Konotop battle of 1659: myths and facts

With the death of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Ukraine was confronted with one of the most tragic moments in its history, when military operations were conducted throughout its territory, while Cossack troops and the political elite were split into several groups. Ruin originated, both as a result of objective processes, and largely due to the short-sighted policies of most of the Cossack elders, unable to choose a leader worthy of the spirit of the deceased Bogdan Khmelnitsky. One of those who could become the new head of Ukraine was Ivan Vyhovsky, whose military talent manifested itself in one of the biggest military clashes on the territory of Ukraine - the Konotop (Sosnovsky) battle.

Parties of the Battle of Konotop

The Konotop battle of 1659 happened in the summer, in the steppes between the villages of Shapovalovka and Sosnovka. The sides were: a 100-thousand-strong army headed by Prince Trubetskoi, enlisting the support of Prince Romodovsky's regiment, on the one hand, and the Ukrainian Cossack army led by Hetman Ivan Vygovsky. As a result of the fighting, the total losses of the two armies amounted to about 45,000 killed: 30,000 from Trubetskoi, and 15,000 from Vygovsky.

Reflection of the battle in history

Konotop battle through the eyes of Russian historians is represented as the most catastrophic defeat of the Moscow troops. Information about this battle is very small, as it was studied at a minimal level. In most historical books and textbooks this battle is not mentioned at all. Therefore, there are conflicting information about how the Konotop battle was and how it ended. Myths and facts mingled with each other, and it is almost impossible to find the truth about this or that moment or small event. In the Soviet Union, there were restrictions on public discussion of the division of the Ukrainian people of the seventeenth century into pro-Moscow and anti-Moscow currents.

The election of Vygovsky Hetman

Ivan Vygovsky officially came to power in Ukraine in mid-August 1657. The title of hetman, the general clerk Ivan Vygovsky, was received at the elders' council in the town of Chigirin. Another candidate was Yuri Khmelnitsky, who was the youngest son of Bogdan Khmelnitsky. However, in addition to kinship with the great hetman, Yuri did not have other supernatural qualities necessary for governing the country. Not in favor of his candidacy spoke and the young age of Khmelnitsky, the younger.

Geopolitical views of Vyhovsky

At first the hetman was not perceived by ordinary Cossacks. One of the reasons is the origin of Vygovsky and his past. Ivan is a native of the Volyn noble family. Initially, he was the clerk of the Polish commissar, who spoke against the Cossacks in Ukraine. The Vygovsky family also had the roots of Polish nobles. Also, the Cossacks who fought for an independent Ukrainian state were troubled by the desire of the new Hetman to give up Little Russia to the protectorate of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. According to one of the unverified versions, Vygovsky announced his decision during the funeral of Bohdan Khmelnitsky. The idea of rejecting Little Russia from Moscow and the annexation of Ukrainian lands to Poland, he shared with the Ambassador of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth Kazimir Benevsky. This fact became known to the Moscow Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. However, the king of the authenticity of the fact of this conversation put under doubt and ignored. On the contrary, he sent a message addressed to Martina Pushkara, the Poltava colonel, and also to Yakov Barabash, the ataman of the Cossack army. In the dispatch Alexey Mikhailovich ordered to fully obey the orders of the new hetman and avoid riots.

Pereyaslav Rada and Vyhovsky's army

Vyhovsky also did not show his intentions with regard to the Polish vector. On the contrary, at the new Pereyaslav Rada, in the presence of the Russian ambassador Bogdan Khitrov, the hetman Vygovsky swore allegiance to the Moscow state and the tsar. It is believed that this diplomatic gesture, he purposely reassured the king. With the weakening of Moscow's control, Ivan established a positive diplomatic relationship with the Crimea and enlisted the loyalty of the Khan army. He also began to strengthen the army. Part of the Cossack treasury, left as a legacy from Bogdan Khmelnitsky, he spent on the creation of a mercenary army. About one million rubles was spent on recruiting soldiers of German and Polish origin.

At the same time, internal protests in Ukraine began to grow. In the first year of Vygovsky's hetmanate, as a result of the civil war, about 50,000 civilians were killed. The battles took place in such cities as Gadyach, Lubny, Mirgorod and other settlements of the left-bank Ukraine.

