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Polovtsian Invasion of Kievan Rus' (1070s)
In the 1070s, the Polovtsians (Cumans) from the steppe launched a major invasion of the Kievan Rus' frontier, frequently raiding Pereyaslavl, areas s…
Timeline
- 1071Pereyaslavl · UkraineThe Polovtsian tribal alliance broke through the southern Rus' defensive line, advancing on frontier cities such as Pereyaslavl; Rus' princes for the first time responded on a large scale to this new steppe threat, as recorded in the Primary Chronicle.
- 1072–1077Southern frontier of Rus' · UkrainePolovtsian cavalry raided villages and trade routes year after year, and Rus' princes organized counter-expeditions, while some princes called upon Polovtsian allied forces in civil wars, allowing steppe powers to become deeply involved in Rus' politics.
- 1078Nezhatina Niva · UkraineIzyaslav I led Polovtsian allied forces against Vsevolod and Vladimir at the Battle of Nezhatina Niva; after his defeat, the entanglement of steppe powers and Rus' civil wars deepened further.
Sources
- Повесть временных лет（《往年纪事》）
- The Cumans and Tatars: Oriental Military in the Pre-Ottoman Balkans, 1185–1365 — István Vásáry (2005)