Battle of the Stugna River (1093)

{{Infobox military conflict }}
 * conflict   = Battle of the Stugna River
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 * date       = Event date::1093
 * place      = Valley of the Stugna River near event locality::Peremyshl
 * coordinates = {{coord|50|09|31|N|30|44|25|E}}
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 * result     = Victory of the Polovtsians
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 * combatant1 = Kievan Rus'
 * combatant2 = Cumans
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 * commander1 = Svtatopolk Izyaslavich Vladimir Vsevolodovich Rostislav Vsevolodich
 * commander2 = (unknown)
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The Battle of Stugna River is a battle that took place on May 26, 1093 on the right bank of the Stugna River, between the army of Russian princes and the Polovtsians.

Background
An important Polovtsian invasion of the Kievan Rus' began in 1092, during the illness of the Grand Prince of Kiev Vsevolod Yaroslavich. Learning about his death in 1093, the Polovtsians sent ambassadors to Kiev with a proposal for peace. As a rule, this meant the departure of the Polovtsians provided they received rich gifts), but the ambassadors were taken prisoners by the new Grand Prince of Kiev Svtatopolk Izyaslavich without advice from the boyars. The Polovtsians continued their advance and besieged Torchesk. The chronicle attributes Svtatopolk the plan to enter into battle with 700 adolescents overruling the objection of the senior council that 8 thousand troops would not be sufficient to stop the Polovtsians. Then Svtatopolk called his cousins Vladimir VsevolodovichChernigov and Rostislav Vsevolodovich.

The battle
The troops came to Trepol, where the council took place. Vladimir suggested not to cross the river, but the upper hand was won by the rulers of Kiev, who supported a direct confrontation with the enemy.

Although the princes placed their main forces on the flanks (Svtatopolk on the right, Vladimir on the left, Rostislav stood in the center), the Polovtsians managed, thanks to greater maneuverability, to change during the battle the direction of the main strike in such a way that first the defeat was defeated by the forces of Kiev, then the ones of Chernigov, the Russian army was threatened with encirclement, was pressed to the river and was forced to cross it under the pursuit of the enemy. During the crossing, Rostislav Vsevolodovich drowned. Vladimir Monomakh was also in danger of drowning, when he tried to save his brother. Russian forces were defeated, many soldiers were captured and sold into slavery. Svtatopolk fled to Trepol and the same night rode off to Kiev.

Consequences
Part of the Polovtsians began to ravage the lands, and part began to besiege Torcheska. Defenders of Torcheska sent a request of help to Svtatopolk with a request for help, and the army of Kiev went to battle again against the Polovtsians, but suffered a severe July 23 defeat near Kiev on the river Zhelani. The chronicle speaks of the deaths of two-thirds of armed forces of Kiev in this battle, and that the number of the dead exceeded the losses in the battle of the Stugna River. After the victory, the Polovtsiansy returned to Torchesk; the defenders of the city, exhausted by the long siege, surrendered and were taken prisoners, and the city was burnt.

"The teachings of Vladimir Monomakh " mentions another battle of Vladimir Monomakh with the Polovtsians, not mentioned by the chronicle and preceding the conclusion of peace. This battle took place at Halep on the right bank of the Dnieper, about 40 km south of Kiev, inSvtatopolk's possessions. After that, Svtatopolk made peace with the Polovtsian Khan Tugorkan, marrying his daughter (1094).

Literature

 * Карамзин Н. М. История государства Российского. Т.II. Гл. VI.
 * А. В. Века. «История России». Гл. V. стр. 128.

Reference

 * Поучение Владимира Мономаха
 * Биография Владимира Мономаха