Union with Sweden
Finding himself in a desperate situation, Tsar Vasily Shuisky decided to stake on the outskirts and foreign aid. Sheremetev received an order to unblock Moscow to recruit a host of Tatars, Bashkirs and Nogai in the Volga region. Moscow turned to the Crimean Khan for help. Shuisky also decided to ask for help from Sweden, which was then in a state of prolonged conflict with the Commonwealth (both great powers claimed vast lands in the Baltic States). In the summer of 1608, a talented military leader, the tsar's nephew, Prince Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky, was sent to Novgorod. He was instructed to gather an army in the Russian North to help besieged Moscow, including inviting Swedish mercenaries to the Russian service. Having established ties with the zemstvo authorities from Perm to the Solovetsky Monastery, Skopin managed to collect up to 5 thousand Russian soldiers from the nobility, townspeople and peasants. A detachment of free Cossacks, Dmitry Sharov, who had previously fought in the army of Bolotnikov, also arrived at his service.
At the same time, the king's nephew was negotiating with Sweden about receiving military assistance, which King Charles IX offered three years ago. Sweden has long been looking for an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of the Russian state. Therefore, the Swedish leadership gladly took advantage of the opportunity. On February 28, 1609, the Union Treaty of Vyborg was signed, according to which, in exchange for hired soldiers, Tsar Vasily Shuisky gave Sweden the city of Korela with the district. Thus, foreign military aid was purchased at a high price. In addition, the alliance with Sweden was fraught with great danger in the future. Firstly, the Swedes were on their own and wanted to use the problems of the Russian state to expand their possessions at the expense of the Russian North and the Baltic states. Secondly, Shuisky's military alliance with Charles IX led to a sharp deterioration in relations with Poland, which was only looking for an excuse to start an open intervention. The Commonwealth received a pretext for an open invasion.
Tsar Vasily counted on the help of a well-trained and battle-hardened Swedish army. However, King Charles IX, not wanting to throw his regiments into the fire, sent a detachment of mercenaries of 7 thousand people (Germans, Swedes, French, British, Scots and others) under the command of the Frenchman Jacob De la Gardie (Count Jacob Pontus de la Gardie). Swedish recruiters quickly recruited mercenaries in constantly belligerent Europe, loaded them onto ships and quickly transported them to Russia, transferring them to the maintenance of the Moscow tsar. The first detachments arrived on Russian territory in early March, and in Novgorod on April 14, 1609. Soon the number of the Swedish auxiliary corps was increased to 15 thousand soldiers. The costs of maintaining the mercenary troops fell on the shoulders of the Moscow government. Cavalrymen were supposed to pay 25 thalers (efimks), infantrymen - 12 thalers, “big governors” - 5,000 thalers, and governors - 4,000 thalers. The mercenaries immediately demanded a salary, and the Russian governor frantically corresponded with the tsar and the cities in order to collect at least some money.
Skopin-Shuisky meets the Swedish governor De la Gardie near Novgorod
Skopin-Shuisky's offensive
De la Gardie planned to start a "war of sieges" - to take in turn the outskirts of the city that had sworn allegiance to False Dmitry: Pskov, Ivangorod, Yam, Koporye, etc. For mercenaries and Swedes, such a war was beneficial: it made it possible to plunder, which they always did in European wars, and their service would drag on for a long time, which led to an increase in payments. And problems with the maintenance of the army would give the Swedes an opportunity to present new territorial claims to Moscow. Such a war did not suit Skopin, he demanded a campaign against Moscow in order to defeat the Tushinsky thief himself and his hetmans in a decisive battle. The victory in the battle immediately destroyed the entire "Tushino Russia" - with the impostor tsar, the Boyar Duma, the patriarchy, deprived the base of the Polish troops scattered throughout the Russian kingdom.
In May 1609, Skopin-Shuisky's militia, together with a mercenary army, launched an offensive, marching from Novgorod to Moscow. In early May, a Russian-Swedish 3-4 thousand vanguard under the leadership of Fyodor Chulkov and Evert Horn set out from Novgorod to clear the road to Torzhok for the main army. Under their onslaught, a detachment of the Polish hussars of Kernozitsky left Staraya Russa without a fight, which the allies occupied on May 10. After that, the Poles tried to carry out a surprise raid, but were repulsed. De la Gardie had time to serve in the Netherlands under Moritz of Orange and taught his soldiers his innovations. The Polish hussars stumbled upon the German infantry, bristling with spears, and the musketeers from behind cover struck the enemy with fire. Then the Russians and Germans overthrew the Poles with a counterattack, and Chulkov's noble cavalry completed the rout. At the same time, the regiment under the command of Nikita Vysheslavtsev, with the support of the local population, recaptured Yaroslavl. The Russian-Swedish detachment continued the offensive and approached Toropets.
