Russian land before the Batu invasion. The problem of the "Mongol" invasion of Russia. Part of 2
The invasion of Batu. Traditional version
In 1234, the Mongol armies completed the conquest of North China. In 1235, the congress of nobles was assembled on the shores of Onon, it was decided to arrange the Great Western campaign, to reach the “last sea”. In the east, the borders of the empire were washed by the Pacific Ocean. It was necessary to reach the same border in the west. The military leader of the campaign was appointed the grandson of Genghis Khan - Batu. With him were sent several khans, who had their own military corps.
The question of the size of the army is up to date - various researchers call numbers from 30 to 500 thousand soldiers. Apparently, those who believe that the army itself had a “Mongol-Tatar” core in 30-50 thousand soldiers, as well as a significant number of less combat-ready militia from the vassal, subordinate tribes of the Juchi Ulus, are right. A significant part of them were representatives of Turkic tribes, Turkmens, Karakalpaks, Kipchaks, there were also Tajiks, soldiers of Siberian nationalities. There was a significant number of robbers, adventurers, volunteers "of all stripes that flock to the successful conquerors. Among them were even Knights Templar (which is a very interesting line).
In 1236, the avalanche knocked over a barrier of Bashkirs and Mansi, who for 13 had fought a border war with enemy troops for years. Part of their defeated units was also included in the army of Batu. Then the wave came to Volga Bulgaria. The Bulgarians-Bulgars smashed the corps of Jebe and Subedei, after the battle on the Kalka River. Now this “debt” has been paid with interest. The Bulgarians had many rich trading cities and towns, which put up stubborn resistance, but were destroyed one after another. It was captured and the capital of the state - the Great Bulgarians (Bilyar). The surviving Bulgarians fled to the forests, appeared in Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov and Vladimir.
The Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri II knew that the "Mongols" had good reasons for hostility with the Bulgarians. And they did not come across Vladimirskaya Rus, there were no visible reasons for hostility. To stand up for someone else, and even often a hostile country, there was no point. Mstislav Udalov already stood up for Polovtsian friends, it ended very badly. It is clear that the mayhem of a neighboring state was an alarming signal. But Russia has long dealt with the "steppe". Usually, everything was done with raids on border areas, and then more or less stable relations were established, including commerce, dynastic marriages, and the twin cities of princes with steppe leaders.
The empire of Genghis Khan at the time of his death.
Initially, it seemed that it would be so. Having defeated Volga Bulgaria, the Batu army moved south, its part clashed with the Polovtsy. It must be said that a stubborn war with the Polovtsy will continue for several years, until their complete defeat. Then part of the Polovtsy will go to Europe, the Transcaucasus and Asia Minor. The majority of the Polovtsians will be subordinated and will constitute the bulk of the population of the Golden Horde. From the Bulgarians, the merchants who came across the Russians, Baty collected information about the Russian principalities, cities, roads. The best time to strike was winter, when, following the example of the Russians, it was possible to move along the channels of frozen rivers.
The ruin of the land of Ryazan
The Russian princes at this point with intelligence was very bad. The days when “bogatyr outposts” stood in the steppe were long gone. Thus, in Ryazan, they learned about the approach of the enemy army from the "Tatar" ambassadors themselves - two Khan officials and a certain "sorceress wife." Ambassadors calmly communicated the demands of Batyi to express their humility to the khan, and begin to pay "tithe," which included not only a tenth of wealth, livestock, horses, but also people — warriors, slaves. Ryazan princes naturally refused: "When we are no one alive, then all yours will be." Proudly, but hardly reasonable. If intelligence had been put up well, the princes should have already known about the fate of their neighbors. The tithe that the churches used to pay, or the ruin of the whole earth, the destruction of cities and thousands of dead and stolen for sale into slavery, their own destruction. What's better?
