Igor Svyatoslavovich's campaign against the Polovtsians. Prince Igor's campaign against the Polovtsians - Russian historical library. The beginning of the path of the Russian army

Vi. THE DECLINE OF THE KIEV PRINCE

(continued)

Revitalization of the fight against barbarians. - Konchak. - Hike, capture and release of Igor Seversky. - Invasion of the Polovtsi. - The release of Igor. - Black Cowls. - The latest deeds of Vsevolodich.

The agreement that had been established between the Olgovichs and Rostislavichs was not slow to be reflected in the external affairs of Southern Russia, i.e. on her relationship to the steppe barbarians; the fight against them revived with new energy. Having strengthened on the Kiev table, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich no longer needed to fondle his former allies, and we see a number of successful campaigns that the South Russian princes are undertaking with joint forces, with Svyatoslav and Rurik at the head. They smash the Polovtsian hordes, free numerous Russian captives from slavery and take the Polovtsian khans themselves prisoner, including Kobyak Karlyevich with his two sons, Bashkord, Osaluk, and others. in large hordes.

The most glorious of the Polovtsian khans of that time was Konchak. The Russian chronicle has preserved an interesting legend about its origin. When Vladimir Monomakh smashed the Polovtsi in the steppes of the Zadonskys, one of their khans, Otrok, fled to the Apes behind the Iron Gates, i.e. to the Caucasus; and the other khan, apparently, his brother Syrchan remained on the Don. When Vladimir died, Syrchan sent Orev to the Monkey with this news; I ordered my brother to sing Polovtsian songs, I persuade him to return to his homeland, and if he doesn’t listen, then let him smell some kind of potion or herb called emshan. The good guy did just that. Smelling the potion, the exile cried and said: "Yes, it is better to lie with bones in your own land than to be in someone else's glory." He came to his homeland, and from him Konchak was born, "he took down Sula like that, walking on foot, carrying a cauldron on his shoulder." This same Konchak, "accursed, godless and damned," as the chronicle calls him, came to Russia with the Polovtsian horde in 1184. He threatened to burn down and enslave the Russian cities, for he had with him some kind of "non-German" who fired live fire; in addition, according to the chronicle, he had projectiles and self-firing bows, so huge and tight that 50 people could hardly pull such a bow. Konchak settled on the Ukraine and started negotiations for peace with Yaroslav Vsevolodich; it was the younger brother of Svyatoslav, who handed him his Chernigov table. The Grand Duke sent to tell his brother that he would not believe the insidious Polovtsy and would go to war with them with him. However, Yaroslav evaded the campaign under the pretext of his peace negotiations with Konchak. Svyatoslav joined forces with Rurik and hastened against the barbarians. The senior princes with the main forces walked backwards, and in front of themselves ("to the vorop", as they said at that time) they sent several younger princes. The latter met on the road guests, or merchants, who had passed through the steppes, and learned from them that the Polovtsi were standing on the Khorol River, near the rampart ("sholomiya"), which fenced off the Russian land from the steppes. The younger princes suddenly came out from behind this rampart, struck the Polovtsians and took many prisoners; among them they led to Svyatoslav and that non-German who fired live fire. When the senior princes approached, Konchak fled to the steppe. This happened on March 1, 1185, i.e. in the newest year, since the Russians counted the beginning of it from March. In pursuit of the Polovtsy, the Grand Duke dispatched 6,000 Black Klobuk, or Berendey, with their leader Kuntuvdy; but because of the thaw that had come, the pursuit could not overtake the Polovtsians.

In this campaign, except for Yaroslav of Chernigov, the princes Seversky did not take part; the latter did not manage to unite with the Grand Duke because of the speed with which his campaign was completed. In the brow of the Seversk princes was then his cousin Igor Svyatoslavich, who had already distinguished himself in battles with the Polovtsy more than once and as recently as 1183 undertook a successful search in the steppe with his brother Vsevolod, his son Vladimir and nephew Svyatoslav. He planned to repeat the same thing now, after Konchak's defeat at Khorol, where, to his great regret, he could not keep up in time. Without asking the head of a kind of Svyatoslav of Kiev, he decided to immediately march into the steppe with some of the Seversk squads and at the end of April set out from his capital city. In Putivl, his son Vladimir, who reigned in that city, united with him; here came the nephew Svyatoslav Olgovich from Rylsk. His cousin Yaroslav Chernigovsky sent his boyar Olstin Oleksich with a detachment of coves to help him; they were semi-nomadic peoples, settled in the southern reaches of the Chernigov land, tribesmen of the Black Klobuk. The modern poet depicts Igor's preparations for the campaign in the following words: "The Komoni laugh at Suloi; glory rings in Kiev, trumpets are trumpeting in Novyegrad; there are banners in Putivl; Igor is waiting for his brother Vsevolod's dear". But the latter took a different route, from Kursk. Igor moved to the Donets, crossed it, reached the banks of the Oskol and here he waited for his brother, the daring Vsevolod Trubchevsky. This campaign of four princes, of whom the oldest was no more than 35 years old, made a strong impression on contemporaries, so that, in addition to a rather detailed story of the chronicle, it became the subject of a wonderful poetic work of Ancient Russia, known as "The Lay of Igor's Campaign."

Map of the campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsi (1185)

Image author - Vladimir Lobachev

At the very beginning of the campaign, there are bad omens that predict a sad outcome for him. Once, when the army was approaching the Donets, before the evening the sun was covered with some kind of haze, so it seemed like more than a month, and this circumstance confused the squad. But Igor is trying to cheer her up. Now Russia is behind the Shelomyan, i.e. crossed the Polovetsky shaft and went deep into the steppe. Warriors sent forward to "catch the tongue", i.e. on reconnaissance, they returned and reported that the barbarians were gathering in large numbers and preparing for battle. "Hurry to attack them," the scouts said to the princes, "or return home, because the time is unfavorable for us." But Igor replied that returning home without a battle would be garbage worse than death. Meanwhile, according to the poet, the carnivores smell the near prey: flocks of jackdaws fly to the Great Don, wolves howl over the ravines, eagles call animals to their bones with their screams, foxes crack on scarlet Russian shields.

