Tsaryovo-Zaymishche (russian: Царёво-Займище, lit. ''

tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...

's water-meadow'') is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

Vyazemsky District Vyazemsky District is the name of several administrative and municipal districts in Russia. *Vyazemsky District, Khabarovsk Krai, an administrative and municipal district of Khabarovsk KraiResolution #143-pr *Vyazemsky District, Smolensk Oblast, ...

Smolensk Oblast Smolensk Oblast (russian: Смоле́нская о́бласть, ''Smolenskaya oblast''; informal name — ''Smolenschina'' (russian: Смоле́нщина)) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative centre is the city o ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

, situated on the old road from

Smolensk Smolensk ( rus, Смоленск, p=smɐˈlʲensk, a=smolensk_ru.ogg) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, west-southwest of Moscow. First mentioned in 863, it is one of the oldest ...

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

, west of

Vyazma Vyazma (russian: Вя́зьма) is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk, the administrative center of the oblast, and Mozhaysk. Thr ...

. In the 17th century, the village was a place where travellers to

were examined by Russian custom officials and police. A local wooden fort was taken by the Polish army 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 ...

in July 1610. The Battle of Tsaryovo-Zaymishche took place on June 23–24, 1610, during the

Polish–Muscovite War (1605–18) Polish–Muscovite War can refer to: *Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars * Polish–Muscovite War (1605–18) *Smolensk War (1631–34) *Russo-Polish War (1654–67) Armed conflicts between Poland (including the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) and ...

. Forces of the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi- confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Poland and Lithuania ru ...

were commanded by

Hetman ( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders. Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...

of Poland, Stanislaw Zolkiewski, while Russians were led by Grigory Voluyev. The battle ended in decisive Polish victory.

Prelude

On September 29, 1609, the Commonwealth army under Chancellor

Lew Sapieha Lew Sapieha ( lt, Leonas Sapiega; be, Леў Сапега or Lieŭ Sapieha; 4 April 1557 – 7 July 1633) was a nobleman and statesman of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He became Great Secretary of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1580, Gr ...

reached the heavily fortified Russian city of

. The Siege of Smolensk began on October 4. Meanwhile, the Russian army of Tsar Vasili concentrated in the area of

. In early May 1610, a Russian unit under

Dmitry Shuisky Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Shuisky was a Russian boyar from the Shuisky family, a younger brother to Vasily IV of Russia. As a playmate of young Tsarevich Feodor Ivanovich, Dmitry was said to accompany him day and night in his devout wanderings fro ...

was sent to aid the garrison of Smolensk. Near

Mozhaysk MozhayskAlternative transliterations include ''Mozhaisk'', ''Mozhajsk'', ''Mozhaĭsk'', and ''Možajsk''. ( rus, Можа́йск, p=mɐˈʐajsk) is a town and the administrative center of Mozhaysky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located to th ...

, Szuisky concentrated some 15.000 soldiers, together with 25.000 poorly armed and untrained peasants. Furthermore, he was supported by 8.000 well-equipped Swedish soldiers of

Jacob De la Gardie Field Marshal and Count Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie ( Reval, 20 June 1583 – Stockholm, 22 August 1652) was a statesman and a soldier of the Swedish Empire, and a Marshal from 1620 onward. He was Privy Councilor from 1613 onward, Governo ...

Battle

On June 4, 1610,

Zolkiewski ordered the army to march towards Tsaryovo-Zaymishche. Before the Poles and Lithuanians reached the town (June 23), the Russians burned it, preparing temporary strongpoints, protected by a forest and nearby swamps. A clash ensued, in which neither side managed to prevail. On the next day, more Commonwealth troops appeared and attacked, forcing the Russians to retreat. A temporary bridge was constructed, protected by Polish infantry and

Zaporozhian Cossacks The Zaporozhian Cossacks, Zaporozhian Cossack Army, Zaporozhian Host, (, or uk, Військо Запорізьке, translit=Viisko Zaporizke, translit-std=ungegn, label=none) or simply Zaporozhians ( uk, Запорожці, translit=Zaporoz ...

. In the afternoon of June 24, after a short fight, the Russians abandoned their positions, losing some 100 men.

Aftermath

After the battle, rebel forces under

Aleksander Zborowski Aleksander Zborowski ( Jastrzebiec coat of arms) was a Polish szlachcic (nobleman), the Starosta of Miedzyrzecz, who commanded a unit of the Polish army during the Polish–Muscovite War (1605–18). Little is known about his life: he was the so ...

appeared at Tsaryovo-Zaymishche. After Hetman Zolkiewski had personally guaranteed payment of their salaries, Zborowski’s soldiers joined his army. Meanwhile Russian survivors of the battle retreated to a fortified camp, which was surrounded by 700 Polish cavalry, 800 infantry, and 3.000 Cossacks. After a few days, the Russians surrendered, and Commonwealth forces immediately marched towards Klushino (see

Battle of Klushino The Battle of Klushino, or the Battle of Kłuszyn, was fought on 4 July 1610, between forces of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Tsardom of Russia during the Polish–Muscovite War, part of Russia's Time of Troubles. The battle occ ...

). In 1812 it was the place where commander-in-chief

Mikhail Kutuzov Prince Mikhail Illarionovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov ( rus, Князь Михаи́л Илларио́нович Голени́щев-Куту́зов, Knyaz' Mikhaíl Illariónovich Goleníshchev-Kutúzov; german: Mikhail Illarion Golenishchev-Kut ...

joined the Russian army operating against

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

References

{{Authority control Rural localities in Smolensk Oblast