Forces to resist the army of Batu Ryazan rulers were not. "Tatar" ambassadors are not touched, missed further, in Vladimir. Ryazan began to seek help. The Ryazan prince Ingvar Ingvarevich, together with the boyar Yevpatiy Kolovrat, went to Chernigov for help. Prince Kolomna Roman Ingvarevich went to ask for troops in Vladimir. However, the prince of Vladimir at that time simply could not allocate significant forces to help Ryazan - his selected regiments went with Yaroslav to the Dnieper in 1236 and fought with Chernigov for Galich. At the same time, Yuri apparently thought it was more profitable to sit outside the walls of cities and fortresses. The enemy will destroy the neighborhood, maybe he will take one or two towns, precipitate powerful Russian cities and rush into the steppe.
The Grand Prince of Ryazan, Yuri Igorevich, began to form a army. Ryazan had a great experience in fighting the Polovtsy, and they believed that the “Tatars” were such steppe dwellers. Therefore, we decided to withdraw the squads towards the enemy and give battle. Stepniaks usually could not withstand the blows of well-armed and trained squads. Yuri Ryazansky, his son Fedor Yuryevich, Oleg Ingvarevich Krasny, Roman Ingvarevich, and regiments of Muromsk princes performed with the squads. Yuri tried again to enter into negotiations with the enemy and sent an embassy with his son Fedor. However, Batu reasoned that the time for talking was over. Fedor was killed. A fierce battle took place on the border river Voronezh. Some princely squads were cut to the last, others, seeing that the larger army of the enemy surrounds them, tried to retreat. Oleg Ingvarevich was captured and was released only in 1252 year. Murom princes Yury Davydovich and Oleg Yuryevich died. After this battle, the “Tatars” quite easily captured the cities of the Ryazan land, left without defenders - Pronsk, Belgorod, Izheslavets, Voronezh, Dedoslavl.
Yuri Ryazansky with the remnants of the squad was able to break through and rode into his city, organizing a defense. Roman Ingvarevich took his warriors north to join up with the Vladimir army. However, the walls of even powerful fortresses were not an obstacle to the "Mongol-Tatars". The prisoners and auxiliary troops carried out engineering work, erecting a palisade to suppress attacks, filling the moat, preparing siege machines, and wall battering. In the army there was a contingent of engineers for siege work. Initially, the auxiliary troops went to the attack, which was not sorry, Bulgars, Bashkirs, Turkmen, etc. Their death was not considered a great loss. The large number of the army, allowed to arrange one attack after another, and the rows of defenders constantly concealed, and they were not replaced. On the sixth day of the siege, 21 December 1237, the year Ryazan fell. Prince Yuri fell in battle. From Ryazan, the army of Batu on the ice of Oka moved to Kolomna.
Meanwhile, in Chernigov, the Ryazan prince Ingvar was also denied help - at that time Chernigov fought with the regiments of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich for Kiev and Galich. The prince rode back. Ahead was the boyar Evpaty Kolovrat. The picture of completely destroyed and devastated Ryazan infuriated him, and he, with a small retinue of Ryazan and Chernigov volunteers, rushed to catch up with the enemy army. Along the way, his squad replenished with local residents. Yevpaty overtook the enemy in Suzdal and a sudden blow destroyed a number of rear units: "Yevpaty beat them so mercilessly that the swords dulled, and he took Tartar swords and sacked them." Baty, surprised by an unexpected strike, sent a selective detachment headed by the bogatyr Hostovrul against Evpaty of Furious. However, this detachment was also destroyed, and Hostovrul was struck down by the hand of Evpatiy Kolovrat. Russian warriors continued their strikes and the Ryazan knight “many of the famous bogatyrs Batyov broke here ...”. According to the legend, the Baty envoy, sent to the negotiations, asked Evpatiy - “What do you want?” And received an answer - “To die!”. Batu was forced to send the main forces around the arc, and only then the Russian squad was surrounded. Russian warriors fought so fiercely, exterminating the best hundreds of Batu, that according to legend, the "Tatars" had to use stone throwers. Batu appreciated strong opponents and respecting Evpatius Kolovrat’s desperate courage and military skills, left the last defenders of the body of the hero and allowed them to bury him.
