Articles about Kobrin: As a part of VKL and RP

Great victory under gryunvaldy

... The killed crusader who fell backwards. Slightly at some distance – the young soldier in a chain armor brings the axe over the head of the prostrate enemy, nearby – the soldier standard-bearer astride a white horse reflects attack. Such is a plot of a picture of Anatoly Demyanovich Shibnev "the Beresteysky banner in fight at Gryunvalda". This work is presented to expositions "Seven centuries of Kobrin" the museum of A.V. Suvorov and tells about one of the most heroic pages of our history. On July 15, 2010 the public of Belarus, Poland, Ukraine, Russia and Lithuania celebrates the 600 anniversary of fight near Gryunvald. In cruel, bloody battle our ancestors put an end to military aggression of the Teutonic award on the East. This fight became the culmination in a long-term antagonism of an award with Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish kingdom.

What is known by us about this terrible force under the name "Teutonic Award"? To realize the scale and value of the won victory, it is necessary to represent with what enemy history of our ancestors reduced. For this purpose we will return to the remote past …

"FOR RELEASE OF THE LORD'S COFFIN"

In the last third of the 11th century Turks-seldzhuki took many possession of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), including Palestine and the Sacred city of Jerusalem. Church hierarches of Byzantium appealed to Christians of Europe to give military aid in fight against the gentiles trampling on Christian shrines. In response to this request the Pope Urban II in 1095 in the city of Kpermona in the south of France called all kind Christians for a campaign on the East for "release of the Lord's Coffin" from hands "incorrect" and for the sake of support of Christian brothers of the East, promising absolution to all participants of a campaign. The father could be happy: in already early spring of 1096 the European army acted in a campaign. Later these campaigns will be called krestovy because of the knights of crosses made of cloth attached to attires as symbols of motives of "Christ's soldiers".

The Christian states created in Asia Minor waged continuous wars with Muslims that demanded existence of constant armed forces, but not periodically brought together armies of feudal lords. Creation of spiritual and knightly awards – brotherhoods of soldiers monks became the solution of this task. As monks they gave a threefold vow: abstention, obedience and poverty; as soldiers – carried arms and participated in military operations. The Teutonic award was founded in 1190 during the 3rd crusade. In the army of crusaders besieging to the Acre there were enough soldiers, and here the medicine was extremely inefficient. Diseases mowed army. Soldiers from Northern Europe were not accustomed to a local heat, water and food, and sanitary conditions were simply awful. Crusaders, natives of Bremen and Lubeck, decided to base a hospital award. The knight entering an award brought an oath: "I promise to observe chastity of my body, both poverty, and humility before God, Saint Maria, and before you, the master of the Teutonic award, and before your successors, according to rules and customs of an award, I promise obedience to the death".

As soon as the knight said an oath, already nothing belonged to him personally, all property in an award was the general. Brothers lived in barracks all together, slept on a firm bed, a fir-tree in the general refectory twice a day, in fast days – once, all posts strictly observed, strictly visited Sunday masses. Everyone had a good fighting horse and the tempered weapon, but without jewelry. The tough charter regulated all aspects of life of Teutonic knights. In a peace time not to lose military skills, knights had to be engaged in fencing and practise with a spear, shoot bows and arbalests, to hunt. The army of the Teutonic award was distinguished by model discipline, and also high level of military training of knights. Crusaders were able to build and storm locks, had well adjusted system of investigation. Really, terrible force!

KNIGHTS CHANGE THE PRIORITIES

The long and dangerous journey, difficulties and failures of campaigns induced knights to turn the looks on closer lands into the Holy Land. To the middle of the XIII century many considered that enemies of Christianity exist not only in the Holy Land. The Polish prince Conrad Mazovetsky waged heavy defensive wars with pagans-prussami. In knights of the Teutonic award he made out that force which could give help in business of protection of the Polish earth. In 1225 he invites knights of an award, promising to give the Helminsky earth in temporary possession, and "brothers will get all the rest at pagans". Every year small armies of crusaders came to Prussia, and every year possession of an award increased. K1283 of all Prussian lands were occupied by knights of the Teutonic award. At this time the ranks of an award were joined willingly by both small noblemen, and large feudal lords of Europe. Here it was possible to find the power, an honourable position and big production. The severe charter did not pass test wealth and the power. The award stopped being meeting of fanatic ascetics.

