Battle on the Don (1646)

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle on the Don (1646)
| partof = the Russo-Turkish and Crimean–Circassian wars
| date = July 6 – August 4, 1646
| place = Left bank of the [[Don River]], near [[Cherkassk]], and [[Kagalnik River]]
| result = [[Russian]]–[[Circassians]]–[[Cossack]] victory
*Ottoman–Crimean plan to invade Rus' thwarted
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|Tsardom of Russia}} [[Tsardom of Russia]]
{{flagicon image|Circassian_flag.svg}} [[Circassians]] (pro-Russian faction)
[[Don Cossacks]]
[[Terek Cossacks]]
[[Grebensky Cossacks]]
[[Nogais]] (pro-Russian)
[[Ingush people|Ingush Okochans]]
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire|1453}} [[Ottoman Empire]]
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg}} [[Crimean Khanate]]
{{flagicon image|Circassian_flag.svg}} [[Circassians|Temryuk Circassians]] (pro-Crimean)
{{flagicon image|Circassian_flag.svg}} [[Circassians|Kazyev Circassians]] (pro-Crimean)
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Tsardom of Russia}} Prince [[Semyon Pozharsky]]
{{flagicon image|Circassian_flag.svg}} Prince [[Mutsal Sunchaleyevich Cherkassky]] (Circassian)
{{flagicon|Tsardom of Russia}} [[Zhdan Kondyrev]]
Don Cossack ataman
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Crimean Khanate (15th century).svg}} [[Nuretdin Niyet-Girey]] (Nizt-Girey) {{KIA}}
{{flagicon|Ottoman Empire|1453}} [[Mustafa Bey]]
| strength1 = Unknown
| strength2 = Unknown
| casualties1 = Up to 200 streltsy killed;Попко, Иван. ''Терские казаки с стародавних времен''. СПб., 1880. many Circassian uzdens woundedМоков Б.М. ''Кабарда в период феодальной раздробленности (XVI–XVII века)''.
| casualties2 = 356 prisoners taken;РГАДА. Ф. 155 «Кабардинские, черкесские и другие дела». 1646 г. Д. № 1. Л. 153–158.
Heavy losses
}}

The '''Battle on the Don (1646)''' was a military engagement between the allied forces of the [[Tsardom of Russia]], the pro-Russian faction of [[Circassians]] led by Prince Mutsal Cherkassky, [[Don Cossacks]], and their allies against the [[Ottoman Empire]], the [[Crimean Khanate]], and the pro-Crimean Circassian factions (Temryuk and Kazyev). The battle took place on the left bank of the [[Don River]] near [[Cherkassk]] in July–August 1646. The allied victory thwarted Ottoman–Crimean plans for an offensive against Rus'.

== Background ==

In the 1640s, the [[Crimean Khanate]] increased its activity on the southern borders of the Russian state, planning a major campaign against Rus'. The [[Don Cossacks|Don Cossack]] fortress of [[Cherkassk]] was a strategic point controlling access to the [[Sea of Azov]].

In 1646, Tsar [[Alexis of Russia|Alexis Mikhailovich]] ordered a campaign against the Crimean Tatars. Prince Semyon Pozharsky was sent to the Don with Russian troops. He was joined by Circassian prince Mutsal Cherkassky with his Circassian warriors, as well as Terek and Grebensky Cossacks.

== The battle ==

On July 6, 1646, a Crimean army under Nuretdin Niyet-Girey attacked the allied camp near Cherkassk. The Crimean force included pro-Crimean Circassian auxiliaries (Temryuk and Kazyev Circassians), who fought against their fellow Circassians of Mutsal Cherkassky.

According to archival documents, the Crimean–Circassian force numbered up to 10,000 men. The Circassians under Mutsal Cherkassky, the Don and Terek Cossacks, and the Russian streltsy repelled the attack. The allies then pursued the retreating enemy.

On August 4, 1646, the allied forces under Pozharsky and Cherkassky inflicted a crushing defeat on the Crimean–Circassian army on the Kagalnik River. The allies captured 356 prisoners, including 9 nobles.

== Aftermath ==

The victory at Cherkassk thwarted the planned Crimean Tatar campaign against Rus'. As a result, the Ottoman sultan ordered the Crimean Khan to cease attacks on Russian borders.

The battle demonstrated the importance of the Russian–Circassian–Cossack alliance. However, the Crimean Khanate remained a threat, and further campaigns were launched in the following years.

== References ==