The temporary lull in the north-western and western borders of the Russian kingdom, the strengthening of the Russian army, its strengthening at the expense of the "instrumental" troops (service people "according to the device" - archers, gunners, Cossacks, etc.) and the maturity of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich allowed Moscow to switch to more active and decisive actions in relation to the Tatar "kingdoms".
General situation
While temporary workers and boyar clans ruled in Russia, its position in the international arena weakened. In the face of the confrontation of the Russian state with the Crimea, behind which stood the powerful Porta, and the constant border war with Kazan (the war between Moscow and the Kazan khan Safa-Girey), Moscow was forced to strengthen the defense of the southeastern borders.
The offensive on the Lithuanian line had to be curtailed and even come to terms with the loss of Gomel, captured by the Lithuanians in 1535 and withdrew to Lithuania under the Moscow Treaty of 1537. In Poland and Lithuania, the decrepit king Sigismund I handed over power to his son Sigismund II Augustus, and the new king did not even inform Moscow of his accession to the throne. For several years he did not bother to send at least a messenger, ignoring Ivan IV.
The Livonian Order, which itself was going through a period of decline, stopped reckoning with Moscow altogether, forgot about all the treaties, and began to disrupt our trade with Western countries.
But on the whole, the situation on the northern and northwestern borders of the Russian state at this time was distinguished by comparative calm. This was due to the fact that Sweden and Livonia were interested in preserving the already established borders.
The German knightly state in the Baltics has noticeably grown decrepit and has lost its military power. Therefore, the Livonian knights no longer encroached on the Russian lands, although they interfered with the trade of Russia with other European countries. Sweden was busy with military confrontation with Denmark.
Ottoman threat
Therefore, the main military threat to the Russian state was the Tatar principalities-kingdoms - the union of Crimea and Kazan, behind which stood Turkey. The port threw a military-strategic challenge to Russia when it accepted the Crimean and Kazan Khanates into its citizenship. From a military point of view, Russia in the first half of the 16th century was brought to the brink of destruction, the fight against the Gireys became a matter of life and death. And the advance to the east and south, the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan was not a consequence of the aggressive, colonial policy of Moscow, but a question of the survival of the Russian state.
It is worth remembering that then Turkey was perhaps the most powerful power in Europe and the Middle East. A huge empire spread over Europe, Asia and Africa. Sultan Suleiman (1520-1566) was called "magnificent" by the Europeans for the splendor and beauty of the courtyard, and the Turks respectfully called him "the legislator." He systematized Turkish law, introduced reasonable laws on government, taxes and land tenure. The warriors received land with the peasants in flax and had to lead detachments of horsemen to the war (according to the type of the Russian local system). In addition to other troops, the Sultan received excellent cavalry (spagi).
The Ottoman Empire was so powerful that it could wage war on several fronts and directions at once. The port had an excellent fleet, which controlled a significant part of the Mediterranean Sea, and beat the Portuguese in the Red Sea. The Ottomans even organized an expedition to India and could oust the Europeans from there, but due to a number of problems, the project failed. The Black Sea was practically an inland Turkish lake. The Ottomans crushed the independence of the Danube principalities, the power of the local rulers was curtailed, Moldavia and Wallachia were imposed with a heavy tribute. The Crimean Khanate recognized itself as a complete vassal of Turkey.
The Turks continued to press the Persians, took Mesopotamia from them, and began the battle for the Transcaucasus. In this struggle, the North Caucasus acquired great importance. There were no large states, dozens of "kingdoms", principalities and independent tribes. Some nationalities were Christians, others kept paganism. The dominant position was occupied by Kabarda, which owned Pyatigorye, Karachay-Cherkessia, between the Terek and Sunzha rivers. From the steppe inhabitants, Crimean Tatars and Nogais, the North Caucasian tribes were protected by the terrain, hard-to-reach for cavalry, mountains and forests, and the absence of roads. During the enemy invasion, people drove cattle into the forests, went to the mountains, took refuge in almost impregnable mountain castles and fortresses.
