The history of Russia is full of different events. Each of them leaves its mark in the memory of the whole people. Some key and turning events reach our days and remain revered and worthy in our society. Take care of your cultural heritage, remembering great victories and commanders is a very important duty of every person. The princes of Russia were not always at their best in terms of their management of Russia, but they tried to be one family that jointly makes all decisions. At the most critical and difficult moments, a person always appeared who “took the bull by the horns” and turned the course of history into reverse side. One of these great people is Vladimir Monomakh, who is still considered an important figure in the history of Russia. He achieved many of the most difficult military and political goals, while he rarely resorted to cruel methods. His methods were tactics, patience and wisdom, which allowed him to reconcile adults who hated each other for years. In addition, one cannot ignore the prince’s talent to fight, because Monomakh’s tactics often saved Russian army from death. The defeat of the Polovtsians, Prince Vladimir thought out to the smallest detail and therefore "trampled" this threat to Russia.

Polovtsy: acquaintance

Polovtsy, or Polovtsy, as historians also call them, are a people of Turkic origin who led a nomadic lifestyle. In different sources they are given different names: in Byzantine documents - Cumans, in Arab-Persian - Kypchaks. The beginning of the 11th century turned out to be very productive for the people: they ousted the Torks and Pechenegs from the Trans-Volga region and settled in these parts. However, the conquerors decided not to stop there and crossed the Dnieper River, after which they successfully descended to the banks of the Danube. Thus they became the owners of the Great Steppe, which stretched from the Danube to the Irtysh. Russian sources refer to this place as the Polovtsian field.

During the creation of the Golden Horde, the Polovtsy managed to assimilate many Mongols and successfully impose their language on them. It should be noted that later this language (Kypchak) became the basis for many languages ​​(Tatar, Nogai, Kumyk and Bashkir).

Origin of the term

The word "Polovtsy" from the old Russian means "yellow". Many representatives of the people had blond hair, but the majority were representatives with an admixture of Mongoloid. However, some scientists say that the origin of the name of the people comes from the place where they stopped - the field. There are many versions, but none is reliable.

tribal system

The defeat of the Polovtsy was partly due to their military-democratic system. The whole nation was divided into several clans. Each clan had its own name - the name of the leader. Several clans united into tribes that created villages and winter quarters for themselves. Each tribal union had its own land on which food was cultivated. There were also smaller organizations, smoking - the union of several families. It is interesting that not only the Polovtsy could live in the kurens, but also other peoples with whom natural mixing took place.

Political system

The kurens united into hordes, headed by the khan. The khans had supreme power in the localities. In addition to them, there were also such categories as servants and convicts. It should also be noted such a division of women, which predetermined them into servants. They were called chags. Kolodniki are prisoners of war who, in essence, were domestic slaves. They did hard work, had no rights, and were the lowest rung on the social ladder. There were also koschevye - the heads of large families. The family consisted of cats. Each kosh is a separate family and its servants.

The wealth obtained in battles was divided between the leaders of military campaigns and the nobility. An ordinary warrior received only crumbs from the master's table. In the event of an unsuccessful campaign, one could go bankrupt and become completely dependent on some noble Polovtsy.

Warfare

The military affairs of the Polovtsy were at their best, and even modern scientists recognize this. However, history has preserved to this day not too many testimonies about the Polovtsian warriors. Interestingly, any man or youth who was able to simply carry a weapon had to devote his life to military affairs. At the same time, his state of health, physique, and even more so his personal desire, were not taken into account at all. But since such a device has always existed, no one complained about it. It is worth noting that the military affairs of the Polovtsians were not well organized from the very beginning. It would be more accurate to say that it developed in stages. Byzantine historians wrote that this people fought with a bow, a curved saber and darts.

Each warrior wore special clothes that reflected his belonging to the army. It was made from and was quite dense and comfortable. It is interesting that each Polovtsian warrior had at his disposal about 10 horses.

The main strength of the Polovtsian army was the light cavalry. In addition to the weapons listed above, the warriors also fought with sabers and lassoes. A little later, they had heavy artillery. Such warriors wore special helmets, armor and chain mail. At the same time, they were often made in a very intimidating form in order to further intimidate the enemy.

It is also worth mentioning the use of heavy crossbows by the Polovtsy, and they most likely learned this in those days when they lived near Altai. It was these capabilities that made the people practically invincible, for few military leaders of that time could boast of such knowledge. The use of Greek fire many times helped the Polovtsy to defeat even very fortified and protected cities.

It is worth paying tribute to the fact that the army had sufficient maneuverability. But all successes in this matter came to naught due to the low speed of movement of the troops. Like all nomads, the Cumans won many victories thanks to sharp and unexpected attacks on the enemy, prolonged ambushes and deceptive maneuvers. They often chose small villages as the object of attack, which could not provide the necessary resistance, much less defeat the Polovtsy. However, the army was often defeated due to the fact that there were not enough professional fighters. Not much attention was paid to the education of the younger ones. It was possible to learn any skills only during the raid, when the main occupation was the development of primitive combat techniques.

Russian-Polovtsian wars

The Russo-Polovtsian wars are a long series of serious conflicts that played out for about a century and a half. One of the reasons was the clash of the territorial interests of both sides, because the Polovtsians were a nomadic people who wanted to conquer new lands. The second reason was that Russia was going through hard times of fragmentation, so some rulers recognized the Polovtsy as allies, causing the anger and indignation of other Russian princes.

The situation was rather sad until Vladimir Monomakh intervened, who set as his initial goal the unification of all the lands of Russia.

Prehistory of the Battle of Salnitsa

In 1103, the Russian princes carried out the first campaign against the nomadic people in the steppe. By the way, the defeat of the Polovtsy took place after the Dolobsky Congress. In 1107, the Bonyaki and Sharukans were successfully defeated by Russian troops. Success instilled the spirit of rebellion and victory in the souls of Russian warriors, so already in 1109 the Kyiv governor Dmitry Ivorovich smashed to shreds large Polovtsian villages near the Donets.

Monomakh's tactics

It is worth noting that the defeat of the Polovtsy (date - March 27, 1111) was one of the first in the modern list Memorable dates military history RF. The victory of Vladimir Monomakh and other princes was a deliberate political victory that had far-sighted consequences. The Russians prevailed despite the fact that the advantage in quantitative terms was almost one and a half.

