Meanwhile Tohtamish, who had ruled the Golden Horde for twenty years, had taken refuge with Vitold. Through Tohtamish, Tamerlane’s fallen rival, Vitold planned to control the Golden Horde, and in that way win Moscow. The first step was to capture Sarai for his protege. Envoys came at this juncture from Kutlui with the message: “Surrender Tohtamish, my enemy! Tohtamish, once a great prince, but now a vile deserter. Such is the fickleness of fortune.” Vitold refused, adding: “I myself will march on Kutlui.” Hearing of this resolution, Yedviga, Queen of Poland, warned Vitold, stating that through her power of prophecy she foresaw that great misfortune would overtake him. But he would not heed her warning.
The expedition undertaken by Vitold was made a holy struggle. Boniface IX, through a bull to the clergy of Lithuania and Poland, [[407]]ordained a crusade against the infidel and gave indulgence to all who took part in it. Vitold assembled a very strong army. With him were at least fifty princes of Lithuania and Southern Russia. A number of Polish magnates joined also. Tohtamish went with a considerable contingent of Mongols. Even the German Order sent perhaps five hundred iron-clad warriors.
In July, 1399, Vitold set out on his expedition. The fame of Kulikovo roused him, it is said, beyond other considerations, and he hoped to eclipse Dmitri’s fame by greater achievements. He crossed the Dnieper near Kief and vanished in the steppes. Passing the Horol and the Sula, he halted at Varskla. On the opposite bank appeared the Mongols led by Kutlui, who, seeing that his enemy was superior in numbers, began to negotiate. To win time was his object, for he was waiting for Edigai with a second Mongol army.
“Why art thou marching on me when I have not touched thy possessions?” asked he of Vitold. “The Lord has given me dominion over all. Pay me tribute and be my son,” replied Vitold. The Khan promised tribute, but did not like to put Vitold’s name and seal on his coinage; he asked three days to think over that question. Thus he seemed to yield the main point, though in reality he did not. Meanwhile he gave Vitold many presents, and continually sent him questions, through envoys. When the time had passed, Edigai arrived with his army, and begged that Vitold come out to the opposite bank for an interview. “Valiant prince,” said Edigai, “if Timur Kutlui wishes to be thy son, since he is younger than thou, in thy turn be my son, since I am older than thou. Therefore pay me tribute, and put my seal on thy money.”
Enraged by deceit and ridicule, Vitold commanded the army to leave its camp, cross the river, and give battle at once. The prudent Spytko of Melshtin tried to warn the Grand Prince, and advised peace in view of Mongol preponderance, but his advice only roused wrath. A certain Polish knight named Stchukovski said, with scorn: “If thou art sorry to part with thy wealth and thy young wife, do not frighten those who are ready to die on the field of battle.” “To-day I shall die with honor, but thou wilt flee as a coward,” retorted Spytko. His words proved to be true, for death met him soon, and Stchukovski was among the first of the fugitives. [[408]]
The battle began after midday on August 5, 1399. The Mongols raised such a dust that no one could see them. Thus did they hide their movements. They closely surrounded Vitold’s army, and even seized the horses from many before they could mount. Artillery, then of recent invention, could not be used in that battle with profit. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, Vitold was able to force back and confuse Edigai’s army. But Kutlui rushed to the Lithuanian rear with a great force of cavalry, crushed all before him and triumphed. Tohtamish was the first to flee, after him followed Vitold with his boyars, and Sigismund, his brother.
The defeat was thorough and irreparable. Many princes were slain or taken captive. Among the dead were Yagello’s two brothers, Andrei and Dmitri, who had fought at Kulikovo. Seventy princes and boyars of distinction were left on that battle-field. The whole camp, its provisions, and all the cannon fell into the hands of the enemy. Kutlui followed the fugitives, and ravaged the country as far as Lutsk. From there he turned back to the steppe with as much wealth as he had means of carrying, and driving as many captives as his men could manage.
Kutlui died soon after this expedition, and Edigai put Kutlui’s brother, Shadibek, on the throne at Sarai. Seven years later Tohtamish died in Siberia, slain, it is said, by the hand of Edigai, his dire enemy.
Vitold’s defeat on the Vorskla was important for Eastern Europe. The weakening of Lithuania, even for a time, was a godsend to Moscow. Not without satisfaction might the people there look on this struggle between the two deadly enemies of Russia. Tamerlane’s war with Tohtamish and Vitold’s great conflict with Kutlui were vastly important, and useful to Moscow and Russia. Many Smolensk people, weary of Vitold, wished to recall their native prince, Yuri, son of Sviatoslav, who was living in Ryazan with Oleg, his wife’s father, and in 1400 Yuri turned to his father-in-law with these words: “My Smolensk friends have sent men saying that many desire me. Wilt thou give aid now to win my inheritance?” Oleg consented, and in 1401 he appeared at Smolensk with an army, and declared to the people: “If ye refuse Yuri, I will not stop till I capture Smolensk, and destroy it.” A schism rose quickly. Some were for Vitold, and others were against him. [[409]]Yuri’s party was the stronger, and in August the Smolensk gates were opened to him. This prince then gave rein to his passion, and marked his return by killing Vitold’s chief partisans.
In the war which came later between Lithuania on one side and Smolensk with Ryazan on the other, Vitold’s attempt to get possession of Smolensk was a failure. Oleg now thought to regain from Lithuania certain seizures, and sent his son, Rodoslav, to win the Bryansk principality, but Vitold despatched an army under Simeon, son of Olgerd, his skilful cousin, and Rodoslav met an overwhelming defeat. Captured and put in prison, he lay there until ransomed, three years later. This reverse killed Oleg, then an old man. Yuri’s position changed straightway. Though Vitold laid siege to Smolensk without taking it, and was forced to withdraw, he resolved to subdue the place. In time many boyars, indignant at the cruelty of Yuri, grew friendly to Vitold.