In the 1560s, the general situation on the border forced the Moscow sovereign to force a military solution to the conflict with the Kazan Khanate.
The Kazan Khanate was a fairly large Muslim state, formed as a result of the collapse of the Golden Horde. It should be noted that the territory inhabited directly by the Kazan Tatars was relatively small, while the main part of the territory of the state was inhabited by other peoples (Mari, Chuvash, Udmurts, Mordovians, Moksha, Bashkirs). The main occupations of the inhabitants of the Kazan Khanate were agriculture and stall cattle breeding, a large role was played by the acquisition of furs and other trades. Considering the fact that the Volga has been the largest trade artery since ancient times, trade also played an important role in the khanate. The slave trade played a significant role, the capture of slaves was ensured by raids on the lands of Russia. Some of the slaves were left in the khanate, some were sold to Asian countries. Raids to capture slaves were one of the reasons for the conflicts between Moscow and Kazan. It should be noted that the khanate was an unstable state, where several groups fought for power, which were guided by external forces. Some were guided by Moscow, others by the Crimea, and still others by the Nogai. Moscow could not allow Kazan to be under the control of the Crimean Khanate, hostile to Russia, and tried to support the pro-Russian forces. In addition, there were considerations of economic, strategic importance - the Russian state needed land on the Volga, control over the Volga trade route and an open road to the East.
Moscow and Kazan fought already under the first Kazan khans - Ulu-Muhammad (Ulug-Muhammad) and his son Mahmud. Moreover, on July 7, 1445, in a battle in the vicinity of Suzdal, the Russian army was defeated, and Grand Duke Vasily II was captured. Vasily was forced to pay a large tribute in order to gain freedom.
War of 1467-1469
In 1467 Khan Khalil died in Kazan. The throne was taken by his younger brother Ibrahim (1467-1479). The Russian government decided to intervene in the internal affairs of the khanate and support the dynastic rights to the throne of one of the sons of Khan Ulu-Muhammad - Kasim. Kasim, after the victory of the Kazan Tatars in the battle of Suzdal, together with his brother Yakub, left for the Russian state to monitor the observance of the treaty and remained in the Russian service. In 1446 he received Zvenigorod as an inheritance, and in 1452 - Gorodets Meshchersky (it was renamed Kasimov), which became the capital of the appanage principality. This is how the Kasimov kingdom arose, which existed from 1452 to 1681. The Kasimov kingdom (khanate) became a place of settlement for noble Tatar families, who for one reason or another left their native borders.
Kasim's claims to the Kazan throne were also supported by a part of the Tatar nobility, headed by Prince Abdullah-Muemin (Avdul-Mamon). They were unhappy with the new khan and decided, in opposition to Ibrahim, to support the rights of his uncle Kasim. Kasim was offered to return to his native land and take the Kazan throne. This could only be done with the help of Russian troops, and Grand Duke Ivan III supported this idea.
On September 14, 1467, the Russian army set out on a campaign. The troops were commanded by the best voivode of the Grand Duke Ivan Vasilyevich Striga-Obolensky and the Tver commander, Prince Danila Dmitrievich Kholmsky, who switched to the Moscow service. Ivan himself was with another part of the army in Vladimir, so that in case of failure it would be possible to cover most of the Russian-Kazan border. The trip was unsuccessful. At the crossing at the mouth of the Sviyaga River, the troops of Kasim and the Russian governors were met by the forces of Ibrahim. Kazan troops managed to prepare for the war and closed the road. The governors were forced to stop on the right bank of the Volga and wait for the "ship's army", which was supposed to come to the rescue. But the flotilla did not have time to approach the frost. In late autumn, the campaign had to be curtailed and a retreat began.
Expecting a retaliatory strike, Grand Duke Ivan III ordered to prepare for defense the border cities - Nizhny Novgorod, Murom, Galich, Kostroma, sending additional forces there. Indeed, in the winter of 1467-1468 the Kazan Tatars made a campaign against Galich and ravaged its environs. Most of the region's population was promptly notified and managed to take refuge in the city. The Galicians, together with the best part of the Moscow army, the court of the Grand Duke under the command of Prince Semyon Romanovich Yaroslavsky, not only repulsed the attack, but also in December 1467 - January 1468 made a ski trip to the lands of the Cheremis (as the Mari were called at that time), which were part of composition of the Kazan Khanate. The Russian regiments were only a day's journey from Kazan.
The fighting took place in other parts of the Russian-Kazan border. The residents of Murom and Nizhny Novgorod devastated the Tatar villages on the banks of the Volga. Russian forces from Vologda, Ustyug and Kichmenga ravaged the lands along Vyatka. At the end of winter, the Tatar army reached the upper reaches of the South River and burned the town of Kichmengu. On April 4-10, 1468, the Tatars and Cheremis plundered two Kostroma volosts. In May, the Tatars burned down the outskirts of Murom. In the latter case, the Tatar detachment was overtaken and destroyed by the forces of Prince Danila Kholmsky.