Battle of Kolomna. The ruin of the Vladimir land
At this time, Yuri II was able to gather some strength and put his son Vsevolod and voevode Yeremey Glebovich at the head of them, he sent Ryazans to help. However, they were late, near Kolomna they were met only by the squad of Prince Roman Ingvarevich. Both princes were young and brave, in the Russian tradition there was an attack, not a defense outside the walls of the city. Therefore, princes Vsevolod, Roman and voevod Eremey Glebovich sent troops to the floodplain of the Moscow River on river ice and 1 in January 1238 of the year hit the enemy vanguard.
Russian heavy squads broke through the front of the enemy, many notable "Tatars" fell in battle, including the younger son of Genghis Khan Kyulkan. The battle was stubborn and lasted three days. Batu pulled the main forces, the Russian regiments were forced to retreat to the walls of the city and into the fortress itself. Prince Roman and voivode Yeremey laid down their heads in battle. Vsevolod with a small squad could break through from the environment and retreated to Vladimir.
Moscow’s turn came over Kolomna, it was defended by the younger son of Vladimir, Prince Yuri of Vladimir, and Voivode Philip Nyanka. 20 January 1238 after the 5 day siege, the fortress fell. Along Yauza and Klyazma, Batu's army moved to the capital of the grand duchy. Grand Duke Yuri II was in a difficult position. He sent all the available forces with Vsevolod to the people of Ryazan, to gather a new militia it took time, which was not there. The messengers to the people of Novgorod, and to Kiev to brother Yaroslav, were sent. But Novgorod and Kiev are far away, and the enemy regiments were moving rapidly. As a result, he left the sons of Vsevolod and Mstislav to protect the capital city, while he himself went to the Upper Volga to collect shelves. In general, the plan was not stupid. Such a maneuver could bring success if Vladimir withstood a long-term siege. At this time, the Grand Duke could gather fighters in the fist, militia from cities and graveyards, to receive reinforcements. There would be a serious threat to the rear of the Batu army, forcing him to lift the siege. However, for this it was necessary that Vladimir kept.
February 2 Vladimir appeared "Tatar" groups, showed the citizens of the captured prince Vladimir in Moscow. They did not immediately go to the assault, they surrounded the city with a tyn. Confusion and despair reigned in the city. Vsevolod and Mstislav, they wanted to go outside the walls and die "with honor", especially they were eager to fight, when Vladimir Yuryevich was killed in front of his mother and brothers, then they asked Bishop Mitrofan to get Schema in his hair with their wives and boyars. Voevoda Peter Oslyadyukovich dissuaded them from the attack, offered to defend themselves from the walls. In general, there was no single solid hand that would be able to organize the multitude of people crowded into the city. Someone went to the walls, getting ready to fight to the last, others only prayed and waited for the end.
The “Mongolian” command, having understood that there was no fierce battle here, as it was near the walls of Kolomna, was calm. Batu even sent part of the army to take Suzdal to replenish supplies. Suzdal fell quickly, from there they drove a big one full. Vladimir took on the same schedule as Ryazan. First built around the city tyn, then siege machines were collected, on the sixth day a general assault began. Vsevolod and Mstislav with personal squads tried to break through, but the ring was tight, everyone died (according to other data, they tried to negotiate and were killed in the Batu headquarters). February 7 "Tatars" broke into the city and lit it. Vladimir fell, the whole family of the Grand Duke died. According to another source, the enemy broke only through the first line of defense, in the city itself, battles were fought until February 10.
After the fall of Vladimir, Batu established himself in the thought that the resistance was broken. The army was divided, so it was easier to feed the soldiers and horses. One corps went along the Volga to Gorodets, Galich, the second made to Pereyaslavl, the third to Rostov. In total, 14 cities were occupied in February. Almost all of them were taken without a fight. People ran through the forests. Resistance was provided only by Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. In addition, the residents of Torzhok fought for two weeks, until the last moment its residents were waiting for help from Veliky Novgorod. The townspeople fought back attacks, made forays. But Novgorod, who had recently declared war for Torzhok to the Prince of Vladimir, now behaved differently. Collected Veche. We discussed the situation, argued and decided not to send the soldiers, to prepare Novgorod for defense. In addition, another question is whether the enemy will reach Veliky Novgorod. 5 March 1238, the heroic Torzhok fell.