On May 15, the Battle of Toropets took place. The Russian-Swedish detachment caught the Poles and Cossacks of Kernozitsky by surprise (about 6 thousand people). At the very first blow of the armored infantry of Gorn, the army of Kernozitsky fled, and the noble cavalry of Fedor Chulkov completed the defeat of the enemy. With the remnants of the detachment, Kernozitsky tried to gain a foothold behind the walls of the nearby Trinity Nebin monastery, but was attacked and knocked out of it. The Tushintsy, abandoning their artillery, fled from Toropets, which immediately "deferred" from the "Tushinsky thief".
Thus, the advanced forces of the impostor in the north were defeated. After the capture of Toropets by the Russian-Swedish detachment, a chain reaction began. Torzhok, Staritsa, Ostashkov, Rzhev, Zubtsov, Kholm, Nevel and other northwestern Russian cities were "deposited" from False Dmitry II. The north was freed from the Tushins, and the army of Skopin-Shuisky and De la Gardie covered their right strategic flank.
Mikhail Skopin-Shuisky at the 1000th Anniversary of Russia Monument in Veliky Novgorod
Swedish military and statesman Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie
The battles near Moscow. Hetman Rozhinsky on June 5, 1609 again tried to seize Moscow. His cavalry crossed the river. Khodynka and attacked the Moscow one. But the Russian cavalry was distributed to the sides, and the Poles were faced with "walk-towns" with cannons, which struck with precise fire. And when the enemy regrouped and threw the infantry to storm the fortifications, the Russian cavalry pounced on the flanks. The Tushintsy were overturned, pursued and driven into Khodynka, killing more than 400 people. Ataman Zarutsky saved from the final defeat of Rozhinsky, who with several hundred Cossacks took a convenient position on the Khimka River and counterattacked the Moscow cavalry. On June 25, another assault followed, and again without success. The Russians captured several guns, and cut off some of the retreating enemies and pushed them to the Moscow River, many drowned.
Battle of Torzhok (June 17). After the vanguard of Chulkov and Gorna defeated the enemy's detachment in the Battle of Toropets, the Russian-Swedish army set out from Novgorod and moved to Torzhok. The strategically important city itself had already been "set aside" from the impostor, and the fortress was occupied by the forward detachments of Kornila Cheglokov, Klaus Boy and Otto Gelmer, so the soldiers of Semyon Golovin and Evert Horn (about 5 thousand people in total) joined them.
At the same time, the Tushins were pulling forces to Torzhok to stop the offensive of Skopin's army. The 13-thousandth army of the Tushins consisted of an 8-thousandth detachment of Kernozitsky (2 thousand Polish hussars, as well as 6 thousand Zaporozhye Cossacks and Tushinians), 2 thousand Polish spearmen of Pan Zborovsky, 1 thousanda horse detachment under the command of the Tushino governor Grigory Shakhovsky, as well as 2 thousand soldiers from other Polish regiments. However, by the time of the battle near Torzhok, the Tushins managed to concentrate less than half of their troops.
Alexander Zborovsky, who led the invaders' army, tried to take the city outright, but could not do it. The garrison repulsed the attack. The attackers set fire to the Kremlin, but the walls were extinguished. Meanwhile, a detachment of Golovin and Horn came to the aid of the garrison. After that, the troops lined up against each other in battle formations. Zborowski began the battle of the massive heavy armored cavalry. Part of the Polish cavalry ran into a deep phalanx of German mercenaries, bristling with long spears, and was forced to retreat, suffering heavy losses. However, some of the attacking Poles managed to crush the Russian and Swedish cavalry on the flank, and drove it to the city walls. But a successful sortie from the city of Cheglokov's detachment restored the situation. The Russian-Swedish cavalry, together with reinforcements, launched a counterattack. The Tushins were forced to retreat. In addition, Zborovsky learned from the prisoners about the approach of a large army of Skopin and De la Gardie and preferred to withdraw his troops to Tver in order to gather all available forces to repel the enemy.
