Museum of Russia: Exhibition "Military valor of centuries" kicks off in Pskov

An exhibition called “Military valor of centuries” was launched in the Prikaznaya Chamber (Office Chamber) on May 28 2010. 

Visitors of the exhibition had a chance to see suits of armor and armaments of Russian man-at-arms (druzhinniks) of Alexander Nevsky and Teutonic Knights, who fought by the walls of Pskov, Izborsk and on the ice of Peipus Lake; armors of a Mongolian soldier and Russian armaments of 14th c. (the Battle of Kulikovo). What is more, armaments and suits of armor of a Russian boyar and a knight from Europe of the time of Ivan the Terrible will tell about the Livonian Wars, which continued within the whole 16^th c., while the uniform and weapons of soldiers of Pskov regiments of Peter the Great reminded about bloody battles during the Great Northern War.

Specimens of reconstructed defensive weapons and armament, represented at the exhibition, are unique. Created on the basis of archaeological finds and museum exhibits of the State Historical Museum, the Kremlin Armoury, the State Hermitage Museum, the Kulikov field and expositions in Europe, all these armaments went through real field testing during military and historical festivals, and participated in tournaments and mass battles. Another important feature of the exhibition is reconstruction of suits of armor and weapons based on different historical visual sources. Study of miniatures, icons, illustrations of chronicles enabled to reconstruct elements of armament, having no archaeological counterparts. A case in point is a unique helmet, made by Tula armourers, our contemporaries, in accordance with a Novgorod Codex of 14^th c.

Organizers are convinced that visitors of the exhibition will have a chance to shape a complete picture about the development of warfare in Rus’ spanning the period of 13^th- 18^th cc. and get unforgettable experience.