The day before his fall, on March 4, in a battle on the River Sit, the troops of Yury Vsevolodovich were destroyed. He set up a camp in the Volga forests on the river. Sit (northwest of the Yaroslavl region). Brother Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich from Yuriev-Polsky, Yaroslavl Prince Vsevolod Konstantinovich, nephews of Vasilko and Vladimir Konstantinovich, lords of Rostov and Uglich came to his call. The corps of Burundi was able to defeat the Russian army with a sudden blow. Yuri Vsevolodovich and Vsevolod Konstantinovich fell in battle, Vasilko was captured and executed. Svyatoslav and Vladimir were able to leave.
It should be noted a very interesting fact. Batu's actions clearly contradict the myth of the "Tatar-Mongol" invasion. We were inspired from school, they love to show artistic works, like popular works of V. Yang, with this rich colors, that the cruel "Mongols" walked through Russia with fire and sword, destroying everything in their path. All Russians who were not killed were naturally enslaved and then sold. All Russian cities destroyed and burned. A sort of SS and Sonderkommando sample 13 century. However, if you take a closer look at the invasion. So you can pay attention to the fact that many cities survived. In particular, the rich and crowded Rostov, Yaroslavl, Uglich and other cities entered into negotiations with the "Mongols". In negotiations with those who allegedly destroyed everything in their path! They paid the required tribute, gave food, fodder, horses, people in carts, and survived. A very interesting situation would have happened if the Ryazan princes and Yuri Vsevolodovich were less proud.
Another fact about total "terror" from the "Tatar-Mongolian troops" - while moving back (Baty's army turned back, before reaching 100 versts Novgorod), Khan's soldiers stumbled upon the "evil city" - Kozelsk. Batu during the siege of Kozelsk forbade the ruin of the surrounding villages, on the contrary, he was merciful to the common people, receiving provisions and fodder. By the way, the siege of Kozelsk, as well as Torzhok, are also very interesting facts that violate the “slender” picture of the omnipotent, sweeping away all the “Mongolian” hordes. The capitals of the great principalities — Ryazan and Vladimir — took several days, and small towns, in fact villages with defensive fortifications, fought for weeks.
Very interesting and the behavior of the remaining princes in this terrible time. It seemed that at such a time - the invasion of unknown "Tatars", sweeping away everything in their path, they should forget their old quarrels, join forces, actively prepare for a battle with the invaders. “Get up is a huge country, get up for a mortal combat?” But no! All behaved as if the events in North-Eastern Russia do not concern them. The reaction was such as the usual princely strife, and not the invasion of an unknown enemy.
Moreover, there was no reaction to the invasion of the Batu army. Russian princes at this time continued to fight with enthusiasm with each other! It turns out that the “Tatar” invasion was not an event for them that went beyond the traditional policy of the region ?! Mikhail of Chernigov still firmly sat in Galicia. To withstand the onslaught of Yaroslav, he made an alliance with the Hungarian king White IV. Engaged the son of Rostislav with the daughter of the Hungarian monarch. Daniel, who actually embroiled Yuri II and Yaroslav into the war with the prince of Chernigov, turned out to be an ally of frivolous and unreliable. When he realized that the Vladimir regiments did not frighten the Chernigov Prince Michael and did not force him to cede Galich, Daniel entered negotiations with the enemy. The Volyn prince agreed to a separate peace, having received Przemysl for it. Now Mikhail of Chernigov could concentrate all his forces in order to recapture Kiev and Chernigov. In Galicia, he left Rostislav.
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich prepared to meet the troops of the Chernigov sovereign. However, here came the heavy and confused news that the "Tatars" destroy the city of Vladimir Russia. The messages were formidable and obscure, capable of overwhelming anyone. The mighty and crowded Vladimirskaya Rus collapsed in just a month. Jaroslav summoned the shelves and moved home. Mikhail of Chernigov triumphantly occupied Kiev. He took the title of Grand Duke of Kiev. Chernigov he handed over to cousin Mstislav Glebovich. His son Rostislav immediately spat on a contract with Daniel and seized Przemysl from him. But the quarrel with Daniel was a very reckless step. When Rostislav went on a campaign against the Lithuanian tribes, Daniel suddenly appeared at Galich. The common people, despite the resistance of the boyars, immediately recognized him as their prince and opened the gates. Znati nothing left, how to go to the prince to bow. He has forgiven the traitors again. Rostislav rushed to ask for help in Hungary.
