, but immediately ran?" They answered: "How can we fight with vamps? Others ride over you in bright and terrible armor and help you." These are angels, the chronicler adds, sent by God to help Christians; the angel put in the heart of Vladimir Monomakh to excite his brothers against foreigners. So, with God's help, the Russian princes came home to their people with great glory, and their glory spread throughout all distant countries, reached the Greeks, Hungarians, Poles, Czechs, even reached Rome.
We have given the chronicler's news of the Don campaign of the princes against the Polovtsy with all the details to show what great significance this campaign had for contemporaries. The times of Svyatoslav the Old faded from memory, and after that none of the princes went so far to the east, and against whom? On those terrible enemies that Kyiv and Pereyaslavl have seen more than once under their walls, from which entire cities fled; The Polovtsians were defeated not in Russian volosts, not on the borders. but in the depths of their steppes; hence the religious animation with which the event is told in the annals is understandable: only an angel could inspire Monomakh with the idea of such an important enterprise, an angel helped the Russian princes defeat numerous hordes of enemies: the glory of the campaign spread to distant countries; it is clear how it spread in Rus' and what fame it deserved main character undertakings, that prince, to whom the angel invested the idea of inciting the brothers to this campaign; Monomakh appeared under the special protection of heaven; before his regiment, it is said, the Polovtsy fell, invisibly struck by an angel. And for a long time Monomakh remained in the memory of the people as the main and only hero of the Don campaign, for a long time there was a legend about how he drank the Don with a golden helmet, how he drove the accursed Agarians through the Iron Gates.
N.M. Karamzin. History of Russian Goverment. Volume 2. Chapter 6. Grand Duke Svyatopolk-Michael.
Finally, Monomakh again persuaded the Princes to act with united forces, and at a time when the people were fasting, listening to the prayers of Great Lent in churches, the soldiers gathered under the banners. It is worth noting that about this time there were many air phenomena in Russia, and the earthquake itself; but prudent people tried to encourage the superstitious, interpreting to them that extraordinary signs sometimes portend extraordinary happiness for the State, or victory: for the Russians then knew no other happiness. The most peaceful Monks excited the Princes to slay the evil adversaries, knowing that the God of peace is also the God of armies, moved by love for the good of the fatherland. The Russians set out on February 26 and on the eighth day were already on the Goltva, waiting for the rear detachments. On the banks of the Vorskla they solemnly kissed the cross, preparing to die generously; left many rivers behind them and on March 19 they saw the Don. There the warriors put on their armor and marched south in orderly ranks. This famous campaign is reminiscent of Svyatoslav, when the brave grandson of Ruriks went from the banks of the Dnieper to crush the greatness of the Kozar Empire. His brave knights, perhaps, encouraged each other with songs of war and bloodshed: the Vladimirovs and Svyatopolkovs listened with reverence to the church singing of the priests, whom Monomakh ordered to go before the army with crosses. The Russians spared the enemy city of Osenev (for the inhabitants greeted them with gifts: with wine, honey and fish); the other, named Sugrov, was reduced to ashes. These cities on the banks of the Don existed until the very invasion of the Tatars and were probably founded by the Kozars: the Polovtsians, having taken possession of their country, themselves already lived in houses. On March 24, the Princes defeated the barbarians and celebrated the Annunciation along with victory; but two days later fierce enemies surrounded them on all sides on the banks of the Sal. The battle, the most desperate and bloody, proved the superiority of the Russians in the art of war. Monomakh fought like a true Hero and broke the enemy with the quick movement of his regiments. The chronicler says that an angel punished the Polovtsy from above and that their heads, cut off by an invisible hand, flew to the ground: God always invisibly helps the brave. - The Russians, satisfied with the many prisoners, booty, glory (which, according to contemporaries, spread from Greece, Poland, Bohemia, Hungary to Rome itself), returned to their fatherland, no longer thinking about their ancient conquests on the shores of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, where the Polovtsians are without doubts then prevailed, having taken possession of the Vospor kingdom, or the Tmutorokan Principality, whose name has since disappeared in our chronicles
A TALE OF TIME YEARS
In the year 6619 (1111). God put the thought into Vladimir's heart to compel his brother Svyatopolk to go to the pagans in the spring. Svyatopolk, on the other hand, told his retinue Vladimir's speech. The squad said: "Now is not the time to destroy the smerds, tearing them away from the arable land." And Svyatopolk sent to Vladimir, saying: "We should come together and think about it with the retinue." The envoys came to Vladimir and conveyed the words of Svyatopolk. And Vladimir came, and they gathered at Dolobsk. And they sat down to think in one tent Svyatopolk with his retinue, and Vladimir with his. And after a silence, Vladimir said: "Brother, you are older than me, speak first, how would we take care of the Russian land." And Svyatopolk said: "Brother, you begin." And Vladimir said: “How can I speak, and your squad and mine will speak against me, that he wants to destroy the smerds and the arable land of the smerds. in the spring this smerd will begin to plow on that horse, and the Polovchin, having arrived, will hit the smerd with an arrow and take that horse and his wife, and set him on fire in the threshing floor. Why don’t you think about this? And the whole squad said: "Indeed, truly, it is so." And Svyatopolk said: "Now, brother, I am ready (to go to the Polovtsians) with you." And they sent to Davyd Svyatoslavich, ordering him to speak with them. And Vladimir and Svyatopolk got up from their seats and said goodbye, and went to the Polovtsy Svyatopolk with his son Yaroslav, and Vladimir with his sons, and Davyd with his son. And they went, placing their hope in God and in his most pure Mother, and in his holy angels. And they went on a campaign on the second Sunday of Great Lent, and on Friday they were at Sula. On Saturday they reached Khorol, and then the sleigh was abandoned. And on that Sunday they went when they kiss the cross. They came to Psel, and from there they crossed and stood on Golta. Here they waited for the soldiers, and from there they moved to Vorskla, and there the next day, on Wednesday, they kissed the cross, and placed all their hope on the cross, shedding abundant tears. And from there they passed through many rivers in the sixth week of fasting. And we went to the Don on Tuesday. And they dressed in armor, and built regiments, and went to the city of Sharukan. And Prince Vladimir, riding in front of the army, ordered the priests to sing troparia, and kontakions of the honest cross, and the canon of the Holy Mother of God. And they went to the city in the evening, and on Sunday the townspeople went out of the city to the Russian princes with a bow, and carried out fish and wine. And slept there for the night. And the next day, on Wednesday, they went to Sugrov and set him on fire, and on Thursday they