# Igor's campaign against the Cumans (1185)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1185-igor-s-campaign-against-the-cumans
Categories: battle

In 1185 Prince Igor Sviatoslavich of Novgorod-Seversk led an ill-fated raid against the Cumans and was defeated and captured. The episode inspired 'The Tale of Igor's Campaign', a masterpiece of medieval literature. The Tale was rediscovered in the 1790s; its sole manuscript burned in Moscow in 1812. The Tale became a cornerstone of Russian literary heritage and inspired Borodin's opera 'Prince Igor'.

## Why it matters
The Tale became a cornerstone of Russian literary heritage and inspired Borodin's opera 'Prince Igor'.

Ruler at the time: [Vsevolod the Big Nest](https://history-russia.com/rulers/vsevolod-the-big-nest)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — The Tale of Igor's Campaign](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Igor's_Campaign)
- [Wikipedia — Igor Svyatoslavich](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igor_Svyatoslavich)
- [Wikipedia — Vladimir-Suzdal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir-Suzdal)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Igor's campaign against the Cumans](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Igor%27s+campaign+against+the+Cumans)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)