To be continued ...
In 1234, the Mongol armies completed the conquest of North China. In 1235, the congress of nobles was assembled on the shores of Onon, it was decided to arrange the Great Western campaign, to reach the “last sea”. In the east, the borders of the empire were washed by the Pacific Ocean. It was necessary to reach the same border in the west. The military leader of the campaign was appointed the grandson of Genghis Khan - Batu. With him were sent several khans, who had their own military corps.
The question of the size of the army is up to date - various researchers call numbers from 30 to 500 thousand soldiers. Apparently, those who believe that the army itself had a “Mongol-Tatar” core in 30-50 thousand soldiers, as well as a significant number of less combat-ready militia from the vassal, subordinate tribes of the Juchi Ulus, are right. A significant part of them were representatives of Turkic tribes, Turkmens, Karakalpaks, Kipchaks, there were also Tajiks, soldiers of Siberian nationalities. There was a significant number of robbers, adventurers, volunteers "of all stripes that flock to the successful conquerors. Among them were even Knights Templar (which is a very interesting line).
In 1236, the avalanche knocked over a barrier of Bashkirs and Mansi, who for 13 had fought a border war with enemy troops for years. Part of their defeated units was also included in the army of Batu. Then the wave came to Volga Bulgaria. The Bulgarians-Bulgars smashed the corps of Jebe and Subedei, after the battle on the Kalka River. Now this “debt” has been paid with interest. The Bulgarians had many rich trading cities and towns, which put up stubborn resistance, but were destroyed one after another. It was captured and the capital of the state - the Great Bulgarians (Bilyar). The surviving Bulgarians fled to the forests, appeared in Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov and Vladimir.
The Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri II knew that the "Mongols" had good reasons for hostility with the Bulgarians. And they did not come across Vladimirskaya Rus, there were no visible reasons for hostility. To stand up for someone else, and even often a hostile country, there was no point. Mstislav Udalov already stood up for Polovtsian friends, it ended very badly. It is clear that the mayhem of a neighboring state was an alarming signal. But Russia has long dealt with the "steppe". Usually, everything was done with raids on border areas, and then more or less stable relations were established, including commerce, dynastic marriages, and the twin cities of princes with steppe leaders.
The empire of Genghis Khan at the time of his death.
Initially, it seemed that it would be so. Having defeated Volga Bulgaria, the Batu army moved south, its part clashed with the Polovtsy. It must be said that a stubborn war with the Polovtsy will continue for several years, until their complete defeat. Then part of the Polovtsy will go to Europe, the Transcaucasus and Asia Minor. The majority of the Polovtsians will be subordinated and will constitute the bulk of the population of the Golden Horde. From the Bulgarians, the merchants who came across the Russians, Baty collected information about the Russian principalities, cities, roads. The best time to strike was winter, when, following the example of the Russians, it was possible to move along the channels of frozen rivers.
The ruin of the land of RyazanThe Russian princes at this point with intelligence was very bad. The days when “bogatyr outposts” stood in the steppe were long gone. Thus, in Ryazan, they learned about the approach of the enemy army from the "Tatar" ambassadors themselves - two Khan officials and a certain "sorceress wife." Ambassadors calmly communicated the demands of Batyi to express their humility to the khan, and begin to pay "tithe," which included not only a tenth of wealth, livestock, horses, but also people — warriors, slaves. Ryazan princes naturally refused: "When we are no one alive, then all yours will be." Proudly, but hardly reasonable. If intelligence had been put up well, the princes should have already known about the fate of their neighbors. The tithe that the churches used to pay, or the ruin of the whole earth, the destruction of cities and thousands of dead and stolen for sale into slavery, their own destruction. What's better?
