As the ancient chronicles, Svetoslav - the only son, born from the union of the Grand Prince Igor and Olga.The main part of his short life he spent in combat.Public affairs and domestic policy it is virtually no interest.The solution of such issues Prince trusting his wise parent.Therefore campaigns Svyatoslav briefly describe quite difficult, because his every day - it's a battle.As the chroniclers, the war was his sense of life, passion, without which it could not exist.
Life fighter
Movies Svyatoslav began when the boy was four years old.That's when his mother, Olga took all to avenge Drevlianys brutally who killed her husband Igor.According to tradition, the battle could only head the prince.And then hand her infant son was thrown spear, the order given to the first squad.
matured, Svyatoslav took the reins in his hands.However, he spent most of his time in battle.He is credited with many features specific to the European knights.
military campaigns of Svyatoslav never started unexpectedly.Prince won only in a fair fight, always warning of enemy attack.His squad was moving extremely quickly as hiking Sviatoslav - a man not recognizing luxuries were unaccompanied of carts and tents, which could slow down.The commander himself enjoyed considerable respect among the soldiers, he shared their meal and life.
Khazars
It Turkic tribes lived on the territory of modern Dagestan.They founded their own empire - Khanate.Like other tribes, the Khazars conquered foreign lands regularly raiding the territory of its neighbors.Kaganat could subdue Vyatichi and Radimichi, northerners and glades, which after passing under his authority had to pay permanent tribute.It lasted until until they gradually began to liberate the princes of ancient Russia.
Many of them had a long struggle with the Turkic nomadic tribe, which took place with varying success.One of the most famous battles of the campaign can be considered the Khazars Svyatoslav held in the 964th year.
Russian allies in the campaign were the Pechenegs, which Kiev prince fought repeatedly.Russian army reached the capital of khanate, overwhelmed the local governor and his large army, along the way capturing several major cities.
defeat of the Khazars
idea prince impresses with its breadth and maturity.I must say that all the different strategic literacy campaigns Svyatoslav.Brief them, according to the chroniclers, can be described as an open challenge to the enemy.
no exception Khazar campaign.Svyatoslav was interested in one thing: to find among hostile states that surrounded the ancient Rus, the weakest link.It had to be isolated malevolent neighbors and corroded inner "rust."
The fact that it is time to bring down the Khazar locking direction of trade with the East, said a long time ago.At that time, the defeat was a khanate to Russia a necessity.Slow down on the outskirts of Kiev princes Slavic lands (they stumbled on vyatichi).The reason was that the latter continues to pay tribute to the Khazars.To distribute them on Kiev, at first it was necessary to throw off the yoke of Vyatichi kaganatskoe.
hike Svyatoslav the Khazars was very different from the previous daring raids for booty and captives.Prince this time was selected to the borders of khanate gradually collecting at every step allies.This was done in order to be able to surround the invading enemy forces unfriendly to them tribes and nations.
tactics
hike Svyatoslav the Khazars was a grand detour.To begin with the prince moved to the north, conquered khanate dependent Slavic tribes Vyatichi and freeing them from the influence of the Khazar.Very quickly moving the rook of the gums on the Oka River, the squad has floated down the Volga.After defeating dependent tribes Burtases Khazars and Volga Bulgars, Svyatoslav thus provide reliable security for its northern flank.
Khazars did not expect attack from the north.Their disorganized this maneuver, and therefore they were not able to adequately organize the defense.Meanwhile, a campaign Svyatoslav went to Khazaria.Reaching the capital Kaganate - Itil, Prince attack that attempted to defend the town and the army in a fierce battle broke it.
Movies Svyatoslav continued in the North Caucasus region.Here, Prince of Kiev, defeated another strong point of the Turkic nomadic tribe - the fortress Samandar.In addition, he managed to conquer Kasogs and based on the Taman Peninsula, the new principality with the original name - Tmutarakan, with its capital - the city-fortress Matarhoy.It was founded in the year 965 on the site of an ancient settlement.
army Svyatoslav
chronicles papers describing the biographical details of the Grand Duke, is very small.But the fact that military campaigns of Svyatoslav considerably strengthened Kievan Rus, is beyond doubt.During his rule continued union of the Slavic lands.