went to the Don; on Friday, the next day, March 24, the Polovtsy gathered, built their regiments and went into battle. Our princes put their hope on God and said: "Here is death for us, let us stand firm." And they said goodbye to each other and, turning their eyes to heaven, called on the Most High God. And when both sides came together and there was a fierce battle. God on high turned his gaze on the foreigners with anger, and they began to fall before the Christians. And so the foreigners were defeated, and many enemies, our adversaries, fell before the Russian princes and soldiers on the Degeya stream. And God helped the Russian princes. And they gave praise to God that day. And the next morning, on Saturday, they celebrated Lazarus Sunday, the Annunciation Day, and, giving praise to God, spent Saturday, and waited until Sunday. On the Monday of Passion Week, the foreigners again gathered a great multitude of their regiments and set out, like a great forest, in thousands of thousands. And the Russians overlaid the regiments. And the Lord God sent an angel to help the Russian princes. And the Polovtsian regiments and the Russian regiments moved, and the regiment fought with the regiment, and, like thunder, there was a crackling of the battled ranks. And a fierce battle ensued between them, and people fell from both sides. And Vladimir began to advance with his regiments and Davyd, and, seeing this, the Polovtsy turned to flight. And the Polovtsy fell in front of Vladimirov's regiment, invisibly killed by an angel, which many people saw, and their heads flew to the ground, invisibly chopped off. And they beat them on Monday of the Passionate month of March 27. A lot of foreigners were beaten on the Salnitsa River. And God saved his people, Svyatopolk, and Vladimir, and Davyd glorified God, who gave them such a victory over the pagans, and they took a lot, and cattle, and horses, and sheep, and captured many captives with their hands. And they asked the captives, saying: "How is it that such a force and such a multitude of you could not resist and so quickly turned to flight?" They answered, saying: "How can we fight you when some others rode over you in the air with brilliant and terrible weapons and helped you?" It can only be angels sent from God to help Christians. After all, it was an angel who put into the heart of Vladimir Monomakh the idea of raising his brethren, the Russian princes, against foreigners. After all, as we said above, a vision was seen in the Caves Monastery, as if a pillar of fire stood over the refectory, then moved to the church and from there to Gorodets, and there was Vladimir in Radosyn. It was then that the angel gave Vladimir the intention to go on a campaign, and Vladimir began to induce the princes, as has already been said.
That is why it is necessary to give praise to the angels, as John Chrysostom said: for they always pray to the Creator to be merciful and meek to people.
Despite the turmoil among the princes, Monomakh managed to achieve the main thing: the Lyubech Congress laid the foundation for the unification of the Russian military forces against the Polovtsy. In 1100, in the city of Vitichev, not far from Kyiv, the princes gathered for a new congress in order to finally end the civil strife and agree on a joint campaign against the Polovtsians. By this time, Rus' was opposed by the two most powerful Polovtsian hordes - the Dnieper Polovtsy, led by Khan Bonyak, and the Don Polovtsy, led by Khan Sharukan.
Behind each of them were other khans, sons, numerous relatives. Both khans were experienced commanders, daring and courageous warriors, behind them were many years of raids, dozens of burnt Russian cities and villages, thousands of people taken prisoner. The Russian princes paid huge ransom money for peace to both of them. Now Monomakh called on the princes to free themselves from this heavy tax, to deliver a preemptive blow to the Polovtsy, to go on a campaign to the steppe.
Back in 1103, the Russian princes made a joint campaign against the Polovtsy. Monomakh then insisted on a performance in the spring, until the Polovtsy went out to the summer pastures and fed their horses to their heart's content. But Svyatopolk objected, who did not want to tear the smerds from their spring field work and ruin their horses. Monomakh made a short but vivid speech: “I marvel, squad, that you feel sorry for the horses on which they plow! and when he arrives in his village, will he take his wife and his children and all his property?
The Russian army, which included the squads of all prominent Russian princes (only Oleg, a friend of Bonyak, did not come, citing illness), as well as foot regiments, marched into the spring steppe. The decisive battle with the Polovtsy, who roamed between the Dnieper and the Sea of Azov, took place near the tract Suten, not far from the Azov coast. On the side of the Polovtsy, more than 20 prominent khans took part in it. The chronicler later wrote: “And the Polovtsian regiments moved like a forest, there was no end in sight; and Russia went to meet them. "But there was no freshness in the run of the Polovtsian horses, the Polovtsy failed to deliver their famous swift blow. The Russian squads boldly rushed towards them. The Polovtsy could not withstand the onslaught and turned back. Their army was scattered, most of the khans died under Russian swords Russian squads went along the Polovtsian "vezhas", freeing captives, capturing rich booty, driving away herds of horses and herds.
This was the first great Russian victory in the depths of the steppe. But they never reached the main camps of the Polovtsians. For three years the steppe calmed down and the Polovtsian raids stopped. Only in 1105 did the Polovtsians disturb the Russian lands. The following year, the Polovtsy raided again. And a year later, the united army of Bonyak and Sharukan again appeared in Rus', ruining the Kyiv and Pereyaslav lands. The united army of the Russian princes overturned them on the Khorol River with an unexpected counter blow. Bonyak's brother died, they almost captured Sharukan, captured a huge Polovtsian convoy. But the main forces of the Polovtsians went home.
And the Polovtsy fell silent again. But now the Russian princes did not wait for new raids. And in 1111, Rus' organized a grandiose campaign against the Polovtsy, which reached the heart of the Polovtsian lands. Peaceful relations were established with the neighboring friendly Polovtsians. During these years, Monomakh and Oleg married their sons Yuri Vladimirovich (the future Yuri Dolgoruky) and Svyatoslav Olgovich to the daughters of the allied Polovtsian khans.
This trip got off to an unusual start. When the army prepared to leave Pereyaslavl, the bishop and priests stepped in front of him, who carried out a large cross with singing. It was erected not far from the gates of the city, and all the soldiers, including the princes, passing by and passing by the cross, received the blessing of the bishop. And then, at a distance of 11 versts, representatives of the clergy moved ahead of the Russian army. And in the future, they walked in the convoy of the troops, where all the church utensils were located, inspired Russian soldiers to feats of arms.
Monomakh, who inspired this war, gave it the character of a crusade on the model of the crusades of the Western knights against the Muslims. In 1096, the first crusade began, ending with the capture of Jerusalem and the creation of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
The sacred idea of the liberation of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem from the hands of the infidels became the ideological basis of this and subsequent campaigns.
