In the Battle of Zaraisk, during the

Time of Troubles The Time of Troubles (russian: Смутное время, ), or Smuta (russian: Смута), was a period of political crisis during the Tsardom of Russia which began in 1598 with the death of Fyodor I (Fyodor Ivanovich, the last of the Rurik dy ...

, on April 9, 1608, Colonel Alexander Lisovsky in service of

False Dmitry II False Dmitry II ( rus, Лжедмитрий II, Lzhedmitrii II; died ), historically known as Pseudo-Demetrius II and also called "тушинский вор" ("rebel/criminal of Tushino"), was the second of three pretenders to the Russian throne w ...

, defeated the army of Tsar

Vasily IV Vasili IV Shuisky (russian: Василий IV Иванович Шуйский, ''Vasiliy IV Ivanovich Shuyskiy'', c. 155212 September 1612) was Tsar of Russia between 1606 and 1610 after the murder of False Dmitri I. His rule coincided w ...

under Zahariya Lyapunov and Ivan Khovansky.

Prelude

Zaraysk was occupied without a fight by Lisovsky detachments (1500

Cossacks The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...

: "Lithuanian people and Russian thieves"), as the city Cossacks surrendered the city and swore to the Pretender.

Battle

To suppress the insurrection, an army from Ryazan land came out, to which 250 elite Arzamas warriors joined. The government army carelessly besieged the fort (with no guards appointed), and the sudden sally of Lisovsky's men from the Zaraisk Kremlin scattered them with little resistance.

Aftermath

After the victory at Zaraisk, Lisovskiy swiftly captured Kolomna, where he captured many heavy guns. His army was strengthened by the remnants of former Bolotnikovites. However, the detachment of Lisovsky, heavily burdened by the convoy, was defeated by the Tsar's army at Medvezhiy Brod.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaraysk, Battle of 1608 in Russia 17th-century military history of Russia 1608 in Europe Med History of Moscow Oblast Conflicts in 1608 Vasili IV of Russia