| Title of the article: | The terrible day of Perun |
| Author(s): | Novitskiy I. A. |
| Section: | Theory and history of culture |
| Year: | 2016 |
| Issue: | № 3 (41) |
| Pages: | 77-87 |
| Index UDK: | 94(47) |
| Index BBK: | 63.3(2)41 |
| Abstract: | The battle on the Zapadnyiy Bug River in the year of 1018 was described in the literary sources on the history of Old Rus. In this battle the Prince Yaroslav the Wise forces were utterly defeated by the army of Polish King Boleslav the Brave. The Chronicle of Titmar of Merseburg indicates that Boleslav came up to the river on July 22. The Chronicle of Gallus Anonymous says that Boleslav delayed the battle for the third day because they had a feast the next day. According to the Annals of Jan Długosz, both armies stood at the river for several days. The comparative analysis of these chronological records allows us to ascertain that the battle took place on Thursday, July 24. Anonym`s words that “innumerable animals were slaughtered” on the feast day allows to see the paganism traditions of Perun`s day retained there, which were observed on the penultimate Thursday of July according to the Julian Calendar. The initial cause of Yaroslav`s defeat also is becoming clear: relying on Boleslav`s promise to delay the battle, Yaroslav`s warriors celebrated Perun`s day and a sudden attack of Polish knights caught them off guard. |
| Keywords: | Prince Yaroslav the Wise, battle on the Zapadnyiy Bug River in the year of 1018, Polish King Boleslav the Brave, Eliah`s day, Perun`s day. |
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