Thus, the Tushins suffered a serious defeat. Zborovsky could not occupy Torzhok and stop the movement of Skopin's army. The Poles suffered serious losses. It became obvious that the well-organized and armed army of Skopin-Shuisky and De la Gardie was capable of withstanding the heavy Polish cavalry in a field battle. In the Tushino camp, they became worried and large reinforcements were sent to help Zborovsky near Tver. After the victory at Torzhok, detachments of servicemen from Smolensk, Vyazma, Toropets, Belaya and other western cities joined Skopin. So, from Smolensk, Prince Yakov Baryatinsky, sent by the voivode Mikhail Shein, approached with 4 thousand warriors, on the way he freed Dorogobuzh, Vyazma and Belaya from the Tushins.
Tver battle
The Russian commander Skopin-Shuisky insisted on an early continuation of the offensive until the enemy received reinforcements. In Torzhok, regiments were formed: the Guard Regiment under the command of Y. Baryatinsky, the Advanced Regiment of S. Golovin and the Big Regiment of Skopin-Shuisky and De la Gardie. The Russian-Swedish army numbered about 18 thousand people. There were about 9 thousand Poles and Tushinians, the basis of the army was 5 thousand Zborovsky's cavalry detachment.
On July 7-8, the Russian-Swedish army set out from Torzhok, and on July 11 approached Tver and camped 10 versts from it. The Tushino army took up fortified positions. Skopin tried to lure the enemy out into the open with small cavalry detachments, but without success. Then on July 11, he launched an offensive: in the center stood the Swedish and German infantry, on the left flank - the French and German cavalry, and on the right - the Russian. It was planned to distract the enemy with blows from the left flank, then cut it off from the city with a powerful blow from the right flank, press it against the Volga and destroy it.
In the pouring rain, Skopin's army attacked the Polish army of Pan Zborovsky on the outskirts of Tver. However, the Russians and the mercenaries acted separately and were unable to organize a single strike. The Poles managed to strike ahead of the curve and overturned Delagardie's cavalry. The French and German cavalry fled in stampede, suffering heavy losses. The mercenaries, deciding that this was a defeat, rushed to the camp and plundered the property. The Swedes defended their goods, and a commotion began. But the infantry in the center, despite heavy rain, which prevented the use of firearms, repulsed the enemy attack. Withstood the Polish attack and the Russian cavalry. By 19 o'clock the battle was over and the Tushins returned for the fortifications. Skopin's troops withdrew across the Volga. Thus, the Tushins, despite the initial success, were unable to achieve a radical turning point in the battle.
In the Tushino camp, they already celebrated the victory, believing that they had repelled the offensive of the enemy army, but they rejoiced early. The young commander Shuisky, who skillfully regrouped his forces, struck a sudden blow at the enemy on July 13, under cover of night. The Russians and Swedes broke into the enemy camp. After a fierce felling, the Poles wavered and fled. The allied army captured the Tushino camp and a lot of booty: “The Polish and Lithuanian people were beaten, and the encampments took them, and Tver was besieged. And near Tver, the Russian and German people took a lot of wealth from the Polish people”(“The Tale of the Victories of the Muscovite Kingdom”). The Polish army suffered heavy losses, Pan Zborovsky (he was seriously wounded in the battle) with his remnants fled to the Tushino camp, pursued by the light cavalry of Skopin-Shuisky.
However, after this decisive victory, difficulties began. Skopin led part of the army to Moscow. De la Gardie himself was not eager to continue the campaign against Moscow, but preferred to confine himself to the defense of the Novgorod land. The Polish garrison of Pan Krasovsky remained in Tver, and Delagardie's mercenaries remained at the fortress. De la Gardie made several attempts to storm Tver, but to no avail. The mercenaries suffered heavy losses in the battle of Tver and during the assault, rebelled, demanding a salary, and, having received no money, turned back. The deserters moved first to Torzhok and then to Valdai. On the way, looters robbed the local population, raped women and girls. Only a small part of the Swedish troops remained, led by De la Gardie (just over 1,000 fighters). Skopin-Shuisky, having only a few thousand Russian warriors, was forced to abandon the offensive on Moscow and begin to form a new army.
