Vi. THE DECLINE OF THE KIEV PRINCE

(continuation)

Revitalization of the fight against barbarians. - Konchak. - Campaign, captivity and release of Igor Seversky. - Invasion of the Polovtsy. - The release of Igor. - Black Cowls. - The last 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 was revived with new energy. Having strengthened on the Kiev table, Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich no longer had the need to fondle his former allies, and we see a number of successful campaigns that the southern 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, including Kobyak Karlyevich with 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 to 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 buzzard did just that. Smelling the potions, the exile cried and said: "Yes, it is better to lie with bones in your own land than to be in someone else's glorious." He came to his homeland, and from him Konchak was born; 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 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 not to believe the insidious Polovtsy and go to war with them. However, Yaroslav avoided 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 ("at the head", as they said at that time) they dispatched several younger princes. The latter met on the road guests, or merchants, who had passed 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 side of the steppes. The younger princes suddenly came out from behind this rampart, struck the Polovtsians and took many prisoners; among them, they brought to Svyatoslav and the 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 most New 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 together with his brother Vsevolod, his son Vladimir and nephew Svyatoslav. He planned to repeat the same thing now, after the defeat of Konchak at Khorol, where, to his great regret, he did not manage to 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 blowing 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 eldest was no more than 35 years old, made a strong impression on contemporaries, so that, in addition to a fairly 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 signs that predict a sad outcome for him. Once, when the army was approaching the Donets, before the evening the sun was covered with a 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, 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 rubbish more 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 scream, foxes crack on scarlet Russian shields.

Polovtsi gathered, young and old, on the banks of some river Syurleya; 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. Igor's regiment marched in the middle, on the right - 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 withstand the onslaught of some of the front squads and fled. Rus chased after the barbarians, reached their vezh and captured a large crowd: maidens, 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 to return. The young princes rejoiced at their victory and frivolously boasted: "Our brothers, who walked with the Grand Duke Svyatoslav, fought with the Polovtsy looking at Pereyaslavl; they themselves came; and the princes did not dare to go to them. We have already killed the rotten in their own land; now we will 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 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 were smashed with steel swords and red-hot sabers by the Russians. It took place 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 could not 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 squads 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 the much 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 Regiment" touchingly depicts the sadness and despondency that spread across the Russian land at the news of the fate of the Svyatoslavichs. In particular, it paints poetically the cry 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 unhappy 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, for the whole summer to go to the Don and fight the Polovtsians. On the way back near Novgorod-Seversky, the Grand Duke learned with displeasure that his cousins, without asking his consent, had secretly undertook a campaign in the steppe. From Novgorod-Seversky, he sailed on boats along the Desna to Chernigov, and then the news of the defeat and captivity of his relatives reached him. The Severskaya land, especially the Semey, was in great confusion; she lost her princes and troops; in a rare family did not mourn the loss of anyone closest to them. Svyatoslav took action immediately. He sent his sons to the border towns of the Seversk to defend 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 to tell David. 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, a quarrel broke out 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 the villages, burned the prison, or the outer 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 the courageous Vladimir Glebovich, the grandson of Yuri Dolgoruky, reigned here; 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 Rostislavichi. 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 Polovtsians left the siege of this city; they rushed to Sula, plundered the volosts lying along it and laid siege to the Rims (Romny). The barbarians of the steppe, indomitable in plundering and destroying open settlements, were not skilled 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, it is his invasion that the above-quoted words of the chronicler hint at: "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 embarrass the prince and even obeyed his orders; with him there 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. The prince did not dare at first. But the son of the tysyatsky and the prince's equestrian persuaded him to take advantage of the offer; they told Igor that the Polovtsi were threatening to beat the captured princes and their entire squad. Then Igor made up his mind and sent the groom 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: after praying earnestly in front of the icon, Igor lifted the back cavity of the tent and went out unnoticed. He crossed the river, mounted a 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 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 is driving along Borichev to the Holy Mother of God Pirogoshche; there is joy in the country, joy among the people." Two years later, Igor's son Vladimir returned from captivity, accompanied by his daughter Konchak, with whom he 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 Klobukov with their governors to them. Russia is destroying 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, it was his fault that the big 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 did Svyatoslav and Rurik persuade him to make another transition in 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; and so they went further than it was supposed. 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 in favor of Russia with the same zeal. 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 to 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 kinship 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 temporary 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; Kiev prince let him go, taking an oath of allegiance. 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 Dveren 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 Danubian countries. Particularly successful were the enterprises of the Black Klobuki under the command of Rurikov'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 imprisoned 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 went immediately 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.

