Battle of Zaraysk

In the Battle of Zaraisk, during the Time of Troubles, on April 9, 1608, Colonel Alexander Lisovsky in service of False Dmitry II, defeated the army of Tsar Vasily IV under Zahariya Lyapunov and Ivan Khovansky.

Battle of Zaraisk
Part of Polish–Muscovite War (1605–18)
Camp of False Dmitry II at Tushino
Date April 9, 1608 Location Zaraisk near Moscow Result Victory for False Dmitry II
Belligerents
False Dmitry II	Muscovite Tsardom
Commanders and leaders
Alexander Lisowsky	Zahari Lyapunov Ivan Khovansky
Strength
1,500 Cossacks and Lithuanians	Several thousand from Ryazan, 250 cavalry from Arzamas
Casualties and losses
Light	Heavy

Prelude

Zaraysk was occupied without a fight by Lisovsky detachments (1,500 Cossacks: "Lithuanian people and Russian thieves"), as the city Cossacks surrendered the city and swore to the Pretender.^[1]

Battle

An army from Ryazan land came out to suppress the insurrection, to which 250 elite Arzamas warriors joined. The government army carelessly besieged the fort (with no guards appointed), and the sudden sally of Lisovsky's men from the Zaraisk Kremlin scattered them with little resistance.^[2]

Aftermath

After the victory at Zaraisk, Lisovskiy swiftly captured Kolomna, where he captured many heavy guns. The remnants of former Bolotnikovites strengthened the army. However, the detachment of Lisovsky, heavily burdened by the convoy, was defeated by the Tsar's army at Medvezhiy Brod.