Tokhtamysh Sacks Moscow

Timeline

1. 1381–1382Golden Horde · Golden HordeTokhtamysh rose to power with Timur's support, defeated Mamai—the loser of Kulikovo—in 1381, and became khan of the Golden Horde. Unable to tolerate Moscow's independence shown at Kulikovo, he coerced or allied with the princes of Tver, Ryazan, and Nizhny Novgorod to prepare an exemplary punishment of Moscow.
2. 1382Moscow Kremlin · MoscowAs Tokhtamysh suddenly approached, Dmitry could not assemble another Kulikovo-style coalition and himself fled north to Kostroma. The citizens elevated Ostey, of Lithuanian royal stock, to command the defense. In the early siege the defenders repelled assaults, and chronicles report the use of firearms in the city. The Golden Horde army and its Rus' vassal princes camped outside and resorted to feigned peace to breach the city.
3. 1382Moscow Kremlin · MoscowPrinces Vasily and Semyon of Nizhny Novgorod (Dmitry's in-laws) urged the citizens to open the gates for negotiations as kinsmen. Ostey was killed the moment he went out; the Golden Horde troops poured in, set fires, and massacred, destroying the Kremlin and most of the city. Tokhtamysh also detached forces to plunder Serpukhov, Pereyaslavl, and Kolomna, and sacked Ryazan again on his return.
4. 1382–1383Moscow · MoscowDmitry returned to the ruined capital and was forced to resume tribute to the Golden Horde, sending his eldest son Vasily as a hostage. Moscow was set back for a time, but the rebuilt capital and the grand-princely title remained. Tokhtamysh consolidated his khanate until he fell out with his former patron Timur in the late 1380s. The political fruits of Kulikovo were delayed by several decades.