Raids on Russia Polovtsy
Prepared by the teacher
primary school MBOU "Secondary school No. 2 named after. E. V. Kamysheva
Yurieva Elena Gennadievna
AT XII century Russia divided for several independent principalities sometimes at odds with each other. The strongest were Vladimir, Chernigov, Galicia, Smolensk principalities and Novgorod land.
A special place at this time is occupied by the struggle of Russia with the Polovtsians. Polovtsy - steppe nomadic people, neighbors of Russia. Back in the 11th century, Russian-Polovtsian clashes began. In memory of the Polovtsians in the south of Russia, stone statues remained on ancient burial mounds, where warriors were buried. The sculptures depict warriors or women and are called "stone women"
Russian princes tried to repel the attacks of the Polovtsy near the walls of their fortresses. But this was of little use.
First of all, the Polovtsians could attack in a huge horde, and the forces of the city and the local prince were often not enough for defense.
Secondly sadly, the Polovtsians were often brought to Russia by the Russian princes themselves. They were at enmity with each other and used warlike nomads to attack an objectionable neighbor.
Prince Vladimir Monomakh proposed his own way of fighting the Polovtsy.
Grand Duke Vladimir Monomakh
In the 12th century Cumans lived north of the Black and Azov Seas, from the Volga and Danube. Nomads served the Grand Duke for money, were his mercenaries and at the same time plundered the southern lands.
From 1169, the heyday of Vladimir Russia begins
Immediately after the death of Andrei Bogolyubsky (son of Yuri Dolgoruky), strife began between his brothers and nephews.
It ended with the victory of Vsevolod Yurievich, who took the throne of Vladimir for 32 years. Since the Grand Duke had a large family, the people called him Vsevolod the Big Nest. Although the Grand Duke and his sons spent their whole lives in military campaigns, under Vsevolod, Vladimir Rus reached its highest peak.
Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky
Prince Vsevolod Big Nest
In 1185, Igor, Prince of Novgorod, the Seversk land, conceived a military campaign against the Polovtsy, who lived in the steppes south of Russia. For many years, the Russians and the Polovtsy were at enmity with each other, and it seemed that this enmity had no end and edge, because each prince dreamed only of personal glory and each principality fought the Polovtsy alone.
Prince Igor wanted to go through the entire Polovtsian steppe and reach the city of Tmutarakini, built by the Russians in the 10th century on the Taman Peninsula, between the Black and Azov Seas.
But Igor and Vsevolod were able to restore stamina and courage to their warriors. The army went on a campaign. However, the Polovtsians lured the Russians deep into the steppe and surrounded them. By the banks of the river Kayali the battle began. The warriors fought gloriously for two days. And on the third, when the sun was at its zenith, Igor's banners fell.
V. Vasnetsov. After the battle of Igor Svyatoslavovich with the Polovtsy
In an unequal battle, Igor himself was wounded and taken prisoner.
“The grass will droop with pity in the field, and with anguish they bowed to the ground of the tree ... Our Russian land has weakened, a groan has risen on it”
"The Tale of Igor's Campaign"
Meanwhile, the news of Igor's defeat reached the city. Putivl, where Princess Yaroslavna was waiting for the return of her husband. Hearing the evil news, she climbed the city wall and began to mourn the dead Russian soldiers.
"The Tale of Igor's Campaign"
The Polovtsy could not take advantage of the victory over Igor's squad. Svyatoslav of Kiev with difficulty, but managed to beat off their raid.
Kyiv Prince Svyatoslav saw a terrible dream. He dreamed of the banks of the Kayala, strewn with the bodies of dead soldiers. And he realized that trouble had happened to Igor. And he turned to all the Russian princes with a proposal to end quarrels and hostility, to unite as in the good old days against a common enemy.
Meanwhile, Igor was able to persuade the Polovtsy Ovlur to help him escape from captivity. When the Polovtsian camp was sound asleep, Ovlur whistled for Igor to mount his horse. Despite the chase, the prince's escape was a success.
The return of Igor to Russia caused general joy. The Tale of Igor's Campaign is written about his campaign. In this poem, Igor is glorified as a commander who called on the Russian princes to unite against the enemy. But the princes did not unite, and the Polovtsy continued to attack Russian lands.
The last raid of the Polovtsy took place in 1234 year.
Sources:
1) “Illustrated history of Russia. VIII- Beginning of the XX century» Borzova L.P.
2) "Victory of the Russian army and navy" Filyushkin A.I.
3) "Ancient Russia" Aleshkov V.I.
4) "History of Russia" Golubev A.V., Telitsin V.L., Chernikova T.V.
The Polovtsy belonged to nomadic tribes. According to various sources, they also had other names: Kipchaks and Komans. The Polovtsian people belonged to the Turkic-speaking tribes. At the beginning of the 11th century, they expelled the Pechenegs and Torks from the Black Sea steppes. Then they went to the Dnieper, and having reached the Danube, they became the owners of the steppe, which became known as the Polovtsian. The religion of the Polovtsians was Tengrianism. This religion is based on the cult of Tengri Khan (eternal radiance of the sky).