WAR WENT CONTINUOUSLY

On east coast of the Baltic Sea, in Livonia, by the time of appearance in Prussia of Teutons three decades crusades were conducted. There the award of Sword-bearers which in 1237 unites with the Teutonic award worked, increasing forces and land possession of the last. Occupying all new and new lands, the Teutonic award created the extensive state posing huge threat to neighbors. All the 14th century an award was at war with Grand Duchy of Lithuania, with Poland, and even with two states at the same time. War went continuously. It consisted of small and large skirmishes, ambushes, retreats and pursuits. Both parties worked equally. The army number from several tens to several thousand soldiers gathered and interfered on the enemy territory. Capture of one or several locks and a robbery of vicinities was the purpose. The one who managed to strike and leave unexpectedly with production and prisoners won until the opponent organized repulse. In 1326 the first medal chronicler Pyotr from Dusburga wrote in "To the chronicle of the earth Prussian": "Prussian war ended, war Lithuanian began".

GREAT WAR of 1409-1411.

At last the award declared the right for management of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, referring on false (and can be, and truthful) the donative diploma of Mindovga. According to it the grand duke bequeathed the state to an award in case remains without successors. The last of three sons of Mindovga the eldest son Voyshelk in December, 1268 died. And here in 16 years after his death the award exposed the requirements. Zhamoytiya (area in the western part of modern Lithuania) was the main object of claims of crusaders. Leaning on the locks built to the coast of Baltic, medal chiefs of all levels suited against zhamoyt one campaign behind another. The risen zhamoyta addressed with the letter the European governors: "Listen to us oppressed and exhausted. The award does not look for our souls for god, he looks for our lands for himself; it brought us to the fact that we have to or go on the world, or rob that was what to live". But governors of feudal Europe were deaf and blind to the population of Zmudz brought to an utter ruin, an impoverishment and standing on a side of destruction by knights of an award. When on May 31, 1409 in Zhamoytiya the next revolt broke out, Vitovt informally supported him, having sent group of horsemen. The help to the risen zhamoyta became one of the reasons of Great war of 1409-1411.

By this moment the grand duke Lithuanian Vitovt and the king Polish Yagaylo could reject long offenses that was difficult, especially for Vitovt (by order of Yagaylo his father – the grand duke Keystut was killed). Cousins united in the face of terrible danger and when in the conflict of an award and VKL Poland supported Grand Duchy of Lithuania ("We will consider opponents of Lithuania as the enemies"), the great master Ulrich von Uengingen declared Yagaylo war. There was it on August 6, 1409. In December of this year in Brest Vitovt and Yagaylo's secret meeting at which the detailed plan of military campaign which provided a campaign of allied troops to Mariyenburg (sovr was developed took place. Malbork in Poland) – the capital of an award and decisive battle in the medal territory.

GRYUNVALDSKY FIGHT

Gryunvaldsky fight became on July 15, 1410 such battle also. "Such noise and a roar from the breaking copies and blows about an armor as though some huge structure, and such sharp clang of swords fell that it was distinctly heard by people at distance even of several miles was made. The leg pushed around, an armor hit against an armor, and edges of copies went to a face of enemies; when banners met, it was impossible to distinguish shy from brave, courageous from the coward as that and others crowded in some ball, and it was even impossible neither to change places, nor to promote on a step while the winner, having dumped from a horse or having killed the opponent, did not take the place won". So the Polish chronicler Jan Dlugosh wrote about this fight. This battle became the beginning of the end of the Teutonic award. Fight lasted from 12 to 18 o'clock. To a sunset the pursuit of fugitives continued. All night long with 15 for July 16 of army of the Grand duchy and Poland came back from a pursuit, conducted prisoners, carried the taken banners (banners) and production, brought together wounded, looked for bodies of the killed...

