The largest festival of historical reconstruction "Times and Era. Meeting ", which is attended by about 10,000 reenactors and just fans of history, gathered in the Russian capital from different countries.

Photo: Olga Sokolova Last Saturday was dedicated to the most important era in the history of Russia - the opposition of the Golden Horde. The scenario of the grandiose reconstruction shown in the Kolomenskoye museum-reserve was based on three most important historical episodes: the Battle of the Kalka River, the Kulikovo Battle and Stagnation on the Ugra.

The first battle, which ended in the defeat of the Russian and Polovtsian detachments, is a clear example of what led to feudal fragmentation and the age-old enmity of the Russian princes. The Kulikovo Battle and Standing on the Ugra, considered to be the symbol of the beginning of getting rid of the Mongol yoke, on the contrary, speak about how important is the unification of a fragmented country in the face of a common enemy.

The battle on the river Kalka between the united Russian-Polovtsian army and the Mongolian corps took place at the end of May 1223 as part of the campaign of Jabeh and Subadei. During the battle that took place on the territory of the modern Donetsk region, first the Polovtsians and the main Russian forces were defeated, and three days later, on May 31, 1223, the battle ended with the complete victory of the Mongols.

The reconstruction showed all the main types of fighting collisions: foot and horse skirmishes, as well as the assault of a wooden Russian fortress. To this end, a small section of the fortress wall was built in Kolomenskoye, for the assault of which siege stairs and tills.

We must admit that the art of managing this kind of catapult, modern reenactors did not possess the best degree. Trebuchet long shot, throwing instead of authentic hefty stones cabbage heads, but this did not help much during the assault: the gun frankly did not finish off the wall. The price of incredible efforts of "calculation" requires only one of the shots (again cabbage) was successful. After this, the terrible gun suddenly collapsed, apparently unable to withstand the energy and enthusiasm of the firing.

However, the fate of the fortress, in which Russian warriors settled, it no longer affected. From the second attempt, the resistance of the defenders was broken, and the Mongol warriors broke into the city, "killing" and "plundering," which at that time was considered an example of valor.

The spirit of the reconstructed Kulikovo battle was completely different. This battle is considered a decisive battle between the united Russian army led by the Moscow Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy and the army of the Beklyarbek of the Golden Horde Mamaia. It was held on September 8, 1380 in the area south of the confluence of the Nepryadva River in the Don River, on Kulikovo Field. On the Russian side, 100 thousand. Soldiers of the Moscow principality and 50-100 thousand. Allied Warriors. The army of Mamaia numbered about 60 thousand soldiers.

The reconstruction of this battle looked impressive, including thanks to the very picturesque images of Mongolian soldiers and commanders, transferred by modern history lovers. The battle was full of massive horse skirmishes, which is considered the highest class in the medieval reconstruction.

It is also necessary to pay tribute to the manufacturers of weapons, armor and clothing. According to the re-enactors themselves, all this is created on the basis of real archaeological finds, which avoids historical blunders, often inherent in the cinema.

The third episode is the standing on the Ugra, when the troops of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III and the Khan of the Great Horde of Akhmat in 1480 stood opposite each other along the two banks of the Ugra River - no longer demonstrated the dynamics of the previous two. Which, however, is explainable by the history itself: the parties never managed to get together in the general battle.

In real life this episode ended in a "draw", however, according to many historians, it was he who put an end to the Mongol-Tatar yoke in the north and northeast of Russia, where it lasted the longest and where the process of the formation of the unified Russian state was taking place Independent.

In addition to the reconstruction of the main battles, the participants demonstrated various combat and physical skills, without which the life of a medieval warrior.

In accordance with the tradition of "Times and Epochs", in addition to fighting, festival guests are shown the life of people of that time. Not far from the battlefield were located the Russian and Mongolian marching camps, where you could see how in those distant times weapons and armor were created, clothes were woven and food was prepared.

Festival "Times and Epochs" will last in Moscow until June 12.