Kulikovo September 8, 1380 Strategic Context The Mongol-Tatar Golden Horde is deteriorating due to internal and external power struggles. The Khan’s authority falls so low that the Russian princes aggressively combat raids from the Golden Horde’s land while Tokhtamysh invades the Golden Horde after gaining control of the White Horde. Mamay, a Mongol-Tatar general, assembles an army to crush the most troublesome Russian principality, Moscow. Mamay gains the assistance of Riazan and Lithuania by promising that Muscovite land will be divided among them if they aid his conquest. Dmitri Donskoy, commander of the Russian army, quickly marches south to meet the Mongol-Tatar army before the Riazan and Lithuanian armies can converge on his own. Stakes + A Russian victory would end immediate Mongol-Tatar domination of Moscow and Russia as a whole while internal squabbles distract Mongol-Tatar leaders. + A Mongol-Tatar victory would destroy Moscow, its territory divided between Riazan and Lithuania, and allowing Mamay to turn his attention to resist Tokhtamysh. By Jonathan Webb, 2010 To view animation on PC: hit F5 To view animation on Mac: hit ⌘ + enter

Kulikovo, 1380 Strength  Russians  Well  Mongol-Tatars  Well  30,000  Mamay  30,000  Dmitri Donskoy By Jonathan Webb, 2010

Central Eurasia c LITHUANIA WHITE HORDE

The battlefield consists of the cramped Kulikovo Field, featuring marshy forests and minor rivers to the east and west; the gap between these two forests measures as narrow as 5km in one place. To the north is the Nepravda and Don Rivers, which meet in the middle. The only suitable fording sites to the north are along the Don River just east of the confluence. The only urban features are three tiny villages located in or just outside the various forests. The ground is relatively flat except for the low-lying marshy forests and a small rise to the southeast. Mamay (Mongol-Tatars) Russians (Dmitri) Rozhdestveno Don River Smolka River Kulikovo Field Nigni Dubik River Nepradva River Danilovka Kulikovo

Mamay divides his army into a sizeable vanguard, a center comprised of his few infantry units, left wing, right wing, and a sizeable reserve. He plans to break the Russian line with aggressive, unrelenting attacks. Dmitri deploys his army in a compact line with a small reserve and an ambush force in the forest on his left. His advance guard consists of cavalry and a long, thin line of infantry to absort the main Mongol-Tatar cavalry charge. He plans to use the cramped battlefield terrain to nullify the Mongol-Tatar cavalry until his ambush force can surprise the Mongol-Tatar right wing and decide the battle. Mamay uses a hill as a vantage point while Dmitri fights in the ranks as a regular soldier. Mamay (Mongol-Tatars) Mamay orders his vanguard cavalry to charge. The Mongol-Tatar cavalry engage the Russian vanguard cavalry, which retreat behind their line of infantry. The Mongol-Tatar cavalry utterly smash the line of Russian infantry but waste their momentum in doing so. The Mongol-Tatar vanguard engages the main Russian line while the rest of the Mongol-Tatar army advances. The Russian right wing stands firm but the Russian center and left wing are pushed back by the Mongol-Tatar attacks. Fierce, cramped combat occurs along the front with both sides suffering many casualties from trampling. The Mongol-Tatar left wing gains no ground against the Russian right wing in marshy terrain and disengages. The Mongol-Tatar center grinds the Russian center back while the Mongol-Tatar right wing overpowers the Russian left wing. Dmitri must commit his entire reserve to prevent a total collapse here while Mamay commits only a part of his reserve to continue the advance. The Russian right wing remains strong but cannot attack the Mongol-Tatar left wing for fear of losing contact with the center. With the Russian center struggling and the left wing pushed back to the Don River, Mamay commits his last reserve to complete the destruction of the Russian left wing. As the last units sweep by its concealed position, the Russian ambush force emerges and routs the rear ranks. Its sudden appearance panics Mamay who immediately flees. The Russian left wing and center rally and counterattack as the ambush force scatters the Mongol-Tatar right wing. The leaderless Mongol-Tatar force collapses and retreats, briefly pursued by Russian forces. Mongol-Tatars (Mamay) 30,000 Russians (Dmitri Donskoy) 30,000 Symbol guide Russians (Dmitri) Landmarks Rozhdestveno Don River Smolka River Kulikovo Field Nigni Dubik River Nepradva River Danilovka Kulikovo RussiansMongol-TatarsInfantryCavalry Headquarters

Kulikovo, 1380 Casualties & Aftermath Russians:Mongol-Tatars: ≈15,000 or 50% ≈15,000 or 50% By Jonathan Webb, 2010 Russian losses were so great that they could not exploit the first major victory against the Mongol-Tatars, Mamay quickly raised a new army but was confronted and defeated by rival Tokhtamysh, who consequently gained control of the Golden Horde. By 1382, Tokhtamysh and Mongol-Tatar sacked Moscow itself and restored Mongol authority in all of Russia.

The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps By Jonathan Webb, 2010