Movies Svyatoslav Igorevich different swiftness and character combinations.He tried to destroy the enemy forces in parts - in two or three battles interspersing battle rapid maneuver their forces.Kiev prince skillfully used the infighting and disagreements between Byzantium and subservient to her nomadic tribes.He concludes with the latest temporary alliances to manage to defeat the armies of his main opponent.
Movies Svyatoslav necessarily preceded by the reconnaissance troop of scouts.Their task is not only the obligation to observe, but also to take prisoners and local residents, as well as to send a detachment of the enemy spies to obtain the most useful information.When the army stopped to rest around the camp guards exhibited.
Movies Prince Svyatoslav, usually begins in early spring, when the lakes and rivers have dissected the ice.They continue to fall.Infantry moved through the water in boats, the cavalry - along the coast, by land.
squad Svyatoslav commanded invited by his father Igor Sveneld, under whose leadership had its troops from the Vikings.Prince himself as the chronicler, took command of the army of Kiev, never want to hire the Vikings, although favored him.And that was his fatal factor: it from their hands, and he died.
armed troops
offensive tactics and strategy, and elaborated by the prince.He skillfully combines the use of numerous troops to maneuver and quickly point action Cavalry Brigade.We can say that it is hiking Sviatoslav launched a strategy to beat the enemy on his own ground.
Kiev combatants were armed with spears, double-edged swords and battle axes.The first were of two types - fighting, with heavy metal leaf-tips, impaled on the long shaft;and throwing - Sulitsa that were significantly lighter in weight.They pelted the approaching enemy infantry or cavalry.
were armed with swords and axes and, mace, mace, iron-bound, and knives.To the soldiers from afar could recognize each other, shields vigilantes painted in red.
Danube campaign
Movies Prince Svyatoslav destroyed and wiped off the map a huge Khazar empire.We clear the trade routes to the East, the unification of Eastern Slavic tribes in general the Old Russian state.
strengthen and secure its borders in this area, Svyatoslav turned his attention to the West.There was the so-called Island Rusev formed by a bend in the Danube Delta and defensive huge Troyanov shaft with a moat filled with water.According to historical data, it formed the Danube immigrants.Trade Kievan Rus from Byzantium, Bulgaria and brings it closer to the coastal peoples.And these ties particularly strongly entrenched in the era of Svyatoslav.
During the three-year campaign eastern commander seized a vast territory from the Oka forests and to the North Caucasus.The Byzantine Empire at this time was silent, still acted as a military Russian-Byzantine alliance.
But now that the northern giant began to exert pressure on the Crimean possession of Constantinople began to show signs of restlessness.In Kiev it was urgently sent a messenger for the normalization of relations.
Already at this time in Kiev brewing hike Svyatoslav on Bulgaria.The invasion plan in the Danube for the connection to the mouth of the Danube Rus Prince has been brewing for a long time.However, these lands belonged to Bulgaria, so he enlisted the promise of Byzantium remain neutral.For something to Constantinople interfered hiking Sviatoslav of the Danube, he was promised a departure from the Crimean possessions.It was a subtle diplomacy, which affect the interests of Russia in the East and in the West.
attack on Bulgaria
summer 967-year Russian troops led by Svyatoslav, moved south.Russian army supported by Hungarian troops.Bulgaria, in turn, relied on the hostile rusicham Kasogs and jars, as well as a few Khazar tribes.
As chroniclers tell, the two sides fought to the death.Svyatoslav managed to beat Bulgarians and grab some eighty towns on the banks of the Danube.
hike Svyatoslav the Balkans was over very quickly.True to his habit of lightning warfare, Prince, breaking through the Bulgarian outposts in the open field defeated the army of Tsar Peter.The enemy had to make a forced peace, in which the lower reaches of the Danube with a very strong fortress city Pereyaslavets ceded to Russia.
true intentions Russ
It was then revealed and the real plans of Svyatoslav, who the prince cherished for a long time.He moved to his residence Pereyaslavets, saying as chroniclers wrote that he was not a pleasure to sit in Kiev.In the "midst" of the earth Kiev began to flock tribute and good.The Greeks here were carrying gold and precious fabrics, wine and many outlandish at the time the fruit, from the Czech Republic and Hungary were brought silver and excellent horses, and from Russia - honey, wax and fur slaves.
