Alexander Peresvet

Alexander or Aleksandr Peresvet (Russian: Александр Пересвет; died 8 September 1380) was a Russian Orthodox monk who fought in single combat with the Tatar champion Temir-Mirza,^[a]^[2] known in most Russian sources as Chelubey,^[1] at the opening of the Battle of Kulikovo on 8 September 1380.^[3] The two men killed each other.^[4]

Life[edit]

Peresvet is believed to have hailed from the Bryansk area,^[5]^[6] and to have taken the monastic habit at the Monastery of Saints Boris and Gleb in Rostov. He moved to the monastery in Pereslavl-Zalessky, in the service of Dmitry Donskoy.^[7] He later moved to the Trinity Lavra where he became a follower of Sergius of Radonezh. Alexander and his friend Rodion Oslyabya joined the Russian troops set out to fight the Tatars under the leadership of Mamai.

The battle of Kulikovo was opened by single combat between the two champions.The Russian champion was Alexander Peresvet. The champion of the Golden Horde was Temir-Mirza, known in most Russian sources as Chelubey. The champions killed each other in the first charge. According to a Russian legend, Peresvet did not fall from the saddle, while Temir-Mirza did.

In contrary, the epic Zadonshchina described Alexander Peresvet as still being alive until the battle begun, at least alive long enough for him to make one last speech.

Brave Peresvet galloped across the meadow on his magic white horse telling everyone: 'Brothers! Now is the time for all old men to get young and for all young men to gain honor and to test their backs!'
— Zadonshchina^[8]

If Zadonshchina is accurate, it was unlikely that Alexander Peresvet survive Battle of Kulikovo, as no monastery or church record mentioned where else did he serve after the war.

Even if Peresvet survived Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, he certainly died at some point before his brother-in-arms Rodion Oslyabya died in 1398, as the two men were buried together in Simonov Monastery.

Commemoration[edit]

MV *Alexander Peresvet* carrying the holy relics of Venerable Macarius stops in Kstovo, on its way from Nizhny Novgorod to Makaryev Monastery

Pereswetoff-Morath, a bayor (Russo-Swedish nobility) family, have been claimed to be descendants of Peresvet.
The Russian Peresvet battleship class, ships of which saw action in the Russo-Japanese War
A Volga boat is named Alexander Peresvet
Armed patrol icebreaker Peresvet
The town of Peresvet near Moscow
A fast train running between Moscow and St. Petersburg since 2003.
33rd Special purpose unit of Internal Troops
Russian military laser ‘Peresvet’ named so after a 2018 'name that weapon' vote

Notes[edit]

^ Russian: Темир-Мирза; also spelled Temir-Murza

References[edit]

^ ^a ^b Parppei, Kati M. J. (5 January 2017). The Battle of Kulikovo Refought: "The First National Feat". BRILL. p. 205. ISBN 978-90-04-33794-7.
^ Thomas, David; Chesworth, John A. (17 August 2015). Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History. Volume 7 Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America (1500-1600): Volume 7. Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America (1500-1600). BRILL. p. 279. ISBN 978-90-04-29848-4.
^ Howorth, Henry Hoyle (1 January 2008). History of the Mongols from the 9th to the 19th Century: The So-Called Tartars of Russia and Central Asia. Cosimo, Inc. p. 215. ISBN 978-1-60520-134-4.
^ "Alexander Peresvet and Temir-Murza Once Again Duel on Kulikovo Field". russkiymir.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-19.
^ Galeotti, Mark (19 February 2019). Kulikovo 1380: The Battle that Made Russia. Bloomsbury USA. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-4728-3121-7.
^ Parppei, Kati M. J. (5 January 2017). The Battle of Kulikovo Refought: "The First National Feat". BRILL. p. 51. ISBN 978-90-04-33794-7.
^ Isoaho, Mari (1 June 2006). The Image of Aleksandr Nevskiy in Medieval Russia: Warrior and Saint. BRILL. p. 260. ISBN 978-90-474-0949-6.
^ Dmytryshyn, Basil (1991). Medieval Russia: A Source Book, 850-1700. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-03-033422-1.

Bibliography[edit]

Титов А. А. Предание о ростовских князьях. М., 1885
Описание Свято-Димитриевского монастыря в г. Скопине. Издательство Свято-Димитриевского монастыря, 2000.
Рязанские епархиальные ведомости. 1891, No. 2, 3.
Лошиц Ю. М. Дмитрий Донской., М., 1996
Розанов Н. П. История церкви Рождества Пресвятые Богородицы на Старом Симонове в Москве. К её пятисотолетию (1370—1870). М., 1870
Благословение преподобного Сергия. Под редакцией В.Силовьева. Изд.совет РПЦ, 2005 ISBN 5-94625-127-9

[2] Russian: Темир-Мирза; also spelled Temir-Murza

[Parppei-1] Parppei, Kati M. J. (5 January 2017). The Battle of Kulikovo Refought: "The First National Feat". BRILL. p. 205. ISBN 978-90-04-33794-7.

[3] Thomas, David; Chesworth, John A. (17 August 2015). Christian-Muslim Relations. A Bibliographical History. Volume 7 Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America (1500-1600): Volume 7. Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America (1500-1600). BRILL. p. 279. ISBN 978-90-04-29848-4.

[4] Howorth, Henry Hoyle (1 January 2008). History of the Mongols from the 9th to the 19th Century: The So-Called Tartars of Russia and Central Asia. Cosimo, Inc. p. 215. ISBN 978-1-60520-134-4.

[5] "Alexander Peresvet and Temir-Murza Once Again Duel on Kulikovo Field". russkiymir.ru. Retrieved 2021-09-19.

[6] Galeotti, Mark (19 February 2019). Kulikovo 1380: The Battle that Made Russia. Bloomsbury USA. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-4728-3121-7.

[7] Parppei, Kati M. J. (5 January 2017). The Battle of Kulikovo Refought: "The First National Feat". BRILL. p. 51. ISBN 978-90-04-33794-7.

[8] Isoaho, Mari (1 June 2006). The Image of Aleksandr Nevskiy in Medieval Russia: Warrior and Saint. BRILL. p. 260. ISBN 978-90-474-0949-6.

[9] Dmytryshyn, Basil (1991). Medieval Russia: A Source Book, 850-1700. Holt, Rinehart and Winston. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-03-033422-1.

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