Information about the crusade and the liberation of Jerusalem quickly spread throughout the Christian world. Count Hugh of Vermandois, brother of the French king Philip I, son of Anna Yaroslavna, cousin of Vladimir Monomakh, Svyatopolk and Oleg took part in this crusade.
One of those who brought this information to Rus' was hegumen Daniel, who visited at the beginning of the 12th century. in Jerusalem, and then left a description of his journey. Daniel was one of Monomakh's associates. Perhaps he also owned the idea of giving the campaign of Rus' against the "nasty" character of the invasion of the cross.
Svyatopolk, Monomakh, Davyd Svyatoslavich and their sons went on a campaign. Squads and ordinary soldiers came from all Russian lands. Together with Monomakh, his four sons rode - Vyacheslav, Yaropolk, Yuri and nine-year-old Andrei.
The Polovtsy retreated into the depths of their possessions. Soon the Russian army approached the city of Sharukan - these were hundreds of adobe houses, wagons, surrounded by a low earthen rampart. Neither Khan Sharukan nor his troops were in the city. The attack did not take place: a deputation of the townspeople brought fish and bowls of wine to the Russian princes on huge silver dishes. This meant the surrender of the city to the mercy of the winners and the desire to give a ransom. The inhabitants of another city, Sugrova, where the Russian army approached the next day, refused to surrender, and then the city was taken. No prisoners were taken in this battle: Monomakh wanted to knock out the horde of Khan Sugrov from the general Polovtsian military forces for a long time.
The next day, the Russian army went to the Don and finally met with a large Polovtsian army. Before the battle, the princes embraced, said goodbye to each other and said: "Here is death to us, we will stand firm." In a fierce battle, the Polovtsy, not ready to fight with a well-organized and numerous army, could not withstand the onslaught and retreated.
The main forces of the parties converged three days later, on March 27, on the Solnitsa River, a tributary of the Don. According to the chronicler, the Polovtsy "came out like a great forest," there were so many of them, and they surrounded the Russian army from all sides. But Monomakh did not, as usual, stand still, but led his army towards the enemy. The warriors met in hand-to-hand combat, "and the regiment collided with the regiment, and, like thunder, there was a crackling of the colliding ranks."
The Polovtsian cavalry in this crowd lost its maneuver, and the Russians began to overcome in hand-to-hand combat. At the height of the battle, a thunderstorm began, the wind increased, and heavy rain fell. The Russians reorganized their ranks in such a way that the wind and rain hit the Polovtsians in the face. But they fought courageously and pressed the forehead (center) of the Russian army, where the people of Kiev fought; Monomakh came to their aid, leaving his "regiment of the right hand" to his son Yaropolk. The appearance of the banner of Monomakh in the center of the battle prevented panic. Finally, the Polovtsy could not stand the fierce battle and rushed to the Don ford. They were pursued and cut down, prisoners were not taken here either. About 10 thousand Polovtsy died on the battlefield, the rest threw down their weapons, asking to save their lives. Only a small part, led by Sharukan, went to the steppe.
The news of the Russian crusade in the steppe was delivered to Byzantium, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Rome. Thus, Rus' early XII V. became the left flank of the general offensive of Europe to the East.
Troubles in Rus' increased the activity of the Polovtsian hordes. The princes tried to rally their forces in the fight against them. In 1100 at a meeting in the city Vitichev they decided to undertake a joint campaign against the steppes. But it took another three years before the princes finally agreed. In 1103 they gathered with their squads near Dolobsky lake, to organize a trip to the steppe. Spring has come, the most convenient time for a campaign against the steppes; their horses after the winter have not yet gained strength on the newly green pastures.
A zealous host, Svyatopolk suggested postponing the campaign so as not to tear the smerds from their spring field work and not to kill the horses on the campaign. He was supported by some princes and boyars. Vladimir Monomakh put an end to disputes and hesitations: I wonder, squad, that you feel sorry for the horses on which they plow! And why don’t you think about the fact that the stink will begin to plow and, having arrived, the half-man will shoot him with a bow, and the horse will take him, and when he arrives in his village, he will take his wife and his children and all his property. So you feel sorry for the horse, but you don’t feel sorry for the smerd himself.
The united army moved on. Only an old friend of the Polovtsy Oleg did not take part in the campaign, citing illness. The Russian army overtook the Polovtsian camps not far from the Sea of Azov. Near the tract pimp she utterly defeated the enemy and went through the Polovtsian camps, freeing the captives and capturing rich booty.
For three years after that, the Polovtsy calmed down, and in 1106 the united army of the Dnieper Polovtsy, led by the Khan Bonyak and Don - led by Khan Sharukan again moved to Rus'. On the river Khorol Russian army again defeated the Polovtsian forces. The brother of Khan Bonyak died, the mighty Sharukan barely escaped capture.
In 1111, the Russian princes undertook a new grandiose campaign in the steppe, wishing to capture Sharukan, the main city of the Polovtsians. In order to provide support for some of the Polovtsian hordes, Vladimir Monomakh and Oleg shortly before that visited their camps, brought expensive gifts to the khans, and married their sons, Yuri Vladimirovich and Svyatoslav Olgovich, to their daughters.
Vladimir Monomakh attached importance to this campaign crusade against the pagan steppes, as the crusaders did in the fight against the Arabs. By this time, the first crusade had already taken place (1096 - 1099), which ended with the capture of Jerusalem and the creation of a Christian state in the Middle East. Count Hugh of Vermandois took part in this campaign - cousin Vladimir Monomakh, son of Anna Yaroslavna, Queen of France. Svyatopolk, Vladimir Monomakh, Oleg's brother Davyd went on a campaign. All of them were with their sons. Next to Monomakh were four of his sons, the youngest of them - nine-year-old Andrei.
The Russian army defeated the advanced detachments of the Polovtsy and went to Sharukan. Fish and bowls of wine were brought out to the princes on huge silver platters. The city surrendered to the mercy of the winner and expressed a desire to give a ransom. Another city - Sugrov - refused to surrender. The Russians took it by storm and burned it. The princes won another battle on the banks of the Don. Here is death to us, we will become firm,- they said, they hit the enemy, and the Polovtsy ran.
The main forces of the parties converged on March 27, 1111 on the river Solnitsa, tributary of the Don. According to the chronicler, the Polovtsians stepped out like a great forest. Monomakh himself led the army towards the enemy. In hand-to-hand combat Regiment collided with regiment, and, like thunder, there was a crash of colliding ranks. In this crowd, the Polovtsian cavalry lost the ability to maneuver, and in hand-to-hand combat, Russian soldiers knew no equal. The Polovtsy could not stand the stubborn battle and rushed to the ford. The Russians took no prisoners. About 10 thousand Polovtsians perished on the battlefield. Only a small part of them, together with Khan Sharukan, went to the steppe.
