Battle of Kozelsk

In September 1607, False Dmitry II left Starodub with some 3,000 men in order to relieve Bolotnikov, besieged in Tula. At Kozelsk, on October 8, 1607, the rebels won their first victory against the government troops of Vasili IV Shuiski.^[2]

Despite the victory at Kozelsk, the capture of Tula on October 10 by Tsar Vasili made further efforts to relieve Bolotnikov meaningless. So the rebels besieged Bryansk in November 1607, where False Dmitry II was joined by 4.000 former Bolotnikov Cossacks, 3,000 Don Cossacks, and some 2,500 Polish mercenaries. Nevertheless, the rebels were defeated at Bryansk on December 25, 1607 by the government relief army.^[2]