Battle of Kazan (1774)

Battle of Kazan (1774)
Part of Pugachev War
Pugachev's path in what is today Tatarstan
Date 12–15 July 1774 Location Kazan, Russian Empire Result Kazan, except the citadel was sacked by rebels, but later rebels were defeated by governmental forces
Belligerents
Russian Imperial Army Russian Nobility	Cossack and peasant rebels Tatar Nobility Bashkirs
Commanders and leaders
Ivan Ivanovich Michelson Pavel S. Potyomkin Jakob von Brandt	Yemelyan Pugachev Ivan Beloborodov (POW) Andrei Ovchinnikov Mineyev (POW) Bakhmutov
Strength
2,000–6,000 in Kazan 9 cannons + citadel cannons , Michelson's troops N/A	25,000 men first battle 20 cannons 15,000 men second battle
Casualties and losses
at least 215 killed	2,000 killed 10,000 captured all cannons

The Battle of Kazan (1774) was a major battle during the Pugachev Rebellion. It took place on 12–15 July 1774 in Kazan, Russia, and the surrounding area. The first stage began in the morning of 12 July, when rebels under Yemelyan Pugachev defeated government troops and besieged them in the Kazan Kremlin. During the battle some government forces defected to the rebels' side. However, in the evening, tsarist forces under Johann Michelson reached Kazan and defeated the rebels in two battles which took place on 13 and 15 July, forcing Pugachev to retreat to Tsaryovokokshaysk and then to cross the Volga. Out of 25,000 and 15,000 rebels who participated in the first and last stages of the battle respectively, only 500 escaped.

Kazan was threatened by Pugachev as early as the autumn of 1773. Many of the town's nobles escaped to Moscow, inspiring fear there. A defensive plan was formulated by the Russian high command and was approved personally by Catherine the Great.

There were 3 sectors of defense in Kazan. The first, under general Banner, extended from Kazanka and Arsk Field to Qaban lakes. There, government troops were reinforced by gymnasium pupils under headmaster Kanitsa and armed town militiamen. The second was from the Pleteni to Yamskoy quarter under general-mayor Larionov, and the third was from Yamskoy to Kazanka, under colonel Svechin. The area north from the citadel was defended by Admiralty troops under Shchelin. The citadel itself was reinforced and the garrison under Letskoy was ready to fight. Zilantov Monastery and the Admiralty were turned into strongholds, redoubts were installed at Kazanka's bank and Arsk Field, and a system of knife-rests was installed around the city. Nine cannons were placed behind the knife-rests. The suburban settlements were left to defend themselves without government assistance.

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