Only in the morning scales of the tragedy which comprehended the Teutonic award became clear. The great master Ulrich von Uengingen, the great marshal Friedrich von Walenrod, great komtur Conrad a background Liechtenstein, the great treasurer Thomas von Mergejm, and also 14 komtur and 15 voyt died. "Though it is difficult, I think, – Jan Dlugosh wrote, – to count precisely how many fell enemies, but it is known that the road throughout several miles was covered with bodies fallen, the earth is impregnated with blood of the killed, and air was disclosed by groans and cries dying". Everything as current historians believe, the medal army lost in the killed at most 13 thousand people probably approximately as much was taken prisoner. Near a battlefield under the word of honor of Vitovt and Yagaylo released those prisoners who did not belong to an award. All banners of Teutonic knights, their "guests" and allies were taken. Banners (military divisions) of Grand Duchy of Lithuania lost the killed and the dead from wounds about 10 thousand whereas the general losses of allies made up to 20 thousand people.

About this battle the set of works is written. Historians argue on the number of troops of opponents, on the battle course, on that whose army made a bigger contribution to a victory. Anatoly Taras in the book "Gryunvald on July 15, 1410." writes: "Yagaylo and Vitovt had at the order 32 thousand soldiers against 27 thousand soldiers of the Teutonic award". On the basis of new researches A. Taras gives structure of allied army: "The joint army of the Polish kingdom and Grand Duchy of Lithuania included 91 banners and 2 Tatar chambul. In total – 93 tactical divisions. Among them Polish – 38, litvinsky (Belarusian) – 31, Ukrainian – 14, zhamoytsky – 3, Czech Silesian-Moravian – 3, Tatar – 2, Veliky Novgorod – 1, mixed (Lithuanian-Polish) – 1".

Soldiers from Kobrin battled on the Gryunvaldsky field as a part of a banner which was headed by the deputy Vituovta Yang Gashtold. Undoubtedly, we have something to be proud! You should not underestimate a contribution of our ancestors to this victory and to give it to our neighbors who not so are indifferent to the history!

"HONOUR AND PRAISE TO YOU., SACRIFICIAL BLOOD!"

Hugely and value of this victory for destiny of our people. Defeat in Gryunvaldsky battle destroyed the base of the building of the Teutonic award and laid the foundation to its decline. Since day of fight in the 1410th year and up to kayzerovsky occupation in the spring of the 1915th, within 505 years the leg of the armed German never set foot on the Belarusian land. Having won a victory over crusaders, our ancestors asserted the right for life!

After Gryunvald Grand Duchy of Lithuania found the status of the European state. By the end of government of the grand duke Vitovt it occupied the huge territory (from border with the Pskov republic to the Crimea in the south, from Galicia in the West to Oka and Ugra in the east in the north) and dominated in Eastern Europe. The Gryunvaldsky victory – one of the most heroic pages in the history of the Belarusian people. It exerted huge impact on its formation: nothing unites people as a victory!

Unites people and memory of a victory: On June 25-27 people from every quarter of Belarus gathered in Novogrudok – the first capital of Grand Duchy of Lithuania on the festival of medieval culture devoted to the 600 anniversary of this nice victory! Knightly tournaments and competitions of archers, great ladies and soldiers chained in armor, musicians and dancers – all this was. And still there was a feeling of huge pride of the heroic past of our people. Saluting heroism of our ancestors on the Gryunvaldsky field, it is necessary to remember Henryk Sienkiewicz's words from his novel "Crusaders": "Honor and praise to you for ever and ever, great, sacred past, and you, sacrificial blood!"
 

Olga Denisyuk,
research associate of the Kobrin military and historical museum of A. V. Suvorov


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