The Polovtsi gathered, young and old, on the banks of some river Syurley; and vezh your own, i.e. wagons with wives, children and herds were sent further back. Igor lined up the Russian army in the usual order of battle. It consisted of six regiments. In the middle marched Igor's regiment, on the right side - his brother Vsevolod, on the left - his nephew Svyatoslav; it was the main army; in front of her were Vladimir Igorevich with his squad and the Chernigov regiment, i.e. boyar Olstin with kouy. The sixth detachment was a modular one: it consisted of riflemen sent in advance from all five regiments. Russia advanced briskly, covered with iron chain mail, dappled with red shields, under the canopy of its banners, fluttering by the wind. The front detachments rushed towards the enemy; and Igor and Vsevolod quietly followed them, "not disbanding their regiment." The Polovtsi could not stand the onslaught of some of the front squads and ran. Rus chased the barbarians, reached their vezh and captured a large crowd: girls, gold and silk fabrics; and so many Polovtsian jackets, epanches and other clothes were seized that, according to the poet, even bridges were bridges over swamps and dirty places. When the victors camped among the Polovtsian vezhes, Igor began to say to the princes and boyars: isn't this victory enough, and isn't it enough to turn back before the rest of the hordes gather? But Svyatoslav Olgovich announced that he and his retinue were chasing the Polovtsy far and that his tired horses would not keep up with the other regiments. Vsevolod supported his nephew, and it was decided not to rush back. The young princes rejoiced at their victory and boasted frivolously: "Our brothers, who walked with the Grand Duke Svyatoslav, fought with the Polovtsy looking at Pereyaslavl; they themselves came; but the princes did not dare to go to them. We have already defeated the rotten in their own land; now let's go for the Don, in order to destroy them completely; let us go to Lukomorye, where our grandfathers did not go either. " Encouraged by the success of the Seversk princes, it seems, had the hope of recapturing their hereditary Tmutarakan inheritance.

"A good nest is slumbering in the field of Olgovo, it has flown far away," says the poet. Meanwhile, the Polovtsian hordes are rushing from everywhere to the scene of action; two strongest khans came, Gzak and Konchak. At dawn, Russia was amazed to see the countless hordes of barbarians who surrounded it like a thick forest. The princes decided to make their way to the fatherland; but in order not to abandon the foot warriors ("black people") to sacrifice to the enemies, the valiant Olgovichi ordered their squad to dismount and slowly began to retreat, desperately fighting against the barbarians who were pushing from all sides. Vsevolod was especially heroic, whom the poet calls either Bui-tur or Yar-tur. Where he turns, shining with his golden shell, there lie the filthy Polovtsian heads; their Avar helmets are smashed with steel swords and red-hot sabers by the Russians. It happened on the banks of the Kajala on hot days in May; Russian squads were cut off from the water; people and horses were thirsty. On the third day of the battle, Sunday, the koui broke down and fled. Igor, already wounded in the arm, galloped after them, trying to stop them, and took off his helmet to show them his face; but in vain; he did not manage to turn back the coes. Here, on the way back to his regiment, he was intercepted by the Polovtsy and taken prisoner. Vsevolod, who finally made his way to the water, broke all his weapons against the enemies and was also captured by them. Then the battle was over; the princes with the rest of the squad were dismantled by the Polovtsy and divorced according to their vezha. Igor went to Khan Chilbuk from the Targolov family, Vsevolod to Roman, the son of Gzagka, Svyatoslav went to the Burchevich family, and Vladimir to the Ulashevich family. Defeat and captivity humbled Igor's pride; he accepted them as God's punishment for his past sins, for much of the shedding of Christian blood in civil strife with the Russian princes. With a contrite heart, he remembered a Russian city that had been taken up on the shield and subjected to all possible ravages from the military people.

After the slaughter of Igor Svyatoslavich with the Polovtsy. Painting by V. Vasnetsov, 1880

"The Lay of Igor's Host" touchingly depicts the sadness and despondency that spread over the Russian land at the news of the fate of the Svyatoslavichs. In particular, it paints poetically the crying of Igor's wife in Putivl on the visor, or on the city wall; complaining of her grief, she turns to the wind, the sun and the Dnieper. His wife was Evfrosinya Yaroslavna, daughter of the Galician prince. The unfortunate end of the campaign gives the poet an opportunity to point out the main reason for the triumph of the barbarians - the strife and strife of the Russian princes; he recalls better times, about Vladimir Monomakh, who was the storm of the Polovtsians; talks about the last successful campaigns of Svyatoslav of Kiev.

Knowing nothing about the enterprise of the Seversk princes, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich from Kiev went to his hereditary region, to the land of the Vyatichi, to collect warriors and supplies there; for he had the intention, together with the Rostislavichs, to go to the Don all summer and fight the Polovtsians. On the way back near Novgorod-Seversky, the Grand Duke learned with displeasure that his cousins, without asking his consent, secretly undertook a campaign in the steppe. From Novgorod-Seversky he sailed on boats along the Desna to Chernigov, and then the news reached him about the defeat and captivity of his relatives. The Severskaya land, especially the Semem, was in great confusion; she lost her princes and troops; in a rare family did not mourn the loss of anyone closest. Svyatoslav immediately took action. He sent his sons to the border towns of the Seversk to protect the region from the barbarians; at the same time, he sent to David of Smolensk and other princes, recalling their promise to march against the Polovtsians in the summer and inviting them to hurry up the campaign. "Go, brother, guard the Russian land," he ordered David to say. The latter did indeed come with his Smolny residents and, together with other princes, stood at Trepol; and the brother of the Kiev prince Yaroslav gathered his army in Chernigov. These preparations were very timely, for the Polovtsi, proud of their victory and the capture of four Russian princes, themselves marched in large numbers to the Russian land. Fortunately, there was a quarrel between the khans. Konchak said: "Let's go to the Kiev side; our brothers were beaten there and our glorious Bonyak perished." And Gzak called the Polovtsians to the Seven, saying: "There were only wives and children left, ready for us is full; let us take the cities without fear." The barbarians were divided into two parts. Some followed Gzak to Putivl, fought the surrounding volost, burned villages, burned a prison, or an external fortification, Putivl, but they did not take the city itself and went back to the steppe. Others with Konchak went to Pereyaslavl and laid siege to it. But here the courageous Vladimir Glebovich, the grandson of Yuri Dolgoruky, reigned; he made a desperate sortie, was seriously wounded and barely saved by his squad from captivity. In vain, the messengers of Vladimir called rather for the help of the princes who stood at Trepol. Svyatoslav also hurried the Rostislavichs. The Smolensk army started a feud with its prince and began to create noisy parties; she announced that she had only gone as far as Kiev and that she was now exhausted on the march. David was forced to turn back. The singer of "The Lay of Igor's Campaign" hints at this feud, saying: "The banners of Vladimir (Monomakh) went to Rurik and David; but their banners blow in different directions. " Finally, Rurik and others, joining with the Grand Duke, crossed to the left bank of the Dnieper and went to Pereyaslavl. Then the Polovtsi left the siege of this city; they rushed to Sula, ruined the volosts lying along it and laid siege to Rimov (Romny). The barbarians of the steppe, indomitable in plundering and destroying open settlements, were not adept at sieging cities; but this time an accident helped them get hold of Rimov. When the besieged crowded on the visor, under their weight two gorodni broke off from it and fell with the people directly on the side of the besiegers. Then the barbarians broke into the city and captured all who survived the sword; escaped only those who fled to the nearby swampy places and wilds. After that, Konchak went to his steppes. Probably, this is his invasion and the above words of the chronicler allude to: "You have demolished Sulu."

