Battle of the Vozha River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of the Vozha River
Part of the Great Troubles
16th-century fantasy image of the battle
Date 11 August 1378 Location Vozha River, Ryazan Oblast Result Muscovite victory
Belligerents
Grand Duchy of Moscow	Mamai's faction within the Golden Horde
Commanders and leaders
Dmitri Ivanovich of Moscow	Murza Begitch [ru]  † Khazibey  † Koverga  † Karabulug  † Kostrov  †
Strength
5,000	50,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Entire army annihilated

The Battle of the Vozha River was an important fight during a time called the Great Troubles. This battle happened on August 11, 1378. It was fought between the army of the Principality of Moscow and a group from the Golden Horde led by Mamai.

Mamai was a powerful leader of the Golden Horde, a large Mongol state. He wanted to punish Dmitri Ivanovich of Moscow because Dmitri had stopped paying a special tax called a tribute.

The Battle Begins

The Tatar army was led by a commander named murza Begich. A murza was a type of noble or leader among the Tatars. The two armies met near the Vozha River, which flows into the Oka River.

Dmitri Ivanovich was very clever. His scouts had checked the area carefully. He managed to block the shallow part of the river where the Tatars planned to cross. This gave his army a strong position on a hill.

Russian Strategy

The Russian soldiers formed their lines like a bow. Dmitri Ivanovich led the middle part of the army. The sides were commanded by Timofey Velyaminov and Andrei of Polotsk. This formation helped them defend well.

After waiting for a long time, Begich decided to attack. He tried to cross the river and surround the Russians from both sides.

Tatar Attack Repelled

However, the Tatar cavalry (soldiers on horseback) were pushed back. Their attack failed. The Russians then launched a strong counter-attack, meaning they attacked back.

The Tatars quickly lost their way and started running away in a panic. Many of them drowned in the river as they tried to escape. Begich himself was killed during the battle.

Why This Battle Was Important

The Battle of the Vozha River was the first big victory for the Russians against a large army from the Golden Horde. It gave the Russians a lot of confidence. It showed them that the Tatar cavalry, which was usually very strong, could be defeated. They learned that if they stood firm and attacked back, they could win.

This victory was a huge boost before the famous Battle of Kulikovo, which happened two years later. For Mamai, losing at Vozha was a direct challenge from Dmitri. This defeat made him plan another big attack in 1380, which also ended badly for him.

After the Battle

The Battle of Vozha was a major success for the Russian forces against the Mongols. After this battle, Mamai's army was almost completely destroyed. He had to gather new soldiers, many of them mercenaries, for the decisive battle in 1380.

See also

• Great Troubles
• Tatar invasions
• Russo-Kazan Wars
• Principality of Moscow
• Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'