The history of Russia's military victories is full of astonishing events that sometimes seem fictional but actually occurred. One such example of Russian ingenuity is the repulsion of the invasion by the Crimean Khan Gazi II Giray, who in 1591 invaded the territories of the Moscow state with a large army. At that time, Russia's situation was complicated: the country had recently endured the invasion of Devlet-Giray, the times of the Oprichnina, and the death of Ivan the Terrible. The country was ruled by the weak health Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, and his closest assistant was Boris Godunov.

Expecting an easy victory, the 150,000-strong Crimean army approached Moscow on July 4, 1591. The Russian Tsar did not have such forces and could only send a small army under the command of Fyodor Mstislavsky and Boris Godunov to meet the enemy. The Crimeans attempted to pass through the areas of the Simonov and Danilov monasteries but were repelled with heavy losses. The main battle erupted at the site of the present-day Don Monastery, where a movable fortification, the 'gulyay-gorod', was located. The Russian troops occupied a favorable position, wounded were taken to the Kremlin, and ammunition was delivered back.

Despite the enemy's numerical superiority, all their attacks were repelled, and the noble cavalry inflicted serious damage on the Crimean army with counterattacks. The cannon fire from the Russian artillery played a significant role, dividing the Tatar cavalry into small groups, facilitating the actions of the noble detachments. However, the situation remained tense as the advance units of the Crimeans approached the defenseless Novodevichy Monastery. Then the Russians decided to resort to cunning: an officer disguised as a merchant was sent to the Tatars, who provided false information about the arrival of Novgorod troops. At the same time, a small detachment under the command of Vasily Yanov attacked the Tatars again in Kolomenskoye, while the cannons on the Kremlin walls opened fire. As a result, the Crimean Khan believed in the arrival of reinforcements, lifted the siege, and hastily retreated. The Russians pursued the enemy and dealt a crushing defeat, destroying two-thirds of Gazi Giray's army.

After expelling the enemy, the Don Monastery was founded in gratitude to God for the victory. The defeated enemy requested peace and offered friendship to Fyodor Ioannovich. However, in 1592, a new attack by the Crimean army on the outskirts of Russia occurred, and it became clear that the Khan's assurances of friendly intentions were not to be trusted.