The victorious advance of Rus' on the steppe under Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Monomakh coincided in time with the beginning of the crusades in the Holy Land. Of course, with all the outward similarity, these military enterprises cannot be considered as phenomena of the same order * - their origins and goals were fundamentally different. The Crusades were the first experience of Western European colonialism, albeit in the form of an armed pilgrimage [see: Le Goff J. Civilization of the Medieval West. M., 1992, p. 66-69]. They were spiritually guided Catholic Church, driven mainly by the desire to solve the internal problems of the Christian West, torn apart by scandalous wars between fellow believers, and at the same time hoping to get into their own hands the means of dominating the recalcitrant class of secular feudal lords. The mystical ideology of the crusader host proclaimed by her - the acquisition of the heavenly Jerusalem by conquering the earthly Jerusalem - had, at least at first, an extremely strong impact on the minds of the people of the West, knights and peasants. But regardless of what motives the participants of the Crusades determined for themselves, the thirst for overseas lands and riches undoubtedly fascinated them most of all. Meanwhile, Rus' fought the Polovtsy on completely different political and ideological grounds. It was a purely defensive war, organized and led by secular authorities, which acted on the basis of their direct state duty to "stand up for the Russian land." Russian princes did not look for shrines in foreign countries - they protected churches, monasteries and relics that were in their own possessions. The prospect of capturing military booty probably captivated both princes and ordinary warriors, but, of course, was not the main incentive for them, and the religious aspect of campaigns in the steppe was exhausted by quite understandable enthusiasm at the sight of the triumph of Christian weapons over the "nasty".
* See, for example, V.O. Klyuchevsky: “This almost two-century struggle of Rus' with the Polovtsy has its own significance in European history. While Western Europe undertook an offensive struggle to the Asian east with crusades, when the same movement against the Moors began on the Iberian Peninsula, Rus', with its steppe struggle, covered the left flank of the European offensive "[Klyuchevsky V.O. Works in nine volumes. M., 1989. T. I, p. 284-285].
Thus, the Russian-Polovtsian border was not the "northern flank" in that grandiose battle for the Middle East, which throughout the 12th century. led between Europe and Asia. But does it follow from this that Rus' remained aloof from this fight, or did she nevertheless take part in the crusading epic to the best of her ability? A number of reputable scientists recognized the latter as highly probable. At one time N.M. Karamzin conjectured, however, based only on general considerations, that “Aleksei Komnenos, no doubt, invited the Russians to act against the common enemies of Christianity*; our fatherland had its own: but, probably, this circumstance did not prevent some Russian knights from seeking dangers and glory under the banner of the Crusade, especially since “many noble Kievans and Novgorodians were then (at the turn of the 11th-12th centuries - S. Ts .) in Jerusalem” as pilgrims [Karamzin N.M. History of Russian Goverment. T. 2-3. M., 1991, p. 89]. Since then, several medieval texts have come to the attention of scientists, which made judgments about the participation of Russian squads in the Crusades more confident. However, upon closer examination, the information from these sources should be recognized as unreliable, and their interpretations erroneous.
* According to Western European chroniclers of the 12th-13th centuries, the reason for organizing the First Crusade was the appeal of the Byzantine emperor Alexei I Komnenos to the Pope and Western European sovereigns with a call to help Byzantium in its struggle against the Seljuk Turks. In modern science, these news are often considered as a late falsification.
So, a message unique in its kind contains the anonymous "History of Jerusalem and Antioch" ("L "histoire de Jerusalem et d" Antioche", XIII century), where among the crusaders who distinguished themselves most during the siege of Nicaea * (1097), people "from Rus'" (de Russie) are mentioned. Some researchers made a hasty conclusion from this that, “contrary to the usual idea, Kievan Rus took part in the crusades” [Tikhomirov M.N. Ancient Rus', M., 1975, p. 35-36; see also: Pashuto V.T. Foreign policy Ancient Rus'. M., 1968, p. 140-141]. It is difficult to agree with this. And it's not even that this news can be questioned**. In the end, the presence of some “Russians” in the crusading army is reflected in the toponymy of medieval Palestine. Holding on, like immigrants from other European countries, as a close-knit ethnic group, they founded a “Russian city” in the Middle East, the name of which in various chronicles repeats the main variants of the name Rus, known from medieval sources: Rugia, Rossa, Russa, Roiia, Rugen, Rursia , Rusa (modern Ruyat in Syria) [see: Kuzmin A.G. Information from foreign sources about Rus' and Rugs // “Where did the Russian land come from”, book. 1. M., 1986, p. 664-682]. But it is unlikely that these "Russian" participants in the First Crusade were warriors of one of the Russian princes. Yaropolk Izyaslavich - the only Russian vassal of the Vatican who could take to heart the call of Pope Urban II to liberate the Holy Sepulcher (at the Clermont Cathedral in 1095) - died long before these events. As for the other most active Russian princes of this time - Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Vladimir Monomakh, Oleg Svyatoslavich, Davyd Igorevich and the Galician Rostislavichs, then in 1096-1099. they all had the most compelling reasons to keep their squads to themselves, tk. were embroiled in years of civil strife. Therefore, deaf references to the "Russian" crusaders should be sought for a different explanation.
*On the territory of the Sultanate of Iconium in Asia Minor. The capture of Nicaea was the first major success of the knightly militia of Gottfried of Bouillon on the way to Palestine.
** “It does not belong to the participant of the events; This news is of very late origin. Chroniclers - eyewitnesses of the First Crusade, naming in detail the various nationalities represented in the crusading rati, nowhere mention Russian warriors as part of the army that moved in 1096 to liberate the Palestinian shrines. Fulcherius of Chartres, for example, has a list of crusaders according to their nationality and ethnicity, up to two dozen names ... we find similar news in the chronicles of Peter Tudebot, Albert of Aachen, Raymond Azhilsky" [Fences M.A. News of Russian contemporaries about the crusades // Byzantine temporary. T. 31. M., 1971, p. 85, approx. 2; see more details: Zaborov M.A. Introduction to the historiography of the Crusades (Latin chronography of the XI-XIII centuries). M., 1966, p. 91, approx. 175].
