Dmitri had a veteran leader, a man of rare gifts and long practice, a leader tried in many campaigns, knowing well the tricks of war and the meaning of every move made by an enemy; besides, he was Dmitri’s chief confidant, his brother-in-law, married to his sister, Anna. Men usually called him Prince Volynski, adding the nickname, Bobrok. This Bobrok of Volynia was now to chasten Oleg, the Ryazan prince.
Oleg, who had assembled an army, marched out against Moscow. The battle was merciless; one of the most renowned conflicts of that epoch. The name of the field, Skornistchevo, on which it took place, was made famous. Oleg fought stubbornly, but notwithstanding his valor and bravery, he had to flee with a few attendants. Bobrok took Ryazan, and placed there Vladimir of Pronsk.
Michael of Tver undertook now to harass the heart of the Moscow possessions. The week after Easter his allies surprised [[362]]Pereyaslavl, which they plundered and burned, leaving naught save the fortress behind them. Next they seized all the neighboring settlements. Keistut struck this blow with such suddenness that he surprised men at work in the fields, and on the road going to market or elsewhere, but he could not capture the fortress. The Tver prince, attacking Dmitroff, plundered it, and led away multitudes of people. Then the allies turned on Kashin and ruined it. The Kashin prince hastened to Moscow. The allies went home, but the Tver prince, on reaching Torjok, seized the town, and installed his officials. News came now that Olgerd was approaching, and the place was declared where Michael was to meet him.
Meanwhile Dmitri sent men to Torjok, and from Novgorod came boyars and others. They expelled Tver officials; those who did not escape they took captive. They stopped Tver merchants and seized their property. News that Torjok had gone over to Dmitri, and that Novgorod was on that side, enraged Michael. He hastened with all his troops to Torjok, to that “adjunct of Tver,” as he called it. “Yield up those who have seized my people and robbed them. Put back my lieutenants; I ask nothing further,” was Michael’s demand, and from daylight he waited till midday.
In Torjok at that moment were Novgorod men famed as great warriors,—among them Abakumovitch, notorious for freebooting trips on the Volga, and elsewhere; but especially renowned for that exploit which seemed a miracle, and beyond human strength: the courageous and desperate journey along the Ob River, through all Siberia. With him were other “daredevils,” and “Novgorod land pirates.” These men would not yield to the Tver prince. They raised a great shout of defiance, and gathering their forces, marched out against him.
Abakumovitch fell in the first shock of the encounter. The battle was merciless, but Michael was the victor. Some fled from the field to save themselves, others hastened back to the stronghold. Michael’s men fired the town from that side whence the wind came. The wind was fierce on that day, and the flames consumed everything. The destruction was absolute. Some, in trying to save their property, were burned in their houses or courtyards; others fled to the Church of the Redeemer and were stifled by smoke, or, [[363]]rushing out of the fire and the town, were seized by the enemy; many more were drowned in the river while fleeing. Michael’s warriors were furious, raging. They stripped women and maidens, some of whom, from shame, drowned themselves; they stripped monks and nuns, doing what even pagans had not dreamed of doing. Torjok had never suffered so greatly, even from Mongols.
The unexpected movement of Moscow troops and of Moscow’s allies toward Kaluga informed all that Olgerd was coming. This time every measure had been taken to prevent his drawing near to the capital. Less than two weeks after Torjok had been ruined the Tver prince was at Lyubutsk, whither Olgerd was hastening, and where, somewhat later, the two armies joined forces. Oleg of Ryazan was instructed to march thither also. The forces of Moscow were marching toward the same place.
On the twelfth of June there was a desperate battle, and Olgerd for the first time was thoroughly beaten in those regions. He withdrew, or rather fled, but Dmitri followed on closely. Olgerd halted in a place intersected with gullies, and strengthened his position on heights well secured in steep, rocky places. Dmitri halted directly opposite and entrenched himself. The two forces stood face to face, and remained many days there, watching each other. Only a wooded ravine, abrupt and steep, lay between them.
Olgerd, who had planned to surprise his opponents, fell into a trap, and had at last to ask peace of Dmitri. We have not all the details of that peace, but enough are preserved to give an idea of the advantage gained by Moscow. Olgerd was on the verge of destruction, and only because of that did he accept the peace given. With this peace hostilities with Tver and Lithuania ended, so far as a treaty could end them. Lithuania and Tver bound themselves not to invade Moscow lands in future; and Olgerd was not to take the part of his brother-in-law. All the places seized by Michael were to be returned, and all the property restored to the owners. Tver officials must be removed, if not Dmitri had the right to eject them. Peace with Tver was concluded with a special agreement by which Michael’s son, Ivan, at that time in Moscow, would be free when his father paid the debt incurred by Dmitri because of him.
But barely had Moscow by this victory in the west over Olgerd turned away every danger on that side, when she was threatened [[364]]by the Mongols. Mamai, enraged at the growing success of Dmitri, was the more incensed by his want of respect for the Mongols. Not only were all princes of the “Lower Land,” even those of Tver and Ryazan, in subjection to Moscow, so that Dmitri seemed to be more important than the Khan, and his commands to be obeyed with more accuracy, but it seems besides that Dmitri had not paid tribute in recent days. In every case, in treaties with the princes of that time, this clause was added: “Whether we are to be at peace or war with the Mongols, to give the Horde tribute, or refuse it, of that we are to decide in common.”