Mounted archers of pre-Mongol Rus’ (according to the chronicles of the 12th–13th centuries)

Abstract

This study focuses on mounted archers of the pre-Mongol period, referred to as streltsy in the chronicles. Through analysis of written sources it has been established that the streltsy performed unique tactical functions. Military leaders from various regions of Rus’ consistently selected them from the main body of warriors for specific strategic and tactical maneuvers. Units of mounted archers were responsible for providing combat security for the army on the march, as well as for pursuing and countering enemy cavalry. The chronicles allow us to identify regional specifics that distinguished the streltsy of Galician Rus’ from the mounted archers of the Kievan prince. Archaeological data clarifies their capabilities and prevalence, enabling a comparison with the mounted archers of neighboring steppe nomadic groups. By comparing written sources with findings from Polovtsian burial mounds, we can hypothesize a similar recruitment system for mounted archer units. In particular, it was found that both Polovtsian and Rus’ cavalry were drawn from the junior squad. The vulnerability shown by 13th-century horse archers prompted a shift in how they were deployed on the battlefield. After the Mongol invasion, Rus’ commanders felt the need for new types of units to bolster the effectiveness of their traditional combat formations. Thus, study of this phenomenon in medieval warfare provides valuable insights into the military structure and potential of medieval Rus’, contributing to a broader understanding of the interaction between Rus’ and the “Wild Fields”.