And here two assumptions are possible. Firstly, it is possible that the "Russian" participants in the capture of Nicaea could be detachments of the Rus, who were in the service of the Byzantine emperor. According to Anna Komnenos (“Alexiad”, book XI), 2,000 Byzantine peltast soldiers* participated in the assault on Nicaea together with the crusaders. True, Anna is silent about their ethnicity, but the fact that one of the commanders of this detachment was called Radomir deserves attention. Byzantine soldiers accompanied the crusaders in their further march to Palestine. Anna writes that Alexei Komnenos gave the “Latins” an army under the command of one of his close associates, Tatikiy, “so that he would help the Latins in everything, share dangers with them and accept, if God sends it, the cities taken.” Tatikiy brought the crusaders to Antioch. Subsequently, Alexei Komnenos once again sent "an army and a fleet" to the Middle East coast to build a fortress near Tripoli.
* Peltasts are light infantry armed with spears and shields.
And yet, a more likely explanation for the ethnic nature of the "Russian" crusaders is the assumption of A.G. Kuzmin that they were from those numerous European "Rus", reports of which are full of medieval sources of the XI-XIII centuries. [see: Kuzmin. Information from foreign sources, p. 664-682]. I think that Rusyns who lived in Germany and Slavic Pomerania are best suited for this role. As the Charter of the Magdeburg tournament of 935 shows, among the participants of which are “Velemir, Princeps of Russia” and the Thuringian knights “Otto Redebotto, Duke of Russia” and “Wenceslas, Prince of Rugia” [see: Kuzmin. Information from foreign sources, p. 668], the local "Russian" nobility already at the beginning of the tenth century. was included in the feudal structure of the German state and therefore could well have joined the ranks of the knightly militia in 1096.
With even greater frivolity, the Galician prince of the end of the 12th century was enrolled in the crusading fighters against Muslims. Yaroslav Vladimirovich (Osmomysl) - on the basis of the appeal of the author of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" to the Russian princes with an appeal to protect the Russian land, where the following words are addressed to Yaroslav, among other things: from the gold of the table of saltani for the lands. Explaining this passage in the Lay, D.S. Likhachev, with reference to D.Dubensky’s “guess”*, accompanied it with a very loose translation: “You are sending troops against Saltan Saladin to Palestine”** [“The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”. Under. Ed. V.P. Adrianova-Peretz. M.-L., 1950, p. 443-444]. However, such an interpretation of the appeal to Yaroslav is completely unjustified, because, firstly, it is a blatant anachronism (Yaroslav Osmomysl died in 1187, and the Third Crusade against Saladin took place in 1189-1192) and, secondly, does not take into account the specific meaning of the term "saltan" in the mouth of the ancient Russian poet, who, following the quoted words, exclaims: "Shoot, master, Konchak, filthy koshchei [slave], for the Russian land, for Igor's wounds! ..". From this it follows that in ancient Rus' the leaders of the large Polovtsian hordes were called "saltans" ("lepsh princes", in the terminology of other monuments). The existence of this term in the Polovtsian environment is attested as a dictionary of the Polovtsian language of the 13th-14th centuries. (Codex Cumanicus), where the title soltan *** has the Latin equivalent rex (king), and toponymic data (the ancient settlement of Saltanovskoye on the banks of the Seversky Donets) [see: Bobrov A. G. Saltan // Encyclopedia "Words about Igor's Campaign" : in 5 volumes - St. Petersburg, 1995. T. 4. P - Word, p. 263].
* Dubensky Dmitry Nikitich (died in 1863) - Russian historian, master of Moscow University. I mean his commentary on this fragment"Words about Igor's Campaign" [see: Dubensky D.N. A word about Igor's plaku, Stslavl pest-maker of the old time / Explained according to ancient written monuments by master D. Dubensky. M., 1844, p. 158-160].
** In the comments to a later edition of the Lay, the scientist again emphasized that, according to the Lay, Yaroslav Galitsky "sends his troops to help the crusaders against Sultan Saladin" ["The Tale of Igor's Campaign" M.-L., 1955, With. 77, 78].
*** Borrowed by the Turkic peoples from the Arabs.
The most common misconceptions include the opinion that in the XII century. noble pilgrims from Northern Europe traveled to Byzantium and the Holy Land through the territory of ancient Rus'. But these statements are always illustrated by the same example with reference to the Knutlingasaga, which, in particular, tells how in 1098-1103. Danish king Eric I Eyegoda (the Good) went to worship in Jerusalem "through Russia" (he died in Cyprus before reaching the final goal of his pilgrimage). In the researchers' arrangement, this episode unfolds into a colorful picture of Eric's arrival in Kyiv, where he "was warmly received by Prince Svyatopolk II. The latter sent his squad, which consisted of the best warriors, to accompany Eric to the Holy Land. On the way from Kyiv to the Russian border, Eric was greeted enthusiastically everywhere. “Priests joined the procession, carrying holy relics to the singing of hymns and the ringing of church bells” * [Vernadsky G. Kyiv Rus. M., 1999, p. 356]. Here, a pure misunderstanding crept into the reasoning of historians, since the historical data on this trip of Eric Eyegoda testify that, before getting to Cyprus, he founded a refuge especially for Scandinavian travelers between Piacenza and Borgo San Donnino, attended the cathedral of 1098 in Bari and visited Rome, that is, he moved through Germany along the Rhine-Danube trade route ** [see: Dobiash-Rozhdestvenskaya O. A. The cult of St. Michael in the Latin Middle Ages of the 5th-13th centuries. // World of culture. No. 2004/02. http://www.m-kultura.ru/2004/02/oldport/dob/index.html; Nikitin A.L. Foundations of Russian history, M., 2001, p. 126-127], on which, obviously, one should look for the mentioned "Russia". Perhaps the "warm welcome" given to Eric by the "Russian king" took place in the same "Rus" that appears in " church history"Orderic Vitalis (first half of the 12th century), according to which the Norwegian king Sigurd, returning in 1111 from Jerusalem, "through Rus', married Malfrida, the daughter of the king." In Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla (XIII century), Sigurd's path runs through Bulgaria, Hungary, Pannonia, Swabia and Bavaria, and the Genealogy of the Danish Kings indicates that Sigurd married Malfried in Schleswig [see: Kuzmin. Information from foreign sources, p. 664-682].
* Quote from: B. Leib. Rome, Kiev et Byzance a la fin du XI-e siecle. Paris, 1924, p. 277.