The everyday life of the Polovtsy practically did not differ from other tribal peoples. Their main occupation was cattle breeding. By the end of the 11th century, the type of nomadism of the Polovtsy changed from tabor to more modern. For each separate part of the tribe, plots of land were attached - for pastures.
Kievan Rus and Cumans
Starting from 1061 and up to 1210, the Polovtsy made constant raids on Russian lands. The struggle of Russia with the Polovtsy lasted quite a long time. There were about 46 major raids on Russia, and this is without taking into account the smaller ones.
The first battle of Russia with the Polovtsy was on February 2, 1061 near Pereyaslavl, they burned the neighborhood and robbed the nearest villages. In 1068, the Polovtsy defeated the troops of the Yaroslavichi, in 1078 Izyaslav Yaroslavich died in a battle with them, in 1093 the Polovtsy defeated the troops of 3 princes: Svyatopolk, Vladimir Monomakh and Rostislav, and in 1094 they forced Vladimir Monomakh to leave Chernigov. In the future, several retaliatory campaigns were made. In 1096, the Polovtsy suffered their first defeat in the fight against Russia. In 1103 they were defeated by Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh, then they served in the Caucasus to King David the Builder.
The final defeat of the Polovtsy by Vladimir Monomakh and the Russian army of many thousands occurred as a result of a crusade in 1111. To avoid final destruction, the Polovtsy changed their place of nomadism, moving across the Danube, and most of their troops, along with their families, left for Georgia. All these "all-Russian" campaigns against the Polovtsians were led by Vladimir Monomakh. After his death in 1125, the Polovtsy took an active part in the internecine wars of the Russian princes, participated in the defeat of Kyiv as allies in 1169 and 1203.
The next campaign against the Polovtsy, also referred to as the massacre of Igor Svyatoslavovich with the Polovtsy, described in "The Lay of Igor's Campaign" took place in 1185. This campaign of Igor Svyatoslavovich was an example of one of the failed ones. After some time, part of the Polovtsy converted to Christianity, and a period of calm began in the Polovtsian raids.
The Polovtsy ceased to exist as an independent, politically developed people after the European campaigns of Batu (1236 - 1242) and made up the majority of the population of the Golden Horde, passing them their language, which formed the basis for the formation of other languages (Tatar, Bashkir, Nogai, Kazakh, Karakalpak , Kumyk and others).
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Polovtsy, Polovtsy (in European and Byzantine sources - Cumans) - a Turkic-speaking nomadic people, a western group of Kypchaks. At the beginning of the 11th century, they advanced from the Trans-Volga region to the Black Sea steppes, displacing the Pechenegs - Oguzes from there. Having subjugated these tribes, the Polovtsians crossed the Dnieper and reached the mouth of the Danube, thus becoming the masters of the Great Steppe from the Danube to the Irtysh, which from that time on in eastern sources became known as Desht-i-Kypchak or, in Russian sources, the Polovtsian steppe. Who are the Polovtsy?
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Until 1093 In the XI century, the steppes of Eastern Europe were settled up to the Danube (“Polovtsian steppe”, “Polovtsian land”, “Polovtsian field” - the western part of Desht-i-Kypchak). Were in a difficult relationship with Russia. Their first appearance at the Russian borders dates back to 1055. In 1061, Vsevolod Yaroslavich was defeated by Khan Iskal, Pereyaslav land was devastated. In 1068 the first invasion of the Polovtsians into Russia took place. In September, the Polovtsians defeated the army of the Yaroslavichs in the Battle of Alta and devastated the border lands. In November, Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, having 3,000 warriors, defeated 12,000 Polovtsy in the battle on the Snova River. After that, military campaigns of the Polovtsy on Russian lands (often in alliance with one of the princes) became regular. The Polovtsy, brought by Oleg Svyatoslavich and Boris Vyacheslavich in 1078, defeated Vsevolod Yaroslavich on the Sozhitsa (Orzhitsa) River. In the battle with the Polovtsians on Nezhatinnaya Niva in 1078, Izyaslav Yaroslavich of Kyiv died. In 1091, the Polovtsy, together with the Russian prince Vasilko Rostislavich, helped Byzantium in the war against the Pechenegs, who were defeated at the Battle of Leburn. Already in 1092, during the illness of Vsevolod Yaroslavich, the Polovtsy launched a second large-scale offensive against Russia.
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In 1093-1125 In 1093, the Polovtsy won the battle on the Stugna River over the combined troops of Svyatopolk Izyaslavich of Kiev, Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh and Rostislav Vsevolodovich Pereyaslavsky, and the latter drowned in the river during his flight. The repeated battle near Kiev in the same 1093 also ended in defeat. In 1094, the Polovtsy, together with Oleg Svyatoslavich, besieged Vladimir Monomakh in Chernigov, and he was forced to leave the city. In 1096, the Polovtsy suffered their first crushing defeat from the Russians, Khan Tugorkan died. In 1099, Davyd Igorevich on the Vigor River, not far from Przemysl, with the help of the Polovtsian khans Bonyak and Altunopa, defeated the Hungarian army led by the prince Koloman. At the beginning of the XII century, the Polovtsians were forced out by Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and Vladimir Monomakh to the Caucasus, beyond the Volga and the Don. In the Caucasus, the Polovtsy entered the service of the Georgian king David the Builder. They helped clear Georgia of the Seljuk Turks, forming the core of the Georgian army.