Around 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 control, 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 Verkhuslava to 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 south with a large retinue of boyars and their wives, providing him with a rich dowry, consisting of gold and silver things. Mother and father accompanied her to the 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 gifted his young daughter-in-law and, by the way, gave her the city of Bryagin; and the boyars who saw her off were sent to Suzdal with large gifts. Judging by 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 us not forget that the land of Kiev was called Rus at that time. Rurik listened and with his regiments set off for southern Ukraine, postponing his campaign to Lithuania, which was already beginning to noticeably press against 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 incessant 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 the proximity to the Greek cities in Taurida and the Caucasian 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 Host." 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 reliable, 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 similar to the 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 then used in the meaning of an army, as well as a battle, war, rati. This remarkable poetic work of Ancient Russia 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 prosaic and poetic. These are the publications: Palipin 1807, Pozharsky 1819, Gramatin 1823, Sakharov 1839, Golovin 1840 and others. The most remarkable publications, 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 interesting 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 transcriptions, 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 with 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 ​​Azov, or to Lukomorye, as the Seversky princes call it in the chronicles. Some scholars identified Kayala with Kalmius, flowing into the Sea of ​​Azov (Butkov, Aristov), ​​others with Thor. (Proceedings of the 3rd Archaeologist. Congress).

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 Polovtsians 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 plowmen 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, in 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 common. 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 supported with Khan Konchak friendly relations and used the Polovtsians in internecine wars with neighboring princes. In 1180, the prince and the Polovtsian khan together undertook a campaign against Kiev, 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 Polovtsian army. 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, 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 the boyar Olstin Oleksich was put. 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 Polovtsians took part. The commander himself and other princes are captured, a small group of soldiers managed to break through the encirclement, the rest died 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, the main forces of the Polovtsy stood, they fled. Svyatoslav and Vladimir with soldiers and archers chased the horde, Igor and his brother moved slowly, not disbanding their regiments. Large booty was captured in the enemy camp: 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, an offensive of a huge number of Polovtsian regiments began, 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 soldiers were cut off from the water, and 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, led by four princes, the eldest ruler was 35 years old, made a great impression in the Russian lands.
After the victory over Igor, the Polovtsians 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 down the city of Rimov.
The defeat of Prince Igor showed that the principality alone was unable 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 Russia 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.

On April 23, 1185, on Tuesday, Igor Svyatoslavovich left the gates of Novgorod Seversky. This prince was the great-great-grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, and he was thirty-fourth years old. Igor was young and was looking for fame.

On April 23, 1185, on Tuesday, Igor Svyatoslavovich left the gates of Novgorod Seversky. This prince was the great-great-grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, and he was thirty-fourth years old.

Igor was young and was looking for fame.

Igor's brother, Vsevolod, set out from "Troubechka" [Trubchevsk]. Igor's nephew Svyatoslav Olgovich left Rylsk. From Putivl left Igor's son Vladimir, and from Chernigov from Yaroslav Vsevolodovich came to the aid of the regiment, which was marching under the hand of "Olstin. Oleksich. Prokhorov vnouk".

When the regiments approached the Seversky Donets, "... then Igor gazed into the bright sun and the sight of which is covered with darkness" ["A word about Igor's palku ..."]. It was a solar eclipse. The Igor's men bowed their heads and said to the prince: "Behold, there is a sign that is not good." Igor himself could not fail to understand this, but only youth took its toll, and the prince turned to the regiments with a speech: "I want more ... a spear to break down the end of the Polovtsian field, eat you, Rusitsi, I want to attach my head, but I want to drink hello Don ". Soon Igor approached the Oskol River and stood there for two days, waiting for his brother Vsevolod. This prince approached Oskol from Kursk. Having met, the Russian regiments approached the Salnitsa river.

On the bank of the Sala Igor was met by his "guards", who had previously been sent to the steppe for the language. They informed the prince that military men in armor were riding ahead and that they had to either hurry forward or return home. And they added a watchman to the prince: "This is not our time."

