The tragedy of the Belarusian people in war of 1654-1667.

Kobrin → Creativity of fellow countrymen → Marchuk Nina Grigoryevna

To the 340 anniversary of the end of war

In the history of our state it is impossible to find still such subject which is to such an extent forged by science. To be exact – concealed from the people. Perhaps, the reader will reproach me. Like, conversation on war of the Moscow tsars on Belarus will spoil our neighborliness. No! History has to be independent of policy.

By the beginning of the XVII century of the earth of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (Corona and Grand Duchy of Lithuania) were spread almost to Moscow. The cities of Smolensk, Kursk, Chernihiv, Gomel – to the southeast, Vilno to the northwest – were ours. The huge territory – a tidbit for an envious eye. Therefore the below-described events are clear and explainable.

At the beginning of 1653 the Moscow tsar Alexey Mikhaylovich Romanov (the father of future Russian emperor Pyotr I) started to hurry "on this good cause" – war against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. But how to begin aggression without the reason? Decided to resort to cunning. In the summer of the same year the Moscow ambassadors went to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (PLC). Officially – to settle misunderstanding of an otnositelnoukraina. And still to ask the king to punish the citizens who were mistaken in writing of an imperial title.

Negotiations came to a standstill. Ambassadors left home. At this time the Ukrainian hetman Bogdan Khmelnytsky began to ask under the aegis Moskovia. And it obviously meant the beginning of military operations. 8 on January (18), 1654 in Pereyaslav meeting of representatives of the Zaporizhia Cossacks headed by the hetman Bogdan Khmelnytsky on whom the decision on association of the territory of Ukraine which is under the power of the Zaporizhia hetmen with the Russian Kingdom, fixed by oath of allegiance to the tsar was in public made took place.

By the beginning of 1654 Moskovia collected and equipped 100-thousand army. VKL army contained 10-12 thousand bayonets. So, on April 18, 1654 at the head of 100-thousand army the Moscow tsar moved to Smolensk (the Belarusian boundary city). And one day earlier the hetman of Ukraine Bogdan Khmelnytsky at the head of a 20-thousand Cossack cavalry went to Gomel.

At this time VKL army had even no hetman (commander). It was approved in two months after an exit to war of the Moscow tsar. Right after Diet the new hetman Janusz Radzivill began to unite army and to meet requirements of the Moscow tsar.

Time was missed. To fall of a moskovita took our cities: Polotsk, Roslav, Vitebsk, Deep, Mogilev, Druyu, Kopys. The hetman Khmelnytsky seized Gomel, Rechitsey, Zhlobin. In an obloga there were Dubrovno, St so far. Bykhov and Smolensk.

By this time the army of VKL from the West approached Orsha. The first fight happened under Belynichami. Litvinov lay down more than one thousand, and the hetman was fatally wounded. VKL army did not exist any more since it ran up on the woods and bogs. The wounded Lithuanian hetman somehow reached Minsk, behind it in Smilovichi a little more than 4 thousand its zhovner were dragged in. Smolensk fell at the end of September, Dubrovno – October. Bykhov still stood the station. It was the fort of the Vitebsk voivode Pavel Sapegi. (The regular army in the cities was not. The cities were protected by citizens). Having a little recovered VKL again began to bring together army. On the East they moved late fall 1654. Did in the winter fighting sorties which did not change situation in general.

The Russian tsar for the winter returned to Moscow. And again in April, 1655 on the West the Moscow army which had a rest during the winter moved. They went on Shklov, Minsk, Vilno and Berestye. The first Borisov fell. On July 2 Cossacks passed Berezina and moved to Minsk. Minsk fell too. Meanwhile the Swedish king Charles X began war against Corona with army in 14 thousand bayonets.

And meanwhile the imperial army approached Vilno. Vilno fell on August 8, 1655. Here is how it was remembered vilensky biskup by Tyshkevich: "Was not to a litost neither age, nor a floor. All earth was red from blood. Killed all. Young women were transported under guard to Moscow, old and children thrown into fire. Plundered everything, especially temples. Removed internal furniture, bells, broke off graves of the buried rich. Plundered burial of a fundator of the temple of Lev Salegi and his family. The dead were thrown out from coffins. In temples forced women. The Vilensky orthodox church was burned to the basis. Took the Cross of the grand duke Vitovt, Yagayla's cup. 17 days burned with Vilno. What could remain from such "managing"?

