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When did the Rakovorska battle take place? Causes and consequences

The medieval Rakovorskaya battle took place in 1268. This battle is one of the many episodes of the Northern Crusades, as well as the struggle between the German knights and Russian principalities for influence in the Baltics.

The history of these complex relationships is best known for the wars of Alexander Nevsky, the Battle of Nevsky and the Battle of Ice. Against the backdrop of these events, the Rakovorska battle remains virtually invisible. Nevertheless, it was an important battle, in which huge squads took part.

Prehistory

On the territory of modern Latvia and Estonia for several centuries the Baltic tribes lived compactly. In the XI century, the territorial expansion of Russia began in this region, but it almost immediately ended because of the beginning of political fragmentation in the East Slavic state. Soon, German colonists appeared in the Baltics. They were Catholics by faith, and the Roman Pope organized the Crusades to baptize the Gentiles.

Thus, in the 13th century the Teutonic and Livonian Orders appeared. Their allies were Sweden and Denmark. Copenhagen organized a military campaign to seize Estland (modern Estonia). Crusaders appeared on the border of Russian principalities (primarily Pskov and Novgorod). In 1240, the first conflict erupted between the neighbors. In these years, Rus was under the blow of the Mongol hordes, which came from the eastern steppes. They destroyed many cities, but they did not reach Novgorod, which was too far in the north.

The Struggle of Alexander Nevsky with the Western Menace

This circumstance helped Nevsky to gather fresh forces and, in turn, to repulse the Swedes and the German crusaders. Alexander consistently broke them in the Battle of the Neva (1240) and the Battle of the Ice (1242). After the successes of the Russian arms, a truce was signed, but all diplomats were clear that the treaty was temporary, and in a few years the Catholics would strike again.

Therefore, Alexander Nevsky began to seek allies in the struggle against the Crusaders. He managed to establish contacts with the Lithuanian prince Mindovg, for whom German expansion was also a serious threat. The two rulers were close to having an alliance. However, in 1263 the Lithuanian and Novgorod princes almost simultaneously died.

Dovmont's personality

The famous Rakovorska Battle left the descendants with the glorious name of Dovmont, who led the Pskov army in battle against the Catholics. This prince was from Lithuania. After the death of Mindovg, he took part in an internecine war in his homeland. He did not manage to retain any destiny, and he was expelled by his compatriots. Even then, Dovmont was known for his courage. His personality interested the inhabitants of Pskov, who after the death of Alexander Nevsky needed an independent defender from their neighbors. Dovmont gladly agreed to serve the city and in 1266 became the Pskov prince and voivode.

This election was facilitated by the unique political system that prevailed in the north of Russia. Pskov and Novgorod differed from other East Slavic cities in that their rulers were appointed by the decision of the popular vote - the veche. Because of this difference, the inhabitants of these lands often clashed with another Russian political center - Vladimir-on-Klyazma, where the hereditary representatives of the Rurik dynasty ruled. They paid tribute to the Mongols and periodically sought the same taxes from Novgorod and Pskov. However difficult as the relationship between them, the main threat to the Russian republics in those years came from the west.

By that time, a whole conglomerate of Catholic states had formed in the Baltics, which acted in concert, seeking to conquer and baptize the local pagans, and also to defeat the Slavs.

Novgorod trip to Lithuania

In 1267 the Novgorodians organized a campaign against the warlike Lithuanians, who did not leave their borders alone. However, already on the way to the west, conflict began among the commanders, and the original plan was changed. Instead of going to Lithuania, the Novgorodians went to Estland, which belonged to the Danish king. The battle of battle was the culmination of this war. The formal reason for the campaign was regular news that Russian merchants were oppressed in the markets of Reval, which belonged to the Danes.

However, with all the desire of the Novgorodians it would be difficult to resist the Catholic Union. The first campaign in 1267 ended, and not having time to start. The army returned home, and the military leaders decided to ask for help from the Grand Duke Vladimir of Yaroslav Yaroslavich. On the banks of the Volkhov he had a governor, agreed with the local citizens. He was nephew of Alexander Nevsky Yuri Andreevich. It was this prince who was the chief commander in the Russian army, when the Rakovorska battle occurred.

Union of Russian Princes

Russian blacksmiths began to forge new weapons and armor. Yuri Andreevich invited other Slavic princes to join his campaign. Initially, the backbone of the army was the Novgorod army, supplemented by Vladimir detachments, which were given to the deputy Yaroslav Yaroslavich. Rakovorska battle was to test the strength of allied relations between neighbors.

In addition, other princes joined the Novgorodians: Dmitri, the son of Alexander Nevsky , who ruled in Pereyaslavl; Children of the Vladimir prince Svyatoslav and Mikhail, with whom the Tver squad arrived; As well as the Pskov prince Dovmont.

While the Russian knights were preparing for an imminent war, Catholic diplomats did everything they could to outwit the enemy. At the height of the collection of troops in Novgorod arrived ambassadors from Riga, who represented the interests of the Livonian Order. It was a trick. Ambassadors persuaded the Russians to make peace in exchange for the Order not to support the Danes in their war. While the Novgorodians agreed with the Rigaans, they already sent troops to the north of their possessions, preparing to organize a trap.

Raid to the Baltic States

On January 23, the united Russian squad withdrew from Novgorod. The Rakovar battle was waiting for her. 1268 began with the usual cold winter, so the army quickly passed over the frozen Narva, which was the border between the two countries. The main goal of the campaign was the strategically important fortress of Rakovor. The Russian army moved slowly, distracted by the looting of defenseless Danish territory.