** Which, in fact, was the shortest and most convenient route for travelers from Scandinavia and Northern Europe: “From which countries of the North or West the pilgrims did not come, those who moved along land roads entered Italy at Susa or Aosta. This is precisely the "southern" or "Roman" way to the Holy Land described by the Icelandic abbot and skald, Nikolai Semundarson; such are the French and English itineraries of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Travelers traveled to Rome along one of the old roads: Aosta - Ivrea - Vercelli - Pavia - Parma - Bologna - Imola - Forli - Arezzo - Viterbo - Rome; or Ark - Susa - Turin - Vercelli, etc., sometimes turning before Parma to Lucca - Siena - Viterbo. Rome was the final destination for a large part of those who did not think to go further to the Holy Land. Of these latter, however, many made a special journey to the Gargan cliff. In the Scandinavian itinerary, as a usual continuation of the southern route, the road to the Adriatic harbors is indicated via Albano, Terracina and Capua or via Ferentino, Ceprano, Aquino and San Jermino. From here, Jerusalem travelers (jorsalafarir) make a pilgrimage to Monte Cassiano, follow to Benvent to go to Monte Gargano (Mikaelsfjell) and then make their way through the harbors of the Adriatic coast, in search of a ship that would take them to the Holy Land ”[Dobiash-Rozhdestvenskaya . Cult of St. Michael, ch. VI].
The indifference of the Russian people to the overseas wars of the “Latins” can be clearly seen on the material of ancient Russian chronicles, whose information about a whole century of fierce struggle between the crusaders and Muslims for Palestine (from the end of the 11th to the end of the 12th centuries) is exhausted by several scattered news, strikingly different from the whole, detailed descriptions of the crusading wars, which are presented in abundance in Latin, Byzantine and Eastern chronicles, and, moreover, obtained clearly from second hand. Sometimes it’s just a phrase thrown in passing, behind which a wide historical subtext is guessed, such as, for example, the self-revealing words put into the mouths of the “Kids” (Khazar Jews, participants in the legendary “test of faith” at the court of Prince Vladimir): “God was angry with our fathers and squander we have sinned over our countries for our sakes, and our land has been betrayed to the Christian” (under 986). But more often we come across laconic remarks, like “Jerusalim was taken by the godless sracins” (Ipatiev Chronicle, under 1187) or “Christians took Jerusalem under the Turks this summer” (Gustynskaya Chronicle, under 1099). It is characteristic that in the latter case, the chronicler made an inaccuracy, which betrays his poor knowledge of the balance of power in Palestine on the eve of the First Crusade, since the “holy city” was recaptured by the crusaders not from the Turks, but from the Egyptian sultan, who in August 1098 took it away with the Seljuks. It is also worth noting that the vast majority of Old Russian news about the military enterprises of the crusaders is completely devoid of emotional coloring. Only once did a Kiev chronicler, author of articles in the Ipatiev Chronicle about the events of the 80s-90s. XII century, allowed himself to openly express sympathy for the participants in the Third Crusade (1189-1192). Having told about his failure and the death of Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa (1190), he confidently concluded that the fallen German knights would be considered martyrs for the faith: “These Germans, like holy martyrs, shed their blood for Christ with their Caesars, about these Lord our God, manifest signs ... and count me to My chosen flock in the face of martyrs ... ". But such sentiments were certainly the exception. The generally accepted attitude in Rus' towards the crusaders can rather be found in the Old Russian translation of the “History of the Jewish War” by Josephus. In one place of this work, the Russian scribe of the late 11th-early 12th century. added from himself to the text of the original a resolute condemnation of the Latins for unworthy behavior in the Holy Land (especially the knights got it for "bribery"), and at the end he nevertheless remarked: "But both are foreigners, and our teaching touches them," that is: although they foreigners and what to take from them, but Christians, like us. In a word, one can write in such a detached way only about infinitely “distant” wars, albeit grandiose in scale, but not at all affecting native penates.
If the Russian people of the XII-XIII centuries. and rushed to Palestine, it was by no means out of a desire to join the ranks of the liberators of the Holy Sepulcher. The crusades influenced Rus' only in the sense that they caused here a rapid revival of interest in pilgrimage to holy places [see: D. V. Ainalov. Some Russian data on Palestine // Communications of the Orthodox Palestinian Society. T. XVII. Issue. 3. St. Petersburg, 1906, p. 334 et seq.; Levchenko M. V. Essays on the history of Russian-Byzantine relations. M., 1956, p. 470], which even led to the emergence of a new social group - "kalik * passers-by", which became an integral part of ancient Russian life and literature. Some of these wanderers took the trouble to write down their impressions on the road. The most famous monument of this kind is the "Journey" to the Holy Land of Father Superior Daniel**. This educated and observant representative of the South Russian clergy*** visited Palestine between 1101 and 1113****, staying there, in his own words, 16 months. He lived mainly in Jerusalem, in the courtyard of the Orthodox monastery of St. Sava, from where he undertook wanderings throughout the country, having as his leader a "good leader", one of the knowledgeable elders of the monastery that sheltered him. The Jerusalem king Baldwin I (1100-1118), who became the head of the crusaders after the death of Gottfried of Bouillon, provided Daniel with all assistance in his travels around the Holy Land and visiting Christian shrines.
* From the Greek name for the special shoes worn by pilgrims during their travels - "kaligi".
** Full title: "The life and journey of Daniil of the Russian land of the abbot."
*** Most likely Chernigov, since in one place of his notes Daniel likened the Jordan to the river Snovi. Although rivers with this name are found in different areas of European Russia, in particular, near Voronezh [see: Gudziy Gudziy N.K. History of ancient Russian literature. M., 1945, p. 116], but still predominantly famous in the ancient Russian monuments of the XI-XII centuries. used again, flowing within the Chernigov Principality.
**** From the text of the "Journey" it is clear that Daniel wrote it after the death of Vseslav of Polotsk (1101) and before the death of Svyatopolk Izyaslavich (1113).