Igor thought with his brothers and decided that it would be a shame to return without a fight, worse than death. And the regiments drove through the night into the depths of the steppes to the Don. And at that time: "Already for trouble it grazes the birds over the dubium, throws a thunderstorm on the yarugam, eagles klektom, call animals on the bones, foxes to fool around on the shields" ["A word about Igor's ball ..."].

On Friday morning, the Russian horsemen saw the Polovtsian regiments. And in front, across the Syuourliya river, stood the wives and children of the Polovtsians.

Igor stood with his regiment in the center, on the right hand put the regiment of brother Vsevolod, and on the left hand was the regiment of his nephew Svyatoslav Olgovich. Ahead of Igor were his son Vladimir and Chernigov assistance with "Olstin Kouev".

A chain of riflemen crumbled in front of the Russian regiments.

Archers rode out from the Polovtsi and, firing at the arrow, galloped away.

And the soldiers of Svyatoslav Olgovich, Vladimir Igorevich and Olstin spurred their horses and rushed to the Polovtsi. The regiments of Igor and Vsevolod, without mixing the ranks, followed.

Soon the Polovtsians trembled and ran into the vezha.

The Russians came to the vezh and were "overwhelmed".

In the coming night, the princes gathered for a council. The idea arose in the night to retreat. It was known that the Polovtsians did not waste their time and their strength was going to be considerable. Svyatoslav Olgovich said that his horses, chasing the Polovtsy, were tired and he would lag behind on the road. Vsevolod repeated the same.

In the meantime, the morning dawn of Saturday came up. In the first rays of the sun, the eyes of the Russian princes saw the innumerable Polovtsian army. Igor, looking around the ranks of the enemy, told the brothers that the Polovtsians had gathered everyone and "Konchak and Kozou. Bournovich and Toksobits Kolobich and Etebich. And Tertrobich."

The Russians dismounted from their horses, saying that "you can run away, but the black people [infantry] will remain, otherwise it will be a sin." And they decided to either die or stay alive in one place.

The Russian soldiers wanted, fighting on foot, to reach the Don. And that morning, Russian regiments were stationed on the Kajala River. The battle began. Igor was wounded in the arm, and she died. And in front of his regiment, the Polovtsians wounded the princely voivode, and they dragged him away from the battlefield. Igor's warriors were saddened.

The battle went on all Saturday. By evening, there were many wounded and killed in the ranks of the Russians.

At dawn the next day, the "Kovouevs" that had come from Chernigov ran away from the battlefield. Igor rode after them, wanting to return. Realizing that he had traveled far from his own people and was recognized, the prince took off his helmet and hurried back to his regiment. And only "Mikhalko Gyurgovich" returned from those who fled. He recognized Igor.

The battle began again. Igor, sitting on a horse, watched how his brother Vsevolod fought with the Polovtsy. Vsevolod's regiment stood in a circle near the lake and silently fiercely repulsed the attacks of the steppe inhabitants, hiding behind scarlet shields and chopping off the enemy as much as they could.

Igor wished to die rather than see Vsevolod fall. And then Igor remembered his sin. Earlier, the prince took on the shield the city of Gleb near Pereyaslavl, and the living in the city envied the dead. Igor remembered how husbands were flogged and wives were defiled, and decided that he would atone for sin on the Kajala River.

Indeed, the Olgovichi almost every year brought Polovtsy to Russia and, fighting the princes, let the nomads into Russian cities and villages and devastated entire volosts. And Igor himself more than once watched as the Polovtsy allied to the Olgovichi were taken to the steppe with a Russian full. In many ways, the unfortunate battle on the Kayala River was the atoning sacrifice of the Ol'govichi, and sooner or later the tragedy had to happen, although Igor himself with his brother, nephew and son were least of all guilty of that. It was a tragedy for all of Russia.

"There is a day, there are other days, the third day by noon, Igor's banner will fall" ["A word about Igor's palku ..."].

The battle ended, and the Polovtsy, having disassembled the prisoners, began to disperse to the vezha. Prince Igor went to "Targolova Mozh" named "Chilbouk". Vsevolod was captured by "Roman Kzich" on the battlefield. Svyatoslav Olgovich was taken to his tower by "Eldechuk to Vodourtsevich". Vladimir Igorevich was taken by "Kopti to Oulashevichikh".

