The military forces of Ancient Russia

From the first years of existence, the Old Russian state led military operations in different directions: Khazars and Pechenegs, Polovtsy and Yatvyagi, Hungarians and Germans, Romans and Byzantines, Mongols and Lithuanians - a sword from the west and saber from the east for many centuries continued to threaten the Russian land.
This book comprehensively studies the features of the military -political development of the Russian state from the moment of its formation in 862 until the middle of the 15th century - the time of the beginning of the reign of Grand Duke Ivan III, who restored the state sovereignty of Russia. In this regard, the author faced a difficult task to consider not only all significant wars of this period, but also the structure of the Armed Forces of Russia - their foundation was formed by the squads. Only at the very end of the studied period did the restructuring of the army began, during which the former warriors, the petty princely and boyar vassalities, turned into sovereign servants - landowners who received the condition of lands inhabited by peasants.
This task is the structure of the book. The first part presents a detailed story about the wars and armed conflicts of the pre -Mongol time and the period of the Horde rule over Russia, the second provides and analyzes the information preserved in the sources about the acquisition of Russian troops, the armament and supply of military people, the acquisition of the necessary military skills and knowledge, and are given. Information about the most famous representatives of the military estate of Ancient Russia