Siege of Perekop (1663)

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Siege of Perekop
Part of the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667), Russo-Crimean Wars and Cossack raids
Ferch-Kermen (Perekop).JPG
Remains of Ferch-Kermen citadel tower
Date11 October – 16 December 1663
Location
Result
  • Cossack-Russian-Kalmyk victory
Territorial
changes
Sack of Perekop and nearby settlements
Belligerents
Flag of the Zaporizhian Sich.svg Zaporozhian Cossacks
Flag of Don Cossacks.svg Don Cossacks
Flag of Oryol ship (variant).svg Tsardom of Russia
Flag of the Kalmyk Khanate.svg Kalmyk Khanate
Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg Crimean Khanate
Flag of Ottoman Empire (1517-1793).svg Ottoman Janissaries
Commanders and leaders
Flag of the Zaporizhian Sich.svg Ivan Sirko
Flag of the Zaporizhian Sich.svg Ivan Gladkiy
Flag of Don Cossacks.svg Stenka Razin
Flag of Oryol ship (variant).svg Grigory Kosagov  (WIA)
Flag of the Kalmyk Khanate.svg Erke Aturkay
Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg Murad Giray
Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg Karach Bey  
Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg Murza Karabcha
Strength
October:
Unknown
December:
180 [1] [2]
October:
5,000+ [3]
December:
1,000 [2]
Casualties and losses
October:
Moderate
December:
Unknown
October:
Heavy
December:
Almost all killed [2]

The siege of Perekop took place between the Crimeans together with Ottoman janissary forces and the Cossack-Russian forces together with their Kalmyk allies, with destruction of Perekop and surrounding settlements, between 11 October to 16 December 1663.

Contents

Prelude

Crimean Khanate assisted Poland-Lithuania during the Russo-Polish War and played an important role in many battles. Ivan Sirko and Grigory Kosagov aimed to devastate Perekop fortress, launching a number of raids that would weaken its defenses and undermine Tatar aspirations in the war. Ivan Gladkiy and Stenka Razin took part in these campaigns. [4] [5] Murad Giray was appointed to lead the defense of Perekop. [6]

Campaigns

First campaign

On October 11, at night, Cossack-Russian forces begun their assault on Perekop. Sirko commanded infantry units, while Kosagov cavalry units. Infantry attacked Perekop from Crimean side, while cavalry attacked from Russian side. [3]

Cossack-Russian forces managed to capture most of the fortress, but the Janissaries entrenched in the small stone fort within Perekop. While Cossack-Russian forces were trying to capture the fort, 5,000 Ottoman Janissaries and Tatars appeared from nearby villages to assist the besieged Janissaries inside Perekop. Cossack-Russian forces set Perekop on fire, taking many Tatar and Turk captives before being forced to retreat to avoid encirclement. They still had to repel the Turkish-Tatar attacks in process of retreating. [3]

Cossack-Russian forces managed to retreat out of Perekop, but suffered noticeable losses in process. However, Kosagov in his letter to Tsar wrote that his unit managed to avoid significant losses, but he himself was lightly wounded on the leg. [3] Sirko ordered to execute all Tatar and Turk male captives. [7]

Rumours spread about the planned Polish-Tatar invasion of Sich, leading to mass desertions within Kosagov's ranks. Sirko managed to keep his Cossacks under control and Kalmyk troops later arrived to assist Cossack-Russian forces in their attacks on Perekop. [7]

Second campaign

On December 6, Ivan Sirko led 90 Zaporozhian Cossacks, together with 30 Don Cossacks and 60 Kalmyk troops. [1] Sirko wanted to disrupt the Tatar campaign in support of Polish forces. Cossacks ravaged several Tatar villages and freed over a hundred Rus' captives. [7]

On December 16, Cossacks crushed the Tatar army led by Karach Bey, who was killed with his associates. [7] Tatars numbered 1,000 troops, Kalmyks didn't take Tatar prisoners and killed everyone. [2] Cossack-Russian forces with Kalmyk allies devastated Perekop and its fortifications. [8]

Aftermath

Khan Mehmed IV Giray was forced to reduce his support for Poland–Lithuania and had to divert Tatar forces to defense of Crimea from Cossack-Kalmyk attacks. [2] [6] This turned out to be of the main factors in the outcome of the siege of Hlukhiv.

These campaigns increased the respect, fear and popularity of Ivan Sirko among Cossacks, describing the attitudes surrounding Sirko: [1]

Everyone was unusually afraid of him; whatever he thought up; he would do, and if anyone wanted to disobey him [Sirko], they would immediately kill him.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Ivan Krypyakevich (1936). History of the Ukrainian army. p. 233.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Kostomarov N. (1995). Ruina. Moscow Charli. p. 14. ISBN   586859018X.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Осада Перекопа в 1663 г." warspot.ru. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  4. F. H. Turchenko (2002). Ukrainian Cossacks a Small encyclopaedia. Heneza. p. 102. ISBN   966-7529-49-5.
  5. "Вопросы для допроса Стеньки Разина готовил сам царь". pravo.ru. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  6. 1 2 "Особенности калмыцких набегов на Крымское ханство". m.realnoevremya.ru. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Kostomarov N. (1995). Ruina. Moscow Charli. p. 13. ISBN   586859018X.
  8. "Набеги запорожцев на ханские владения в Крыму". realnoevremya.ru. Retrieved 2024-12-27.