Battle of Siritsa River
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Siritsa River was a battle that took place between the forces of the Livonian Order
under Grand Master Wolter von Plettenberg
on the one side and the forces of Muscovy and Pskov
on the other. The Russian forces were soundly defeated.
The battle took place on 27 August 1501 on the Siritsa River 10 km from Izborsk
, on the western approaches to Pskov. In the battle, the Livonia
n army of some 4,000 mounted troops and 4,000 infantry defeated a Muscovite army of 40,000 troops (drawn from the cities of Moscow, Novgorod and Tver
as well as from Pskov - which was not formally part of Muscovy until 1510) in large part due to the Orders formidable artillery park and the Russians' significant shortage of guns of any kind.
The Pskovian regiment attacked the Livonians first but was thrown back. The Livonian artillery then destroyed the remainder of the Muscovite army despite Russian attempt to reply with their own, insufficient, artillery force.
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
under Grand Master Wolter von Plettenberg
Wolter von Plettenberg
Wolter von Plettenberg was the Master of the Livonian Order from 1494 to 1535 and one of the greatest leaders of the Teutonic knights. He was an important early Baltic German....
on the one side and the forces of Muscovy and Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
on the other. The Russian forces were soundly defeated.
The battle took place on 27 August 1501 on the Siritsa River 10 km from Izborsk
Izborsk
Izborsk is a rural locality in Pechorsky District of Pskov Oblast, Russia. It contains one of the most ancient and impressive fortresses of Western Russia....
, on the western approaches to Pskov. In the battle, the Livonia
Livonia
Livonia is a historic region along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It was once the land of the Finnic Livonians inhabiting the principal ancient Livonian County Metsepole with its center at Turaida...
n army of some 4,000 mounted troops and 4,000 infantry defeated a Muscovite army of 40,000 troops (drawn from the cities of Moscow, Novgorod and Tver
Tver
Tver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
as well as from Pskov - which was not formally part of Muscovy until 1510) in large part due to the Orders formidable artillery park and the Russians' significant shortage of guns of any kind.
The Pskovian regiment attacked the Livonians first but was thrown back. The Livonian artillery then destroyed the remainder of the Muscovite army despite Russian attempt to reply with their own, insufficient, artillery force.