The Battle of Blue Waters ( lt, Mūšis prie Mėlynųjų Vandenų, be, Бітва на Сініх Водах, uk, Битва на Синіх Водах) was a battle fought at some time in autumn 1362 or 1363 on the banks of the
Syniukha river, left tributary of the
Southern Bug
, ''Pivdennyi Buh''
, name_etymology =
, image = Sunset S Bug Vinnitsa 2007 G1.jpg
, image_size = 270
, image_caption = Southern Bug River in the vicinity of Vinnytsia, Ukraine
, map = PietinisBug ...
, between the armies of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
and the
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fr ...
. The Lithuanians won a decisive victory and finalized their conquest of the
Principality of Kiev
, conventional_long_name = Inner Principality of Kiev
, common_name = Kiev
, status = Protectorate
, status_text = part of the Grand Principality of Vladimir part of the ...
.
Background
After the death of its ruler
Berdi Beg
Berdi Beg or Berdibek ( fa, , tt-Latn, Möxämmät Bärdibäk) was Khan of the Golden Horde from 1357 to 1359, having succeeded his father Jani Beg. Berdi Beg was the last khan to rule before the beginning of a long cycle of civil wars in the ...
Khan in 1359 the Golden Horde experienced a series of succession disputes and wars that lasted two decades (1359–81). The Horde began fracturing into separate districts (''ulus''). Taking advantage of internal disorder within the Horde, Grand Duke
Algirdas
Algirdas ( be, Альгерд, Alhierd, uk, Ольгерд, Ольґерд, Olherd, Olgerd, pl, Olgierd; – May 1377) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He ruled the Lithuanians and Ruthenians from 1345 to 1377. With the help of his bro ...
of Lithuania organized a campaign into Tatar lands.
[ He aimed to secure and expand southern territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, particularly the ]Principality of Kiev
, conventional_long_name = Inner Principality of Kiev
, common_name = Kiev
, status = Protectorate
, status_text = part of the Grand Principality of Vladimir part of the ...
. Kiev had already come under semi-Lithuanian control after the Battle on the Irpin River
The Battle on the Irpin River is a semi-legendary battle between the armies of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Principality of Kiev. According to the story, Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, conquered Volhynia before turning his attention ...
in early 1320s, but still paid tribute to the Horde.[
]
Battle
In 1362 or 1363, Algirdas marched between lower Dnieper
}
The Dnieper () or Dnipro (); , ; . is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and B ...
and Southern Bug
, ''Pivdennyi Buh''
, name_etymology =
, image = Sunset S Bug Vinnitsa 2007 G1.jpg
, image_size = 270
, image_caption = Southern Bug River in the vicinity of Vinnytsia, Ukraine
, map = PietinisBug ...
.[ First, Algirdas captured remaining territories of the ]Principality of Chernigov
The Principality of Chernigov ( orv, Чєрниговскоє кънѧжьство; uk, Чернігівське князівство; russian: Черниговское княжество) was one of the largest and most powerful states within ...
– the bulk of the territory, including the capital in Bryansk
Bryansk ( rus, Брянск, p=brʲansk) is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the River Desna, southwest of Moscow. Population:
Geography Urban layout
The location of the settlement was originally ass ...
, fell under Lithuanian control around 1357–1358. The Lithuanians then attacked Korshev (Коршов), an unidentified fortress located in the upper reaches of the Bystraya Sosna River
The Bystraya Sosna (russian: Бы́страя Сосна́) is a river in Oryol and Lipetsk oblasts in Russia. It is a right tributary of the Don, and it is long, with a drainage basin of .[Don River
The Don ( rus, Дон, p=don) is the fifth-longest river in Europe. Flowing from Central Russia to the Sea of Azov in Southern Russia, it is one of Russia's largest rivers and played an important role for traders from the Byzantine Empire.
Its ...]
.[ It is believed that Algirdas further conquered territories of the former ]Principality of Pereyaslavl
The Principality of Pereyaslavl ( uk, Переяславське князівство) was a regional principality of Kievan Rus' from the end of 9th century until 1323, based in the city of Pereyaslavl (now ''Pereiaslav'') on the Trubizh R ...
. The area belonged to Crimean ulus which was engaged in a campaign against New Sarai
Sarai (also transcribed as ''Saraj'' or ''Saray'', from Persian ''sarāy'', "mansion" or "court") was the name of possibly two cities near the lower Volga, that served successively as the effective capitals of the Golden Horde, a Turco-Mongol kin ...
and could not organize effective resistance. In autumn, the Lithuanian army moved west and crossed the Dnieper
}
The Dnieper () or Dnipro (); , ; . is one of the major transboundary rivers of Europe, rising in the Valdai Hills near Smolensk, Russia, before flowing through Belarus and Ukraine to the Black Sea. It is the longest river of Ukraine and B ...
