1445

The same winter the Veliki Knyaz Vasili sent two Tartar princes against the Lithuanian towns Vyazma and Bryansk and others, by surprise; and they made great havoc, burning, and taking many captives, nearly up to Smolensk. And hearing of this, Knyaz Kazimir of Lithuania sent out his Boyars and soldiers against Mozhaisk and other towns; and they took five towns and seized much territory, and there was great ruin to Christians.

• The same winter the Veliki Knyaz Vasili went against the Tartar Tsar Mahmed ; many Christians died from cold, others were slain by the Tartars who laid waste the country. But God aided the Veliki Knyaz Vasili, and the Tartars fled, others being slain.

• The same winter Knyaz Boris of Tver seized fifty Novgorod districts, ravaging Bezhitsy and the country about Torzhok, and he took Torzhok.

• The same winter the men of Novgorod sent Knyaz Yuri with Boyars and merchants to a conference with the Germans and the Master ; but the Master wanted the town of Ostrov, so they all dispersed without peace.

• Bread was dear in Novgorod, and not only this year but during ten whole years: one poltina^ for two korobyas; sometimes a little more, sometimes less ; sometimes there was none to be bought anywhere. And amongst the Christians there was great grief and distress ; only crying and sobbing were to be heard in the streets and market place, and many people fell down dead from hunger, children before their parents, fathers and mothers before their children; and many dispersed, some to Lithuania, others passed over to Latinism, and others to the Besermeny (Mussulmans) and to the Jews, giving themselves to the traders for bread.

• At the same time there was no law or justice in Novgorod; calumniators arose and turned obligations and accounts and oaths to falsehood**; and began to rob in the town and in the villages and districts; we were exposed to the rebukes of our neighbours, who were around us. There was much confiscation, frequent demands for money, throughout the districts, with weeping and anguish and with outcries and curses on all sides against our seniors and our town: because there was no grace in us, nor justice.

• The same year Vasili Shenkurskoi and Mikhail Yakol, Voyevodas of Novgorod, with three thousand men from beyond the Volok went against the Yugra people (Khanty and partly Mansi), and after capturing many Yugra men with their wives and children, disbanded. And the Yugra people succeeded in deceiving them, saying thus: " We will pay you tribute, and we will count our numbers and show you our camps, settlements and islands and natural boundaries." At the same time they collected and attacked Vasili's fortress, killing many good men, Boyars' sons, and eighty other brave men. It was terrible to hear their destruction, but Vasili escaped with his son Semeon and a small party, and others fled into the forest and dispersed. The other Voyevoda Mikhail Yakol was then on another river, and coming to Vasili's fortress and finding it demolished and his fellows killed and others scattered, he set about seeking his own people along the river. And Vasili and his son and the others joining him, they all returned to their own country.

• Battle of Suzdal. The Russian army suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Tatars of Kazan. Vasili II was taken prisoner.: The same year the Veliki Knyaz Vasili gathered his forces and went against that same Mahmed; he reached Suzdal, and while he was in the Eufemi monastery the Tartars came upon him by surprise, and the Veliki Knyaz had a fierce fight with the Tartars, and for our sins the Veliki Knyaz was defeated; and having captured him the Tartars took him to the Horde and with him Knyaz Mikhail Ondreyevich and a great many Boyars and monks and nuns and young people, and many others they slew. And. Knyaz Ivan Ondreyevich and Knyaz Vasili Yaroslavich escaped wounded, with a small following.

• Norway. The same year the Murman Svei (Norseman, Norway) - came in force by surprise to the Dvina beyond the Volok, to Nenoksa, plundering and burning, killing people and making many captives. And the people of the Dvina having heard, came up quickly, slew some and sent about forty to Novgorod, putting to death their Voyevodas Ivor and Peter and a third one; a few others jumping into their boats escaped.

• Moscow took fire: and was entirely burnt, and about seven hundred Christians perished and all the property was burnt,

• 1445 Peace Treatie between Sweden and Russia.

• The same year, on August 7, the Vladyka of Great Novgorod, Vladyka Eufemi, having blessed his children the Posadniks and the Tysyaiskis and all Great Novgorod, went beyond the Volok to- bless the patrimony of Novgorod and his children and his diocese.

• The same year, on August 22, Knyaz Boris of Tver sent his Voyevodas against Torzhok, and drove out the remainder of the people to rob them, others he destroyed, and from others he exacted ransom. He took away to Tver forty cartloads of goods and belongings of people of Moscow, of Novgorod and of Novi-torg; other cartloads of goods were lost in the river. And in two years he ravaged Bezhitsy and eighty districts beyond Borov.

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