Today, many are interested in the amazing defeat of the Polovtsians under which prince became achievable? A huge and invaluable merit is the contribution of Vladimir Monomakh, who skillfully applied his military leadership gift. He took several important steps. Firstly, he implemented the good old principle, which says that it is necessary to destroy the enemy on his territory and with little bloodshed. Secondly, he successfully used the transport capabilities of that time, which made it possible to deliver infantry soldiers to the battlefield in a timely manner, while maintaining their strength and spirit. The third reason for Monomakh's thoughtful tactics was that he even resorted to weather conditions in order to win the desired victory - he forced the nomads to fight in such weather that did not allow them to fully use all the advantages of their cavalry.

However, this is not the only merit of the prince. Vladimir Monomakh thought out the defeat of the Polovtsy to the smallest detail, but in order to implement the plan, it was necessary to achieve the almost impossible! To begin with, let's plunge into the mood of that time: Russia was fragmented, the princes held on to their territories with their teeth, everyone strove to act in his own way, and everyone believed that only he was right. However, Monomakh managed to gather, reconcile and unite wayward, recalcitrant or even stupid princes. It is very difficult to imagine how much wisdom, patience and courage the prince needed ... He resorted to tricks, tricks and direct persuasion that could somehow influence the princes. The result was gradually achieved, and internecine strife ceased. It was at the Dolobsky Congress that the main agreements and agreements were reached between different princes.

The defeat of the Polovtsy by Monomakh also happened due to the fact that he convinced other princes to use even smerds in order to strengthen the army. Previously, no one even thought about it, because only warriors were supposed to fight.

Defeat at Salnitsa

The campaign began on the second Sunday of Great Lent. On February 26, 111, the Russian army under the command of a whole coalition of princes (Svyatopolk, David and Vladimir) headed towards Sharukan. It is interesting that the campaign of the Russian army was accompanied by the singing of songs, accompanied by priests and crosses. From this, many researchers of the history of Russia conclude that the campaign was a crusade. It is believed that this was a well-thought-out move by Monomakh to raise morale, but most importantly, in order to inspire the army that it can kill and must win, because God Himself commands them to do so. In fact, Vladimir Monomakh turned this great battle of the Russians against the Polovtsians into a righteous battle for the Orthodox faith.

The army reached the place of battle only after 23 days. The campaign was difficult, but thanks to the fighting spirit, songs and a sufficient amount of provisions, the army was content, which means that it was in full combat readiness. On the 23rd day, the warriors went to the shores

It is worth noting that Sharukan surrendered without a fight and rather quickly - already on the 5th day of a brutal siege. The inhabitants of the city offered wine and fish to the invaders - a seemingly insignificant fact, but it indicates that people were here. Also, the Russians burned Sugrov. Two settlements that were defeated bore the names of khans. These are exactly the two cities with which the army fought in 1107, but then Khan Sharukan fled from the battlefield, and Sugrov became a prisoner of war.

Already on March 24, the first initial battle took place, in which the Polovtsy invested all their strength. It took place near the Donets. The defeat of the Polovtsians by Vladimir Monomakh occurred later, when a battle took place on the Salnitsa River. Interestingly, the moon was full. This was the second and most basic battle between the two sides, in which the Russians prevailed.

The largest defeat by the Russian armies of the Polovtsy, the date of which is already known, stirred up the entire Polovtsian people, because the latter had a large numerical advantage in battle. They were sure that they would win, however, they could not resist the thoughtful and direct blow of the Russian troops. For the people and soldiers, the defeat of the Polovtsy by Vladimir Monomakh was a very joyful and cheerful event, because good booty was obtained, many future slaves were captured, and most importantly, a victory was won!

Consequences

The consequences of this great event were striking. The defeat of the Polovtsy (year 1111) was a turning point in the history of the Russian-Polovtsian wars. After the battle, the Polovtsians decided only once to approach the borders of the Russian principality. It is interesting that they did this after Svyatopolk departed to another world (two years after the battle). However, the Polovtsy established contact with the new Prince Vladimir. In 1116, the Russian army made another campaign against the Polovtsy and captured three cities. The final defeat of the Polovtsy broke their morale, and soon they went to the service of the Georgian king David the Builder. The Kypchaks did not respond to the last campaign of the Russians, which confirmed their final decline.

A few years later, Monomakh sent Yaropolk in search of the Polovtsy beyond the Don, but there was no one there.

Sources

Many Russian chronicles tell about this event, which became key and significant for the whole people. The defeat of the Polovtsy by Vladimir strengthened his power, as well as the faith of the people in their strength and their prince. Despite the fact that the battle of Salnitsa is partially described in many sources, the most detailed "portrait" of the battle can only be found in

Extremely important event was the defeat of the Polovtsy. Russia, this turn of events came in very handy. And all this became possible thanks to the efforts of Vladimir Monomakh. How much strength and mind he invested in saving Russia from this misfortune! How carefully he thought out the course of the whole operation! He knew that the Russians always acted as victims, because the Polovtsians attacked first, and the population of Russia could only defend themselves. Monomakh realized that he should attack first, because this would create an effect of surprise, and also transfer the soldiers from the state of defenders to the state of attackers, which is more aggressive and strong in the general mass. Realizing that the nomads begin their campaigns in the spring, since they have practically no foot soldiers, he appointed the defeat of the Polovtsy at the end of winter in order to deprive them of their main strength. In addition, such a move had other advantages. They consisted in the fact that the weather deprived the Polovtsians of their maneuverability, which was simply impossible in the conditions of winter sightings. It is believed that the battle of Salnitsa and the defeat of the Polovtsy in 1111 is the first major and thoughtful victory. Ancient Russia, which became possible thanks to the military talent of Vladimir Monomakh.

Vlad Grinkevich, RIA Novosti economic observer.

Exactly 825 years ago, the troops of Prince Igor Svyatoslavovich and his brother Vsevolod set out on a campaign against the Polovtsian prince Konchak. The unsuccessful campaign of the brothers was not of particular importance from a military-political point of view, and could have remained an ordinary episode of numerous Russian-Polovtsian wars. But the name of Igor was immortalized by an unknown author, who described the prince's campaign in the Tale of Igor's Campaign.

Polovtsian steppe

At the beginning of the 11th century, Turkic tribes, called Polovtsy in Russian sources (they did not have a single self-name), invaded the Black Sea steppes, displacing the Pechenegs from there, exhausted by a long confrontation with Russia and Byzantium. Soon the new people spread throughout the Great Steppe - from the Danube to the Irtysh, and this territory became known as the Polovtsian steppe.

In the middle of the 11th century, the Polovtsians appeared at the Russian borders. From this moment begins the history of the Russian-Polovtsian wars, stretching for a century and a half. The ratio of the forces of Russia and the steppe in the XI century was clearly not in favor of the latter. The population of the Russian state exceeded 5 million people. And what forces did the enemy have? Historians speak of several hundred thousand nomads. Yes, and these hundreds of thousands were scattered across the Great Steppe. Contrary to popular belief, the concentration of nomads in a limited area is very problematic.