Regarding Daniel's "walking" in the scientific literature, it has also been suggested that his journey to Jerusalem was undertaken not only for religious reasons, but also had a political aspect. For example, M.N. Tikhomirov regarded it as obvious “evidence of the political participation of the Russian princes in the crusades ... That his (Daniel. - S. Ts.) mission to Palestine had some political significance, is clear from the fact that the Russian abbot negotiated with King Baldwin ... The Russian pilgrim was with his retinue, apparently numerous enough to protect against the attack of the Muslims ... ”[Tikhomirov. Ancient Rus', p. 35-36]. V. V. Danilov, who saw in this circumstance evidence that Daniil was the official envoy of Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, who allegedly wanted to establish diplomatic contacts with the sovereign of the Kingdom of Jerusalem [Danilov V.V. To the characterization of the "Journey" of Abbot Daniel // Proceedings of the Department ancient Russian literature Institute of Russian Literature of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. M.; L., 1954, p. 94]. And D. I. Likhachev suspected Daniil of an agent of the Chernigov princes, who allegedly sought support from the Latin Catholic authorities of the Holy Land against Vladimir Monomakh [Likhachev D. I. Literature of the second half of the XI-first quarter of the XII century // History of Russian literature. T.I. Literature X-XVIII centuries M.-L., 1958, p. 85]. Meanwhile, the text of the "Journey" certifies that Daniel's meeting with Baldwin was of an accidental nature, and all the "negotiations" with the leader of the crusaders, which the abbot mentions, consisted in the fact that he took the liberty of turning to the "prince of Jerusalem" with two requests: to give him protection from the Saracens and to allocate a “privileged” place at the feast of the convergence of the Holy Fire. It should not be surprising that Baldwin showed signs of respect to Daniel - in the person of the Russian abbot, he honored the country, which, according to Metropolitan Hilarion, "is known and heard by all four ends of the earth," and whose princes intermarried with almost all the royal courts of Europe (Baldwin himself was married to the eldest granddaughter of the French Queen Anna Yaroslavna). As for the reference to the “numerous squad” of Daniel, which, according to the researcher, should, apparently, emphasize the high status of his “embassy”, this is just a misunderstanding, since, according to the testimony of the abbot himself, his companions were only eight people - and all, like him, "also thin and without weapons." Finally, nothing shows that Daniel contrasted the Chernigov princes with Vladimir Monomakh and other Russian princes. On the contrary, calling himself “abbot of the Russian land”, and not of any separate principality, he saw one of the main goals of his pilgrimage in praying “in all places of the saints” for all “Russian princes, and princesses, and their children, bishop, abbot, and bolyar ... and all Christians, "and took credit for the fact that he entered in the Synodicon of the monastery of St. Svyatoslavich), Pankraty (Yaroslav Svyatoslavich), Gleb "Mensky" (Minsk prince Gleb Vseslavich) and all the others "just [how many] I remember their names, but those inscribed ... And the liturgy for the princes of Russia and for all Christians 50 liturgies, and for the repose of 40 liturgies in repose. Daniel saw another great success of his “walking” in the Holy Land in the fact that he managed, for a certain bribe given to the secretary of the Savior’s tomb, to receive a board “that exists in the heads of the Holy Sepulcher.”
It was in this board and several other similar relics obtained by Russian pilgrims in Palestine in the 12th-first half of the 13th centuries that all the “booty” of the Russian land from the Crusades consisted.
Crusade to the steppe in 1111
| Parameter name | Meaning |
| Article subject: | Crusade to the steppe in 1111 |
| Rubric (thematic category) | Policy |
And yet, despite the long-lasting turmoil among the princes, Monomzhu managed to achieve the main thing: the Lyubech Congress laid the foundation for the unification of Russian military forces against the Polovtsy. In 1100, the princes gathered again in the city of Vitichev, not far from Kyiv, in order to finally end the civil strife and agree on a joint campaign against the Polovtsians. The instigator of the turmoil, Davyd, was punished - the city of Vladimir-Volynsky was taken from him. Svyatopolk sent his governor there. Only after that Monomakh again put forward his idea of organizing all-Russian forces against the Polovtsy.
By this time, Rus' was opposed by the two most powerful Polovtsian hordes - the Dnieper Polovtsy, led by Khan Bonyak, and the Don Polovtsy, led by Khan Sharukan. Behind each of them were other khans, sons, numerous relatives. Both khans were experienced commanders, bold and courageous warriors, ancient opponents of Rus'; behind them are dozens of burnt Russian towns and villages, thousands of people driven into captivity. For peace, the Russian princes paid the khans huge ransom money. Now Monomakh called on the princes to get rid of this heavy tax, to deliver a preemptive blow to the Polovtsy.
The Polovtsians seemed to feel a looming threat: at their suggestion, in 1101, a congress of leading Russian princes and Polovtsian khans was held in the city of Sakov, which examined the relations of Rus' with the steppe. At this congress, the parties again made peace, exchanged hostages. It seems that this agreement called into question all the efforts of Monomakh, but the correctness of his line was confirmed the very next year. In the autumn, when he was in Smolensk, a messenger brought him news from Kyiv about the attack of Bonyak's troops on the Pereyaslavl lands. Having received a year of respite after the meeting in Sakov, the Polovtsy themselves went on the offensive.
Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh pursued Bonyak's army in vain. He, having plundered the Pereyaslav lands, went to Kyiv. The brothers hurried after him, but the Polovtsy had already gone south. And again, the task of preventing further Polovtsian raids became more and more tangible.
In 1103, the Russian princes gathered at Dolobsky Lake, where they finally agreed on a joint campaign against the Polovtsy. Monomakh insisted on an immediate spring action, when the Polovtsy had not yet reached the summer pastures and had not fed their horses to their heart's content. But Svyatopolk objected, who did not want to tear the smerds from their spring field work and ruin their horses. Some of the princes supported him. Monomakh made a short but vivid speech: “I wonder, squad, that you feel sorry for the horses on which they plow! And why don’t you think about the fact that the stink will begin to plow and, having arrived, the Polovchin will shoot him with a bow, and his horse will take him, and having arrived in his village, he will take his wife and his children and all his property? So you feel sorry for the horse, but you don’t feel sorry for the smerd himself. Monomakh's speech put an end to disputes and hesitations.
Soon, the Russian army, in ĸᴏᴛᴏᴩᴏᴇ, included the squads of all prominent Russian princes (only, citing illness, Prince Oleg of Chernigov, an old friend of the Polovtsy, did not come, as well as foot regiments, marched into the spring steppe. The decisive battle with the Polovtsy took place on April 4 near the tract Suten, not far from the Azov coast. On the side of the Polovtsy, more than 20 prominent khans took part in it. The chronicler later wrote: ʼʼAnd after the regiment, like a boar, and do not despise them. And Rus' went against them ʼʼ (ʼʼAnd the Polovtsian regiments moved like a forest, there was no end in sight; and Rus' went towards themʼʼ). But on horses exhausted by the long winter, the Polovtsy failed to deliver their famous swift blow. Their army was scattered, most of the khans were killed. Khan Beldyuz was taken prisoner. When he offered a huge ransom for himself, Monomakh told him that the khan was offering to simply return the loot in Rus', and ordered him to be hacked to death as a warning to others. And then the Russian squads went along the Polovtsian ʼʼvezhʼʼ, freeing the captives, capturing rich booty, driving away the herds of horses and herds.
