Great Stand on the Ugra River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Stand on the Ugra River |
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 Miniature in Russian chronicle, 16th century |
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 Ahmed Khan bin Küchük |
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The Great Stand on the Ugra River was a big event in 1480. It was a face-off between the army of Akhmat Khan from the Great Horde and the army of Grand Prince Ivan III of Muscovy. This happened on the banks of the Ugra River.
Ivan III had stopped paying a yearly tax, called tribute, to the Great Horde. Because of this, Akhmat Khan led his army towards Moscow. Both armies met at the Ugra River and just stood there, facing each other. Akhmat Khan was waiting for help from his allies, but they never arrived. One attempt by the Mongol army to cross the river failed because of Russian gunfire. Eventually, Akhmat Khan decided to retreat.
This event is often seen as the end of the "Tatar yoke" in Russia. This means it was the end of the time when Tatar rulers had power over Russia. Even though some historians think the event itself wasn't a huge battle, it is still remembered as the moment Russia became truly independent from Tatar rule.
Contents
Why the Stand Happened
For a long time, Russian lands had been under the rule of the Golden Horde, a large Mongol empire. Russian princes had to pay tribute and get permission to rule. But the Golden Horde was breaking up into smaller groups, like the Great Horde.
Ivan III was a powerful leader who was bringing many Russian lands together. He wanted Russia to be free. The main defense line for Russia was along the Oka River. This line was extended along the Ugra River near Kaluga.
In 1476, Ivan III officially stopped paying tribute to the Tatars. This was a big step towards independence. At this time, Muscovy was allied with the Crimean Khanate, another Tatar group, against the Great Horde. The ruler of Poland-Lithuania, Casimir IV Jagiellon, was allied with the Great Horde.
Akhmat Khan of the Great Horde had tried to attack Russia before, in 1472, but was stopped. When Ivan III stopped paying tribute, Akhmat Khan decided to attack again to force Russia to pay up.
The Armies Move
In late May 1480, news reached Moscow that Akhmat Khan was planning a huge invasion. Ivan III quickly sent his troops south to the Oka River. His son, Ivan the Young, went to Serpukhov. His brother, Andrey the Less, went to Tarusa. Ivan III himself went to Kolomna.
Tatar scouting groups soon appeared south of the Oka. Russian lookouts reported that Akhmat Khan was moving northwest. So, the Russian troops moved west towards Kaluga and the Ugra River.
Around September 30, Ivan III went back to Moscow. He met with important leaders and made big decisions. He settled a disagreement with his brothers, and their troops also joined the defense. The royal family and the state treasury were moved to a safer place in the north. Some cities were even emptied out.
Meanwhile, Akhmat Khan had moved his army north. He set up camp near Vorotynsk, close to where the Ugra and Oka rivers meet. He waited there for his ally, Casimir IV of Poland-Lithuania, to join him. But Casimir was busy fighting other groups and never came.
The Standoff at the Ugra River
On October 6-8, Akhmat Khan moved his troops right up to the Ugra River. Fighting began on October 8 and lasted for almost four days. The Tatar army tried to cross the river, but they failed. The Russian soldiers fired at them, and the river was wide enough that the Tatar arrows couldn't reach effectively.
The fighting stretched for about five kilometers along the Ugra River. Akhmat Khan then pulled his troops back a bit. He tried to secretly move his army to another spot to cross, but the Russians found out and blocked him again.
Ivan III started talking with Akhmat Khan, but these talks didn't lead anywhere. However, these talks gave Ivan III more time to bring even more soldiers to the front. For the next month, both armies just watched each other across the river.
The Retreat
It was getting late in the year, and winter was coming. Both sides knew that once the river froze solid, it would no longer be a barrier. Akhmat Khan could then cross anywhere and attack the Russian line.
Ivan III decided it was best to pull his troops back and gather them in one strong place. On October 26, he began moving his soldiers from the Ugra River northeast to Kremenets, and then east to Borovsk. This was a good defensive spot to protect Moscow.
Akhmat Khan was still waiting for Casimir IV, but he never arrived. Instead of attacking, Akhmat Khan began to retreat on November 8. Ivan III heard the news of the retreat on November 11. As Akhmat Khan's army left, they raided some Lithuanian towns. Ivan III returned to Moscow on November 28.
Why Akhmat Khan Left
Historians have different ideas about why Akhmat Khan decided to retreat. One big reason was that Casimir IV of Poland-Lithuania never showed up with his promised help.
Another important factor was that Ivan III had settled his disagreement with his brothers. This meant he had more troops available to fight. The harsh Russian winter was also a concern. The longer the standoff lasted, the more soldiers Ivan III could gather, while Akhmat Khan's army was far from home and running out of supplies. Their horses and sheep, which they used for food, were eating up all the local grass. There were also reports of sickness in Akhmat Khan's army.
Akhmat Khan might have thought Ivan III's retreat was a trick to lure him into a trap. Tatars often used hit-and-run tactics and might not have wanted to attack a large, prepared army. His decision to retreat, even though it seemed cautious, might have led to his death a few months later.
What Happened Next
On January 6, 1481, Akhmat Khan was killed in a fight with another Tatar leader, Ibak Khan.
In 1502, the Crimean Khanate completely destroyed the Great Horde. This meant there was no longer a group between Russia and Crimea, leading to many wars between them for centuries.
For the next hundred years, relations between Russians and different Mongol groups kept changing. Both sides launched raids and attacks. For example, in 1521, the Crimean Khanate raided southern Russia and almost reached Moscow.
Lasting Impact
In Russian history, the Great Stand on the Ugra River is seen as the moment Russia finally became free from Tatar rule. It meant that no Russian prince ever had to ask a Tatar khan for permission to rule again.
However, some modern historians think the event wasn't as important as it's often made out to be. They argue that Russia had already stopped paying tribute in the 1470s. But even if the actual fighting was small, the "Great Stand" is still a very important symbol of Russia's independence.
Some of the earliest writings that mention this event include:
- The Epistle to the Ugra, written by a bishop named Vassian Patrikeyev.
- The anonymous Epistle to Ivan IV, written around the 1550s.
- The anonymous Kazan Chronicle, written around the 1560s.
See also
- Battle of Kulikovo
- Battle of Molodi
