The years of life of Dmitry Donskoy - 1329-1389 - the period when there was a tendency to unite the Russian lands. The Principality of Moscow became one of these centers. His name is associated with a victory in the Battle of Kulikovo, and he himself is called a seer. The prince managed to do something that many of his predecessors had failed to do before (and this was against the backdrop of numerous feuds when the princes tore the lands of their ancestors from each other). However, first things first.
Childhood that was not
The years of life of Dmitry Donskoy and the biography of this commander are inextricably linked with the great principality of Moscow. It is known that in 1359, after the sudden death of his father and older brother, the 9-year-old grandson of Ivan 1 Kalita becomes prince under the guardianship of Metropolitan Alexy.
To be the heir to the great princely family is the responsibility for the fate of the whole state, and they prepared for this difficult fate from childhood. Military art was comprehended from an early age. Despite his age, Dmitry attended meetings of the sovereign boyar duma, which usually lasted 5 or 6 hours, and often resumed in the evening. The issues discussed were of key importance in the life of the whole principality.
The young prince "sat with the boyar of affairs" and very quickly comprehended all the subtleties of the political struggle. So far, he has been listening and observing more. If we analyze the decisions of Dmitry Ivanovich at the age of 15-16, then it can easily be understood that here he acts as an independent and independent master. Although he began to show his character much earlier.
Principality label
The years of life of Dmitry Donskoy passed in a constant struggle. He was only 11 years old when he had to decide on an important political step - the return of the Grand Duke Vladimir’s throne. At one time, the young prince was deprived of the right to rule this land - in the Golden Horde it was not customary to issue a label for reigning to children, so the Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod principality gained control of these lands. This event outraged Dmitry Ivanovich. He, accompanied by a large retinue, went to the Horde in search of justice.
Despite the failure, the young prince learned an important lesson and made a fateful decision: to assemble Russia under a single government. Only in this way could any external threat be resisted.
Strength in teaching
The years of life and the reign of Dmitry Donskoy fell on a period when the Golden Horde was not going through the best of times. Political instability was expressed in the fact that for almost 20 years 25 khans succeeded each other in a fierce struggle for power. Naturally, this did not contribute to its strengthening. The prince of Moscow decided to take advantage of this situation.
However, to realize his bold plan, it was necessary to conduct training. The closest entourage of the prince intensified began to improve his education, learning foreign languages ​​and improve his skills in conducting diplomatic negotiations.
Young warrior
As for Dmitry Ivanovich himself, he was not distinguished by diligence and perseverance in the study of sciences. He was more inclined to military business and hunting. Without sparing himself, he practiced hand-to-hand combat, archery, and horseback riding. These exercises paid off: he turned into a real Russian hero.
In those historical realities, only power could stop the internecine fratricidal struggle in Russian land. These fights, requiring tremendous exertion of the forces of all principalities without exception, took place not only during the years of Dmitry Donskoy's life. Russia was divided, based on several centers of political and economic influence. Now it was necessary to collect all the resources under a single board.
The official version of the venue of the Battle of Kulikovo
1380 is a significant date from which the history of Russia as a separate state begins. It is no coincidence that Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin described this event as follows: “Separate tribes came to Kulikovo Field, and one people left.”
The main sources cited by historians are “The Song of Vladimir the Brave Donskoy”, “The Legend of the Battle of Mamaev” (1680 edition). All of them were written several centuries after that battle and tell how Beklarbek Mamay clashed with the united Russian army under the leadership of Moscow Prince Dmitry Ivanovich, who would later be called Donskoy.
If the years of life and the years of the reign of Dmitry Donskoy practically do not cause disagreement among historians, then the question of the location of the legendary battle is a topic for another discussion. Official history claims: the battle took place in the southeast of the Tula region at the mouth of the Nepryadva River, where it flows into the Don on the Kulikovo field.
Archaeological finds are extremely stingy, which already causes skepticism among experts. Nevertheless, the search continues. The epicenter of the battle can be drawn only by the concentration of archaeological finds.
Alternative version
Russian historian Sinelnikov Andrei Zinovievich and a number of other scientists say that this heroic battle took place on the territory of modern Moscow in the Lubyanka area. However, first things first.