There, on the battlefield, Konchak vouched for Igor's matchmaker, pointing out his wound. Chilboke did not dare to refuse the Khan.

Few of those who came from Russia to the Kajala River managed to leave the terrible field. And yet, when Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich came from Korachev, where he gathered soldiers for a summer campaign to the Don, to Novgorod Seversky, the Olgovichi informed their elder brother about the tragedy that had taken place.

Merchants carried a lot of news. They were welcome guests everywhere, and it was their testimonies that were often the freshest and most reliable.

Igor Svyatoslavovich was ambitious and went on a campaign to the Don secretly, knowing for certain that in the summer Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich himself was going to go out into the steppe with all Russian strength.

When Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich in a boat from Novgorod Seversky sailed to Chernigov, a living witness of the unfortunate campaign was already awaiting him. It was "Belovolod. Prosovich". Having listened to his story, Svyatoslav sighed, wiped away his tears and said that God had given him "to tame the nasty" and could not keep the "awesomeness", and that, with her fervor, "opened the gates to the Russian land."

And at that time, along the banks of the Seim River, there were "restless cities". In all the volosts around Chernigov, Novgorod, Seversky, Kursk and Rylsk, people began to seize the princes and beat their squads. Those events were similar to those that took place in the Suzdal land after the death of Bogolyubsky. Both here and there the lands were left without a firm princely power, moreover, many of the simple [black] people did not return from the campaign, and even the old old grievances against the authorities were recalled, and uprisings began.

Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich sent the sons of Oleg and Vladimir to the Diet to extinguish the fire. And in Smolensk to David Rostislavovich Svyatoslav sent to tell the prince to go to the Polovtsi, but to watch over the Russian land. David went down the Dnieper and stood at Trepolye.

Yaroslav Vsevolodovich also made his own regiment in Chernigov.

Meanwhile, the Polovtsians, who were proud of their victory over Igor, had a dispute: whether to go to Kiev (and Konchak spoke for that) or to go to the Diet, where wives and children were left without protection and was ready to go. Bonyak and Kza insisted on going to the Seim. In the end, the forces of the Polovtsy were divided into two, and Konchak approached Pereyaslavl, laid siege to the city and fought under its walls for a day. Sitting in Pereyaslavl, Vladimir Glebovich [Dolgoruky's grandson] was "impudent and bold." The prince went out into the field with a few warriors and began to fight with the Polovtsy. When they saw from the city that the prince was surrounded from everywhere, the gates were thrown open, help came out and the prince "otyasha". And Vladimir had already been wounded by three spears.

Messengers hurried from Pereyaslavl to Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich and David Rostislavovich, asking for help. Svyatoslav sent to David in Trepolye. The people of Smolensk who were standing in that city gathered a veche and told the prince to go to Kiev, and if necessary, they would fight. And they do not need other battles, "Esma is exhausted". But help came to Pereyaslavl. When the Polovtsians saw that the regiments were crossing the Dnieper, over which the banners of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich and Rurik Rostislavovich were developing, they lifted the siege from Pereyaslavl and moved into the steppe.

Retreating, the Polovtsians stopped at the city of Rimov. And misfortune happened. The townspeople shut themselves up in the city and sat on wooden gorods, looking over the moat at the enemy. Two gorodni, which were wooden log cabins, "flyesta" from the rampart "to the soldiers". It was a bad omen, and terror seized the townspeople.

Part of the townspeople, who left the fortress and fought on the "Rimskomou swamp", managed to "escape captivity" [to avoid captivity]. Those who were in the city, "take it by yourself."

The help that Vladimir Glebovich asked for moved slowly, for Svyatoslav and Rurik "were late waiting for Dvda Smolnany," and no one was able to help Rimov.

And the second Polovtsian horde under the command of Kza burned the prison around Putivl and fought the villages along the Seim.

But back to Prince Igor Svyatoslavovich. The Polovtsi assigned fifteen of their sons - "watchmen" to him. In addition, the prince had five servants.

Will gave Igor as much as he wanted. The watchmen carried out all his orders, but followed the prince everywhere relentlessly.