Battle of Kalyazin
Abandoned by the mercenaries, the governor Skopin-Shuisky did not go the straight road occupied by the Tushinites to Moscow, but turned to Kalyazin. Having crossed the Volga, the army of Skopin-Shuisky approached Kalyazin. Here, at the Trinity Makariev Monastery, a new army was formed over the next two months, which was reinforced by militias from Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Uglich, Kashin and other cities. Skopin-Shuisky sent messengers to all neighboring cities, urging to send him additional troops, as well as money. As a result, by August Skopin's army, according to various sources, increased to 11-20 thousand people.
From the army of De la Gardie, initially only a detachment of Swedes led by Christer Somme remained with Shuisky (about 1,000 soldiers). For the most part, the army consisted of peasants, Skopin-Shuisky attracted the Somme to lead the military training of the militia according to the Dutch model and wrote later to De la Gardie that without the Somme he would hardly have been able to prepare the many untrained people who daily flocked to him from Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Pomorie. The militias were taught the tactics of Orange: formation, alignment of units, combination of defense with long spears and rifle fire. After all, the Russian warriors, like the Dutch, needed to withstand the blows of knightly cavalry and armored heavy infantry. Kalyazin actually became for a short time the military-political center of the Russian kingdom.
Meanwhile, the Polish hetman Jan Sapega, who during this period continued to besiege the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, decided to eliminate the growing threat from the Skopin-Shuisky army and be the first to attack the enemy. The 12-thousandth detachment of Jan Sapieha left the siege of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra (part of the army remained to block the monastery) and went to join with Zborovsky, who set out from Tushino with the Zaporozhye and Don Cossacks. The size of this united army was not inferior to that which was assembled by Skopin-Shuisky. For the Poles, the bulk of the army was cavalry, for Skopin, the infantry.
On August 28, 1609, the Battle of Kalyazin began near the Trinity Makariev Monastery. The Russian cavalry with a feigned retreat lured the enemy's vanguard to a swampy section of the Zhabnya river bank. After that, the Russian cavalry attacked the enemy from both sides. The Tushinites could not turn around, they were disorganized and suffered heavy losses. The remnants of the detachment fled to their own. And the Russian detachments went beyond Zhabnya to a fortified camp near the Volga crossing.
The main forces of the Tushins, enraged by the defeat of the vanguard, attacked the Russian camp. Skopin-Shuisky managed to compensate for the lack of mounted troops with pre-prepared fortifications and correctly chosen defensive tactics. The attack of the Polish and Cossack troops was stopped by Russian field fortifications, where the enemy cavalry came under heavy squeaky fire. Then the Poles began to undertake demonstrations, rolling and pretending to run away in order to lure the Russians out of the fortifications. But they did not peck and did not leave hiding places. Then the Polish command changed tactics again. However, an attempt to break into the Skopin-Shuisky camp as a result of an unexpected blow from the Zhabnya River was foreseen by Skopin-Shuisky. The Russian detachments met the attackers and, as a result of the seven-hour battle, gained the upper hand. When the Tushinites were tired and drained of blood by unsuccessful attacks, Skopin launched a counterattack. Tired Tushins began to retreat behind Zhabnya. The inspired warriors of Shuisky increased the pressure, reached the convoys of Sapieha's troops and continued to push them further. Tushintsy could not stand it and ran along the road to Uglich. They were pursued for 15 miles. Sapieha's broken regiments returned to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery.
Thus, the Russian army, trained and organized by Skopin-Shuisky according to the Western model, independently won a brilliant victory over the Tushins (professional Polish and Cossack cavalry) without the help of the Swedes and foreign mercenaries. The rumor about the victory spread widely throughout Russia. Skopin gained great prestige among the people.
But victory was still far away. On the southern borders, a Crimean horde appeared, led by Tsarevich Janibek. Tsar Vasily Shuisky also appealed to the khan for help, and announced that the Crimean Tatars were going as allies. However, the Crimean Tatars did not intend to fight with the professional cavalry of the Poles and the "thieves" Cossacks, but they destroyed Tarusa, ruined the surroundings of Serpukhov, Kolomna, Borovsk - and left, driving away full. And the people cursed Shuisky for such "allies".
The Russian army remained with Kalyazin for about a month, continuing to build up its forces and sending out detachments to liberate individual cities and to support the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. With the money sent by monasteries and merchants, Skopin-Shuisky again attracted Delagardie's mercenaries to his army, not wanting to leave them uncontrolled in his rear. In the fall, the Russian army moved east and took Pereslavl-Zalessky, after which it was also possible to take the Aleksandrovskaya Sloboda. Thus, the armies of Shuisky and Sapieha became close again.