Forces to resist the army of Batu Ryazan rulers were not. "Tatar" ambassadors are not touched, missed further, in Vladimir. Ryazan began to seek help. The Ryazan prince Ingvar Ingvarevich, together with the boyar Yevpatiy Kolovrat, went to Chernigov for help. Prince Kolomna Roman Ingvarevich went to ask for troops in Vladimir. However, the prince of Vladimir at that time simply could not allocate significant forces to help Ryazan - his selected regiments went with Yaroslav to the Dnieper in 1236 and fought with Chernigov for Galich. At the same time, Yuri apparently thought it was more profitable to sit outside the walls of cities and fortresses. The enemy will destroy the neighborhood, maybe he will take one or two towns, precipitate powerful Russian cities and rush into the steppe.
The Grand Prince of Ryazan, Yuri Igorevich, began to form a army. Ryazan had a great experience in fighting the Polovtsy, and they believed that the “Tatars” were such steppe dwellers. Therefore, we decided to withdraw the squads towards the enemy and give battle. Stepniaks usually could not withstand the blows of well-armed and trained squads. Yuri Ryazansky, his son Fedor Yuryevich, Oleg Ingvarevich Krasny, Roman Ingvarevich, and regiments of Muromsk princes performed with the squads. Yuri tried again to enter into negotiations with the enemy and sent an embassy with his son Fedor. However, Batu reasoned that the time for talking was over. Fedor was killed. A fierce battle took place on the border river Voronezh. Some princely squads were cut to the last, others, seeing that the larger army of the enemy surrounds them, tried to retreat. Oleg Ingvarevich was captured and was released only in 1252 year. Murom princes Yury Davydovich and Oleg Yuryevich died. After this battle, the “Tatars” quite easily captured the cities of the Ryazan land, left without defenders - Pronsk, Belgorod, Izheslavets, Voronezh, Dedoslavl.
Yuri Ryazansky with the remnants of the squad was able to break through and rode into his city, organizing a defense. Roman Ingvarevich took his warriors north to join up with the Vladimir army. However, the walls of even powerful fortresses were not an obstacle to the "Mongol-Tatars". The prisoners and auxiliary troops carried out engineering work, erecting a palisade to suppress attacks, filling the moat, preparing siege machines, and wall battering. In the army there was a contingent of engineers for siege work. Initially, the auxiliary troops went to the attack, which was not sorry, Bulgars, Bashkirs, Turkmen, etc. Their death was not considered a great loss. The large number of the army, allowed to arrange one attack after another, and the rows of defenders constantly concealed, and they were not replaced. On the sixth day of the siege, 21 December 1237, the year Ryazan fell. Prince Yuri fell in battle. From Ryazan, the army of Batu on the ice of Oka moved to Kolomna.
Meanwhile, in Chernigov, the Ryazan prince Ingvar was also denied help - at that time Chernigov fought with the regiments of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich for Kiev and Galich. The prince rode back. Ahead was the boyar Evpaty Kolovrat. The picture of completely destroyed and devastated Ryazan infuriated him, and he, with a small retinue of Ryazan and Chernigov volunteers, rushed to catch up with the enemy army. Along the way, his squad replenished with local residents. Yevpaty overtook the enemy in Suzdal and a sudden blow destroyed a number of rear units: "Yevpaty beat them so mercilessly that the swords dulled, and he took Tartar swords and sacked them." Baty, surprised by an unexpected strike, sent a selective detachment headed by the bogatyr Hostovrul against Evpaty of Furious. However, this detachment was also destroyed, and Hostovrul was struck down by the hand of Evpatiy Kolovrat. Russian warriors continued their strikes and the Ryazan knight “many of the famous bogatyrs Batyov broke here ...”. According to the legend, the Baty envoy, sent to the negotiations, asked Evpatiy - “What do you want?” And received an answer - “To die!”. Batu was forced to send the main forces around the arc, and only then the Russian squad was surrounded. Russian warriors fought so fiercely, exterminating the best hundreds of Batu, that according to legend, the "Tatars" had to use stone throwers. Batu appreciated strong opponents and respecting Evpatius Kolovrat’s desperate courage and military skills, left the last defenders of the body of the hero and allowed them to bury him.