This was the first great victory of the Rus in the deep steppe. But they never reached the base camps of the Polovtsians. The Polovtsian raids stopped for three years. Only in 1105 did the Polovtsians disturb the Russian lands. Οʜᴎ took advantage of the fact that the Russian princes were involved in this year in a war with the Polotsk prince. The following year, the Polovtsy raided again. A year later, the united army of Bonyak and Sharukan again appeared in Rus', ruining the Kievan and Pereyaslavl lands. The united army of the Russian princes overturned them on the Khorol River with an unexpected counter blow. The Russians hacked to death brother Bonyak, almost captured Sharukan, captured a huge Polovtsian convoy. But the main forces of the Polovtsians went home.
And the Polovtsy fell silent again. But now the Russian princes did not wait for new raids. Twice Russian squads attacked the Polovtsian territory. In 1111, Rus' organized a grandiose campaign against the Polovtsy, which reached the heart of their lands - the city of Sharukan near the Don. Peaceful relations were established with the neighboring friendly Polovtsians. During these years, Monomakh and Oleg married their sons, Yuri Vladimirovich (the future Yuri Dolgoruky) and Svyatoslav Olgovich, to the daughters of the allied Polovtsian khans. So in the Rurik family, in addition to the Slavs, Swedes, Greeks, and the British, the Polovtsian dynastic line also appeared.
This trip got off to an unusual start. When, at the end of February, the army prepared to leave Pereyaslavl, the bishop and priests stepped in front of him, who carried out a large cross with singing. It was erected not far from the gates of the city, and all the soldiers, incl. and the princes, passing by and passing by the cross, received the blessing of the bishop. And then, at a distance of 11 versts, representatives of the clergy moved ahead of the Russian army. In the future, they walked in the convoy of the troops, where all the church utensils were located, inspiring Russian soldiers to feats of arms.
Monomakh, who inspired this war, gave it the character of a crusade on the model of the crusades of the Western rulers against the Muslims of the East. These campaigns were initiated by Pope Urban II. And in 1096, the first crusade of the Western knights began, ending with the capture of Jerusalem and the creation of the knightly Kingdom of Jerusalem. The sacred idea of the liberation of the "Holy Sepulcher" in Jerusalem from the hands of the infidels became the ideological basis of this and subsequent campaigns of Western knights to the East.
Information about the crusade and the liberation of Jerusalem quickly spread throughout the Christian world. It was known that Count Hugh of Vermendois, brother of the French king Philip I, son of Anna Yaroslavna, cousin of Monomakh, Svyatopolk and Oleg, took part in the second crusade. One of those who brought this information to Rus' was hegumen Daniel, who visited at the beginning of the 12th century. in Jerusalem, and then left a description of his journey about staying in a crusading kingdom. Daniel was later one of Monomakh's associates. Perhaps he owned the idea of giving the campaign of Rus' against the ʼʼnastyʼʼ the character of a cross invasion. This explains the role assigned to the clergy in this campaign.
Svyatopolk, Monomakh, Davyd Svyatoslavich and their sons went on a campaign. With Monomakh were his four sons - Vyacheslav, Yaropolk, Yuri and nine-year-old Andrei.
Having reached the Vorskla River, before leaving for the Polovtsian steppe, Monomakh again turned to the clergy. The priests erected on the hill a large wooden cross adorned with gold and silver, and the princes kissed it in front of the whole army. The cross symbolism of the campaign continued to be respected.
The Polovtsy retreated into the depths of their possessions. Soon the Russian army approached Sharukan - they were hundreds of adobe houses, wagons, surrounded by a low earthen rampart. Neither Khan Sharukan nor his troops were in the city. Before the attack, Monomakh again pushed the clergy forward and they consecrated the Russian army. But a deputation of the townspeople brought fish and bowls of wine to the Russian princes on huge silver platters. This meant the surrender of the city to the mercy of the winners and the desire to give a ransom for saving the lives of the townspeople.
The inhabitants of the city of Sugrov, to which the Russian army approached the next day, refused to surrender. Then, under the cover of mobile ʼʼvezhʼʼ, the Russians approached the city and threw burning torches at it, bombarded it with arrows with ignited resin tips. The burning city was taken by storm. No prisoners were taken in this battle: Monomakh wanted to knock out the horde of Khan Sugrov from the general Polovtsian military forces for a long time.
The next day, the Russian army went to the Don, and on March 24 they met with a large Polovtsian army on the Degei River. Before the battle, the princes hugged and said goodbye to each other and said: ʼʼFor death is here for us, let us become strongʼʼ. The Polovtsians, not ready to fight with a well-organized and numerous army, retreated, unable to withstand the onslaught.
On March 27, the main forces of the parties converged on the Solnitsa River, a tributary of the Don. According to the chronicler, the Polovtsy ʼʼ stood out like a borow (forest) velitsin and darkness ʼʼ, they surrounded the Russian army from all sides. Monomakh did not, as usual, stand still, waiting for the onslaught of the Polovtsian horsemen, but led the army towards them. The warriors engaged in hand-to-hand combat. The Polovtsian cavalry in this crowd lost its maneuver, and the Rus, in hand-to-hand combat, began to overcome. At the height of the battle, a thunderstorm began, the wind increased, and heavy rain fell. The Russians reorganized their ranks in such a way that the wind and rain hit the Polovtsians in the face. But they fought courageously and pressed the forehead (center) of the Russian army, where the people of Kiev fought. Monomakh came to their aid, leaving his ʼʼregiment of the right handʼʼ to his son Yaropolk. The appearance of the banner of Monomakh in the center of the battle inspired the Rus, and they managed to overcome the panic that had begun. Finally, the Polovtsy could not stand the fierce battle and rushed to the Don ford. They were pursued and cut down; no prisoners were taken here either. About ten thousand Polovtsy died on the battlefield, the rest threw down their weapons, asking for their lives. Only a small part led by Sharukan left for the steppe. Others went to Georgia, where they were taken into service by David IV.
The news of the Russian crusade in the steppe was delivered to Byzantium, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Rome. Τᴀᴋᴎᴍ ᴏϬᴩᴀᴈᴏᴍ, Rus' at the beginning of the 12th century. became the left flank of the general offensive of Europe to the East.
Crusade to the steppe in 1111 - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Crusade in the steppe in 1111" 2017, 2018.
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