Battle of Molodi
The year 1571 saw the Crimean Khanate burn Moscow to the ground. Devlet I Giray led three expeditions that devastated South Russia while Ivan the Terrible fought a distant war in Livonia. The Tsardom of Russia left its southern borders weak and vulnerable to attack. Devlet I Giray hoped to profit from this weakness during his fourth expedition. On the 26th of July 1572 the huge horde crossed the Oka River near Serpukhov. They decimated a Russian vanguard of only 200 men before advancing toward Moscow.
Prince Mikhail Vorotynsky prepared innovative gulyay-gorod mobile fortifications just beyond the Oka River. These wooden structures allowed Russian troops to move while remaining protected from cavalry charges. The large amount of close-in fighting made Tatar archery skills quite useless. Artillery and arquebuses were also used by the Russians to great effect. The battle was fought principally with sabers and spears instead of ranged weapons. This tactical shift neutralized the traditional strengths of the Crimean horsemen.
On the 30th of July the armies clashed near the Lopasnya River without so much as a prior reconnaissance. Fighting continued for several days until it reached its peak on the 8th of August. The Russian forces numbered between 20,000 and 70,000 men under Prince Vorotynsky's supreme command. Prince Repnin led the left flank while Prince Odoevsky commanded the right. The intense melee warfare prevented the Tatars from using their famous archery advantage effectively.
Prince Khvorostinin bypassed the main horde with his gulyay-gorod mobile fortifications. He infiltrated into the rear of the enemy lines to strike from an unexpected direction. This maneuver decided the outcome of the entire engagement against overwhelming odds. The regiment of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Khvorostinin played a critical role in this operation. Their actions disrupted the Crimean formation and turned the tide of battle.
After the battle only 20,000 Tatar horsemen returned to the Crimea. The khan left his tent and banner on the battlefield during his retreat. Devlet I Giray barely managed to escape alive despite leading such a massive force. The battle claimed the lives of his sons and a grandson. These heavy losses crippled the Crimean Khanate for years following the defeat.
Contemporary chronicles give very large and unreliable figures when talking about the Tatar army strength. The Novgorod Second Chronicle gives its strength as 120,000 while the Moscow Chronicle claims about 150,000. Modern Russian historians estimate the khan's army most likely numbered 40,000, 60,000 men. Two-thirds were the Crimean army proper with the rest being Nogai, Circassians and janissaries sent by the Ottoman Sultan. The Russian historian Vitaly Pensky estimates the total size of the Moscow army at 35,000.
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Common questions
What happened during the Battle of Molodi in 1572?
The Battle of Molodi was a decisive conflict fought between Russian forces and the Crimean Khanate from July 30 to the 8th of August 1572. Prince Mikhail Vorotynsky commanded Russian troops who used innovative gulyay-gorod mobile fortifications to defeat Devlet I Giray's army near the Lopasnya River.
Who led the Russian army at the Battle of Molodi?
Prince Mikhail Vorotynsky served as the supreme commander of the Russian forces which numbered between 20,000 and 70,000 men. Prince Repnin led the left flank while Prince Odoevsky commanded the right wing of the army under his command.
How did the Russians win the Battle of Molodi against the Tatars?
Russian troops utilized gulyay-gorod mobile fortifications and close-in fighting with sabers and spears to neutralize Tatar archery skills. Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Khvorostinin bypassed the main horde with these fortifications to strike the enemy rear and disrupt their formation.
What were the losses for the Crimean Khanate after the Battle of Molodi?
Only 20,000 Tatar horsemen returned to Crimea after the battle while Devlet I Giray lost his sons and a grandson on the field. The heavy casualties crippled the Crimean Khanate for years following this decisive defeat in 1572.
How many soldiers fought in the Battle of Molodi according to modern historians?
Modern Russian historians estimate the Crimean army numbered between 40,000 and 60,000 men including Nogai, Circassians and Ottoman janissaries. The Moscow historian Vitaly Pensky estimates the total size of the Russian army at 35,000 men during the engagement.