The economy of the nomadic peoples was only partially reproducing, and to a large extent depended on the finished products of nature - pastures and water sources. In modern horse breeding, it is believed that one horse needs a pasture of an average of 1 hectare. It is easy to calculate that the long-term concentration of even a few thousand nomads in a limited area (each had several horses, not counting other livestock), was a very difficult task. Not the best way things were with military technology.

Metallurgy and metalworking have never been strengths nomads, because for metal processing it is necessary to master the technology of burning charcoal, building refractory furnaces and having a fairly developed soil science. All this has little to do with the nomadic way of life. It is no coincidence that even in the 18th century, the peoples of nomadic states, for example, the Dzungars, exchanged not only iron, but also copper products from the Chinese and Russians.

However, even several thousand, and sometimes even several hundred, albeit poorly armed, but battle-hardened steppe inhabitants were enough to carry out lightning-fast raids and dashing robberies, from which the poorly protected rural settlements of the southern Russian principalities suffered.

It quickly became clear that the nomads were not able to resist a numerically superior, and most importantly more equipped enemy. On November 1, 1068, Prince Svyatoslav Yaroslavich of Chernigov, with only three thousand soldiers, defeated the twelve thousandth Polovtsian army on the Snova River and captured Khan Shurkan. Subsequently, the Russian troops repeatedly inflicted crushing defeats on the steppes, capturing or destroying their leaders.

The politics of dirty war

There is a saying - its authorship is attributed to various well-known military leaders: "a fortress is strong not with walls, but with the firmness of its defenders." World history indicates quite clearly that the nomads managed to capture settled states only when they were in a state of decline, or when the aggressors found support in the enemy camp.

From the middle of the XI century, Russia entered a period of fragmentation and civil strife. The Russian princes, warring with each other, were not averse to resorting to the help of the Polovtsian hordes to settle accounts with political rivals. The pioneer in this not too noble cause was central authority: in the winter of 1076, Vladimir Monomakh hired nomads for a campaign against Vseslav of Polotsk. The example of Monomakh turned out to be contagious, and the Russian princes willingly used the Polovtsian detachments to ruin the estates of their competitors. Most of all, the Polovtsy themselves benefited from this, they intensified so much that they began to pose a real threat to the entire Russian state. Only after this, the contradictions between the princes faded into the background.

In 1097, the Lyubechsky Congress of Princes decided: "Let everyone keep his patrimony." Russian state It was legally divided into appanages, but this did not prevent the appanage princes from joining forces to strike at a common enemy. In the early 1100s, Vladimir Monomakh launched a large-scale campaign against the nomads, which lasted more than 10 years and ended in the almost complete destruction of the Polovtsian state. The Polovtsy were forced out of the territory of the Great Steppe into the foothills of the Caucasus.

Who knows, maybe this is where the history of the people called Polovtsy would have ended. But after the death of Monomakh, the warring princes again needed the services of nomads. Revered as the founder of Moscow, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky five times leads the Polovtsian hordes under the walls of Kyiv. Others followed his example. History repeated itself: led and armed by the Russian princes, the nomadic tribes became so strong that they began to pose a threat to the state.

smirk of fate

Once again, leaving aside differences, the princes united in order to collectively push the enemy-allies into the steppe. In 1183, an allied army led by Kiev prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich was defeated by the Polovtsian army, capturing Khan Kobyak. In the spring of 1185, Khan Konchak was defeated. Svyatoslav retreated to the Chernigov lands to gather troops for the summer campaign, but the ambitious Novgorod-Seversky Prince Igor and his brother, Chernigov Prince Vsevolod, wanted military glory, and therefore, at the end of April, they began a new separate campaign against Konchak. This time military luck was on the side of the nomads. The whole day the squads of the brothers held back the pressure of the numerically superior enemy. "Ardent Tour" Vsevolod single-handedly fought with a whole detachment of enemies. But the courage of the Russians was in vain: the princely troops were defeated, the wounded Igor and his son Vladimir were captured. However, having escaped from captivity, Igor took revenge on his offenders by making a series of victorious campaigns against the Polovtsian khans.

The tragedy of the Russian-Polovtsian wars lies elsewhere. After 1185, the Polovtsy were weakened and no longer dared to take independent actions against Russia. Nevertheless, the steppes regularly invaded Russian lands as mercenary troops of Russian princes. And soon the Polovtsy will have a new owner: they first became prey, and soon the main striking force of the Tatar-Mongol army. And again, Russia will have to pay dearly for the ambitions of the rulers, who rely on foreigners for the sake of selfish goals.

Article content:

The Polovtsians (Polovtsy) are a nomadic people who were once considered the most warlike and strong. The first time we hear about them is in history class at school. But the knowledge that a teacher can give in the framework of the program is not enough to understand who they are, these Polovtsy, where they came from and how they influenced the life of Ancient Russia. Meanwhile, for several centuries they haunted the Kievan princes.

The history of the people, how it arose

Polovtsy (Polovtsy, Kipchaks, Cumans) are nomadic tribes, the first mention of which dates back to 744. Then the Kipchaks were part of the Kimak Khaganate, ancient state nomads, formed on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. The main inhabitants here were the Kimaks, who occupied the eastern lands. The lands near the Urals were occupied by the Polovtsians, who were considered relatives of the Kimaks.

By the middle of the 9th century, the Kipchaks achieved superiority over the Kimaks, and by the middle of the 10th century they had swallowed them up. But the Polovtsy decided not to stop there, and by the beginning of the 11th century, thanks to their militancy, they had come close to the borders of Khorezm (the historical region of the Republic of Uzbekistan).

At that time, the Oguzes (medieval Turkic tribes) lived here, who, due to the invasion, had to move to Central Asia.

By the middle of the 11th century, almost the entire territory of Kazakhstan submitted to the Kipchaks. The western limits of their possessions reached the Volga. Thus, thanks to an active nomadic life, raids and a desire to conquer new lands, a once small group of people occupied vast territories and became one of the strong and wealthy among the tribes.

Lifestyle and social organization

Their socio-political organization was a typical military-democratic system. All the people were divided into clans, the names of which were given by the names of their elders. Each clan owned land plots and summer nomadic routes. The heads were khans, who were also the heads of certain kurens (small divisions of the clan).

The wealth obtained in the campaigns was divided among the representatives of the local elite participating in the campaign. Ordinary people, unable to feed themselves, fell into dependence on aristocrats. The poor men were engaged in cattle grazing, while the women served the local khans and their families.

