• 08.11.2022

Strength in Unity

On November 4th, in honor of National Unity Day, students of Tula State University visited the Kulikovo Field Museum and immersed themselves into the history of the great battle for Rus'.

National Unity Day is a public holiday of our country, which symbolizes the unity of the people. In 1612, on this day, Minin and Pozharsky liberated Moscow from the Polish invaders, making our state independent. This is a little background on why we celebrate this date.

But how is the Battle of Kulikovo related to the holiday of November 4th? The students get the answers to this question during the tour "Tales of the Battle of Mamaev: a New Reading." For several hundred years, the Russian lands were subjected to constant invasions of the Tatar-Mongol Hordes. At that time, our fragmented state could not resist this single army, sweeping away everything in its path, there were not enough forces. Everything changed with the strengthening and expansion of the Moscow principality, which was ruled in 1325-1340 by Ivan Kalita. Subsequently, his ancestors continued the confrontation, which led to a significant battle for Rus'.

On September 8, 1380, a battle took place, which brought the liberation of Rus' from the yoke of the Golden Horde. As Lev Gumilyov wrote, “The residents of Moscow, Serpukhov, Rostov, Belozersk, Smolensk, Murom and other cities and towns came to the Kulikovo Field, and they left it as Russians.”

The battle with Mamai united the people in the face of the enemy and served as an impetus for the formation of a single state.

Egor Nikolaevich Artsybashev, a guide of the Kulikovo Field Museum complex, a post-graduate student of Tula State University, told the students about the historical value of the event from the Middle Ages: “The Battle of Kulikovo is the first military field of Russia, which gave a new impetus to the unification of Russian lands around Moscow. This is a vivid example of an event that happened a long time ago, but even after so many centuries it creates the basis and foundation of today's reality. In simple words, if there had not been the Battle of Kulikovo, there would not exist that very Rus' known to us. These things, of course, should be known to the younger generation!”

To date, the museum continues to preserve the history of the Fatherland in the people's memory. The memorial presents historical facts in dynamics, using various kinds of interactive forms. Here you can shoot an arrow from a bow, and be on the battlefield, hold a spear in your hands, talk with a Mongol, and look through historical books, look at bacteria in the soil under a microscope, and much more. Guests do not get bored.

After the tour, the students shared their impressions.

Sultan Sultanov, a 3rd year student of the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science:

“I learned a lot of new things today that we were not told within the school curriculum. We were also able to interact with some items and inventory. Most of all I liked the interactive immersion in the battle itself, I felt as if I were on the battlefield and participated in the battle. The battle has a connection with the holiday that we celebrate on November 4th. For me, National Unity Day symbolizes peace; it unites peoples and makes us a single whole. Originally, I am from the Republic of Dagestan and the holiday is especially important to me.”

Violetta Melnik, a 1st year student of “General medicine” program, came to study in Tula from Mariupol: “National Unity Day is our common holiday. As a citizen of my country, I cannot stay away from it. Our history determines our future. That is why today's tour is important to us. The Battle of Kulikovo is one of the symbols of the unity of the people, this historical moment must be remembered and honored.”

Vyacheslav Sharonov, a student at the Institute of Mining and Construction, moved from Kazakhstan to Russia with his parents:

“The Battle of Kulikovo tells us about the event when the Russian principalities managed to unite. The faith of those who rebelled against evil, in the name of peace, helped to rally the people, to forget internecine wars. Given the place where we are now, it is impossible not to remember the National Unity Day. For me, this holiday is a bonding of all peoples in the name of a better goal. Therefore, we will continue to celebrate it every year and remember the heroes and their exploits.”

Students of Tula State University represent different parts of our vast Motherland, and even other countries. But that doesn't stop us from being a single whole. We are multinational, we know our history and we are proud of it. So,National Unity Day brings us even closer to each other and makes us even stronger!

Veronika Kaplina, student "Journalism" program, Student Media Center of Tula State University

 Photo by Daniil Rybak, Student Media Center of Tula State University