The Tsar, having familiarized himself with such a course of affairs, sent Grigory Romadovsky, voevod, led by a considerable Russian army, to Ukraine. The Moscow presence in Kiev was reinforced, as prescribed by the Pereyaslav Agreements. Vasily Shemetev's detachment was quartered in Kiev.

Hadyatsky treaty with Poland and the beginning of the first clashes

An open confrontation against Moscow began in the early autumn of 1858, when the Peace Treaty with the Poles was concluded, in the town of Gadyach (the so-called Gadyach Peace Treaty). The agreement concluded meant the transition of Little Russia to the power of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and Vygovsky began to prepare for a war against Russia. The tragedy of Vyhovsky is told by the chronicler Samoilo Velichko. He directly calls the hetman the culprit of ruin and a long war in Ukraine.

The first thing that was decided to do was the "liberation" of Kiev from the garrison of Sheremet. However, the brother of Vygovsky, sent to fulfill this task, Danil failed the task. Ivan Vygovsky, who came to help himself, was captured. Under pressure, in captivity, he again assured everyone of loyalty to Moscow, promising to dissolve the army of mercenaries and Tatars. Believing this statement, the king pardoned Vygovsky and released.
Very soon Ivan launched an offensive against the army of Romodanovsky. Upon learning of these plans, it was decided to send to the aid of Romodanovsky fifty thousand reinforcements, led by Prince Trubetskoi. The army of Trubetskoy came out in the direction of the Konotop fortress, capturing the Silver route along the way.

Siege of Konotop

Trubetskoi united with the regiments of Romodanovsky and Bespalogo in February 1659. In mid-April, the Moscow army approached Konotop, and on April 21, its shelling and siege began. The Konotop battle of 1659 was described by contemporaries as a fratricidal battle. Moreover, the armies that fought on both sides consisted mainly of Ukrainians and Russians, in roughly equal proportions.
The old map of the Konotop battle gives an idea of the battlefield. Konotop himself at that time was a fortress with four entrance gates. She was surrounded by a moat on both sides. Also nearby was another fortification, surrounded on three sides by a rampart and a moat, and with a fourth protected by the river Konotop. The garrison of the fortress consisted of four thousand Cossacks of several regiments.

The Battle of Konotop

June 27, 1659, near the village of Shapovalovka, the first clashes began between the army of Vyhovsky and the Moscow army. In these clashes, the Moscow forces suffered serious damage. However, this information is contradictory, and refuted by other contemporaries. It is believed that after the battle, the Moscow army rushed after Vygovsky's cavalry and on June 29 morning, near the village of Sosnovka and Shepetivka, a battle entered history, like the Battle of Konotop of 1659, began.

The troops under the control of Pozharsky were trapped between two rivers. This area is characterized by a large number of marshes. Therefore, the patrolling of the troops was difficult. Fatal for Pozharsky was the attack of the troops of the Crimean Khan from the rear. As a result of this attack, according to various estimates, the cavalry of Russians lost from five to thirty thousand people killed. Pozharsky's self-confidence played a cruel joke with him. The beginning of the attack was not prepared. Pozharsky did not even bother to conduct reconnaissance. As a result of illiterate leadership, he was captured by the khan and was executed.

Departure of the Moscow army

The Moscow army led by Trubetskoi organized an organized retreat to Putivl. The defeat at Konotop was unexpected for Moscow. It was expected that the troops of the Crimean Khan after such a victory would go to her. However, the Tatars quarreled with Vygovsky and began to plunder the cities of Little Russia. Thus ended the Konotop battle. Who won this battle? The victory was won by the army of Hetman Vyhovsky, however, the consequences of this victory led to the plunder of the country by the Tatars.

It was believed that after such a defeat Alexei Mikhailovich could not muster a strong army, but it turned out not to be so. July 28, 1659 the Crimean Khan was expelled from Ukraine by the efforts of the Don Cossacks Yakovlev, the troops of Ataman Sirk and former associates of Bogdan Khmelnitsky. It is worth noting that the consequences of the "management" of the Crimean khan significantly weakened Ukraine. This is the fault of Hetman Vyhovsky.

The battle of Konotop. History of the Cossacks and the next hetman

In mid-October, instead of Ivan, a new hetman of Ukraine, Yuri Khmelnitsky, was elected, which was given by Alexei Trubetskoi. Vygovsky five years after the end of the battle was accused by the Poles of treason and shot.