There are still disputes about the appearance of the Polovtsy, the study of the remains continues using modern possibilities. Today scientists have some portrait of these people. It is assumed that they were not Mongoloid race but more like Europeans. The most characteristic feature is blondness and reddishness. Scientists from many countries agree on this.

Independent Chinese experts also describe the Kipchaks as people with blue eyes and "red" hair. Among them, of course, were dark-haired representatives.

War with the Polovtsy

In the 9th century, the Cumans were allies of the Russian princes. But soon everything changed, at the beginning of the 11th century, the Polovtsian detachments began to regularly attack the southern regions of Kievan Rus. They ravaged houses, took away prisoners, who were then sold into slavery, and took away cattle. Their invasions were always sudden and brutal.

In the middle of the 11th century, the Kipchaks stopped fighting the Russians, as they were busy fighting with the steppe tribes. But then they took it up again:

• In 1061, Prince Vsevolod of Pereyaslav was defeated in a battle with them, and Pereyaslavl was completely ravaged by nomads;
• After that, wars with the Polovtsians became regular. In one of the battles in 1078, the Russian prince Izyaslav died;
• In 1093, an army assembled by three princes to fight the enemy was destroyed.

These were difficult times for Russia. Endless raids on the villages ruined the already simple economy of the peasants. Women were taken prisoner, and they became servants, children were sold into slavery.

In order to somehow protect the southern borders, the inhabitants began to build fortifications and settle there the Turks, who were the military force of the princes.

Campaign of the Seversky prince Igor

Sometimes the princes of Kiev went with an offensive war against the enemy. Such events usually ended in victory and inflicted great damage on the Kipchaks, cooling their ardor for a while and enabling the border villages to restore their strength and way of life.

But there were also unsuccessful campaigns. An example of this is the campaign of Igor Svyatoslavovich in 1185.

Then he, united with other princes, went out with an army to the right tributary of the Don. Here they encountered the main forces of the Polovtsy, a battle ensued. But the numerical superiority of the enemy was so palpable that the Russians were immediately surrounded. Retreating in this position, they came to the lake. From there, Igor rode to the aid of Prince Vsevolod, but could not carry out his plan, as he was captured, and many soldiers died.

It all ended with the fact that the Polovtsy were able to destroy the city of Rimov, one of the major ancient cities of the Kursk region, and defeat the Russian army. Prince Igor managed to escape from captivity and returned home.

His son remained in captivity, who returned later, but in order to gain freedom, he had to marry the daughter of a Polovtsian khan.

Polovtsy: who are they now?

At the moment, there is no unequivocal data on the genetic similarity of the Kipchaks with some peoples living now.

There are small ethnic groups that are considered distant descendants of the Polovtsy. They are found among:

1. Crimean Tatars;
2. Bashkir;
3. Kazakhs;
4. Nogaytsev;
5. Balkars;
6. Altaians;
7. Hungarians;
8. Bulgarian;
9. Polyakov;
10. Ukrainians (according to L. Gumilyov).

Thus, it becomes clear that the blood of the Polovtsy flows today in many nations. The Russians were no exception, given the rich common history.

To tell about the life of the Kipchaks in more detail, it is necessary to write more than one book. We have touched on its brightest and most important pages. After reading them, you will better understand who they are - the Polovtsy, how they are known and where they came from.

Video about nomadic peoples

In this video, historian Andrey Prishvin will tell you how the Polovtsians arose on the territory of ancient Russia:

| Between the ninth century and the sixteenth century. Russian-Polovtsian wars (XI - XIII centuries)

Russian-Polovtsian wars (XI - XIII centuries)

Departure of the Pechenegs Northern Black Sea caused a void that sooner or later someone had to fill. From the second half of the 11th century, the Polovtsy became the new masters of the steppes. Since that time, a titanic Russian-Polovtsian struggle has unfolded, which was waged on the widest front from Ryazan to the foothills of the Carpathians. Unprecedented in its scale, it stretched for a century and a half and had a significant impact on the fate of Old Russian state.

Like the Pechenegs, the Polovtsy did not set themselves the task of capturing Russian territories, but limited themselves to robberies and captivity. And the ratio of the population of Ancient Russia and the steppe nomads was far from in favor of the latter: according to various estimates, about 5.5 million people lived on the territory of the Old Russian state, while there were several hundred thousand Polovtsians.

The Russians had to fight against the Polovtsians already in the new historical conditions of the crash united state. Now the squads of individual principalities usually participated in the war with the nomads. The boyars were free to choose their place of service and could at any time go to another prince. Therefore, their troops were not particularly reliable. There was no unity of command and armament. Thus, the military successes of the Polovtsy were directly related to the internal political changes in the Old Russian state. Over a century and a half, nomads made about 50 major raids on Russian lands. Sometimes the Polovtsy became allies of the princes, leading the internecine struggle.

The Russo-Polovtsian wars can be roughly divided into three stages. The first covers the second half of the XI century, the second is associated with the activities of Prince Vladimir Monomakh, the third falls on the second half of the XII - the beginning of the XIII century.

Wars with the Polovtsians, first stage (second half of the 11th century)

The first attack of the Polovtsians on Russian soil dates back to 1061, when they defeated the army of the Pereyaslav prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich. Seven years later, a new foray was made. The joint forces of the Grand Duke of Kiev Izyaslav and his brothers Svyatoslav of Chernigov and Vsevolod Pereyaslavsky came out to meet him.

Battle of the Alta River (1068).

Opponents met in September on the banks of the Alta River. The battle took place at night. The Polovtsy turned out to be more successful and defeated the Russians, who fled from the battlefield. The consequence of this defeat was a rebellion in Kyiv, as a result of which Izyaslav fled to Poland. The invasion of the Polovtsy was stopped by Prince Svyatoslav, who, with a small retinue, boldly attacked a large army of nomads near Snovsk and won a decisive victory over them. Until the 90s of the XI century, chronicles are silent about major raids, but the "small war" periodically continued.

Battle on Stugna (1093).

