Unusual facts about the Battle of Kulikovo

Russian history has been corrected many times. Not all historians agree that the Battle of Kulikovo took place on the Don at the mouth of Nepryadva. Archeological excavations led to doubts.

The archaeological expedition led by M.I. Gonyanov has been working on the Kulikovo field since 1981. They plowed 25 hectares of land, but did not find any significant traces of the hostilities of the 14th century. No remnants of weapons, military clothing, not to mention the bodies of the dead. It can be assumed that they buried in another place, or shallow, but what about arrows and spears. There should be many of them at the battlefield.

The result of the efforts of scientists was several arrowheads, which most likely belonged to ordinary hunters and fishers, two or three small pieces of iron from the plow. Hence several conclusions. Perhaps the battle took place elsewhere. Perhaps it was not so large-scale, and later historians and chroniclers added colors. There is a version that the battle took place almost at the gates of the Kremlin, in the swampy field of Kulishki. Today it is the territory of Moscow in the metro area Kitai Gorod.

It can be assumed that people simply collected after the battle all the remaining non-ferrous metal from which chain mail and weapons were made. He was always highly regarded.

There are also questions regarding the strength of the troops. In the annals, in the episode where Sergius of Radonezh blessed the army of Dmitry Donskoy, the number of people is not mentioned. Medieval chronicles enlarge the composition of participants as the possessions of Moscow princes grow. Nikon Chronicle speaks of the accession of Novgorod and the Tver Regiment. However, the historian S. B. Veselovsky believed that no more than five to six thousand took part in the battle. B. A. Rybakov pointed out that, in the composition of the troops of Mamaia, there were no more than 300 thousand people, and the Russians had 150 thousand.

By the way, there are also questions regarding Mamaia. There is a version that Mamai is not a Mongol at all. That the Russians had such a name.

The first mentions of Mamaia in Russian chronicles date back to 1361. They are connected with the fact that he supported the young prince Dmitry Ivanovich in the struggle for the throne of Vladimir. Between him and Metropolitan Alexy, the de facto ruler under the young prince, agreements were reached on reducing the size of tribute. Momai helped free the Metropolitan from Lithuanian captivity in 1359.

Relations broke down in 1370, when Mamai handed the label of reign to Mikhail Tversky. This was followed by a period of clarification of relations, which ended with the unification of Russian troops and the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380.