Andrei Kurbsky. Biography of the prince

Kurbsky Andrei Mikhailovich (born 1528 - death 1583), Russian political and military figure, publicist writer, philanthropist. From a family of eminent Yaroslavl princes who received a surname from the main village of their inheritance - Kurba on the Kurbitsa River. He was brilliantly educated (studied grammar, rhetoric, astronomy and philosophy); Maxim Grek had a great influence on the formation of the prince's worldview.

Father Mikhail Mikhailovich Kurbsky, prince and governor in the service of the Moscow princes. On the maternal side, Andrei was a relative of Tsarina Anastasia. In the 1540-50s. was one of the people closest to the king. He was in the highest administrative and military positions, was a member of the Chosen Council, took part in the Kazan campaigns of 1545-52.

Due to military failures in Livonia, the sovereign in 1561 put Kurbsky at the head of the Russian army in the Baltic states, who was soon able to win a number of victories over the knights and Poles, after which he was governor in Yuryev (Derpt). Beware of disgrace after the fall of the government of A.F. Adasheva, with whom he was close, on April 30, 1564, the prince fled from Yuriev to Lithuania; the king of Poland granted Andrei Mikhailovich several estates in Lithuania (including the city of Kovel) and Volyn, the voivode was included in the number of members of the royal council. 1564 - led one of the Polish armies in the war against Russia.

The beginning of a military career

Little is known about his childhood, and the date when he was born would have remained unknown if he himself had not mentioned in one of his writings that he was born in October 1528.

The name Andrei Kurbsky was first mentioned in connection with the campaign against Kazan in 1549. At that time he was almost 21 years old, and he was in the rank of steward of Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich. Apparently, by that time he managed to become famous for his feats of arms, if the sovereign already in the next 1550 appointed him governor in Pronsk to guard the southeastern borders of Rus'. Soon Kurbsky received land from the tsar in the vicinity of Moscow. It is likely that they were given to him for merit, but it is also possible that they were received for the obligation to appear with a detachment of soldiers for a campaign against enemies at the first call. And since that time, Prince Kurbsky has been repeatedly glorified on the battlefields.

Capture of Kazan

Ever since the time of the Grand Duke, Kazan Tatars often made devastating raids on Russian lands. Although Kazan was dependent on Moscow, this dependence was rather fragile. So in 1552, Russian troops were again gathered for a decisive battle with the Kazanians. Along with this, the troops of the Crimean Khan came to the southern Russian lands, who reached Tula and laid siege to the city.

The sovereign remained with the main forces near Kolomna, and sent a 15,000-strong army under the command of Kurbsky and Shchenyatev to the rescue of Tula. The Russian army appeared in front of the khan unexpectedly and forced him to hastily retreat to the steppe. However, a large detachment of Crimeans remained near Tula, robbing the surroundings of the city, not knowing that the khan had withdrawn the main forces. The prince decided to attack this detachment, although he had half the army. The battle lasted "half a year" (one and a half hours) and ended with the complete victory of Andrei Kurbsky. Half of the 30,000-strong detachment of Crimeans fell in battle, others were captured or died during the pursuit or crossing the Shivoron River.

In addition to prisoners, the Russians captured many war trophies. The prince himself fought bravely in the front ranks of the soldiers and was wounded several times during the battle - “they cut off his head, shoulders and arms.” However, despite the injuries, after 8 days he was already in the ranks and went on a campaign. He moved to Kazan through the Ryazan lands and Meshchera, leading troops through forests, swamps and the "wild field", covering the main forces from the attack of the steppes.

Near Kazan, Kurbsky, together with Shchenyatev, led the regiment of the Right Hand, which was in the meadow beyond the Kazanka River. Being located in an open place, the regiment was badly damaged by firing from the besieged city, and in addition it had to repel the attacks of the Cheremis from the rear. During the storming of Kazan on September 2, 1552, Andrei Mikhailovich was instructed to “guard” the Elbugin gates in order to prevent the besieged from leaving the city, where the warriors of the Big Regiment had already broken into. All attempts of the Kazanians to pass through the gate were repulsed by the prince, only 5 thousand managed to leave the fortress and start crossing the river. Kurbsky, with part of his soldiers, rushed after them and several times bravely cut into the ranks of the enemy, until a severe wound forced him to leave the battlefield.

