A chance meeting with the creators of “The Troubles” turned into an unexpected collaboration. On this holiday we decided to remember the history of the Irish during the Troubles
March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. The creators of “Smoots” did not pass by, and they also noted it.
On a holiday, the “Smoots” community reported an unexpected collab. Vasily Korotkov, a candidate of historical sciences, a specialist in the military history of Russia of the 16th-17th centuries, a member of the historical reconstruction club “Schola Saint George”, met the developers in a Telegram chat.
He offered them material for March 17, and the artists from the “Troubles” team prepared special art for it – as a result of the collaboration, the following story about the Irish appeared:
“It turns out that it was during the Time of Troubles that the Irish first appeared in Russia.
After the liberation of Moscow and the election of Mikhail Romanov to the kingdom, the militia set out to recapture Smolensk from the Poles. In July 1613, the Russian army besieged the Belaya fortress (now the city of Bely, Tver region). The garrison of the fortress consisted of both “Lithuanian people” and Cossacks, as well as mercenaries – mainly Scots and Irish.
The Belaya garrison actively resisted for about a month and went on forays, but in August the mercenaries, who apparently had not received pay for a long time, staged a riot. As the chronicler reported (The New Chronicle is a Russian chronicle of the 17th century, covering events from 1584 to 1630 – Ed.), “The Germans, seeing the crowded conditions above them from the sovereign’s people, finished off the Tsar with their foreheads and the White Building. And the Lithuanian people were beaten and Belaya was completely cleared.”
The Scots and Irish were accepted into Russian service. Of these, two companies were formed – “Shkotsky” and “Irlyansky”. The Irish fought bravely with the Tatars and Poles, and in 1618 they distinguished themselves during the defense of Moscow from Prince Vladislav. While repelling the assault at the Arbat Gate, the captain of the Irish company, Thomas Eustos, was mortally wounded. Honor and glory!“.