The onslaught of the Polovtsians intensified especially in the 90s of the XI century. In 1092, the nomads captured three cities: Pesochen, Perevoloka and Priluk, and also ravaged many villages on both sides of the Dnieper. In the raids of the 90s, the Polovtsian khans Bonyak and Tugorkan became famous. In 1093, the Polovtsian troops besieged the city of Torchesk. The Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich came out to meet them with a retinue of 800 soldiers. Along the way, he joined the troops of the princes Rostislav and Vladimir Vsevolodovich. But having joined forces, the princes could not work out joint tactics. Svyatopolk self-confidently rushed into battle. The rest, referring to the lack of forces, offered to enter into negotiations with the Polovtsy. In the end, the passionate Svyatopolk, desiring victory, won over the majority to his side. On May 24, the Russian army crossed the Stugna River and was attacked by superior Polovtsian forces. Unable to withstand the blow, the Russians fled to the river. In the stormy waters from the rains, many died (including the Pereyaslav prince Rostislav Vsevolodovich). After this victory, the Polovtsy captured Torchesk. To stop their invasion, the Grand Duke of Kyiv Svyatopolk was forced to pay tribute to them and marry the daughter of the Polovtsian Khan Tugorkan.

Battle of Trubezh (1096).

The marriage of Svyatopolk to the Polovtsian princess briefly moderated the appetites of her relatives, and two years after the battle on Stugna, the raids resumed with renewed vigor. Moreover, this time the southern princes did not manage to agree on joint actions at all, since the Chernigov prince Oleg Svyatoslavich evaded the fight and preferred to conclude not only peace, but also an alliance with the Polovtsy. With the help of the Polovtsy, he expelled Prince Vladimir Monomakh from Chernigov to Pereyaslavl, who in the summer of 1095 had to alone repel the raids of nomads. On the next year Vladimir Monomakh and Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich expelled Oleg from Chernigov and laid siege to his army in Starodub. This strife was immediately taken advantage of by the Polovtsy, who moved to Russia on both sides of the Dnieper. Bonyak appeared in the vicinity of Kyiv, and the princes Kurya and Tugorkan laid siege to Pereyaslavl.

Then Vladimir and Svyatopolk quickly moved to defend their borders. Not finding Bonyak at Kyiv, they crossed the Dnieper and, unexpectedly for the Polovtsians, appeared near Pereyaslavl. On July 19, 1096, the Russians quickly forded the Trubezh River and attacked Tugorkan's army. Not having time to line up for battle, it suffered a crushing defeat. During the persecution, many Polovtsian soldiers were killed, including Khan Tugorkan (Svyatopolk's father-in-law), along with his son and other noble commanders, who died.

Meanwhile, Bonyak, having learned about the departure of the princes beyond the Dnieper, almost captured Kyiv with an unexpected raid. The Polovtsy plundered and burned the Caves Monastery. However, having learned about the approach of the regiments of Svyatopolk and Vladimir, the Polovtsian khan quickly left with his army in the steppe. After the successful reflection of this raid on the service of the Russians, the Torks and other border steppe tribes begin to cross. The victory on the banks of the Trubezh had great importance in the ascent of the commander's star Vladimir Monomakh, who becomes a recognized leader in the fight against the Polovtsian danger.

Wars with the Polovtsians, second stage (second half of the 12th century)

The external threat made it possible to temporarily slow down the process of disintegration of state unity. In 1103, Vladimir Monomakh convinced Svyatopolk to organize a large-scale campaign against the nomads. Since that time, the offensive stage of the struggle against the Polovtsy begins, inspired by Vladimir Monomakh. The campaign of 1103 was the largest military operation against the Polovtsy. It involved the armed forces of the seven princes. The united troops on boats and on foot reached the Dnieper rapids and turned from there into the depths of the steppes, to the town of Suten, where one of the large groups of nomads headed by Khan Urusoba was located. It was decided to set out in early spring, while the Polovtsian horses had not had time to gain strength after a long winter. The Russians destroyed the forward patrols of the Polovtsy, which made it possible to ensure the surprise of the attack.

Battle of Suteni (1103).

The battle between the Russians and the Polovtsy took place on April 4, 1103. At the beginning of the battle, the Russians surrounded the Polovtsian avant-garde, led by the hero Altunopa, and completely destroyed it. Then, emboldened by their success, they attacked the main Polovtsian forces and inflicted a complete defeat on them. According to the chronicle, the Russians have never won such a famous victory over the Polovtsy. In the battle, almost the entire Polovtsian elite was destroyed - Urusoba and nineteen other khans. Many Russian prisoners were released. This victory marked the beginning of the offensive actions of the Russians against the Polovtsians.

Battle of Luben (1107).

Three years later, the Polovtsy, having recovered from the blow, made a new raid. They captured a lot of booty and prisoners, but on the way back they were overtaken by Svyatopolk's squads across the Sula River and defeated. In May 1107, Khan Bonyak invaded the Pereyaslav principality. He captured herds of horses and laid siege to the city of Luben. The princely coalition led by the princes Svyatopolk and Vladimir Monomakh came out to meet the invaders.

On August 12, they crossed the Sula River and decisively attacked the Polovtsy. They did not expect such a swift onslaught and fled from the battlefield, leaving their convoy. The Russians pursued them all the way to the Khorol River and took many prisoners. Despite the victory, the princes did not seek to continue the war, but tried to establish peaceful relations with the nomads. This, in particular, was evidenced by the fact that after the Battle of Luben, Russian princes Oleg and Vladimir Monomakh married their sons to Polovtsian princesses.

Battle of Salnitsa (1111).

However, hopes that family ties would strengthen Russian-Polovtsian ties and bring peace with the nomads did not come true. Two years later hostilities resumed. Then Monomakh again convinced the princes to unite for joint action. He again proposed a plan of offensive actions, characteristic of his military leadership strategy, and transferring the war deep into the Polovtsian steppes. Monomakh managed to achieve coordination of actions from the princes and in 1111 organized a campaign that became the pinnacle of his military successes.

The Russian army set out even in the snow. The infantry, to which Vladimir Monomakh attached special importance, rode on a sledge. After four weeks of the campaign, Monomakh's army reached the Donets River. Never since the time of Svyatoslav have the Russians gone so far into the steppe. The two largest Polovtsian strongholds were taken - the cities of Sugrov and Sharukan. Having freed many prisoners there and captured rich booty, Monomakh's army moved back. However, the Polovtsy did not want to let the Russians out of their possessions alive. On March 24, the Polovtsian cavalry blocked the path of the Russian army. After a short fight, she was driven back. Two days later, the Polovtsians tried again.

The decisive battle took place on March 26 on the banks of the Salnica River. The outcome of this bloody and desperate, according to the chronicle, battle was decided by the timely strike of the regiments under the command of princes Vladimir and Davyd. The Polovtsy suffered a crushing defeat. According to the legend, heavenly angels helped the Russian soldiers to smash the enemies. The Battle of Salnitsa became biggest win Russians over the Polovtsians. It contributed to the growing popularity of Vladimir Monomakh, the main hero of the campaign, the news of which reached "even Rome."