Suleiman understood the strategic importance of the North Caucasus. Possessing mountain passes, passes, it was possible to transfer the Tatar hordes to Transcaucasia and deliver strong blows to the flanks and rear of Persia. The Crimeans were provided with Turkish infantry and artillery. The cannons easily smashed mountain fortresses, which were not ready to withstand artillery fire. The highlanders began to be suppressed, subjugated and converted to Islam. They imposed a tribute, took it with cattle and local beauties: Circassian women and Kabardinkas were highly valued in the slave markets of the Middle East.
In the Turkish Empire, which controlled the crossroads of the most important trade routes, slave traders and usurers gained a lot of weight. The slave traders' trade has linked up with state structures. Wars brought a lot of full, people went to the markets. Only the Crimeans gave to the treasury a tenth of the "yasyr" and it was not the sultan and his governors in the Crimea who disposed of this booty. The slave traders took this item of treasury income at the mercy and sold the share of the Sultan.
The Crimeans, Kazanians, Nogai, subordinate mountain tribes, residents of the Black Sea Turkish cities were involved in an extremely profitable hunt for people. For "yasyr" went mainly to the Russian lands - subject to Moscow, Lithuania and Poland.
Moscow - the Third Rome and heir to the Horde
Turkey with its vassals Crimea and Kazan was not only a military threat, but also a conceptual and ideological one. The Sultan was the caliph, the head of all Muslims. Muslims in Crimea, Kazan, Astrakhan and even in Kasimov, near Moscow, were supposed to obey him.
The Crimean Khan Sahib-Girey (1532-1551), relying on Turkish diplomacy and Ottoman regiments, dreamed of the revival of the Ottoman Empire. His nephew Safa-Girey controlled Kazan. The daughter of the Nogai prince Yusuf was the wife of the Kazan king. The Crimeans sought to revive the Golden Horde, and Russia was assigned the fate of the "ulus" of the new empire.
Fighting ideological aggression is possible only with the help of an idea. Therefore, Moscow acted on the one hand, as the heiress of the Horde, actively attracting the Tatar princes, princes and murzas to its side. Forming regiments of service Tatars who fought for the Russian state. The control center of the huge Eurasian civilization moved to Moscow.
On the other hand, the concept “Moscow - the Third Rome” emerged in Moscow. In the final version, this idea sounded back in 1514 in the message of the monk Elizarov Monastery Philotheus to the Grand Duke Vasily III. Philotheus argued that the first world center of Christianity was Ancient Rome, followed by a new Rome - Constantinople, and now there was a third Rome - Moscow.
"Two Romes have fallen, and the third is standing, and there will be no fourth."
Obviously, the replacement of the Moscow coat of arms with St. George the Victorious with a new one with a two-headed eagle showed the world that Moscow is the direct heir of the Second Rome - Constantinople, the Byzantine Empire. For external consumption, Ivan Vasilyevich declared himself tsar ("Caesar-Caesar"). Ivan did not gain power and lands from the new title, it was a claim to the Byzantine inheritance.
Thus, the two great powers-empires - Russia and Porta, became great rivals. The Sultan considered himself the ruler of all Muslims, including Russian subjects, and claimed all Muslim lands. To the Crimea, Astrakhan and Kazan. The Russian tsar was considered the protector of millions of Orthodox subjects within the Ottoman Empire, in the Balkans, in Asia Minor and Western Asia, in the Caucasus. Constantinople-Constantinople was the fatherland of the Russian sovereign.
Military reform
The loop that was tightening around the Russian state had to be cut. Sovereign Ivan Vasilyevich, having barely brought the temporary workers in line, began to make efforts in this direction.
In the chain of enemies, Kazan was the most accessible link for attack. We started with it. And before the decisive offensive, the armed forces were strengthened and reformed.
In the middle of the 16th century, the local system developed; from different counties, about a thousand service people, city nobles and the children of boyars were called into service, to whom land was distributed in Moscow and other counties. This made it possible to strengthen the local army and form the rank (boyar) regiments.