Here what else was written by the Brandenburg ambassador these days sent by the state to Vilno to the Moscow tsar: "All cities and villages are burned, the mountain the killed civilians lie. Not buried and wounded decay. Animals are not visible anywhere".

It seems that the living creatures if did not run up on the woods, then it was eaten by imperial army. Such cruelty was on all a way of the Moscow army. Here literally the decree for army of the Russian sovereign Alexey Romanov: "To go war by different roads to occupy the greatest territory. The cities to devastate, kill and charm people, to scorch villages, bread, hay, to destroy all economy". The army did everything "under the monarchic decree".

Both the city of my childhood of Karelichi and the World was so destroyed. So Slonim, Zhirovichsky monastery, Kopyl, Grodno, Nesvizh ruined (though Nesvizh Castle stood, it was protected by Mikhail Radzivill). Our Belarusian Polesia was protected by bogs and thickets so far. But also for it rainy days came. Here the Ukrainian Cossacks managed: "peasants were tormented, killed, villages burned down, plundered property, drove huge herds of cattle to Ukraine".

Long ago Pinsk, the Birch, Kobrin fell. As the general Jan Ankudovsky in the act of October 15, 1655 svidelstvut: "Instead of Pinsk only chimneys"... The same was also with other settlements. After Vilno's taking the tsar solved in these regions and to winter, but made even in the fall attempt to capture Berestye. But alas! Though fell High, under Berestyem Russians were met by army INCL. Russians well frayed, and they receded to Vilno, on winter quarters.

And in Corona on September 29, 1655 under Swedes Warsaw and Krakow capitulated. The king Jan Casimir with army went to Silesia. It seemed, it is already the end of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth!? (The European powers did not interfere). In the winter of 1656 in Berestye the army began to gather anew INCL. Already and the new hetman – Pavel Sapega. It conducts the army to Warsaw, against Swedes.

And the tsar did not sit in place: directed part of army to Riga, part to Stockholm. But suddenly Alexey Romanov turns back, to Polotsk. Reasons a little: the won territory is burned out, it is not enough provisions, desertion prospers, guerrillas annoy, people are "mown" by diseases. In addition, slaughter between the Moscow ratnik and the Ukrainian Cossacks went …

               Jan Pavel Sapega

Negotiations began. The respite lasted the whole three years. Already the tsar Moscow not against to reconcile with Sweden. (B. Khmelnytsky dreams of a crown and the tsar not against to put on himself the Polish crown). For these years the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth collected many ratnik and in the fall of 1658 went to Vilno. But the victory from them turned away. While Russians rejoiced, Swedes took Kurland. Same year terrible epidemics began. For hunger the population began to eat drop, cats, dogs. Already and the dead are there been nobody to bury. Wild animals carried an infection. (The Moscow tsar and about religion did not forget. Catholic temples all were transferred to orthodox).

And at this time Corona (Warsaw) on the last money began to bring together hired army. Fights went on two fronts: Swedes and moskovita. And Russians held three fronts at this time: Swedes, the Ukrainian Cossacks and army INCL. Negotiations were conducted also with Swedes (about repartition of territories). The regular army of VKL already reached Mstislavl. By the end of 1661 of army of the Russian voivode Khovansky did not exist – its pozhgl near Polotsk. And in Moscow disorders – "copper revolt" – in a most up-to-date way a default began. The part of the Russian army turned to Moscow that "to drown rebels in blood".

In 1664 VKL army and Corona reunited in one fist. For these years negotiations of Moscow and VKL took place 34 times. And still those circumstances that were going to Moskovia Turkey and the Crimean khan accelerated signing of the world. "Everlasting peace" was signed on January 20, 1667. The city of Smolensk was taken by the Moscow state, and left-bank Ukraine was given to Moscow.

Moscow promised to pay to VKL the caused damage and to return prisoners. Deceived! War knocked down INCL. It was the beginning of its end. Our people in this war lost 53% of the population, citizens – 65%. Our Kobrin and the Birch lost 69% of inhabitants. The economy was in a catastrophic situation: the earth grew with a tall weeds. This war rejected development of our state back on one hundred years. And it is heavy to tell whether we recovered so far?!

Newspaper "Byarozava vesnik", No. 4, 2008 year

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