After the death of the Grand Duke of Kiev Svyatopolk in 1113, the Polovtsian khans Aepa and Bonyak made a major raid in the hope of internal unrest. The Polovtsian army besieged the fortress of Vyr. But having learned about the approach of the Russian squads, it hastily retreated, not accepting the battle. Apparently, the factor of the moral superiority of Russian soldiers had an effect.

In 1113 Vladimir Monomakh took the throne of Kyiv. During his reign (1113-1125), the fight against the Polovtsians was carried out exclusively on their territory. In 1116, the Russian princes, under the command of Vladimir Monomakh's son Yaropolk (an active participant in previous campaigns), moved deep into the Don steppes, again captured Sharukan and Sugrov. Another center of the Polovtsy, the town of Balin, was also taken. After this campaign, the Polovtsian dominance in the steppes came to an end. When in 1120 Yaropolk undertook another "preventive" campaign, the steppes were empty. By that time, the Polovtsians had already migrated to the North Caucasus, away from the Russian borders. The northern Black Sea region was cleared of aggressive nomads, and Russian farmers could safely harvest. It was a period of revival of state power, which brought peace and tranquility to the lands of Ancient Russia.

Wars with the Polovtsians, third stage (second half of the 12th - early 13th centuries)

After the death of Vladimir Monomakh, Khan Atrak dared to return to the Don steppes from Georgia. But the Polovtsian raid on the southern Russian borders was repulsed by Prince Yaropolk. However, soon the descendants of Monomakh were removed from power in Kyiv by Vsevolod Olgovich, a descendant of another grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, Oleg Svyatoslavovich. This prince made an alliance with the Polovtsy and used them as a military force in his campaigns against the Galician princes and Poland. After the death of Vsevolod in 1146, the struggle for the throne of Kyiv broke out between the princes Izyaslav Mstislavovich and Yuri Dolgoruky. During this period, the Polovtsians began to actively participate in internecine wars.

The regiments of the Polovtsian Khan Aepa distinguished themselves here. So, Yuri Dolgoruky five times led the Polovtsian troops to Kiev, trying to capture the capital of Ancient Russia.

Years of strife brought to naught the efforts of Vladimir Monomakh to protect the Russian borders. Weakening military power the ancient Russian state allowed the Polovtsy to strengthen and create in the 70s XII century a large union of tribes. It was headed by Khan Konchak, whose name is associated with a new surge of Russian-Polovtsian confrontation. Konchak was constantly at war with the Russian princes, plundering the southern borderlands. The most brutal raids were carried out in the vicinity of Kyiv, Pereyaslavl and Chernigov. The Polovtsian onslaught intensified after the victory of Konchak over the Novgorod-Seversky prince Igor Svyatoslavich in 1185.

Campaign of Igor Svyatoslavich (1185).

The prehistory of this famous campaign, sung in the "Tale of Igor's Campaign", is as follows. In the summer of 1184, the Kyiv prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, at the head of the princely coalition, made a campaign against the Polovtsy and inflicted a crushing defeat on them in the battle on the Orel River on July 30. 7 thousand Polovtsians were captured, including their leader, Khan Kobyak, who was executed as punishment for previous raids. Khan Konchak decided to take revenge for the death of Kobyak. He came to the borders of Russia in February 1185, but was defeated in the battle on March 1 on the Khorol River by the troops of Svyatoslav. It seemed that the times of Vladimir Monomakh were returning. Another joint blow was needed for the final crushing of the revived Polovtsian power.

However, this time history did not repeat itself. The reason for this was the inconsistency of the actions of the princes. Under the influence of Svyatoslav's successes, his ally, Prince Igor Svyatoslavich of Novgorod-Seversky, together with his brother Vsevolod, decided to receive the laurels of the victor without anyone's help and went on a campaign on their own. Igor's army of about 6 thousand people moved deep into the steppes and found himself face to face with all the forces of Konchak, who did not miss the chance given to him by the reckless prince.

Retreating after the vanguard battle, the Polovtsians, according to all the rules of their tactics, lured the Russian army into a trap and surrounded it with much superior forces. Igor decided to fight his way back to the Seversky Donets River. It is necessary to note the nobility of the brothers. Having cavalry to break through, they did not abandon their infantry to the mercy of fate, but ordered the cavalry soldiers to dismount and fight on foot, so that everyone could break through the encirclement together. "If we run, we will kill ourselves, and ordinary people if we leave it, it will be a sin for us that we give them up to their enemies; or we will die, or we will live together," the princes decided. The battle between Igor's squad and the Polovtsy took place on May 12, 1185. Before the battle, Igor turned to the soldiers with the words: "Brothers! This is what we were looking for, so let's dare. Shame is worse than death!"

The fierce battle continued for three days. On the first day, the Russians repulsed the Polovtsian onslaught. But the next day one of the regiments could not stand it and ran. Igor rushed to the retreating to return them to the line, but was captured. The bloody battle continued even after the capture of the prince. Finally, the Polovtsy, due to their numbers, managed to grind the entire Russian army. The death of a large army exposed a significant line of defense and, according to Prince Svyatopolk, "opened the gates to the Russian land." The Polovtsy were not slow to take advantage of their success and made a number of raids on the Novgorod-Seversky and Pereyaslavl lands.

The exhausting struggle against the nomads, which lasted for more than one century, cost huge victims. Due to constant raids, the fertile outskirts of the southern regions of Russia were depopulated, which contributed to their decline. Constant hostilities in the steppes of the Northern Black Sea region led to the displacement of the old trade routes to the Mediterranean region. Kievan Rus, which was a transit corridor from Byzantium to Northern and Central Europe, now remains aloof from new routes. Thus, the Polovtsian raids not least contributed to the decline of Southern Russia and the movement of the center of the Old Russian state to the northeast, to the Vladimir-Suzdal principality.

By the beginning of the 90s of the XII century, the raids subsided, but after the death of the Kiev prince Svyatoslav in 1194, a new streak of strife began, in which the Polovtsy were also drawn. The geography of their attacks is expanding. The Polovtsy make repeated raids on the Ryazan principality. By the way, the Ryazan prince Roman "with the brethren" organized the last major Russian campaign against the Polovtsy in April 1206. During this period, the Polovtsy are already completely moving to the second stage of nomadism - with constant winter roads and summer roads. The beginning of the 13th century is characterized by a gradual fading of their military activity. The last Polovtsian raid on Russian lands (near Pereyaslavl) is dated by the chronicle to 1210. Further development Russian-Polovtsian relations were interrupted by a hurricane from the east, as a result of which both the Polovtsians and Kievan Rus disappeared.

