« 2026. # 3 (189)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2026. № 3 (189), 823—830

UDK[94:355:327](477.75=1­81/­82)”1434/1441″: 930.2(100)

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

CRIMEAN TATAR ARMY IN THE CONFLICT BETWEEN GENOA AND THEODORO (1434—1441)

KOZLOVSKYI Serhii

• ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000­0002­4590­2433
• Ph.D (in History), Associate Professor,
• Department of Medieval History and Byzantine Studies,
• Ivan Franko National University of Lviv,
• 1, Universytetska str., 79000, Lviv, Ukraine,
• Contacts: e-­mail: serg.kozlovskyy@gmail.com

Abstract. The article analyzes the participation of the Crimean Tatars in the military conflict between the Principality of Feodoro and the Republic of Genoa in 1434—1441. Special attention is focused on the activities of the Genoese military expedition of Captain Carlo Lomellino and the battle near Solkhat on June 22, 1434. The prerequisites of the conflict, the political situation on the Crimean Peninsula on the eve of the hostilities are highlighted. The composition, number, tactics of the troops of the Genoese expedition and the troops of the Crimean Ulus are analyzed.

 The relevance of the topic is due to the fact that the military confrontation between Genoa and the Crimean Tatars is not sufficiently covered in historical science, the analysis of the conflict allows us to study the tactics and armament of the Crimeans in more detail.

The purpose of the article is to analyze the course of the conflict between Genoa and Feodoro in 1434—1441, to find out the number of forces of the parties, to investigate the course of the Battle of Solhat in 1434 and to determine the contribution of the Crimean troops to the course of the military campaign.

Research methods: comparative­historical, critical comparison of sources.

Results. It is proved that the Genoese were defeated near Solhat due to the effective tactics of the Tatars and the mistakes of the troops of Carlo Lomellino himself. It is found out that the tactics of the Crimeans involved a maneuverable battle, where the main striking role was played by horse archers, who inflicted heavy losses on the enemy through massive shelling. The main content of the peace agreement between the Crimeans and the Genoese is revealed, thanks to which the Crimeans received a large ransom for prisoners and a considerable annual tribute. The conflict of 1434—1441 and especially the Battle of Solkhat allowed the Crimean Tatars to assert themselves as the dominant force on the peninsula. Having won the victory over the Genoese, the Tatars became even stronger, which allowed them to later break away from the Horde and become an independent force. The question of what role in the conflict was played by Hadji I Gerai, who later became the first Khan of the Crimeans, requires further study.

Keywords: conflict, military art, tactics, battle, army, expedition, Crimeans, armament, Crimean ulus, Genoa, Feodoro, losses.

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