Igor Svyatoslavich lived in captivity awaiting ransom or exchange. The Polovtsi treated him well, respecting his nobility and courage, and especially thanks to the surety of Konchak, who considered him a matchmaker, because he predicted his daughter for his son. Igor was assigned 20 watchmen; but the latter did not hinder the prince and even obeyed his orders; with him were five or six more of his own servants and the son of his thousand. He was even allowed to go out at will and amuse himself with falconry. A priest was also called from Russia to celebrate St. service: Igor thought that he would have to be in captivity for a long time. The horde in which he was roamed this summer on the banks of the Thor, one of the left tributaries of the Donets. Among the Polovtsy there was a certain Ovlur, who became attached to the prince and offered to flee with him to Russia. At first the prince did not dare. But the son of the tysyatsky and the prince's groom persuaded him to take advantage of the offer; they told Igor that the Polovtsi were threatening to beat the captive princes and their entire squad. Then Igor made up his mind and sent the stable boy to tell Ovlur to wait for him with a lead horse on the other side of the Thor. The time for the escape was chosen in the evening. The Polovtsian guards, having drunk their kumis, began to play and have fun, thinking that the prince was sleeping. But he did not sleep: praying earnestly in front of the icon, Igor lifted the back cavity of the tent and went out unnoticed by anyone. He crossed the river, got on his horse and, accompanied by Ovlur, rode home. When the horses were driven away, they had to make their way across the steppe on foot, keeping all the precautions to hide from the pursuit. Eleven days later, the fugitives reached the border Russian town of Donets, from where Igor triumphantly went to his Novgorod-Seversky. He was not slow to visit the head of his kind, the Grand Duke of Kiev, and to bow to the Kiev shrines in gratitude for his release. "The sun is shining in heaven, - exclaims the singer of the Lay", - Igor is the prince in the Russian land; the girls are singing on the Danube, voices rush across the sea to Kiev; Igor goes along Borichev to the Holy Mother of God Pirogoshche; there is joy in the country, fun among the people. " Two years later, Igor's son Vladimir returned from captivity, accompanied by his daughter Konchak, with whom he was married. Vsevolod Trubchevsky and Svyatoslav Rylsky were also freed.

After that, the struggle against the steppe barbarians became even more lively and stubborn. We see almost annual campaigns against the Polovtsians: either the old princes Svyatoslav and Rurik are fighting the nomads with united forces, then they send young princes or Black Klobuk with their commanders to them. Russia is ravaging the Polovtsian vezhes; but the barbarians, in turn, seizing a convenient time, run into the Russian Ukrainians, burn the villages and take away many prisoners. However, with all the revival, the fight against them no longer has the same strength and energy as in the days of Monomakh or his son Mstislav. The whole history of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich shows that he was an intelligent and active prince. Thanks to the peace that was established for a while and the agreement with the head of the Rostislavichi, Rurik, he sometimes manages to unite the squads of the southern Russian princes for a common cause; but he no longer had any influence on the rest of the Russian lands. He could not always inspire unanimity in the southern princes themselves. His own brother Yaroslav Chernigovsky somehow reluctantly and sluggishly helped him in enterprises against the Polovtsy. So, through his fault, the great winter campaign of 1187 failed. For deep snows the Russian army did not go straight to the steppe, but along the Dnieper; when she reached the river Snoporoda (Samara), the princes learned that the Polovtsian vezhis and herds were not far away, in some area called the Blue Forest. But Yaroslav Chernigovsky suddenly refused to go further; in vain Svyatoslav and Rurik persuaded him to make another transition no more than half a day. Yaroslav stood his ground, responding by the fact that most of his troops were infantry, which was very tired; that they have gone further than expected. As a result of this strife, the princes returned home with nothing.

The Black Klobuki, the necessary assistants in the steppe campaigns as a horse army, did not always act with the same zeal in favor of Russia. It happened that sometimes Russian princes were in a hurry to repel the raids of some predatory horde; and the Black Klobuki will secretly inform "their matchmakers" of the Polovtsians, and they will leave in time for the steppe with the plundered and full of spoils. Sometimes the Black Klobuki simply refused to go to the nearest Polovtsian clans, with whom they were in friendly and family relations; or, having captured the Polovtsian Khan, secretly from the Russian princes, they took a ransom from him and let him go. Especially a lot of evil was caused to the Russian land by one of their elders, the above-mentioned Kuntuvdy. In the summer of 1190 Svyatoslav and Rurik, taking advantage of the lull, undertook long-distance fishing together; they set off in boats along the Dnieper, reached the mouth of the Tyasmin river and in the vicinity of it they killed and caught many animals and various game. They returned home merrily and celebrated a successful hunt for a long time. At this time Svyatoslav ordered to seize and detain Kuntuvdiy; Rurik stood up for him and asked for his freedom; The Kiev prince let him go, taking an oath of loyalty. But the vengeful bit immediately went to the Polovtsy and then for several years went with them to Russia, burned and plundered border places. By the way, he ruined the city of some Churnaya, probably one of the Tork Elders, perhaps his rival and the culprit of his disgrace. His revenge and raids stopped only thanks to Rurik, who persuaded Kuntuvdiya to leave the Polovtsy and gave him the possession of the town of Doren on the Ros River.