After 2 years, he was again in Kazan land, sent there to pacify the rebellion. This campaign was quite difficult, it was possible to lead troops without roads and fight in the forests, but the prince was able to cope with the task, returning to Moscow as the winner of the Tatars and Cheremis. For this feat of arms, the sovereign granted him the rank of boyar. After that, Andrei Kurbsky becomes one of the people closest to Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich. He became close to the party of reformers - Sylvester and Adashev, and entered the Chosen Rada - the government of the tsar's "advisers, reasonable and perfect men."

1556 - the prince won a new victory in the campaign against the Cheremis. Upon his return, he was appointed commander of the regiment of the Left Hand, standing in Kaluga to protect the southern borders from the Crimean Tatars. Then, together with Shchenyatev, Andrei Mikhailovich was sent to Kashira, where he took command of the regiment of the Right Hand.

Livonian War

The outbreak of war with Livonia again brought the prince to the battlefield. At the beginning of the war, he led the Guard Regiment, and then, commanding the Advance Regiment, he took part in the capture of Neuhaus and Yuryev (Derpt). Returning to Moscow in March 1559, the governor was sent to protect the southern borders from the Crimean Tatars. However, failures soon began in Livonia, and the tsar again summoned Andrei Kurbsky and appointed him to command all the troops fighting in Livonia.

The new commander acted decisively. He did not wait for the approach of all Russian squads and was the first to attack the Livonian detachment near Weissenstein (Paide), winning. Then he decided to give battle to the main forces of the enemy, commanded by the master of the Livonian Order himself. Having bypassed the main forces of the Livonians through the swamps, the prince did not wait. And as Kurbsky himself wrote, the Livonians "as if proud stood on a wide field from those blat (swamps), waiting for us to fight." And although it was night, the Russian army began a skirmish with the enemy, which soon developed into hand-to-hand combat. The victory was again on the side of the prince.

After giving the army a 10-day respite, the commander led the troops further. Approaching Fellin and burning the suburbs, the Russian army laid siege to the city. In this battle, the Land Marshal of the Order, Philipp Schall von Bell, was captured, hurrying to the aid of the besieged. A valuable prisoner was sent to Moscow, and with him Kurbsky handed over a letter to the sovereign, in which he asked not to execute the Landmarshal, because he was "not only a courageous and brave husband, but also full of words, and a sharp mind, and good memory of having." These words characterize the nobility of the prince, who not only knew how to fight well, but also respected a worthy opponent. Although, the intercession of the prince could not help the land marshal of the order. By order of the king, he was nevertheless executed. But what can we say about the commander of the enemy troops, when by that time the government of Sylvester and Adashev had fallen, and the sovereign executed his advisers, associates and friends one after another without any reason.

1) Sigismund II August; 2) Stefan Batory

Defeat

Having taken Fellin in three weeks, the prince moved first to Vitebsk, where he burned the settlement, and then to Nevel, under which he was defeated. He understood that while the victories were with him, the sovereign would not disgrace him, but defeats could quickly lead him to the block, although, apart from sympathy for the disgraced, there was no other fault for him.

Escape

After the failure at Nevel, Andrei Kurbsky was appointed governor in Yuryev (Derpt). The king does not reproach his commander for the defeat, does not blame him for treason. The prince could not fear responsibility for the unsuccessful attempt to capture the city of Helmet: if it were so important, the sovereign would blame Kurbsky in his letter. But the prince feels that clouds are gathering over his head. Previously, the king of Poland, Sigismund-August, called him to the service, promising a good reception and a comfortable life. Now Andrei Mikhailovich seriously thought about his proposal, and on April 30, 1564, he secretly fled to the city of Wolmar. Kurbsky's adherents and servants went with him to Sigismund-August. The Polish king received them very kindly, rewarded the prince with estates for life, and a year later approved the right of hereditary property for them.