River towards Podolia
Podolia or Podilia ( uk, Поділля, Podillia, ; russian: Подолье, Podolye; ro, Podolia; pl, Podole; german: Podolien; be, Падолле, Padollie; lt, Podolė), is a historic region in Eastern Europe, located in the west-central ...
. Three Tatar bey
Bey ( ota, بك, beğ, script=Arab, tr, bey, az, bəy, tk, beg, uz, бек, kz, би/бек, tt-Cyrl, бәк, translit=bäk, cjs, пий/пек, sq, beu/bej, sh, beg, fa, بیگ, beyg/, tg, бек, ar, بك, bak, gr, μπέης) is ...
s of Podolia gathered an army to resist the invasion.[ It is believed that the armies met at present-day Torhovytsia ( uk, Торговиці). At the time the town was known as Yabgu in Turkic, or viceroy, regent town, and Sinie Vody in Russian, or Blue Waters.][
A short description of the battle survives only from late and not very reliable work of ]Maciej Stryjkowski
Maciej Stryjkowski (also referred to as Strykowski and Strycovius;Nowa encyklopedia powszechna PWN. t. 6, 1997 – ) was a Polish historian, writer and a poet, known as the author of ''Chronicle of Poland, Lithuania, Samogitia and all of Rutheni ...
, published in 1582. According to Stryjkowski, Algirdas organized his army into six groups and arranged them in a half circle.[ The Tatars started the battle by hurling arrows into the sides of the Lithuanian formation. Such attacks had little effect and the ]Lithuanians
Lithuanians ( lt, lietuviai) are a Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another million or two make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Uni ...
and Ruthenians
Ruthenian and Ruthene are exonyms of Latin origin, formerly used in Eastern and Central Europe as common ethnonyms for East Slavs, particularly during the late medieval and early modern periods. The Latin term Rutheni was used in medieval sourc ...
, armed with spears and swords, moved forward and broke the front lines of the Tatar army. Sons of Karijotas Karijotas or Koriat (baptized ''Michal''; died between 1358 and 1363) was the Duke of Navahrudak ( lt, Naugardukas) and Vaŭkavysk ( lt, Valkaviskas), one of the sons of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania.
According to Polish historian Jan Tęgows ...
with units from Naugardukas attacked Tatar flanks with crossbows. The Tatars could not maintain their formation and broke into a disorganized retreat.[ Algirdas achieved a decisive victory.][
]
Aftermath
The victory brought Kiev
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
and a large part of present-day Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
, including sparsely populated Podolia
Podolia or Podilia ( uk, Поділля, Podillia, ; russian: Подолье, Podolye; ro, Podolia; pl, Podole; german: Podolien; be, Падолле, Padollie; lt, Podolė), is a historic region in Eastern Europe, located in the west-central ...
and Dykra
The Wild Fields ( uk, Дике Поле, translit=Dyke Pole, russian: Дикое Поле, translit=Dikoye Polye, pl, Dzikie pola, lt, Dykra, la, Loca deserta or , also translated as "the wilderness") is a historical term used in the Polish ...
, under the control of the expanding Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Lithuania also gained access to the Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
. Algirdas left his son Vladimir in Kiev.[ After taking Kiev, Lithuania became a direct neighbor and rival of the ]Grand Duchy of Moscow
The Grand Duchy of Moscow, Muscovite Russia, Muscovite Rus' or Grand Principality of Moscow (russian: Великое княжество Московское, Velikoye knyazhestvo Moskovskoye; also known in English simply as Muscovy from the Lati ...
.[ Podolia was entrusted to Aleksander, Yuri, Konstantin, and ]Fyodor
Fyodor, Fedor (russian: Фёдор) or Feodor is the Russian form of the name "Theodore (given name), Theodore" meaning “God’s Gift”. Fedora () is the feminine form. Fyodor and Fedor are two English transliterations of the same Russian name. ...
– Karijotas Karijotas or Koriat (baptized ''Michal''; died between 1358 and 1363) was the Duke of Navahrudak ( lt, Naugardukas) and Vaŭkavysk ( lt, Valkaviskas), one of the sons of Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania.
According to Polish historian Jan Tęgows ...
' sons, Algirdas' nephews, and commanders during the battle.[
]
Historiography
The battle has received comparatively little attention from historians.[ Some of it is attributed to lack of historical sources. It received a handful of fragmentary mentions in Ruthenian and Rus' chronicles. The most important source of information is the ''Tale about Podolia'', which was incorporated into the ]Lithuanian Chronicles The Lithuanian Chronicles ( lt, Lietuvos metraščiai, also called Belarusian-Lithuanian Chronicles) are three redactions of chronicles compiled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. All redactions were written in the Ruthenian language and served the ...