However, the Black Klobuki rendered many services in our struggle against the Polovtsy. Sometimes these semi-nomadic peoples, as greedy for prey as the steppe barbarians, themselves asked the princes to go with them to the Polovtsian vezhes in order to capture as many horses, cattle and servants as possible. They mainly used the time when the Polovtsians, leaving their vezhes and herds, raided the Danube countries. Particularly successful were the enterprises of the Black Klobuki under the command of Rurik's son Rostislav, to whom his father gave Torchesk, the main city of Porosye, or southern Kiev Ukraine; and here the most daring princes were usually planted in order to protect the Russian land from the barbarians. The most remarkable campaign was made by him in 1193. This winter, he was fishing near the city of Chernobyl, when the best people from the Black Klobuki came to him and asked to go with them to the steppe, since the circumstances were very favorable. Rostislav willingly agreed and immediately went to Torchesk to gather his squad. He did not even consider it necessary to seek permission from his father Rurik; the latter was then in Ovruch and was preparing for a campaign against Lithuania. Rostislav invited his cousin Mstislav Mstislavich (Udaliy), who held the city of Trepol, to go along. Mstislav readily agreed. With their retinues and Black Klobuki, they flew by surprise to the Polovtsian lords and captured many cattle, horses and servants: the Black Klobuki, obviously, chose the most convenient time for this raid. The Polovtsi gathered and went in pursuit, but did not dare to engage in open battle. By Christmas Rostislav returned to his Torchesk, and from there he went to his older relatives with "saigats", that is. with gifts from his booty: first to Father Rurik in Ovruch, then to Uncle David in Smolensk, and from there to Vladimir on the Klyazma, to his father-in-law Vsevolod Yuryevich.

About that time, the troubles caused by the assassination of Bogolyubsky had already ceased in the Suzdal land; The Vladimir table was occupied by his younger brother Vsevolod III, and under his clever, firm rule, Northern Russia again gained predominance over Southern Russia; so that the southern princes and Kiev itself were forced to recognize the seniority of Vsevolod. Thus, in Russia there were already two great reigns: one in Kiev, the other in Vladimir Klyazminsky. The southern princes were in a hurry to intermarry with the powerful sovereign. Suzdal. By the way, Rurik married his daughter Verhuslava for his son Rostislav in 1187. Verhuslava was only eight years old; but such a circumstance did not prevent the marriage union according to the customs of that time. Vsevolod sent his daughter to the south with a large retinue of boyars and their wives, providing him with a rich dowry, consisting of gold and silver things. Father and mother accompanied her to three crossings and said goodbye with great tears. The wedding of the young couple took place in Belgorod and was performed by Bishop Maxim of Belgorod in the "wooden" church of St. Apostle. The wedding was celebrated wonderfully; it was attended by up to twenty princes. Rurik generously gave his young daughter-in-law and, by the way, gave her the city of Bryagin; and the boyars who saw her off to Suzdal also with large gifts. According to the chronicle, this wedding generally made an impression on contemporaries and was the subject of much talk. When Rostislav, after the aforementioned campaign against the Polovtsy, together with his wife visited his father-in-law, Vsevolod, who dearly loved Verkhuslava, kept his son-in-law and daughter with him for the whole winter, after which he spent them with great honor and rich gifts.

Meanwhile, Rostislav's foray into the steppe changed the orders of his father. Svyatoslav Kievsky sent a message to Rurik: "Your son touched Polovtsev and began to fight with him, you want to go the other way, leaving your land; no, go now to Russia and guard it." Let's not forget that the land of Kiev was called Rus at that time. Rurik listened and went with his regiments to the southern Ukraine, postponing his campaign to Lithuania, which was already beginning to noticeably press our western borders. Not later than in the summer of the same 1193, i.e. even before Rostislav's campaign, the aged Svyatoslav tried to conclude a lasting peace with the Polovtsian khans in order to take a break from continuous worries. He and Rurik gathered in Kanev and sent to summon the khans to negotiate peace. Western, or "Lukomorskie" khans, Itogly and Akush, did indeed arrive; but the eastern ones, Osoluk and Izay, from the Burchevich family, settled on the other bank of the Dnieper opposite Kanev and refused to cross the river, inviting the princes themselves to cross to their side. The princes replied that there was no such custom either with their grandfathers or with their fathers that they themselves would go to the Polovtsy. Although the Lukomorskys willingly agreed to peace and Rurik advised to take advantage of this, but since the Burchevichi persisted, Svyatoslav said: "I cannot put up with one half." And the congress ended in nothing.

This was the last act of Svyatoslav in relation to the steppe barbarians. There is no doubt that, in addition to the defense of the Chernigov and Kiev borders, Svyatoslav and the entire Olgovich family had one more motivation that drove them to a stubborn struggle with the steppe. Behind this steppe, on the shores of the Azov and Black Seas, lay their ancestral inheritance Tmutarakansky, once a rich and commercial area thanks to its proximity to the Greek cities in Taurida and the Caucasus region. The Polovtsian hordes gradually tore away this region from Dnieper Rus and barred the path of her hereditary princes to it. It was to this Tmutarakan Rus' that the grandchildren of Oleg Svyatoslavich tried to get through, which is also hinted at by the singer "The Lay of Igor's Campaign." But all attempts did not end in favor of the Russian princes; already had to think only about the protection of neighboring Ukrain. And the newly arrived princes' civil strife again gave the Polovtsians the opportunity not only to ravage these ukraines with impunity, but also to plunder the very capital of Ancient Rus.

Chronicle on Ipat. list. What kind of living fire is spoken of here is unknown. It is certain, however, that in this era in the East, it was among the Saracens and the Turks, there was some kind of flamethrower projectile, which they used in the wars with the crusaders. Maybe it was something like Greek or so-called. Median fire.

