Battle of Ula
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ula or Battle of Chashniki was fought during the Livonian War
on January 26, 1564 between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
and the Tsardom of Russia
on the Ula River (tributary of the Daugava River) north of Chashniki in the Vitebsk Region. The Lithuanian surprise attack resulted in a decisive defeat of the numerically superior Russian forces.
in 1560, the weakened Livonian Order
was dissolved and the Duchy of Livonia
and Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
were ceded to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania according to the Treaty of Vilnius (1561)
. Russia then launched a campaign against Lithuania, capturing Polotsk in February 1563 and threatening further invasion against Vilnius
, the capital city. The Lithuanians attempted to negotiate a truce, but the talks failed in November 1563. Two Russian armies, commanded by Pyotr Ivanovich Shuysky and Pyotr Semenovich Serebryany-Obolensky were to meet near Orsha
and jointly march against Vilnius. Mikołaj "the Red" Radziwiłł, Grand Lithuanian Hetman, attacked the Shuysky's army while it marched from Polotsk to Drutsk. A small Lithuanian detachment engaged the vanguard units, while the main forces attacked the Russian troops in marching formation. Caught unprepared, the Russians were soundly defeated. Russian commander Pyotr Shuysky was killed in action, while three other boyars were taken prisoners and much loot was taken.
and Jurgis Astikas near Orsha. Believing that they were attacked by the main Lithuanian forces, the Russians hastily retreated. These two victories averted the Russian invasion and restored power balance in the Livonian War. The Lithuanians devastated a wide area around Sebezh
, but did not have enough momentum to recapture Polotsk. The Lithuanians used this victory to derail negotiations for the Union of Lublin
, which were initiated in hopes to obtain Polish military support in the war with Russia. The defeats contributed to further deterioration of Tsar Ivan's mental state, leading to the establishment of Oprichnina
in 1565.
Livonian War
The Livonian War was fought for control of Old Livonia in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia when the Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of Denmark–Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Union of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland.During the period 1558–1578,...
on January 26, 1564 between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
and the Tsardom of Russia
Tsardom of Russia
The Tsardom of Russia was the name of the centralized Russian state from Ivan IV's assumption of the title of Tsar in 1547 till Peter the Great's foundation of the Russian Empire in 1721.From 1550 to 1700, Russia grew 35,000 km2 a year...
on the Ula River (tributary of the Daugava River) north of Chashniki in the Vitebsk Region. The Lithuanian surprise attack resulted in a decisive defeat of the numerically superior Russian forces.
Background and battle
Livonia was invaded by Russian army of Tsar Ivan IV. After the defeat in the Battle of ErgemeBattle of Ergeme
The Battle of Ērģeme was fought on 2 August 1560 in present-day Latvia as part of the Livonian War between the forces of Ivan IV of Russia and the Livonian Confederation. It was the last battle fought by the German knights in Livonia and an important Russian victory...
in 1560, the weakened Livonian Order
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
was dissolved and the Duchy of Livonia
Duchy of Livonia
The Duchy of Livonia was a territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania — and later the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth — that existed from 1561 to 1621...
and Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia is the name of a duchy in the Baltic region that existed from 1562 to 1569 as a vassal state of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and from 1569...
were ceded to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania according to the Treaty of Vilnius (1561)
Treaty of Vilnius (1561)
The Treaty of Vilnius or Vilna was concluded on 28 November 1561, during the Livonian War, between the Livonian Confederation and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth at Vilnius...
. Russia then launched a campaign against Lithuania, capturing Polotsk in February 1563 and threatening further invasion against Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, the capital city. The Lithuanians attempted to negotiate a truce, but the talks failed in November 1563. Two Russian armies, commanded by Pyotr Ivanovich Shuysky and Pyotr Semenovich Serebryany-Obolensky were to meet near Orsha
Orsha
Orsha is a city in Belarus in Vitebsk voblast on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers.-Facts:*Location: *Population: 125,000 *Phone code: +375 216*Postal codes: 211030, 211381–211394, 211396–211398-History:...
and jointly march against Vilnius. Mikołaj "the Red" Radziwiłł, Grand Lithuanian Hetman, attacked the Shuysky's army while it marched from Polotsk to Drutsk. A small Lithuanian detachment engaged the vanguard units, while the main forces attacked the Russian troops in marching formation. Caught unprepared, the Russians were soundly defeated. Russian commander Pyotr Shuysky was killed in action, while three other boyars were taken prisoners and much loot was taken.
Aftermath
In the following days the army of Serebryany-Obolensky was attacked by Filon KmitaFilon Kmita
Filon Kmita was a noble in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Voivode of Smolensk , rotmistrz in the army and starost of Orsha .Fought in the Muscovite-Lithuanian Wars and the Livonian War....
and Jurgis Astikas near Orsha. Believing that they were attacked by the main Lithuanian forces, the Russians hastily retreated. These two victories averted the Russian invasion and restored power balance in the Livonian War. The Lithuanians devastated a wide area around Sebezh
Sebezh
Sebezh is a town and the administrative center of Sebezhsky District of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in a picturesque setting between lakes Sebezhskoye and Orono south of Pskov. Population:...
, but did not have enough momentum to recapture Polotsk. The Lithuanians used this victory to derail negotiations for the Union of Lublin
Union of Lublin
The Union of Lublin replaced the personal union of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with a real union and an elective monarchy, since Sigismund II Augustus, the last of the Jagiellons, remained childless after three marriages. In addition, the autonomy of Royal Prussia was...
, which were initiated in hopes to obtain Polish military support in the war with Russia. The defeats contributed to further deterioration of Tsar Ivan's mental state, leading to the establishment of Oprichnina
Oprichnina
The oprichnina is the period of Russian history between Tsar Ivan the Terrible's 1565 initiation and his 1572 disbanding of a domestic policy of secret police, mass repressions, public executions, and confiscation of land from Russian aristocrats...
in 1565.