. The ''Tale'' was produced by the Lithuanians sometime around the Lithuanian Civil War (1432–38) Lithuanian Civil War may refer to:
* Lithuanian Civil War (1381–1384), a war between Jogaila and his uncle Kęstutis with son Vytautas
* Lithuanian Civil War (1389–1392), a war between Jogaila and his cousin Vytautas
* Lithuanian Civil War (1432 ...
when Lithuania fought against Poland for control of Podolia. As such, the ''Tale'' is a piece of political propaganda
Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to Social influence, influence or persuade an audience to further an Political agenda, agenda, which may not be Objectivity (journalism), objective and may be selectively presenting facts to en ...
written to support Lithuanian claims to Podolia and exalt virtues of Karijotas's sons rather than to give an accurate account of military campaign.[ Slavic historians tended to minimize importance of the battle.][ Lithuanian historian ]Tomas Baranauskas
Tomas Baranauskas (born 12 September 1973 in Kaunas) is a Lithuanian historian specializing in the history of medieval Lithuania. He is the author of the book ''The Formation of the Lithuanian State''.
Baranauskas spent his youth in Žeimelis a ...
claims that Russian historians chose to emphasize their victory against the Tatars in the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo
The Battle of Kulikovo (russian: Мамаево побоище, Донское побоище, Куликовская битва, битва на Куликовом поле) was fought between the armies of the Golden Horde, under the command ...
while Polish historians did not want to emphasize Lithuanian claims to Podolia.[ For example, ]Jan Długosz
Jan Długosz (; 1 December 1415 – 19 May 1480), also known in Latin as Johannes Longinus, was a Polish priest, chronicler, diplomat, soldier, and secretary to Bishop Zbigniew Oleśnicki of Kraków. He is considered Poland's first histor ...
did not mention the battle at all.[
However, in the 20th century interest in the battle increased. Polish historian Stefan Maria Kuczyński produced a dedicated study ''Sine Wody'' in 1935, Lithuanian Romas Batūra published ''Lietuva tautų kovoje prieš Aukso ordą. Nuo Batu antplūdžio iki mūšio prie Mėlynųjų Vandenų'' in 1975, and Ukrainian Felix Shabuldo published numerous articles.][ Ukrainian historians held two conferences in ]Kropyvnytskyi
Kropyvnytskyi ( uk, Кропивницький, Kropyvnytskyi ) is a city in central Ukraine on the Inhul river with a population of . It is an administrative center of the Kirovohrad Oblast.
Over its history, Kropyvnytskyi has changed its name ...
in 1997 and 1998. The resulting collection of articles was published by the Institute of History of Ukraine in 2005 (). In 2012, another conference, dedicated to the 650th anniversary of the battle, was held by the Vytautas Magnus University
Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) ( lt, Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas (VDU)) is a public university in Kaunas, Lithuania. The university was founded in 1922 during the interwar period as an alternate national university.
Initially it was known ...
.[
In 2022, the ]National bank of Belarus
The National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB; be, Нацыянальны банк Рэспублікі Беларусь; rus, Национальный банк Республики Беларусь) is the central bank of Belarus, located ...
issued a commemorative coin dedicated to the Battle of Blue Waters with a portrait of duke Olgierd
Algirdas ( be, Альгерд, Alhierd, uk, Ольгерд, Ольґерд, Olherd, Olgerd, pl, Olgierd; – May 1377) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He ruled the Lithuanians and Ruthenians from 1345 to 1377. With the help of his bro ...
.Нацыянальны банк выпусціў у абарачэнне памятныя манеты «Бітва на Сініх Водах»
he National Bank issued commemorative coins "Battle of Blue Waters" Budzma.org, 29 December 2022
References
Further reading
*
{{Authority control
Blue Waters
Blue Waters was a petascale supercomputer operated by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On August 8, 2007, the National Science Board approved a resolution which auth ...
Blue Waters
Blue Waters was a petascale supercomputer operated by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On August 8, 2007, the National Science Board approved a resolution which auth ...
Medieval Ukraine
Military history of Kyiv
Blue Waters
Blue Waters was a petascale supercomputer operated by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On August 8, 2007, the National Science Board approved a resolution which auth ...
1362 in Europe
14th century in Lithuania
Blue Waters
Blue Waters was a petascale supercomputer operated by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On August 8, 2007, the National Science Board approved a resolution which auth ...
History of Kirovohrad Oblast
1360s in the Mongol Empire