At the beginning of the summer, the "outpost" of Prince Fyodor Semyonovich Ryapolovsky, which emerged from Nizhny Novgorod, near Zvenichev Bor, 40 miles from Kazan, entered into battle with significant enemy forces, which included the Khan's guard. Almost the entire Tatar army was destroyed. In the battle, the "hero" Kolupay was killed, and Prince Khojum-Berde (Khozum-Berdey) was taken prisoner. At the same time, a small detachment of the voivode Ivan Dmitrievich Runo (about three hundred fighters) through the Vyatka land made a raid deep into the Kazan Khanate.
The activity of the Russian troops became an unpleasant surprise for the Kazan Tatars, and they decided to subjugate the Vyatka Territory in order to secure the northern borders. Initially, the Tatar forces were successful. The Tatars seized the Vyatka lands, placed their administration in the city of Khlynov. But the very conditions of peace were rather mild for the local nobility, the main condition was not to support the Moscow troops. As a result, a small Russian detachment of the governor Ivan Runo was cut off. Despite this, Runo continued to actively operate in the Kazan rear. A Tatar detachment was sent against the forces of the governor. When they met, the Russians and Tatars left the embankments (a river flat-bottomed, undecked, single-masted vessel) and began to fight on the shore on foot. The Russians gained the upper hand. Subsequently, the Runo detachment safely returned home in a roundabout way.
After the battle at Zvenichev Bor, there was a short pause in the fighting. It ended in the spring of 1469. The Russian command adopted a new plan for the war against Kazan - it provided for coordinated actions of two Russian troops, which were supposed to advance in converging directions. On the main Nizhny Novgorod direction (down the Volga to Kazan), the army of the governor Konstantin Aleksandrovich Bezzubtsev was supposed to advance. The preparation of this campaign was not hidden and was of a demonstrative nature. Another army was trained in Veliky Ustyug under the command of Prince Daniil Vasilyevich Yaroslavsky, it included Ustyug and Vologda units. This detachment (it numbered up to 1,000 soldiers) was supposed to make an almost 2,000-kilometer dash along the northern rivers and reach the upper reaches of the Kama. Then the detachment was to descend along the Kama to its mouth and, being in the deep rear of the enemy, climb up the Volga to Kazan, where Bezzubtsev's army was supposed to approach from the south. The hopes placed on this raid were dashed by the impossibility of keeping the plan of operation secret. The Tatar governor, who was in Khlynov, promptly informed Ibrahim about the preparation of this campaign, including the size of the Russian detachment. In addition, the Russian command did not yet have experience in planning such an operation, where it was necessary to coordinate the actions of forces located at a great distance from each other.
At this time, Moscow was negotiating with Kazan and, in order to "hurry" the enemy, they decided to send a detachment of volunteers to the raid. Thus, the operations wanted to give the character of a raid by "willing people" who act at their own discretion. However, the calculations of the Russian command did not take into account the mood of the Russian warriors, who were gathered in Nizhny Novgorod. Having received the news of permission to conduct hostilities, almost all the assembled forces set out on the campaign. Voivode Bezzubtsev remained in the city, and Ivan Runo was elected the head of the army. Despite the order to destroy only the outskirts of Kazan, the Russian flotilla headed straight for the city and at dawn on May 21, Moscow ships reached Kazan. The attack was unexpected. Russian warriors were able to burn down the townships of the city, free many prisoners, and take significant booty. Fearing an attack from the Tatar army that had recovered from a sudden blow, the Russian army retreated up the Volga and stopped on Korovnichy Island. Perhaps the voivode Runo was expecting the approach of the detachment of Prince Daniil Yaroslavsky, who nevertheless went out on the road, and the Vyatchan people - they were sent an order from the Grand Duke to help the regiments near Kazan. But the treaty of neutrality with Kazan and the real threat of stopping the delivery of bread forced the residents of Vyatka to stay away from the war.
At this time, the Kazan Tatars grew bolder and decided to attack the Russian forces on the island. But the unexpected blow did not come out. A prisoner who escaped from Kazan warned the Russian commanders about the impending strike. The Tatar attack was repulsed. Fleece, fearing new attacks, moved the camp to a new place - to Irykhov Island. Lacking the strength for a decisive battle, besides, the supply of provisions was running out, Runo began to withdraw his troops to the border. During the retreat, the Russian commanders received a false message that peace had been concluded. On Sunday, July 23, 1469, on Zvenichev Island, Russian troops stopped to celebrate mass, and at that time they were attacked by the Tatars. Khan Ibrahim sent a river flotilla and a horse army in pursuit. Several times the Russian embankments and ears put the Tatar ships to flight, but each time the Kazan forces were rebuilt under the cover of horse-drawn riflemen and renewed their attacks. As a result, the Russian army was able to repulse the attack and returned to Nizhny Novgorod without heavy losses.