In August 968, the year his troops had already reached the limits of Bulgaria.According to the chroniclers, in particular, Leo the Deacon Byzantine, Svyatoslav gave sixty thousandth army.
However, according to some reports, it was too much exaggeration, as the Prince of Kiev had never taken under the banners of tribal militias.For him, only his fighting squad, "hunters" -dobrovoltsy and several groups of Pechenegs and Hungarians.
Russian boat freely entered the mouth of the Danube and began to rise rapidly upstream.The emergence of such a numerous army surprise Bulgarians.Soldiers quickly jumped out of the boat and closing shields, rushed to the attack.Bulgarians could not stand, and fled from the battlefield and took refuge in the fortress Dorostol.
Prerequisites for Byzantine campaign
Hope Romans that Russ get caught up in this war did not justify itself.After the first battles the Bulgarian army was defeated.Russian troops, destroying its entire defensive system in the East, have opened the way to the borders of the Byzantine Empire.In Constantinople saw a real threat to his empire also because such a victory march Kiev army captured the Bulgarian lands has not ended in looting and devastation of towns and villages, there was also violence against locals, typical of previous wars of the Romans.Russ saw them as blood brothers.In addition, in Bulgaria, though firmly established Christianity, the common people have not forgotten their traditions.
That is why Bulgarians and humble sympathy of the local feudal lords immediately appealed to the Russian prince.Russian troops began to fill with volunteers living on the banks of the Danube.In addition, some feudal lords wanted to swear Svyatoslav, because most of the elite of the Bulgarian Tsar Peter tried his provizantiyskoy policy.
All this could result in the Byzantine Empire to the political and military disaster.In addition, the Bulgarians, led by its overly decisive leader Simeon almost alone did not take Constantinople.
confrontation with Byzantium
Trying Svyatoslav Pereyaslavets turn to the capital of their new state, and perhaps the entire Old Russian powers failed.It could not afford Byzantium, who saw a deadly threat to yourself in this neighborhood.Svyatoslav initially following points of agreement concluded with the Constantinople, did not invade deep into the Bulgarian state.As soon as he took the land of the Danube and the city-fortress Pereyaslavets Prince stopped fighting.
appearance of Svyatoslav on the Danube and defeated the Bulgarians greatly alarmed Byzantium.After all, with her head raised ruthless and more successful rival.An attempt by the Byzantine diplomacy attempt to pit Bulgaria with Russia, thereby weakening both sides failed.Therefore, Constantinople became hastily throw from Asia Minor troops.In the spring of the year 970 Svyatoslav attacked the Thracian lands of Byzantium.His army reached Arkadiopolya and stopped in one hundred and twenty kilometers from Constantinople.Here and there was a general war.
Of the works of Byzantine chroniclers can be found that were killed in the environment all the Pechenegs, moreover, defeated the main forces and Svyatoslav Igorevich.However, the old Russian historians pose different events.According to their reports, Svyatoslav, coming close to Constantinople, still retreated.However, he instead took a big enough tribute, including on their dead warriors.
Anyway, the biggest hike Svyatoslav Byzantium ball finished in the summer of the same year.In April next year, the Byzantine ruler John I Tzimiskes personally opposed Russes, sending the Danube fleet of trehsotkorabelnoy fleet to cut off their path of retreat.In July, there was another big battle in which Svyatoslav injured.The battle ended inconclusively, but after it came into Russ peace negotiations.
Death Svyatoslav
after the Armistice, Prince safely reached the mouth of the Dnieper, on the boats heading to the thresholds.His loyal governor Sveneld urged their horses to get around, so as not to stumble on the Pechenegs, but he did not listen.Trying to Svyatoslav in 971-m climb up the Dnieper River is not successful, so he had to spend the winter at the mouth to repeat the spring campaign.But Pechenegs still waiting Russes.And in an unequal battle ended the life of Svyatoslav ...
