Not everyone knows why Dmitry Donskoy got such a nickname. For the victory over Mamai on the Kulikovo field. It is located near the confluence of the tributary of the Nepryadva River into the Don River. That is what secured him the nickname of Donskoy. The Principality of Moscow during the reign of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich becomes the center of consolidation of all Russian lands.
Grand Duke of Vladimir, Prince of Moscow
Dmitry Donskoy tried to unite the Russian principalities. It was the time of the reign of the Golden Horde. A talented politician, he was also a good commander. The prince knew perfectly well that until Russia was fragmented, the Mongol-Tatar yoke could not be overcome.
The exaltation of Moscow took place under his father, Prince Ivan II. He managed to defend the label of the Grand Duchy of Vladimir. For all Russian princes, he who owned them was an "elder brother", whom they obeyed and obeyed him. He died when his son was only 9 years old. The label passes to the Nizhny Novgorod-Suzdal prince.
Moscow Boyars had their interest in returning the label to reign in Vladimir. Strengthening the influence of Moscow, its exaltation will bring the Moscow principality more influence, the development of its political and economic power. Prince Dmitry Ivanovich achieves this by taking advantage of the feud in the Horde; in 1363, having forcibly replaced the Suzdal prince, he again began to bear the label of the Great Vladimir Prince.
The situation of Russian territories
During the internecine struggle in the Golden Horde, its influence on the Russian principalities falls, receiving a label is formal. This took advantage of Olgerd Gediminovich - the prince of Lithuania, who gradually begins to seize the lands of Russian principalities. This contradicted the plans of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, who dreamed of uniting all the Russian lands around Moscow.
Cities of Kievan Rus, such as Kiev, Pereyaslavl, Podillia, come under the rule of Lithuania. Dmitry Donskoy openly expresses dissatisfaction and enters into a confrontation with the Lithuanian prince. Prince Olgerd twice reached Moscow, but did not succeed.
There have also been changes in the Horde. The internecine struggle was won by Temnik and Beklarbek Mamai, who decides to give the label to reign in Vladimir to Prince Mikhail of Tver, but Prince Dmitry Donskoy did not obey him and, turning the tide, remained Grand Prince of Vladimir.
Battle of the river Vozha
Mom, having collected 5 tumens, with a total number of 50 thousand people, in 1378 moved to Moscow. But, before reaching it, he was defeated in the Ryazan lands, on the river Vozha. This time the Principality of Moscow was not alone. Together with Dmitry Donskoy, the squads of the Prince of Pskov Andrei Olgerdovich entered the battle.
This battle preceded the Battle of Kulikovo Field, located at the confluence of the Don and Nepryadva rivers, for which Dmitry Donskoy received such a nickname. Why is the significance of this battle considered so important? Because Mamai in him lost a large number of his warriors. For the Battle of Kulikovo, he had to invite Genoese mercenaries, which played a negative role in its outcome.
Strengthening Moscow
During the reign of Dmitry Donskoy in Moscow, a large part of the Russian lands was united. Strong relations developed with Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan and Veliky Novgorod. But Ryazan, Smolensk and Tver departed from Moscow. The political gift of the prince attracted more principalities to Moscow.
The authority of Dmitry Donskoy also grew because he strengthened his capital. After the fire, he rebuilds the white stone Kremlin in Moscow. Stone defenses began to be used in large settlements. They began to treat Prince Dmitry of Moscow with great respect.
The authority of Moscow did not go unnoticed by Mamai, especially since the influence of the Horde on the Moscow principality fell noticeably. Thanks to the prince, his competent policy, the buildup of military power, and the increasing centralization of Russian lands, the dependence of Russia on the influence of the Mongols decreased from year to year.
Battle of the Kulikovo Field
The struggle of the Tatar-Mongols to keep the Russian principalities depending on the Horde did not stop. The battle on the Kulikovo field, where Dmitry Donskoy received such a nickname, stands out especially in this regard. Why is this battle attracting such close attention? Historians believe that the Tatar-Mongol yoke after this victory of the Russians practically ceased to exist.
On Kulikovo field in 1380, two huge troops came together. The Mongolian consisted mainly of mercenaries. His allies Lithuania and Ryazan went to the aid of Mamaia. Therefore, Dmitry Donskoy hastened to engage in battle with his enemies, without waiting for the Mamaia troops to join the allies. He crossed the Don, standing in the path of the Mongols and cutting off his retreat to his combatants.
The bold tactical decisions of Dmitry Donskoy, the competent alignment of forces, the blessing of Sergius of Radonezh, who prayed for the victory of the Russians, all this created the prerequisites for victory, instilled confidence in the forces in the soldiers. The Mongols were put to flight. It was for this victory that Dmitry Donskoy received such a nickname. Why didn’t Mama go to Moscow again? The internecine strife in the Horde, which abated for a while, began with renewed vigor. The defeat of Mamaia, who wanted to replenish the army and again go to Moscow, predetermined the rise of Tokhtamysh and the impossibility of his second campaign to Moscow.
Conclusion
Despite the great importance of the victory of Dmitry Donskoy in the Battle of Kulikovo, she did not bring a final deliverance from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. After a two-year break, Moscow was completely burned by Tokhtamysh troops. The prince did not have time to gather an army and was forced to surrender the capital. Restoring Moscow, Dmitry Donskoy was forced to bow to the Horde. Thanks to his diplomatic abilities, he was returned the label to the Grand Duchy. The guarantor was his son Vasily, who remained a hostage at Tokhtamysh.
But the significance of the Battle of Kulikovo in history is of great importance. It was she who showed that the power of the Russian principalities against any enemy in their union. It is difficult to overestimate his contribution to the unification of Russian lands. In addition, for the first time in Russian history, he built a stone Kremlin, built a large number of churches. His main achievement was the establishment of the inheritance of the title of Great Vladimir reign.