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After 1125 After the death of Vladimir Monomakh (1125), the Polovtsy again began to actively participate in the internecine struggle of the Russian princes. Then, from the 1190s, a short period of generally peaceful coexistence and partial Christianization of the Polovtsian nobility began. In 1222-1223 they were defeated by the Mongol army, first on the Don, then on the Kalka.
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In 1223, at the request of the Polovtsy, the Russian princes set out to meet the Mongols and were defeated in the battle on the Kalka River. After the European campaign of Batu in 1236-1242, the Cumans ceased to exist as an independent political unit, but formed the bulk of the Turkic population of the Golden Horde, contributing to the formation of such ethnic groups as Tatars, Kirghiz, Gagauz, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Crimean Tatars, Siberian Tatars, Nogais , Bashkirs, Karachays, Balkars, Kumyks. Part of them moved to Transcaucasia, part to Russia, part to the Balkan Peninsula (to Thrace, Macedonia) and Asia Minor, part to Hungary; the Hungarian king Bela IV received the Polovtsy, who came under the leadership of Khan Kotyan (father-in-law of Mstislav Mstislavich Galitsky); Istvan, heir to the Hungarian throne, married Kotyan's daughter. The Polovtsy occupied a prominent position in Hungary, in particular, they guarded the borders of the kingdom. Finally, part of the Polovtsy moved to Egypt, entering the service of the Egyptian army; some Egyptian sultans were of Polovtsian origin. Kypchaks have long and very often been used as hired military units. This happened because the Polovtsians were excellent riders, excellent shooters, brave and disciplined warriors. An example of their use as personal guards is the Mamluks. This practice has developed since ancient times, when the Achaemenids, Arsacids, Sassanids recruited their heavy cavalrymen from the Sarmatians, Scythians, Sogdians and other nomadic tribes.
Who are the Polovtsy?
Polovtsy (11-13 century) - nomadic peopleTurkic origin, which became one
of the main serious political
opponents of the princes of ancient Russia.
Polovtsy at the beginning of the 11th century moved out of
Zavolzhye, where they lived before, in
side of the Black Sea steppes, displacing
along the way the tribes of the Pechenegs and Torks. The people also have the names "Kipchaks" and
"cumans". Each term has its own
value and appeared in special conditions,
so common in the territory of Ancient
Russia, the name of the Polovtsians came from the word
"stripes", which means "yellow" and entered into
use due to the fact that the early
representatives of this people had bright
yellow hair. The concept of "Kipchak" was for the first time
taken after a serious
civil war in the 7th century among
Turkic tribes, when the loser
know began to call themselves Kipchak -
"ill-fated". "Kumans" of the Polovtsy
called in Byzantine and
Western European chronicles. History of the people
The Polovtsians were
an independent people
for several centuries, however
by the middle of the 13th century they became part of
Golden Horde and assimilated
Tatar-Mongolian conquerors,
giving them part of their culture and
your language. In 1103 they were again defeated by the Russians.
army under the leadership of Svyatopolk and
Vladimir and were forced to leave earlier
occupied territories and go to
service to the Caucasus to the local king.
The Cumans were finally defeated in 1111
year by Vladimir Monomakh and the thousandth
Russian army, which undertook a crusade
campaign against their longtime enemies and
invaders of Russian territories. To avoid
final ruin, Polovtsian tribes
were forced to go back across the Danube and into Georgia
(tribe divided). However, after death
Vladimir
Famous princes of Russia
Rurik (862-879)Oleg (879-912)
Igor (912-945)
Olga (945-957)
Vladimir St. Equal-to-the-Apostles (980-1015)
Svyatopolk (1015-1019)
Yaroslav the Wise (1019-1054)
Izyaslav (1054-1078)
Svyatoslav (957-972)
Vsevolod - III (1176-1212)
Constantine - I (1212-1219)
Yuri - II (1219-1238)
Yaroslav - II (1238-1252)
Alexander Nevsky (1252-1263)
Daniel - I (1229-1264)
Famous princes of Russia
Vsevolod - I (1078-1093)Svyatopolk - II (1093-1113)
Vladimir Monomakh (1113-1125)
Mstislav - I (1125-1132)
Yaropolk (1132-1139)
Vsevolod - II (1139-1146)
Izyaslav - II (1146-1154)
Yuri Dolgoruky (1154-1157)
Mstislav - II (1157-1169)
Andrei Bogolyubsky (1169-1174)
Yaroslav - III (1264-1272)
Basil - I (1272-1276)
Dmitry - I (1276-1294)
Andrew - II (1294-1304)
Saint Michael (1304-1319)
Yuri - III (1320-1326)
Dmitry - II (1326)
Alexander of Tver (1326-1338)
John - I Kalita (1320-1341)
Simeon the Proud (1341-1353)
John - II (1353-1359)