The battle of battle took place on the river bank, the location of which has not yet been accurately established. Historians argue with each other because of the intricacies of sources in which different toponyms are indicated. Anyway, the battle happened on February 18, 1268 in the north of Estonia, near the town of Rakovor.

Preparing for battle

On the eve of the collision, the Russian command sent scouts in order to more accurately know about the enemy's strength. Returning trackers reported that there were too many soldiers in the enemy camp for the Danish army alone. Unpleasant guesses were confirmed when the Russian knights saw the knights of the Livonian Order in front of them. This was a direct violation of those peace agreements that the Germans agreed with the Novgorodians on the eve of the campaign.

Despite the fact that the enemy army was twice as strong as the commanders of the Russian army had assumed, the Slavs did not flinch. According to various chronicles, on the battlefield there was parity - on each side there were about 25 thousand people.

Tactics of the Germans

The military order of the Catholic army was formed according to the favorite Teutonic tactics. It consisted in the fact that in the center of the heavily armed knights rose in the form of a wedge directed towards the enemy.

To the right of them were the Danes. On the left is the Riga militia. The flanks were supposed to cover the attack of the knights. The battle of 1268 did not become an attempt for Catholics to rethink their standard tactics that led them to the war with Alexander Nevsky.

The construction of the Russian army

The Russian army was also divided into many regiments, each led by one of the princes. On the right were the Pereyaslavl and the Pskovites. In the center were the Novgorodians, for whom the Battle of Rakovor in 1268 was the decisive episode of the struggle against the Germans. To their left was a Tver squad sent by the Vladimir prince.

In the structure of the Russian army was laid its main defect. The courage and skill of the army were powerless before the uncoordinated actions of generals. The Russian princes argued over who, by law, was the head of the entire military campaign. According to the dynastic position, they were considered Dmitry Alexandrovich, but he was young, which did not give him authority in the eyes of his older comrades. The most experienced strategist was the Lithuanian Dovmont, but he was only a Pskov voivode and besides he did not belong to the Rurikovich family.

Therefore, throughout the battle, the Russian regiments acted at their own discretion, which made them vulnerable to crusaders. The battle of battle, the causes of which were the war of the Novgorodians and Catholics, only intensified the rivalry between the Slavic princes.

The beginning of the battle

From the attack of the German knights Rakovorska battle began. On February 18, it was decided which party to the conflict would win the war. While the Germans were moving forward in the center, the Tver and Pereyaslav squads struck at enemies on their flanks. The Pskov regiment also did not stay idle. His knights went into battle with the army, which belonged to Bishop Derpt.

The most serious blow fell on the Novgorodians. They had to face the famous German attack "pig", when the knights in a single march developed a mad speed and swept the enemy off the battlefield. The army of Yuri Andreevich in advance prepared for this turn of events, having built up defensive echelons. However, even tactical tricks did not help the Novgorodians withstand the blow of the cavalry. They were the first to flinch, and the center of the Russian army noticeably sagged and fell. The panic began, it seemed that the Rakovorska battle was about to end. The forgotten victory of Russian weapons was obtained thanks to the courage and persistence of Dmitry Alexandrovich.

His regiment managed to break the Riga militia. When the prince realized that in the rear of the matter they were taking a bad turn, he promptly turned his army back and struck the Germans from the rear. They did not expect such a daring attack.

Delivery of the train

By this time the Novgorod governor Yuri Andreevich had already fled the battlefield. Those few brave men from his army, who were still in the ranks, in time joined the rushed to help Dmitry Alexandrovich. On the other flank the Danes finally surrendered their positions and rushed to run after the militiamen of the deceased bishop. The Tver squad did not come to the aid of the Novgorodians in the center, but began to pursue the retreating opponents. Because of this, the Russian army failed to organize a worthy resistance to the German "pig".

Toward evening, the knights repulsed the attack of the Pereyaslavl men and again began to squabble the Novgorodians. Finally, already at dusk, they seized the Russian train. It included, among other things, siege engines that were prepared for the siege and assault of Rakovor. All of them were quickly destroyed. However, this was only an occasional success of the Germans. Rakovorskaya battle, briefly, stopped only because the light day was over. The rival armies lay down their arms for the night and tried to rest to finally find out their relationship at dawn.

Night Military Council

At night, the Tver Regiment returned to the position, which pursued the Danes. He was joined by surviving soldiers from other detachments. Among the corpses were found the body of the Novgorod posadnik Mikhail Fedorovich. A little later, on the council, the commanders-in-chief discussed the idea of attacking the Germans in the dark and, through surprise, to repel the convoy. However, this idea was too adventurous, because the soldiers were tired and were knocked out. It was decided to wait until morning.

At the same time, the surviving German regiment, which remained the only battle-ready formation from the original Catholic conglomerate, realized the plight of its situation. His commanders decided to retreat. Under cover of night, the Germans left the Russian train, and without taking any booty with them.

Effects

In the morning the Russian army realized that the Germans had fled. This meant that the Rakovorska battle had ended. Where there was an attack, there were hundreds of corpses. The princes stood for three more days on the battlefield, burying the dead, and also not forgetting to collect trophies. The victory was with the Russian army, but due to the fact that the Germans destroyed the siege machines, a further march towards the fortress of Rakovor became meaningless. Without special devices, it was not possible to seize the fortifications. It was possible to resort to a long and exhausting siege, but this was not in the plans of the Novgorodians from the very beginning.

Therefore, the Russian regiments returned to their homeland, to their cities. This decision was not accepted only by the Pskov prince Dovmont, who along with his squad continued to raid unprotected towns of Pomorze. Rakovorska battle, which claimed the lives of about 15 thousand people, still remains an important milestone in the confrontation of military monastic orders of Catholics with Russian principalities.

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