Alexander or Aleksandr Peresvet (Russian: Александр Пересвет; died 8 September 1380) was a Russian Orthodox monk who fought in single combat with the Tatar champion Temir-Mirza,[a][2] known in most Russian sources as Chelubey,[1] at the opening of the Battle of Kulikovo on 8 September 1380.[3] The two men killed each other.[4]
Life
Peresvet is believed to have hailed from the Bryansk area,[5][6] and to have taken the monastic habit at the Monastery of Saints Boris and Gleb in Rostov. He moved to the monastery in Pereslavl-Zalessky, in the service of Dmitry Donskoy.[7] He later moved to the Trinity Lavra where he became a follower of Sergius of Radonezh. Alexander and his friend Rodion Oslyabya joined the Russian troops set out to fight the Tatars under the leadership of Mamai.
The battle of Kulikovo was opened by single combat between the two champions.The Russian champion was Alexander Peresvet. The champion of the Golden Horde was Temir-Mirza, known in most Russian sources as Chelubey. The champions killed each other in the first charge. According to a Russian legend, Peresvet did not fall from the saddle, while Temir-Mirza did.
In contrary, the epic Zadonshchina described Alexander Peresvet as still being alive until the battle begun, at least alive long enough for him to make one last speech.
Brave Peresvet galloped across the meadow on his magic white horse telling everyone: 'Brothers! Now is the time for all old men to get young and for all young men to gain honor and to test their backs!'
— Zadonshchina[8]
If Zadonshchina is accurate, it was unlikely that Alexander Peresvet survive Battle of Kulikovo, as no monastery or church record mentioned where else did he serve after the war.
Even if Peresvet survived Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, he certainly died at some point before his brother-in-arms Rodion Oslyabya died in 1398, as the two men were buried together in Simonov Monastery.
Commemoration
- Pereswetoff-Morath, a bayor (Russo-Swedish nobility) family, have been claimed to be descendants of Peresvet.
- The Russian Peresvet battleship class, ships of which saw action in the Russo-Japanese War
- A Volga boat is named Alexander Peresvet
- Armed patrol icebreaker Peresvet
- The town of Peresvet near Moscow
- A fast train running between Moscow and St. Petersburg since 2003.
- 33rd Special purpose unit of Internal Troops
- Russian military laser ‘Peresvet’ named so after a 2018 'name that weapon' vote
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Титов А. А. Предание о ростовских князьях. М., 1885
- Описание Свято-Димитриевского монастыря в г. Скопине. Издательство Свято-Димитриевского монастыря, 2000.
- Рязанские епархиальные ведомости. 1891, No. 2, 3.
- Лошиц Ю. М. Дмитрий Донской., М., 1996
- Розанов Н. П. История церкви Рождества Пресвятые Богородицы на Старом Симонове в Москве. К её пятисотолетию (1370—1870). М., 1870
- Благословение преподобного Сергия. Под редакцией В.Силовьева. Изд.совет РПЦ, 2005 ISBN 5-94625-127-9