The famous village of Kolomenskoye, located on the road from Moscow to Kolomna, reached its heyday under the tsar of Moscow, Alexei Mikhailovich. During the years of Dmitry Donskoy’s life, the Church of St. George the Victorious was built in 1380 in honor of the victory. And this was one of the first known buildings in this village.
According to modern scholars, it is from here that the combined Russian forces advanced in the direction of the Kulikov field, after leaving the robber Thomas on the Chura River, flowing through the territory of modern Moscow, so that he could observe the crossing. Dmitry Ivanovich himself went to the area of ​​the Donskoy Monastery, which was not there then, but there was a camp church. There he was to unite with the Cossacks. And already all together went to the Maiden’s Field, where the Grand Duke conducted a review of the troops.
At this point, during the years of Dmitry Donskoy’s life, the Sivka and Neglinka rivers flowed into the Moscow River. According to the historian Andrei Zinovievich Sinelnikov, there was a Senkin (Sivkin) ford, since these streams washed a lot of sand. In this place, the Rusichs crossed the Moscow River (Smorodin), moving to Tagansky Hill (Shvylaya – Gorka, now it is Goncharnaya Street). Here, according to an alternative version, were the troops of Mamaia.
Battle progress
On the draft from Yauza up to the Lubyanka, advanced Russian regiments are located. Shelves of his right hand covered Borovitsky hill. To the left of them were archers. These selected warriors fired at the enemy who was attacking them to the last arrow, and then converged in melee, repelling the blow.
The Horde warriors meanwhile went up to the main Russian regiment, which supposedly stood in the Lubyanka area.
Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich exchanged clothes with the boyar Mikhail Brenok, whom he fully trusted. Tatars fell with all their might on this regiment. The military trick of the prince was to draw the main forces of Mamai into a kind of funnel between the two regiments. The Tatar cavalry and its heavy infantry were already beginning to tire by this time, but still remained dangerous opponents. The princely regiment had to completely exhaust the enemy so that the reserve entered in time would completely defeat the enemy.
And the Russians, thanks to their legendary stamina on the battlefield, did it. True, at the cost of the lives of his best sons. The activities and years of life of Dmitry Donskoy spent on preparing for this significant event were not in vain. He prepared himself, his lands for the battle with the main enemy and defeated.
Church of All Saints in Kulishki
According to legend, a hundred glorious warriors who distinguished themselves and heroically died in battle are buried here. Their names and the saints who patronized them remained unknown to history - hence the name of this architectural monument.
What does archeology data say about this, and have any work been done in this direction? The necessary archaeological excavations at the end of the 20th century were carried out. Under the floor of this church, oak dug decks were discovered. During the years of Dmitry Donskoy’s life, they usually buried the fallen Rusich warriors.
Another Russian historian, Alexander Anatolyevich Shuiko, quite rightly remarked: one or two military leaders coated with honey can still be brought to the place of their last resting place (if these historical events took place in the Tula region). But this is not a hundred soldiers who would be buried right on the battlefield.
Moscow - the third Rome
There is an opinion that the white stone Moscow Kremlin was first built only under Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy, after the events described. The Kulikovo battle involuntarily raises one very sensitive issue: was Moscow before this heroic battle or was this city founded only after the battle, not far from the graves.
Convincing evidence that the Battle of Kulikovo took place on the territory of modern Moscow is given by Russian mathematicians, spouses Fomenko (Tatyana Nikolaevna and Anatoly Timofeevich), as well as Gleb Vladimirovich Nosovsky. After analyzing a huge amount of information and after reconstructing the movement of troops, analyzing the history of monasteries and icons, as well as many other studies, they came to the conclusion that the remains of the fallen are still buried in the mass graves of old Moscow monasteries (Staro-Simonov, Andronikov) and the Church of All Saints in Kulishki.
The battle site was gradually forgotten, again "discovered" by the landowner Stepan Dmitrievich Nechaev in his possessions. His find in the Russian ruling circles was enthusiastically received. I really wanted to share with the whole world the story of how Russia independently coped with the yoke. Therefore, the story of the Battle of Kulikovo was needed more for propaganda purposes.
Not all points are set in this controversial issue: the years of life and the contribution made by Dmitry Donskoy in strengthening the independence of his own state, with a detailed comprehensive study, will help to find answers to many questions of Russian history.