The most detailed story about the campaign, captivity and release of Igor Svyatoslavich is in the Ipatiev list. In describing the event, we borrowed some features from a poem belonging to an unknown Russian singer of the late 12th century, depicting the fate of the same campaign under the title Word of Igor's Host. "Regiment" was used then in the meaning of an army, as well as a battle, war, rati. This remarkable poetic work of Ancient Rus was found at the end of the 18th century by the collector of domestic rarities, Count Musin-Pushkin, in one old collection and was first published in 1800. His original burned down in the Moscow fire in 1812. This "Word" gave rise to an extensive literature, consisting of his numerous editions, interpretations and transcriptions, both prose and poetic. These are the publications: Palipin 1807, Pozharsky 1819, Gramatin 1823, Sakharov 1839, Golovin 1840, etc. The most remarkable editions, provided with critical interpretations, are Dubensky (Russian. A word about P. Igorev "- for students. M. 1866) and Prince. Vyazemsky ("Notes on the Word about P. Igorev". St. Petersburg, 1875). It is also curious to see several explanations of Shevyrev's "Lay" in the History of Russk. literature (T. I. Ch. 2 nd. M. 1846) and Buslaev - "Russian poetry of the XI and the beginning of the XII century" (Chronicles of Russian Literature - edition of Prof. Tikhonravov. T. IM 1859), in particular the explanations of E.V. ... Barsova (several volumes). Of the poetic arrangements I will point to the work of Maikov (in the third part of the collection of his poems).

Regarding the river Kayala, on the banks of which the battle took place, according to the "Lay of P. Igor" and according to the Ipatiev list, it is currently difficult to determine which river it is. Karamzin considered it Kagalnik, which flows into the Don on the right side, above the Donets. But this is still a conjectural assumption. For some reason, one might think that the main battle took place somewhere closer to the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, or to the Lukomorye, as the Seversk princes call it in the chronicles. Some scholars identified Kayala with Kalmius, flowing into the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov (Butkov, Aristov), \u200b\u200bothers with Thor. (Proceedings of the 3rd Archaeologist. Congress).

He himself chose her, wanting to defeat a dangerous enemy

The pinnacle of the literary work of Ancient Rus was "The Lay of Igor's Campaign", the unknown author of which was the first to praise the courage and bravery of the defenders of the Russian land. Despite the fact that this outstanding historical and artistic work was based on the sad events of the unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsy in 1185 by Prince Igor Svyatoslavich Seversky.

The Polovtsi, who attacked the ancient Russian lands at that time, were a dangerous enemy. Russian princes have already suffered from them heavy defeats, which was, for example, the defeat of the army of the three sons of Yaroslav the Wise on the Alta River in 1068. However, the news of this really major military catastrophe did not compel contemporaries to respond to it with something similar to "The Lay of Igor's Regiment." The reason for the special attention to the unsuccessfully ended campaign in 1185 could only have been the personality of its leader, who was then named "Falcon". What was so unusual about Prince Igor, whose defeat made him grieve, and salvation made him rejoice not only the singer of his exploits, but all the Russian people?

Choice

Novgorod-Seversky, and then Chernigov Prince Igor Svyatoslavich, after the death of his father, Prince of Chernigov Svyatoslav Olgovich, did not receive any inheritance. This happened due to the intrigues of his cousin Svyatoslav Vsevolodich, who inherited power over the Chernigov principality. Leaving the parental tower, Igor Svyatoslavich drove off to his older brother Oleg, who reigned in Novgorod-Seversky, the second most important city in the Chernigov land. In fact, Igor at that time was just one of the governors guarding the borders of the principality from the Polovtsian raids and attacks of other princes who were at enmity with the Chernigov Olgovichi.

Two troubles then ruined Russia - princely strife and raids of the Polovtsians. Igor Svyatoslavich knew about each of them not by hearsay. In 1169, obeying the will of the senior princes, he participated in the campaign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, the memorable sack of Kiev. It is difficult to say what he felt, seeing the pernicious consequence of internecine enmity, but, being one of the youngest Chernigov princes-assistants, he could not change anything in what was happening. However, it was within his power to fight an external enemy who had ravaged the Russian land. So, in 1172, having learned about the attack of the Polovtsy on the Pereyaslavl volost, he, at the head of a small regiment, struck at the enemies who were already returning to their nomadic camps. On the Vorskla River near the Ltava tract, the opponents met in a decisive battle. Despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, Igor Svyatoslavich utterly defeated the Polovtsian hordes of khans Kobyak and Konchak, freeing the prisoners and capturing rich booty. He took almost all the trophies to Kiev to Prince Roman Rostislavich, who arranged for him a solemn welcome as a winner.

# comm # In January 1180, after the death of his elder brother Oleg, Igor received the Novgorod-Seversk reign. It was then that a new period began in the life of the prince - he began a war with the Polovtsy. Thus I chose my destiny. # / Comm #

In total, Igor Svyatoslavich undertook five campaigns against the Polovtsians. The campaign of 1183 was indicative. The regiments of two princes marched into the steppe, Igor Seversky and Vladimir Glebovich Pereyaslavsky. But soon the princes quarreled, not dividing the command. As a result, the Pereyaslavl prince left his ally and took his squad home. The Seversky prince had to act alone. Despite this, he managed to defeat the Polovtsian detachments that had come out against him on the Khiriya River.

Troubles and victories

And then came the year 1185 - the time of the most difficult test in Igor's life. In early spring, the hordes of Khan Konchak again moved to Russia. But the princes Svyatoslav and Rurik, who ruled in Kiev, defeated the Polovtsians in the battle on March 1 on the Khorol River. In pursuit of the fled Konchak, regiments of black hoods were sent - the steppe allies of the Russian princes. But they did not succeed in overtaking the Polovtsians - beyond Khorol the steppe was covered with melted snow, which hindered the advance of the horses.

The Chernigov princes did not participate in this battle. The only one who gathered to help the Kiev princes was Igor Seversky. However, on reflection, he realized that he did not have time to connect with the Kiev regiments. And then the prince decided to make an independent trip to the Don, in order to disperse the Polovtsian forces with a sudden blow.

On April 23, 1185, Prince Igor set out on a campaign. His army was entirely equestrian. As the troops advanced to the border, they were joined in turn, first by the squad of his 15-year-old son, the Putivl prince Vladimir, then by his nephew Svyatoslav Olgovich Rylsky, and "Chernigov aid" - detachments of kovuy, nomads who lived on the borderlands of Chernigov.