However, the temporary nature of the service of the noble militia no longer suited the tsarist government. A standing army was needed. Therefore, at the same time, the formation of "instrumental" (on a set-device) rifle and Cossack regiments-units, deployed as permanent garrisons in Moscow and other cities, begins. In wartime, the best rifle regiments were included in the field armies, increasing the firepower of hundreds of noblemen.
Initially, there were about 3 thousand archers, divided into six articles (orders), then their number increased. In the archers they recruited the best militia squeakers, natives of the taxy township settlements. Also in the archers were taken free "willing" people, free peasants. It was required that they enter the service according to their hunt and be "kind", that is, healthy, and know how to use firearms. Free people were also recruited into the detachments of city Cossacks and gunners.
The practice of "apparatus" for the service of free people in southern cities, where there were many of them, was especially widespread. This made it possible to quickly and in large numbers recruit garrisons for the Russian fortresses being built in the Wild Field. Streltsy received a monetary and grain salary, a manor (yard) place where they had to put a house, yard and outbuildings, set up a vegetable garden and a garden. "Instrumental" people received help from the treasury for the "yard settlement".
Sagittarius was the owner of the courtyard while he served; after his death, the courtyard was retained by his family. Some of his brothers, sons and nephews could be "tidied up" for the service. Gradually, service in the archers became a hereditary obligation.
The management of the armed forces was streamlined: in addition to the existing Discharge and Local orders, Streletsky, Pushkarsky, Bronny, Kamenny cases and others were created. Russia at this time formed a powerful artillery ("outfit").
Kazan hiking
It is worth noting that Moscow until the very last moment did not lose hope of settling relations with Kazan peacefully. However, Safa-Girey stubbornly clung to an alliance with Crimea and constantly violated peace agreements with Moscow. The Kazan princes enriched themselves in a continuous raid war with the Russian border counties.
It was no longer possible to ignore the hostility of Kazan and put up with it.
Safa-Girey, having returned the city, which for some time was controlled by the pro-Russian "king" Shah-Ali, cut out all supporters of alliance and friendship with Russia, those who negotiated with Moscow and helped Shah-Ali. Dozens of Kazan princes and Murzas fled to the Russian kingdom and asked for Russian service.
At this time, the Astrakhan Khan Yamgurchi beat the Russian Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich with his forehead and expressed a desire to serve him. Then the Crimean Khan Sahib-Girey, with the support of the Turks, captured Astrakhan. Then he defeated the Nogai who supported Astrakhan. The Nogays recognized the authority of the Crimea. A New Golden Horde was looming.
The Crimeans got completely loose. Russian merchants who traded in the Crimea began to be seized and turned into slaves. The Tsar's ambassador, who arrived in Bakhchisarai, was robbed and threatened. Sahib-Girey boasted that he subdued the North Caucasus and took Astrakhan. He demanded that the Moscow sovereign announce what he wants - "love or blood?" If "love" - demanded an annual tribute of 15 thousand gold. If not, "then I am ready to go to Moscow, and your land will be under the feet of my horses."
The Russian sovereign responded harshly. For the dishonor of his diplomats and merchants, he ordered the imprisonment of the Crimean ambassadors. Under the influence of the Moscow Metropolitan Macarius, who had a great influence on the young tsar, the idea of the military subordination of Kazan was ripening as the only way to end the war on the eastern borders of the state. At the same time, at first there was no question of complete subordination of Kazan. On the Kazan table, they were going to confirm the "tsar" Shah-Ali, loyal to Moscow, and to place a Russian garrison in Kazan. Already during the war, these plans changed.
Moscow starts a big war with Kazan. In February 1547, the campaign of the army, gathered in Nizhny Novgorod, began. The troops were led by governors Alexander Gorbaty and Semyon Mikulinsky. The tsar himself did not participate in the campaign because of the wedding with Anastasia Romanovna Zakharyina-Yurievna.
The reason for the campaign was the appeal for help from the Cheremis (Mari) centurion Atachik "with his comrades." The mountain Mari, who lived closest to the border, and the Chuvash (the western bank of the Volga), got tired of the endless war and devastation, rebelled against Kazan and asked Moscow for citizenship.
The Russian army reached the Sviyazhsky mouth and fought in many places, then returned to Nizhny.