The raids' campaign from Ustyug under the command of Prince Daniel of Yaroslavsky ended less successfully. In mid-July, his ships were still on the Kama. The Tatar command was notified of this raid, and therefore blocked the Volga at the mouth of the Kama with tied vessels. The Russian forces did not flinch and went for a breakthrough. A real boarding battle took place, in which almost half of the Russian consolation died a heroic death. 430 people were lost, including the governor of Yaroslavsky, Timofey Pleshcheev was taken prisoner. The breakthrough part of the Russian detachment, led by Prince Vasily Ukhtomsky, went up the Volga. The detachment passed by Kazan to Nizhny Novgorod.
The pause in hostilities was short-lived. In August 1469, Ivan III decided to move to Kazan not only the forces that were in Nizhny Novgorod, but also his best regiments. The brother of the Grand Duke Yuri Vasilievich Dmitrovsky was put at the head of the army. The troops also included the detachments of another brother of the Grand Duke - Andrei Vasilyevich. On September 1, the Russian army was at the walls of Kazan. An attempt by the Tatars to launch a counterattack was repulsed, the city was blocked. Frightened by the power of the Russian army, the Tatars began peace negotiations. The main demand of the Russian side was the demand to hand over "full in 40 years", that is, virtually all Russian slaves who were in Kazan. This ended the war.
Russian-Kazan war of 1477-1478 Establishment of a Russian protectorate
The lull lasted 8 years. In the fall of 1477, the war began again. Khan Ibrahim received a false message that the Moscow army was defeated by Novgorod and decided to seize the moment. The Tatar army violated the treaty, entered the Vyatka land, fought the land, took a large full. The Tatars tried to break through to Ustyug, but could not because of the flooding of the rivers.
In the summer of 1478, a cruise to Kazan took place under the command of Prince S. I. Khripun Ryapolovsky and V. F. Sample Simsky. At the same time, the lands of the khanate were ravaged by the Vyatka and Ustyuzhan people. Khan Ibrahim, realizing his mistake, renewed the agreement of 1469.
In 1479, after the death of Khan Ibrahim, his son Ali (in Russian sources Aligam) became his successor. His half-brother and rival, 10-year-old Muhammad-Emin (Magmet-Amen), became the banner of the Moscow party in Kazan. Mohammed-Emin was transported to the Russian state, and he became a key figure in the eastern policy of Ivan III. The presence in Moscow of a pretender to the Kazan throne was one of the factors that forced Khan Ali to stay away from the struggle between Moscow and the Great Horde. For its part, Moscow also pursued a restrained policy, trying not to provoke the Kazan Khanate. But the victory on the Ugra in 1480 did not cause an immediate deterioration in Russian-Kazan relations - the best Russian troops were transferred to the northwestern border (relations with Livonia worsened). In the years 1480-1481. the Russian-Livonian war was going on.
Having strengthened his position on the northwestern borders, the Grand Duke again turned his attention to the east. The idea of conquering the Kazan throne for the Tatar prince Mohammed-Emin was again relevant. In 1482, a large campaign was prepared against Kazan. They planned to strike from two sides: from the west - in the Volga direction; and from the north - in the Ustyug-Vyatka direction. Artillery, including siege artillery, was concentrated in Nizhny Novgorod. But the matter did not go further than a demonstration of force. Kazan Khan hastened to send an ambassador for negotiations. A new contract was signed.
In 1484, the Russian army approached Kazan, the Moscow party deposed Ali, and Mohammed-Emin was proclaimed khan. In the winter of 1485-1486, the eastern party, with the support of the Nogai, returned Ali to the throne. Mohammed-Emin and his younger brother Abdul-Latif fled to Russian territory. Grand Duke Ivan III received them cordially, gave the city of Kashira to his inheritance. In the spring of 1486, the Russian regiments restored the power of Muhammad-Emin again. But after their departure, Ali's supporters again took up and forced Muhammad-Emin to flee.
A new war was inevitable. The Grand Duke, taking into account the experience of past years, decided to achieve the political subordination of the Kazan Khanate to Moscow. Deprived of the throne, but retaining the title of "tsar" Muhammad-Emin gave Ivan a vassal oath and called him his "father". But the plan could be fully realized only after the final victory over Ali Khan and the accession of Muhammad-Emin to the Kazan throne. Large-scale military preparations began in Moscow.