On May 1, the regiments of Igor and his allies approached the Russian line, beyond which the Polovtsian steppe began. It was here that the army was enveloped in sudden darkness - a solar eclipse occurred, perceived by many as a bad omen. But Prince Igor stubbornly led his soldiers further into the steppe, south of the Seversky Donets to the shores of the Azov Sea. On May 5, on the Oskol River, Igor Seversky's army was joined by the squad of his younger brother Vsevolod Svyatoslavich, Prince Trubchevsky and Kursk.

On May 10, 1185, the Russian army attacked one of the Polovtsian hordes in the Syurlei (Golaya Dolina) tract on the Makatiha River (in the Kayala annals). Before the slaughter, addressing his warriors, Igor Svyatoslavich said: "Brothers! We were looking for this ourselves, so we will go." After a fierce battle, the Russians defeated the Polovtsian army. Having defeated the enemy, Igor was going to immediately leave for his lines, but the prince of Rylia Svyatoslav Olgovich persuaded him to postpone the withdrawal until morning, citing the fatigue of the horses.

# comm # In the morning the Russian army was surrounded by enemy regiments. Almost all the Polovtsian hordes joined in the battle. # / Comm #

For two days - May 11 and 12, 1185 - a stubborn battle lasted. On the first day of the battle, Igor Svyatoslavich was wounded in the arm, but continued to lead the battle. Standing under the banner, he deliberately took off his helmet so that all the soldiers could see their prince and be inspired by his courage. However, under the blows of significantly outnumbered enemies, the formation of the Russian army quickly thinned out. At noon on May 12, on the second day of the battle, the troops of the kovuey suddenly fled. Igor, who was trying to stop the disorderly retreat of the kovuev, moved away from his squad and was taken prisoner. Some other princes and boyars were also captured. The rest of the Russian soldiers were killed. Only 15 "princely men" were able to break through the enemy's encirclement and go to Russia. One of them delivered the news of the defeat to Chernigov. The sad news echoed like a terrible echo throughout the Russian land.

But already at the end of spring 1185 Igor Svyatoslavich managed to escape from captivity. Soon, his son Vladimir Igorevich Putivlsky returned home, having married in captivity to the daughter of Khan Konchak. Nevertheless, having become related to the formidable Polovtsian warrior, Igor Svyatoslavich did not stop fighting aggressive nomads, defending his native land from their raids. The most successful of his new campaigns against the Polovtsians was the campaign of 1191, when the Novgorod-Seversk army managed to inflict a heavy defeat on the enemy, forcing the Polovtsian hordes to migrate to the farthest steppes.

# comm # In 1199, Prince Igor took the Chernigov throne and remained on it until his death in 1202. # / comm #

A talented military leader, a guard of the Russian borders, a tireless and fearless warrior - such a description of Prince Igor Seversky can be given today. And this will not be an exaggeration. It is confirmed by the feats of arms of Igor Svyatoslavich, and the testimony of his contemporary - the author of "The Lay of Igor's Host", who revered this particular prince as an exemplary commander, capable of continuing the work of Vladimir Monomakh. However, the enmity rooted in the 12th century among the Russian princes prevented them from rallying around the best warrior at that time. Awareness of this bitter truth entails understanding in our days of the need for unity and consent of the defenders of the Fatherland.

Especially for the Century

Throughout its existence, Russia fought against nomads. At first they were the Pechenegs. In the XII century, the Polovtsians came to their place. The last wave brought numerous Mongols to the Russian lands.

The fight against the Polovtsians fell on the period of political fragmentation of the Eastern Slavs. The princes went to the steppe several times, but more often, on the contrary, they defended their native lands. Why, of all these cases, the campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsy is best known? Because it was he who served as the source for the famous literary monument. This is "The Lay of Igor's Regiment."

Igor's biography

Prince Igor Svyatoslavovich was born in 1151. He was a representative of the Chernigov branch of the Rurik dynasty. At the age of 29, he inherited the city of Novgorod-Seversky. The lands around it were directly adjacent to the steppe dwellers.

Russian princes often changed their policy towards the Polovtsians: they made peace and an alliance or fought. So it was with Igor. Sometimes he hired nomads while with relatives. But along with this he fought with the khans. For example, in 1171 he defeated Konchak for another campaign. However, another campaign received historical fame.

Campaign against the steppe people

In 1185, the princes of southern Russia united to go to the steppe and defeat the Polovtsians there. Igor was the initiator of this voyage. He was supported by his closest relatives. It was Vsevolod Svyatoslavich (prince of Kursk), Svyatoslav Olgovich (prince of Rylia) and Vladimir Igorevich (prince of Putivl). Kovui also stood under the Russian banners. It was a small people of nomads who lived on the borders of the Chernigov possessions.

The combined army was deprived of many allies. The campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsi passed without the support of the Kiev prince Svyatoslav. The reason was that the Seversky ruler was in a hurry and decided not to wait for a strong ally, who was just gathering regiments. Haste later played a fatal role in the fate of the army. The army went to the banks of the Donets, where the Polovtsy had camps, due to which it was possible to profit well.

Defeat

A few days later, on the way, the Russian army came across a small enemy detachment, which was defeated. This turned the heads of the commanders. The princes decided that since they were lucky for the first time, they would be successful in the future. This was a mistake. The campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsians turned out to be a failure due to haste and adventurousness.

When the army met the main army of nomads, it was immediately surrounded due to the numerical superiority of the enemy. Trapped in the Russian soldiers were killed, few managed to escape. Prince Igor's unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsians turned into captivity for him. He managed to escape from bondage only a few years after he fled under cover of night on a prepared horse.

Return campaign of the Polovtsi

After the victory, the nomads traditionally went straight to Russia: to plunder and profit. The campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsians caused a terrible invasion, which civilians had not known for several decades. The city of Rimov, as well as neighboring villages, was plundered and burned. The Kiev prince, who did not find himself in the steppe because the allies rushed to snatch the laurels of the victors, united with the Galician ruler and drove out the nomads. In addition, the riders never lingered in foreign territory until the onset of winter. With the appearance of snow, they disappeared and returned to their homeland, taking away the stolen wealth in the train.

Svyatoslav (the prince of Kiev) was at first angry at Igor for the fact that he went to the steppe in secret from an ally. However, after it became known that the unfortunate commander was in captivity, the relative forgot the insult and mourned him for a long time, thinking that he would not return.

