The Red Kaganate

Last Page Update: December 7, 2000 Contact Copyright Information Main Page Structure of the Red Kaganate Gatherings, Events, . . . Historic Steppes Tribes Legends of the Nomads Flags and other Identifiers Clothing and Apearance Food and related Matters Armour Archery Weapons and Combat Public Forum Resource Links Email: [email protected] Editor: Norman J. Finkelshteyn A Timeline of the Russo-Polovetz Wars Read -- THE ORIGINS OF THE POLOVTSY by Dmitriy V. Ryaboy By Norman J. Finkelshteyn The following timeline was adopted from that presented by the magazine Rodina (Homeland), 1997, 3-4. 1061 - The Polovtsi defeat Vsevolod Yaroslavich and besiege Pereyaslavl. 1068 - The first full invasion of Rus. The Polovtsy destroy the armies of the Yaroslavich family and decimate the Southern Rus Principalities. But eventually there is a rebellion by the people of Kiev and finally Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, with only 3 thousand men, defeats a 12-thousand strong Polovets army. 1071 - 1078 The Polovtsy decimate the cities of Neyatin and Rostovets, destroy the armies of Kiev. 1078 - 1080 Knyaz Monomakh leads several successful campaigns, destroying several Polovetz tribes and freeing Russian captives. 1083 - 1084 Another set of exchanges with a final victory to the Rus under Monomakh. 1092 - The second Polovets invasion begins with the burning of three Rus border towns. 1093 - 1094 The Polovtsy destroy the South-russian armies, take the city of Torchesk, destroy the land around Kiev, and defeat the armies of Svyatopolk. Following the battle of Halep, Monomakh makes a treaty with the Polovtsy. 1094 - Oleg Svyatoslavich unites with the Polovtsi to expell Vladimir Monomakh from Chernigov. In turn, Monomakh kills Polovetz khans Itlar and Kitan, destroying their holdings. This is the begining of a continuing intermittent aliance between the Polovtsi and the Knyazi of Chernigov against the Knyazi of Kiev who lay claim to rulership of all the Rus. 1095 - 1096 - The war between the Polovtsy and the Kiev Knyazi is costly to both. The Polovtsy destroy the city of Uriev, Ustie castle, Vidubitsky Monastery. Several sieges of Kiev are unsuccessful. Vladimir Monomakh and Svietopolk destroy several Polovets tribes. 1103 - A union of six Knyazi takes the battle to the Steppes. The "left bank" Polovets confederacy is defeated. 1105 - Bonyak (a Kagan of the Polovtsy) has several victories. However, the Russian prisoners are freed by Yan Vishatich and Ivanok Kozarin. This may be one of the formational components of the tale of Mikhailo Khazarin in the Russian Legendary corpus. 1106 - 1116 The war continues with several successful attacks by the Rus: Dmitry Ivorovich takes "one thousand clans", Monomakh and Svietopolk destroy Polovetz "cities". 1117 - 1118 As a result of intense battles between the Polovtsy and the Rus on the Don river, Don tribes of Pechenegs "Belovezhtsi" and Torks flee to Rus proper. 1120 - Yaropolk goes "beyond the Don" pursuing the Polovtsi. 1125 - Vladimir Monomakh dies. The Polovtsi invade only to be defeated by Yaropolk Vladimirovich. 1128 - 1152 The Russian Knyazi resume internacine wars with the Polovtsy participating. As allies of Chernigov, they destroy the Prinicipality of Pereyaslavl, take Kursk, decimate Ryazan. 1152 - As allies of Uriy Dolgorukiy, they decimate the Principality of Chernigov. In the same year, they are beaten by Mstislav Izyaslavich, who liberates a massive group of Rus prisoners. 1153 - 1159 The Polovtsy are mainly at war in the area of Ryazan. 1160 - As allies of the Olgovich rulers, Polovtsy take 10,000 prisoners at Smolensk - some are rescued by Izyaslav Mstislavich of Kiev. 1162 - A Polovetz invasion at Porosiye is beaten back by the "Cherniye Klobuki" ("Black Caps" -- another Steppes confederation allied with the Rus). 1163 - 1169 - The Polovtsy battle at Chernigov, obstruct trade in the "Black Sea" region 1170 - 1174 Several successful actions by Rus alliances against the Polovtsy. 1176 - A united Polovets-Ryazan army burns Moscow and decimates the area of Suzdal. 1177 - The united Polovets-Ryazan army destroys Porosiye, burn six cities of Torks and Berendei (two other Steppes tribes, likely members of the "Cherniye Klobuki"), destroy the armies sent by Kiev. They are finaly defeated at the river Koloksh. 1178 - Roman Glebovich decimates Polovtsy armies at the river Vorona (he is the son of the Knyaz Gleb of Ryazan who had allied with the Polovtsy in the previous years). 1179 - Konchak loots the environs of Pereyaslavl. 1180 - The united Polovetz-Chernigov armies are destroyed at Chertoriy. 1184 - Igor destroys Polovetz forces at the river Hirya. A joint Russian force then goes into the Steppes under the leadership of Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich and Rurik Rostislavich. The Polovetz khan Kobiyak is captured and the "Lukomorskaya" Polovetz confederacy is decimated. 1185 - A very big year. It begins quite badly for the Polovtsy, with several loses and the capture of Konchak by the Kievan army. In the Summer, the third full Polovetz invasion begins. 1186 - 1187 Several successes by the Polovtsy matched with several unsuccessful expeditions by the Russians. 1188 - Successful raid by the Russian warlord Roman Nezdilovich against the "Lukomorskaya" confederacy and by Vsevolod Bolshoye-Gnezdo (Big-Nest) against the Don Polovtsy. 1190 - 1192 After Kuntuvdey, a ruler of the Cherniye Klobuki (Black Caps), is insulted by the Russian Knyazi with whom he is allied, he breaks the alliance and joins the Polovtsy of Togli Khan. Kuntuvdey and Togli then lead a war against Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. After several setbacks for the Polovtsy, the last big action is a raid by the Northern Rus Knyazi which ends with a the Rus being routed. 1195 - 1196 Another war among the Rus Knyazi. The Polovtsy ally with Rurik against Roman Volinsky. 1202 - The Polovtsy, on Rurik's orders destroy the Galician Principality. In turn, Roman Mstislavich leads a successful raid against the Polovtsy. 1203 - Under the leadership of Rurik Rostislavovich, the united Chernigov-Polovetz armies take and decimate Kiev. 1205 - A second conquest of "Polovetz land" by the Rus. A quite temporary one. 1206 - Roman Ryazansky is successful against the Don Polovtsy. 1210 - Polovtsy take prisoners at Pereyaslavl for the last time. 1215 - The last Polovetz invasion of Southern Russia. 1217 - The Polovtsy participate in the "beating of the Ryazan Knyazi". 1218 - Polovtsy loot Ryazan. 1219 - The last Polovetz invasion of Ryazan. They are defeated with the help of armies from Vladimirov. 1228 - The Polovtsy of Khan Kotian decimate the environs of Halich. 1235 - The Polovtsy fighting on the side of the Knyaz of Chernigov capture the Knyaz of Kiev, Vladimir Rurikovich. The Polovtsy of Khan Kotian destroy "the whole land of Halich".