According to the materials of the portal "Great wars in the history of Russia"

The attempt of Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh to “create peace” in Russia and to unite the forces of the Russian lands against the Polovtsians was remembered not only by his contemporaries. The kindest word was remembered by the prince, who was trying to stop the process of disintegration, and Russian chronicles.

Civil strife 1097 - 1100

The decisions of the princes on a fraternal alliance at the Lyubech Congress remained good wishes and did not stop fratricidal wars. Immediately after the congress, Prince Davyd Igorevich, with the consent of Grand Duke Svyatopolk, blinded Vasilko Rostislavich. Davyd envied Vasilko and wanted to take Terebovl from him. Such an atrocity in Russia has not yet been known. Bloody battles and skirmishes were common, but cold-blooded and vile reprisals seemed savage.

Monomakh, who most of all strove for reconciliation, was the first to sound the alarm, and appealed to yesterday's enemies, the Svyatoslavichs. He wrote: “The knife is thrown into us. If this is not corrected, then a greater evil will appear among us.” Davyd and Oleg Svyatoslavich responded, brought the squads. The united army came against Kyiv. The Grand Duke was asked for an answer. He got scared, began to shift all the blame on Davyd Igorevich. Like, he slandered Vasilko and blinded him. Such an answer did not suit the princes - the crime was committed with the knowledge of the Grand Duke, in his city. Svyatopolk was saved by Metropolitan Nicholas. He went to the princely camp and accused them of unleashing a new strife. The princes yielded and left Svyatopolk alone. But the Grand Duke had to punish Davyd Igorevich.

Blinding Vasilko. Miniature from the Radziwill Chronicle, 15th century

All this resulted in a new internecine war in Western Russia, in Volhynia. Vasilko's brother, Volodar Przemyslsky, went to war against Davyd. Davyd tried to take Terebovl, but along the way he was met by Volodar Rostislavich and was besieged in Buzhsk. Volodar forced Davyd to hand over Vasilko. Then the two of them began to fight Davyd, to capture his cities. Davyd at that time tried to justify himself, shifted all the blame on the Grand Duke, saying that he acted on his orders. And from Kyiv, Svyatopolk himself went to him. Davyd fled to Poland, he wanted to hire the Poles to help, but Svyatopolk bought them off. Svyatopolk planted his son Mstislav in Vladimir-Volynsky, but was not satisfied with this and spoke out against the Rostislavichs, deciding to tidy up the rich Carpathian region as well. Przemysl and Terebovl at one time were part of the Volyn inheritance of Yaropolk Izyaslavich ("that is the volost of my father and brother"). Svyatopolk decided to give these cities to his second son, Yaroslav. Rostislavichi were not afraid and led their regiments to battle. In 1099, the battle took place on the Rozhnoe field. Blind Vasilko rode forward before the battle, raised the cross and shouted to the Grand Duke: “Do you see the avenger, perjurer? ... Let the holy cross be our judge!” In a bloody battle, Svyatopolk's army was defeated.

Svyatopolk fled to Vladimir-Volynsky, but did not calm down. Called allies. Yaroslav Svyatopolchich led the army of the Hungarian king Koloman I, his brother-in-law, against the Rostislavichs. At the same time, the Hungarians decided to capture the Carpathian region not for Svyatopolk, but for themselves. Bishops went with the army for a new baptism of Russians into Catholicism and officials new administration. And Yaroslav Svyatopolchich was ready to rule in the captured cities as a vassal of Hungary. Volodar took up defense in Przemysl. At this time, the Rostislavichi made peace with Davyd Igorevich, uniting against a common enemy. Davyd brought to the aid of the troops of the Polovtsian Khan Bonyak. The decisive battle took place on the Vär River (a tributary of the San). The Polovtsy used the ancient tactics of the steppe warriors: by a false attack and flight, they disrupted the formation and lured the enemy to the ambush site. There, the main forces of Bonyak fell upon the frustrated forces of the Hungarian army. The demoralized Hungarians could not stand it and ran. Many Hungarians drowned in the river.

As a result, the Rostislavichs defended their possessions in the Carpathians. Davyd Igorevich took advantage of the defeat of the enemy, and went on the counteroffensive. There were battles in Volhynia, cities passed from hand to hand. During the siege of Vladimir-Volynsky, Prince Mstislav Svyatopolchich died. But the Kyiv governor Putyata managed to come to the aid of the besieged and threw Davyd back. Then Davyd again brought the Polovtsy Bonyak and recaptured Lutsk, and then Vladimir.

Vladimir Monomakh put an end to this massacre. At his suggestion, in 1100, a new princely congress was held in the city of Uvetichi (Vitichev) on the right bank of the Dnieper in the vicinity of Kyiv. First, the princes "created peace among themselves." For the sake of reconciliation, they decided to make only Davyd Igorevich extreme, leaving the dark deeds of the Grand Duke Svyatopolk in the shade. Davyd was declared a brotherly will: “We don’t want to give you the table of Vladimir, because you threw a knife into us, which has never happened before in the Russian land.” He was deprived of Vladimir-Volynsky (the son of Svyatopolk, Yaroslav, was planted there). In return, he received from Svyatopolk the towns of Buzhsky Ostrog, Duben, Czartorysk, and 400 hryvnias from the rest of the brothers (200 from Vladimir and 200 from the Svyatoslavichs). Later, Svyatopolk handed over Dorogobuzh to Davyd. With regard to the Rostislavichs, it was decided to deprive Vasilko of his table - Terebovlya. Apparently, because the blind prince was considered incompetent. Ambassadors were sent to Volodar with orders to either take the blind brother to him or send him to Kyiv, where the princes promised to take care of him. However, the Rostislavichi did not obey. Vasilko remained the prince of Terebovl until his death.

The conflicts continued. His own nephew Yaroslav Yaropolchich rebelled against the Grand Duke Svyatopolk, who tried to claim some possessions in Volhynia. Grand Duke was able to defeat him and rotted in prison. In 1102, Svyatopolk wanted to send his son Yaroslav to reign in Novgorod, which would correspond to the old tradition - Novgorod should belong to the one who owns Kiev, and demanded an exchange of destinies. Let the son of Monomakh Mstislav take the war-ravaged Volyn, and let Yaroslav Svyatopolchich sit in Novgorod. But the Novgorodians announced: "We don't want you or your son." The Grand Duke became angry, began to threaten. And the Novgorodians answered: "If your son has two heads, let him come." As a result, the Novgorodians insisted on the candidacy of Mstislav, the son of Vladimir Monomakh.