Literary monument

A few years later, the campaign of Prince Igor of Novgorod-Seversky against the Polovtsians formed the basis of the famous "Lay ...". The author of this literary property is unknown. The work miraculously survived and became truly famous only in the 19th century, when the public received a list compiled by Count Musin-Pushkin.

This is an excellent example of the language of the time. The Word ... is a guide to Old Russian folklore. Because of its importance, the work got into the school curriculum. Many plots and phraseological units (for example, "Yaroslavna's cry") became popular and winged.

The original manuscript was bought by Count Musin-Pushkin from the Yaroslavl monastery. The sale took place due to the fact that the religious institution was closed. Soon the original died in a fire, but by this time several complete lists had been compiled, thanks to which the published copies have survived to our time. The legacy of the Lay is often compared with the meaning of the legends of the European bards of the Middle Ages.

Prince Igor and his campaign against the Polovtsy became one of the recognizable symbols of ancient Russia. Rurikovich himself, after escaping from captivity, lived for several more years. As the eldest among his closest relatives, he inherited Chernigov, where he died in 1201.

Prince Igor Svyatoslavovich ( prince Novgorod-Seversky, prince of Chernigov) was born on April 2, 1151 in the family prince Svyatoslav Olegovich and Princess Catherine from Novgorod.

The first historical event with the participation of Prince Igor was the campaign Andrey Bogolyubsky and 11 more princes to Kiev, where he ruled Mstislav Izyaslavovich. In 1169, the coalition successfully captured Kiev, and the throne was given to Bogolyubsky's brother - Gleb.

1171 - a campaign against the Polovtsy, in which the Polovtsian khans Konchak and Kobyak were defeated in the region of the Vorskla River.

1184 - another campaign against the Polovtsy and battle on the Oreli river, on the Khiriya River and on the Merle River.

Campaign of 1185 and "The Word about Igor's Regiment".

In 1185 Igor Svyatoslavovich decided to finally consolidate his military successes in the war with the Polovtsians and gathered an army from the tribe of Kovuyi (who submitted to the Chernigov princes), as well as his brother Vsevolod Svyatoslavovich with his squad and nephew Svyatoslav Olegovich and went to the South-East, towards the Azov Sea.

Hike in 1185 against the Polovtsians - one of the most famous in the history of the Old Russian state, mainly, of course, due to the fact that he was described in detail in " A word about Igor's regiment».

At the beginning of the campaign, the chronicler recorded a solar eclipse. By the way, in 1185 such a phenomenon as solar prominences was first described.

The first collision occurred on the Syurliy River. What kind of river it was and what it is called now is not known. Researchers suggest, as one of the rivers of the Dnieper basin, and the rivers of the Orel basin and even the Don basin. In this clash, Russian troops easily won and drove the Polovtsi back. As it turned out later, it was just a reconnaissance detachment.

The main battle took place in May 1185, the exact date is unknown, only that the solar eclipse the day before was May 1, 1185. Like the date, the location of the battle is also controversial. "The Word about Igor's Regiment" speaks of the battle at the Kayala River. There are several versions of where this river flows:

One of the rivers in the Voronezh region, for example, Potudan.
The Chir River, which flows into the Don, more precisely into the Tsimlyansk reservoir on the Don.
The Berda River, which flows into the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, after which the city of Berdyansk is named.
The river is fast, flowing into the Seversky Donets (flows in the Rostov region).
The Kalitva River also flows into the Seversky Donets in the Rostov Region.
The Balakleyka River, which flows into the Seversky Donets on the territory of the Kharkiv region.
Kagalnik is a tributary of the Don in the Rostov region.
Kalmius is a river in the Donetsk region that flows into the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov.
The famous (Kalchik), where in 1223 the battle of the Mongol-Tatars and the troops of Russia took place, as well as the battle of Tokhtamysh and Mamai - a river in the Volodarsky district of the Donetsk region, flows into Kalmius.

The most likely are:

the Chir river, since the remains of Russian weapons of the XI-XII centuries were found there by archaeologists (although, given the number of military clashes with the Polovtsy, Vyatichi and Khazars in that area, these could be traces of another battle);
(Kalchik) - for the same reason, as well as for linguistic analysis (Kalka-Kayala); in addition, the chroniclers described Igor's campaign as a campaign towards the Seversky Donets, and Kalka is closer to the Donets than the Chir River;
the Kalmius river - for the same reasons as the Kalka; another point in favor of the last two versions is that the Polovtsians often wandered in the Azov region.

In this battle, the Polovtsians gathered almost all their forces and many times outnumbered Igor's troops. In fact, they were completely surrounded. The outcome was decided even before the battle began. Since the troops of the Polovtsians were mainly on foot, the princes with their squads could easily break through the encirclement (they were on horseback), but Prince Igor did not want to leave his infantry to the mercy of fate, and accepted the battle.

"The Word about Igor's Regiment" describes the battle as a constant movement towards the Donets, that is, the battle did not take place in one place - Igor tried to get out of the encirclement along with the infantry, and the Polovtsian ring moved with him. At the same time, Igor constantly changed the direction of movement. Kovui trembled and tried to escape, breaking free from the encirclement - most of them died, the rest were captured, and Igor did not have time to help them. After an unsuccessful attempt to help the Kovuy, Igor found himself alone surrounded by the Polovtsi. He and other princes were taken prisoner, most of the army was killed. The famous chapter from the "Lay ..." " Crying Yaroslavna»Describes the grief for the fallen soldiers.

The author of the manuscript is most likely the Kiev boyar Pyotr Borislavovich. "Word ..." - almost the only work Ancient Rus, written by non-churchmen, and this is immediately noticeable in the text. Therefore, this chronicle is of much greater value for literature than “ Tale of Bygone Years »And other chronicles, consisting of a dry presentation of events with little Christian morality, but without special means of expression - epithets, rhetoric, comparisons and other literary devices.

Igor escaped from the captivity of the Polovtsi and walked to the Russian lands in the area of \u200b\u200bthe present Kharkov region. His son Vladimir Igorevich was able to get out of captivity by marrying the daughter of Khan Konchak.

During the time while Igor was in captivity, the Polovtsians invaded Russia in the direction of Pereyaslavl and Kursk, but everywhere their attacks were repulsed by Vladimir Glebovich and the sons of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, respectively.