According to some reports (?), as early as January 1563, the prince established treacherous ties with Lithuanian intelligence. Perhaps Kurbsky transmitted information about the movement of Russian troops, which contributed to the defeat of the Russian army in the battle on January 25, 1564 near Ula?

Upon learning of the flight of Andrei Kurbsky, Ivan the Terrible brought down his anger on his relatives who remained in Russia. A hard fate befell the relatives of the prince, and as he himself later wrote, “the mothers and wife and lad of my only son, in prison, shut up, with a rope, my brethren, the princes of Yaroslavl, died with various deaths, my estates and plundered them.” To justify the sovereign's actions regarding his relatives, the prince was accused of treason against the tsar, of wanting to personally rule in Yaroslavl, and of plotting to poison the tsar's wife, Anastasia. (Of course, the last two accusations were bogus.)

1) Ivan IV the Terrible; 2) Ivan the Terrible listens to a letter from Andrei Kurbsky

In the service of the Polish king

In the service of the King of Poland, the prince quickly began to occupy high positions. Six months later, he was already at war with Russia. With the Lithuanians, he went to Velikie Luki, defended Volyn from the Tatars, and in 1576, commanding a large detachment of troops, fought with the Moscow regiments near Polotsk.

Life in the Commonwealth

The prince lived mainly in Milyanovichi, located 20 miles from Kovel, managing the lands through trusted representatives from among the people who arrived with him in Poland. He not only fought, but also devoted a lot of time to scientific studies, comprehending works on theology, astronomy, philosophy and mathematics, studying Latin and Greek. The correspondence of the fugitive Prince Andrei Mikhailovich Kurbsky with Tsar Ivan the Terrible entered the history of Russian journalism.

The first letter to the sovereign from the prince in 1564 was delivered by Kurbsky's faithful servant Vasily Shibanov, who was tortured and executed in Russia. In the messages, Kurbsky was indignant at the unjust persecutions and executions of people who served the sovereign faithfully. In response letters, Ivan IV defends his unlimited right, at his own discretion, to execute or pardon any subject. Correspondence ended in 1579. Both the correspondence and the pamphlet The History of the Grand Duke of Moscow, and other works of the prince, written in good literary language, contain much valuable information about the time.

Living in Poland, Andrei Kurbsky was married twice. With the assistance of King Sigismund August himself, the prince in 1571 married a wealthy widow, Maria Yurievna Kozinskaya, nee Princess Golshanskaya. This marriage was short-lived and ended in divorce.

1579, April - the prince again married a poor Volyn noblewoman Alexandra Petrovna Semashko, daughter of the headman of Kremenets Peter Semashko. From this marriage Andrei Mikhailovich had a daughter and a son.

Church of the Holy Trinity in the village of Verbki, where the tomb of Andrei Kurbsky was placed (engraving 1848)

Last years. Death

Until the last days, the prince was an ardent supporter of Orthodoxy and everything Russian. The stern and proud nature of Kurbsky "helped" him to make many enemies from among the Lithuanian-Polish nobles. The prince often quarreled with his neighbors, fought with the lords, seizing their lands, and scolded the king's envoys with "obscene Moscow words."

1581 - Kurbsky again took part in the military campaign of Stefan Batory against Moscow. However, having reached the borders of Russia, he became very ill and was forced to return. 1583 - Andrei Mikhailovich Kurbsky died and was buried in a monastery near Kovel.

After death

Soon his authoritative executor, governor of Kiev and Orthodox Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich Ostrozhsky, died, the Polish-gentry government, under various pretexts, began to take possession of the widow and son of Kurbsky and, in the end, took away the city of Kovel. Dmitry Kurbsky will later be able to return part of what was taken away, convert to Catholicism and serve as the royal headman in Upite.

Opinions about Prince Kurbsky

The assessment of Kurbsky's personality as a political figure and a person is very contradictory. Some speak of him as a narrow-minded conservative, a narrow-minded person with high conceit, a supporter of boyar sedition and an opponent of autocracy. The flight to the Polish king is explained by a profitable calculation. According to the beliefs of others, the prince is a smart and educated person, an honest and sincere person who has always stood on the side of goodness and justice.

In the 17th century, Kurbsky's great-grandchildren returned to Russia.