They brought Igor and the priest from "Rousy" with "I stand a slozhboy".

And Prince Igor rode across the steppe with a hawk on his shoulder or on his arm, hunting wild animals. And there was plenty of it.

And over the Diet, on the fence of the fortress wall in Putivl, stood Igor’s wife, Princess Yaroslavna, and, crying and peering into the immeasurable distance beyond the river, said: “About the wind, it was sailing! my frets howl? How little do you never wanna blow up the clouds, cherish the ships on the blue sea? Why, sir, scatter my joy over feather grass.

A new day was dawning, and again Yaroslavna went out to the fence of the Putivl child and, crying, said: "About the Dnieper Slovutitsa! You have broken through the rocky mountains through the Polovtsian land. You cherished Svyatoslavli noses on you to Kobyakov's river. me, but bykh didn’t send him to tear down at sea early. ”

And Yaroslavna's tears helped Igor. Among the Polovtsians there was one named "Lavor". This man suggested that Igor flee to Russia. A thought sunk into the prince's mind, but he did not have confidence in the Polovtsian.

Near Igor were his groom and the son of Tysyatsky. They began to persuade the prince to go to Russia. They also told Igor that the Cumans, who had returned from the campaign at Pereyaslavl and Putivl, were rumored to want to kill the prince and all of Russia. And Igor will not have "neither glory, nor belly."

Igor believed this and the "oopoloshas" of the return of the Polovtsians from Russia.

At sunset, the prince sent his equerry to "Lavrov" to tell him to wait for Igor with his horse across the river "Tora".

At night, Igor's watchmen drank "koumyz". When the equerry approached Igor and said that "Lavor" was waiting for him across the river, the prince trembled and it is not known what was more in his soul - fear or impatience. Igor crossed himself on the image and, lifting the canopy of the tent, found himself under the stars.

Watching him, deciding that the prince was asleep, serenely played and had fun. Igor crossed the river, mounted a horse and walked through the vezha.

For eleven days Igor walked "pesh" to the Russian city of Donets, to the upper reaches of the Seversky Donets. It was too dangerous to ride on horseback across the steppe. The prince could be seen and caught. And Igor had to hide in the ravines during the day and move, hiding in the thick grass and thickets of bushes and riparian groves, and at night, guided by the sun setting, and perhaps by the stars and the moon, hurry to the Donets.

"And Prince Igor will jump with a bugle to the cane, and with a white gogol on the water, rush into the brz a lump and scoot to eat it, run to the Donets meadow, and fly to the Donets meadow, and fly with a falcon with soap, beating the geese and swans the next morning, dinner and dinner." ["Word..."].

From Donets Igor Svyatoslavovich came to Novgorod Seversky. And they were sincerely glad about the return of the prince in Russia.

However, the towns in Poseymye were worried, and Igor asked for help from Chernigov. Yaroslav Vsevolodovich promised help.

Soon Igor was met in Chernigov, and after a short time the prince was driving along the Borichev descent of Kiev "to the Holy Mother of God Pirogoshchei". And Igor Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich and matchmaker Rurik Rostislavovich were glad.

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 Campaign."

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: made peace and an alliance or fought. So it was with Igor. Sometimes he hired nomads during internecine wars with relatives. But along with this he fought with the khans. For example, in 1171 he defeated Konchak across the Vorskla River. 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. They were Vsevolod Svyatoslavich (prince of Kursk), Svyatoslav Olgovich (prince of Rylsk) 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 stumbled upon 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. Prince Igor's campaign against the Polovtsi 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. The unsuccessful campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsians turned into captivity for him. He managed to escape from bondage only a few years after he escaped under cover of night on a prepared horse.

Return campaign of the Polovtsi

After the victory, the nomads, according to tradition, went straight to Russia: to plunder and profit. The campaign of Prince Igor against the Polovtsi became the cause of a terrible invasion, which civilians had not known for several decades. The city of Rimov was plundered and burned, as well as neighboring villages. The Kiev prince, who did not end up in the steppe because the allies rushed to snatch the winners' laurels, united with the Galician ruler and drove out the nomads. In addition, the riders never lingered on 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 with 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-Seversk 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 that time. "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") have become 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, 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 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.