1191 - Prince Igor gathered a serious army and conducted a successful campaign against the Polovtsy (he took revenge for 1185).

1198 - Igor became the prince of Chernigov.

In 1201, Igor Svyatoslavovich died, leaving behind 5 sons and one daughter - all from his wife Efrosinya Yaroslavna.

The appanage prince Igor, heading Novgorod - Seversk principality, a brave warrior, in 1185 made a campaign against the Polovtsians. Khan Konchak surrounded his regiments on the banks of the Kajala River and defeated them. The commander was taken prisoner, but managed to escape. Igor's campaign against the Polovtsy is discussed in the outstanding secular literary work of the 12th century "The Lay of Igor's Host." The main disaster of Russia was its weakness. "Word ..." supplements the chronicles with important details. From it we learn what happened in the south of Russia "when the ploughmen rarely shouted, but often the crows croaked, dividing the corpses." The author of the work describes the weapons, the movement of the troops, the tactics of battle.

Dangerous enemies of the Russian principalities - Cumans

In the XII century, the Polovtsians became the most dangerous enemies of the ancient Russian lands. This nomadic people prevailed in the steppe zone, the valleys of the Dnieper and Don rivers. This period was marked by constant attacks by nomads led by the energetic Khan Konchak. Russian chronicles call him "a cursed and godless destroyer."
Wars were frequent. Military campaigns were not only a way to expand their territory, but to raise authority and glory.
Prince Igor was 35 years old during the military campaign. He previously maintained friendly relations with Khan Konchak and used the Polovtsians in internecine wars with neighboring princes. In 1180, the prince and the Polovtsian Khan undertook a campaign against Kiev together, which ended in failure. Since 1183, Igor begins to fight with the Polovtsian Khan and carries out independent campaigns against the nomads. In the mentioned literary work, a brave and courageous prince appears before the readers, but he is reckless and short-sighted, cares more about his glory and honor than about his homeland.
A year before the famous tragic campaign, the Kiev prince Svyatoslav, together with the military forces of other princes, defeated the army of the Polovtsians. The danger seemed to recede. Igor did not manage to join the troops of the Kiev prince, since the spring ice prevented his cavalry from arriving on time.

Start of the hike

The beginning of the campaign dates back to the spring of 1185, the princes took part in it: Vsevolod Kurskiy (was Igor's brother), Olgovich Rylskiy (nephew), Vladimir Putivlskiy (son). The Chernigov ruler, Yaroslav, sent a detachment of Kuev (semi-nomadic peoples who lived on the southern borders of the Chernigov principality), at the head of which was the boyar Olstin Oleksich. Near the Russian borders, Russian soldiers saw an eclipse of the sun. But such a warning sign did not frighten the prince, he continued to move forward. The warriors sent on reconnaissance ("catching the tongue") reported a large number of Polovtsians and that the enemy was preparing for battle. The scouts told the princes that they needed to hurry to attack the enemy or return home. Igor was sure that returning home would be a shame worse than death.
In May, a bloody battle with the Polovtsy began, which ended in the defeat of the troops of Prince Igor. In this battle, as historical sources show, all the known tribal groups of the Polovtsy took part. The commander himself and other princes are captured, a small group of soldiers managed to break through the encirclement, the rest were killed on the battlefield. Igor was able to get out of captivity. But his son remained in the hands of the Polovtsians. Vladimir had to marry Konchak's daughter. He later also returns from captivity.

3-day battle

On the first day of the clash with the Polovtsi, Igor managed to win. At lunchtime, on Friday, the Russian squad overtook the enemy. The nomads threw their tents and gathered on the opposite bank of the Syurliy river. The Russians had six regiments: in the center was Igor's regiment, on the right - Prince Vselovod, on the left - Svyatoslav's nephew, these were the main forces. Before them, the son Vladimir was with his soldiers and the Chernigov Regiment, consisting of Kuoi. The sixth regiment, standing in front, was a combined regiment, it included archers sent from all five detachments.
The prince called his army to battle. the soldiers were protected by iron chain mail, red shields, stood under their banners that fluttered in the wind. When they approached Syurliya, the Polovtsian archers rode out to meet them, fired their arrows at the Russians and started to run. Further from the river stood the main forces of the Polovtsi, they fled. Svyatoslav and Vladimir with soldiers and archers chased the horde, Igor and his brother moved slowly, not disbanding their regiments. In the enemy camp, large booty was captured: gold, silk fabrics, various clothes, girls were captured.
Meanwhile, the Polovtsians managed to pull their hordes to the site of the battle.
On Saturday, at dawn, a huge number of Polovtsian regiments began an offensive, Russian soldiers were surrounded. The princes decided to break out of the encirclement. In order not to leave the foot soldiers to the enemies, the warriors dismounted from their horses and began to retreat, fighting the enemies. Vsevolod showed particular courage. During the battle, Prince Igor received a wound in his left arm. In the heat of May, the warriors were cut off from the water, and both people and horses had to suffer from thirst.
The battle continued throughout the whole day, many Russian soldiers were killed and wounded. On Sunday, the kowis began to leave the battlefield. Igor rushed after them, trying to stop, but he could not do it. On the way back, the prince is captured. The best warriors remained to die, Prince Vsevolod showed an example to the soldiers with his courage. Igor was taken prisoner, he watched Vsevolod defend himself. It was hard for him to see the death of his brother.
This campaign, which was led by four princes, the senior ruler was 35 years old, made a great impression in the Russian lands.
After the victory over Igor, the Polovtsy ruined the Russian lands. The princes at this time were busy with civil strife. The nomads moved in two directions: to Pereyaslav and along the coast of the Seim. In Pereyaslav, the defense was headed by Vladimir Glebovich. The Kiev prince sent help, the Polovtsians decided not to wait for a clash, they left the Russian territory, burning the city of Rimov.
The defeat of Prince Igor showed that one principality was not able to overcome the nomads. The reasons for the failure should be sought in the lack of unity of forces in the Russian principalities. The unsuccessful battle with the Polovtsians left open the borders of Rus' with the steppe, allowed the enemies to attack not only the border territories, but to invade deep into the Kiev state. The author of The Lay of Igor's Regiment ardently addresses the Russian princes with an appeal to unite, which remained relevant for a long time even after 1185.