War of 1487 and beyond
On April 11, 1487, the army set out on a campaign. It was led by the best Moscow governors: princes Daniel Kholmsky, Joseph Andreevich Dorogobuzhsky, Semyon Ivanovich Khripun-Ryapolovsky, Alexander Vasilyevich Obolensky and Semyon Romanovich Yaroslavsky. On April 24, the "Kazan Tsar" Mohammed-Emin left for the army. The Tatar army tried to stop the Russian army at the mouth of the Sviyaga River, but was defeated and retreated to Kazan. On May 18, the city was surrounded and the siege began. A detachment of Ali-Gaza operated in the rear of the Russian army, but was soon defeated. On July 9, the capital of the Kazan Khanate surrendered. Some of Moscow's opponents were executed.
Ali Khan, his brothers, sister, mother and wives were taken prisoner. Khan and his wives were exiled to Vologda, and his relatives to Beloozero. Other noble captives were settled in the grand ducal villages. Those prisoners who agreed to give a "company" (oath, oath) of faithful service to the Grand Duke were released to Kazan. Mohammed-Emin became the head of the khanate, and Dmitry Vasilyevich Shein became the Moscow governor under him.
This victory was of great importance. True, it did not work out completely to solve the problem of Kazan, but for many years the Khanate fell into dependence on the Russian state. In principle, the Russian government then did not put forward territorial and special political demands to Kazan. Moscow limited itself to the obligations of the Kazan Tsar not to fight against the Russian state, not to choose a new khan without the consent of the Grand Duke, and to guarantee the safety of trade. Ivan exercised supreme power, taking the title of "Prince of Bulgaria".
Mohammed-Emin enjoyed the support and trust of Moscow until the crisis of 1495-1496. when the khanate, with the support of a part of the Kazan nobility and the Nogai, was captured by the troops of the Siberian prince Mamuk. Mohammed-Emin took refuge in the Russian state. Mamuk did not rule for long, with his terror he turned the nobility against himself and soon went home. Moscow put on the throne the younger brother of Mohammed-Emin Abdul-Latif (1497-1502). Abdul-Latif, unlike his older brother, was raised not in Moscow, but in the Crimea. Therefore, he soon began to pursue an independent policy. In 1502 he was deposed and extradited to Moscow, he was exiled to Beloozero.
In Kazan, Mohammed-Emin was again seated on the throne. Initially, he remained loyal to Ivan III. But then he succumbed to pressure from the nobility and on the eve of the death of the Grand Duke (October 27, 1505) broke the contract with Moscow. The break in relations was overshadowed by the massacre of Russian merchants, which the Tatars staged a few months before the death of the Grand Duke. On June 24, 1505, Russian merchants and their people who were in Kazan were killed and captured. The Ermolinskaya Chronicle reports that there were more than 15 thousand people killed alone. At the same time, the grand-ducal ambassadors were arrested - Mikhail Klyapik Eropkin and Ivan Vereshchagin.
Encouraged by the success of the Tatar and allied Nogai troops, numbering up to 60 thousand people, after long peaceful years, they attacked the Nizhny Novgorod land. In September, the settlement of Nizhny Novgorod was burned down. The city, in which there were no troops, was able to defend only thanks to the help of 300 Lithuanian prisoners released.
Moscow in April 1506 sent a punitive army led by the younger brother of the Grand Duke Vasily III, the appanage prince Dmitry Ivanovich Uglitsky. The campaign was attended by the troops of the appanage prince Fyodor Borisovich Volotsky, as well as part of the grand ducal army led by the governor Fyodor Ivanovich Belsky. Most of the army went on ships. At the same time, part of the forces were sent to blockade Kama. On May 22, 1506, the Russian army approached Kazan and entered into battle with the enemy army. In the rear, the Kazan cavalry struck, and the Russian army was defeated at the Pogany Lake. The Russian regiments, having lost many soldiers killed and captured, retreated to the fortified camp. Among the prisoners was the third governor of the Great Regiment, Dmitry Shein.
Having received a message about an unsuccessful battle, Vasily urgently sent reinforcements from Murom under the command of Prince Vasily Kholmsky. On June 25, before the arrival of Kholmsky's forces, the Moscow army again entered the battle and was defeated. All the guns were lost. Part of the army under the command of Dmitry Uglitsky went on ships to Nizhny Novgorod, the other part retreated to Murom.
After that, Muhammad-Emin went to the world. A peace treaty was signed and peaceful relations were restored. Naturally, there was no talk of complete peace. The Russian government was forced to strengthen the border towns, to place additional forces there. A stone fortress was erected in Nizhny Novgorod.
