To Win with such a few Men: Explaining the Russian Defeat at the Battle of Wenden 1578
To Win with such a few Men: Explaining the Russian Defeat at the Battle of Wenden 1578

Summary/Abstract: The battle of Wenden of 1578 was one of the major clashes of the Livonian War. It is significant both for its contemporaries and also for modern historians since it shows how different armies of early modern Eastern Europe acted on the battlefield. This article presents a novel reconstruction of the battlefield events, reconciling pieces of information from contemporary sources. However, its main aim is to assess which factors caused the Russian defeat against a much weaker enemy. Although the primary sources do not allow a thorough analysis of all factors, three of them might be identified: the lack of good reconnaissance, incorrect deployment of the Russian troops, and the inexperience of the Russian leadership.

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