Battle of Lipitsa facts for kids

The Battle of Lipitsa (Russian: Ли́пицкая би́тва) was a very important battle. It happened on April 22, 1216. This battle decided who would rule the powerful Vladimir-Suzdal lands. It was part of a big family fight, called a war of succession, after the death of a ruler named Vsevolod the Big Nest.

In this battle, two brothers, Konstantin Vsevolodovich and Mstislav the Bold, fought against their younger brothers, Yuri Vsevolodovich and Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. Konstantin and Mstislav won. After the victory, Konstantin became the Grand Prince of Vladimir. He ruled for two years until he passed away.

This huge battle shows how much fighting happened between the different states that came after Kievan Rus'. These fights made them weaker before the Mongol invasion happened. We know a lot about this battle from old books called chronicles, like the Novgorodian First Chronicle.

Why Did the Battle of Lipitsa Happen?

The lands of Vsevolod were split up after his death, leading to war.

  Inherited by Konstantin of Rostov

  Inherited by Yaroslav of Zalessky

The war started when Vsevolod the Big Nest died on April 15, 1212. His sons, known as the Vsevolodovichi, began to argue over who would get his lands and power. This kind of fight over who inherits the throne is called a "war of succession."

The Princes and Their Allies

At first, Yuri was connected to a powerful prince in Kiev. But that prince was removed from power and died. This meant Vsevolod's sons could no longer claim the top spot in Kiev. So, they focused all their energy on fighting each other for control in their northern lands.

They also wanted to control the important city of Novgorod. A prince named Mstislav Mstislavich ruled Novgorod from 1210 to 1215. Yaroslav briefly took over Novgorod in 1215. But then Mstislav teamed up with Konstantin against Yuri and Yaroslav.

The Armies Gather

The Novgorodian First Chronicle tells us that Mstislav the Bold started his campaign on March 1, 1216. He led his Novgorodian army into Yaroslav's areas. Mstislav told his soldiers to find food but not to harm people.

Another prince, Sviatoslav, tried to attack a town with 10,000 men. But Mstislav and another prince named Vladimir broke the attack with only 500 men. Sviatoslav had to run away.

After this, Mstislav joined Vladimir of Smolensk. They marched towards Pereiaslavl. At the same time, some of Yaroslav's troops attacked Mstislav's men near Torzhok. Yaroslav's forces were defeated. The survivors told Yaroslav what happened. He then attacked towns along the Volga River. After that, he gathered more forces from Novgorod and joined Yuri and Sviatoslav at Pereiaslavl. All these armies met near the Kzha or Gza River.

Mstislav then joined Konstantin and two princes named Vladimir. Their armies gathered near the Lipitsa River. Mstislav sent a message to Yuri, saying they had no fight with him. But Yuri decided to stand with his brother, Yaroslav. Mstislav also asked that the soldiers from Novgorod and Novy Torg, who were with Yaroslav, be allowed to go home. He wanted to avoid brothers fighting brothers. Mstislav offered peace if Yaroslav would give back the Novgorodian areas. But Yaroslav refused to make peace.

How the Battle of Lipitsa Was Fought

The old chronicles don't give many details about the battle plans. The monk who wrote the story wasn't a military expert. The battle began when the Novgorodians told Mstislav they wanted to fight on foot, not on horseback. They said their fathers had fought that way in an earlier battle. Mstislav was happy with this. Fighting on foot meant they were ready to stand and fight, not run away.

The Novgorodians' Brave Choice

The Novgorodians then took off their riding boots and ran into battle barefoot. The chronicle says that with "the help of Saint Sophia (Holy Wisdom)," the Novgorodians defeated Yaroslav and Yuri. Many, many people were killed in the battle.

What Happened After the Battle?

After the battle, Yaroslav ran away to Pereiaslavl. He threw the Novgorodian soldiers from his army into a pit or prison. Many of them died there. Mstislav entered Pereiaslavl, and the town and the prince's home caught fire. The chronicle doesn't say if it was set on purpose.

Yuri talked with Mstislav and agreed to leave the city the next day. He went to Radoliv. Mstislav and his Novgorodian army then helped Konstantin become the new ruler in Vladimir. After that, Mstislav returned to Novgorod with his remaining army.

Where Was the Battle Fought?

This helmet might have been lost by Yaroslav II during the Battle of Lipitsa. A farmer found it in 1808.

For a long time, people weren't sure exactly where the battle took place. But in 1808, a farmer's wife found an old, shiny helmet. She found it near a town called Lykovo, close to Yuriev-Polsky. The helmet had a picture of St. Theodore, who was the special saint of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich. This helmet is now kept in the Kremlin Armoury.

This helmet is very special because it's so well-made. People believe it belonged to Yaroslav. The old stories say that Yaroslav ran away from the battle without his armor. He arrived in Vladimir wearing only a shirt. Later, an actor named Nikolai Cherkasov played Yaroslav's son, Alexander Nevsky, in a movie. He wore a copy of this very helmet!

See also

• Holy Mary mountain