Russian princes make peace in Uvetichi. Painting by S. V. Ivanov

War with the Polovtsy

In 1101, Svyatopolk, Vladimir Monomakh, Oleg and Davyd Svyatoslavich at a congress near Sakov concluded a peace agreement with the Polovtsy. They took an oath of peace "forever and ever" and exchanged noble hostages. But a year passed and Bonyak suddenly invaded the Pereyaslav lands, crossed to the right bank of the Dnieper and walked through the Kiev region, took full booty and was able to go to the steppe. Russian squads did not have time to intercept the steppes. The hostages turned out to be useless, the steppe princes had the same Russian hostages.

At the beginning of 1103, Monomakh organized a congress near Dolobsky Lake near Kyiv. The Prince of Pereyaslav planned a campaign for early spring. The Kievan boyars objected. Like, the time is inconvenient, you will have to take horses from the farms, and they are needed for plowing. Vladimir answered them: “I am surprised, squad, that you feel sorry for the horses that they plow! And why don’t you think about the fact that the stink will begin to plow and, having arrived, the Polovtsian will hit him with an arrow, and the horse will take him, and when he arrives in his village, he will take his wife, and his children, and all his property? You feel sorry for the horse, but don’t you feel sorry for the smerd?” The boyars of Svyatopolk were forced to agree.

They gathered a large army - from Kiev, Chernigov, Pereyaslav, Volyn, Novgorod, etc. An army even came from the distant Zalesye. Only Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich, the ruler of Novgorod-Seversky, refused to go on a campaign. He said: "I'm not happy." In 1103, in early spring, the allied army of Russian princes moved into the steppes. The calculation was made to weaken the Polovtsian cavalry. After a long winter, the horses had not yet had time to gain strength, while the Russian army included, in addition to the princely cavalry squads, large infantry forces. The foot army moved along the Dnieper on boats, the cavalry marched in parallel. They came along the Dnieper below the rapids and stopped at the island of Khortitsa. Then the whole army turned deep into the steppes. Vladimir decided to impose his will on the steppes, go out to their villages and make them fight in direct battle. The oldest of the Polovtsian princes, Urusoba, offered to make peace: "Let's ask Russia for peace, because they will fight hard with us, because we have done much evil to the Russian land." But he was in the minority, other khans hoped for a big victory and rich booty. And after the victory, immediately make a big campaign against Russia: “Having killed these, let’s go to their land and take possession of the cities, and who will deliver them from us?”

Russian squads destroyed the Polovtsian avant-gardes under the command of Khan Altunopa, who was famous for his military skill. On the Suteni River, the Russians discovered a large enemy army: "And the Polovtsian regiments went like a forest, they could not see the end ...". The decisive battle took place on April 4 at Suteni. Monomakh used the tactics of the great Russian warrior Svyatoslav. He knew how to beat the well-armed Khazar cavalry and armored Byzantine cavalry - cataphracts. Monomakh put up a "wall" of infantry armed with spears and long shields against the strong and swift Polovtsian cavalry. Behind the spearmen were archers and fighters with axes, clubs, picks, preventing the enemy from breaking through the front line. The infantrymen in the center (“chele”) were supposed to repel the first, most furious attacks of the enemy cavalry, and then the princely cavalry squads, standing on wings, overturned the weary enemy, entered the battle. It turned out as Monomakh planned. The Russian infantry took the steppes to the spears, the Polovtsian cavalry could not overturn the Russian "wall". Heavy princely squads hit from the flanks. The Polovtsy mixed up and ran. Many riders on tired horses could not leave and were cut down. It was a great victory. 20 Polovtsian princes died, and one - Beldyuz-prince, was taken prisoner. The Polovtsian prince offered a large ransom - gold, silver, horses and cattle. Monomakh did not take the ransom, he decided to punish for violating the oath: “Let your blood be on your head!” The Polovtsi was executed. Russian troops marched through the Polovtsian villages (vezhs), took huge booty and returned to Russia with a great crowd, and with glory.

After the terrible defeat, the Polovtsy fell silent for a while. For three years not a single rider has violated the borders. But it was only a lull before new battles. The Russian campaign did not affect the possessions of the most powerful Polovtsian rulers - Bonyak, who owned lands near the Dnieper and the Bug, and Sharukan - on the Don. In 1105 and 1106 Bonyak and Sharukan made several raids on Russian lands, conducted "reconnaissance in force". It became clear that the Polovtsians were preparing a big campaign. The same was reported by prisoners, border Torks and friendly Polovtsians. In the spring of 1107, Bonyak conducted another raid.

In the summer of 1107, the steppe dwellers again went on the offensive. Prince Bonyak with the Dnieper Polovtsy and Sharukan Stary with the Don invaded the borders of the Pereyaslav principality. The Polovtsy laid siege to the city of Luben. But Monomakh was ready for this. In Pereyaslavl, the squads of several princes gathered, ready to immediately embark on a campaign. Among them was the squad of Prince Oleg Svyatoslavich, who had previously evaded battles with the Polovtsy. Bonyak's raid in the spring, so that the Russians would disband the army after a retaliatory raid, did not deceive Monomakh. The Pereyaslavl prince was waiting for a new blow and did not disband the squads home. Having received news of the arrival of enemies to Luben, the squads immediately set out. Having crossed the Sula on the move, the Russians hit the steppes. The blow was delivered from the steppe side, from the border, and was unexpected. The Polovtsy could not stand the fight and fled. Most of the fleeing Polovtsy were cut down by cavalry squads, or taken prisoner. Among those killed was the brother of Khan Bonyak Taz, and Khan Sugr with his brothers was captured. Bonyak himself and the "great khan" Sharukan were able to leave.

This defeat forced many Polovtsy to abandon their raids on Russia. Princes Aepa Osenevich and Aepa Girgenevich sent embassies. They offered eternal peace and union, they wanted to intermarry. As a result, the son of Oleg Svyatoslavich, Svyatoslav, and the son of Vladimir Monomakh, Yuri, married the daughters of the Polovtsian khans. Monomakh was not against such an alliance, having received allied Polovtsian detachments. In addition, in Russia they valued the "red Polovtsian girls." Contrary to the myth of the steppes, they were not Mongoloids. They were with the Russian-Rus of the same Aryan-Indo-European family. Russia and the Polovtsy, and later the Horde (“Tatar-Mongols”), were the direct heirs and parts of Great Scythia. The Polovtsy were representatives of the white race, their girls - tall, stately blondes were considered the first beauties, and were faithful, devoted wives. Yes, and warriors-polyanitsy - magnificent riders, archers.

To be continued…