Battle of Kolomna. The ruin of the Vladimir land
At this time, Yuri II was able to gather some strength and put his son Vsevolod and voevode Yeremey Glebovich at the head of them, he sent Ryazans to help. However, they were late, near Kolomna they were met only by the squad of Prince Roman Ingvarevich. Both princes were young and brave, in the Russian tradition there was an attack, not a defense outside the walls of the city. Therefore, princes Vsevolod, Roman and voevod Eremey Glebovich sent troops to the floodplain of the Moscow River on river ice and 1 in January 1238 of the year hit the enemy vanguard.
Russian heavy squads broke through the front of the enemy, many notable "Tatars" fell in battle, including the younger son of Genghis Khan Kyulkan. The battle was stubborn and lasted three days. Batu pulled the main forces, the Russian regiments were forced to retreat to the walls of the city and into the fortress itself. Prince Roman and voivode Yeremey laid down their heads in battle. Vsevolod with a small squad could break through from the environment and retreated to Vladimir.
Moscow’s turn came over Kolomna, it was defended by the younger son of Vladimir, Prince Yuri of Vladimir, and Voivode Philip Nyanka. 20 January 1238 after the 5 day siege, the fortress fell. Along Yauza and Klyazma, Batu's army moved to the capital of the grand duchy. Grand Duke Yuri II was in a difficult position. He sent all the available forces with Vsevolod to the people of Ryazan, to gather a new militia it took time, which was not there. The messengers to the people of Novgorod, and to Kiev to brother Yaroslav, were sent. But Novgorod and Kiev are far away, and the enemy regiments were moving rapidly. As a result, he left the sons of Vsevolod and Mstislav to protect the capital city, while he himself went to the Upper Volga to collect shelves. In general, the plan was not stupid. Such a maneuver could bring success if Vladimir withstood a long-term siege. At this time, the Grand Duke could gather fighters in the fist, militia from cities and graveyards, to receive reinforcements. There would be a serious threat to the rear of the Batu army, forcing him to lift the siege. However, for this it was necessary that Vladimir kept.
February 2 Vladimir appeared "Tatar" groups, showed the citizens of the captured prince Vladimir in Moscow. They did not immediately go to the assault, they surrounded the city with a tyn. Confusion and despair reigned in the city. Vsevolod and Mstislav, they wanted to go outside the walls and die "with honor", especially they were eager to fight, when Vladimir Yuryevich was killed in front of his mother and brothers, then they asked Bishop Mitrofan to get Schema in his hair with their wives and boyars. Voevoda Peter Oslyadyukovich dissuaded them from the attack, offered to defend themselves from the walls. In general, there was no single solid hand that would be able to organize the multitude of people crowded into the city. Someone went to the walls, getting ready to fight to the last, others only prayed and waited for the end.
The “Mongolian” command, having understood that there was no fierce battle here, as it was near the walls of Kolomna, was calm. Batu even sent part of the army to take Suzdal to replenish supplies. Suzdal fell quickly, from there they drove a big one full. Vladimir took on the same schedule as Ryazan. First built around the city tyn, then siege machines were collected, on the sixth day a general assault began. Vsevolod and Mstislav with personal squads tried to break through, but the ring was tight, everyone died (according to other data, they tried to negotiate and were killed in the Batu headquarters). February 7 "Tatars" broke into the city and lit it. Vladimir fell, the whole family of the Grand Duke died. According to another source, the enemy broke only through the first line of defense, in the city itself, battles were fought until February 10.
After the fall of Vladimir, Batu established himself in the thought that the resistance was broken. The army was divided, so it was easier to feed the soldiers and horses. One corps went along the Volga to Gorodets, Galich, the second made to Pereyaslavl, the third to Rostov. In total, 14 cities were occupied in February. Almost all of them were taken without a fight. People ran through the forests. Resistance was provided only by Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. In addition, the residents of Torzhok fought for two weeks, until the last moment its residents were waiting for help from Veliky Novgorod. The townspeople fought back attacks, made forays. But Novgorod, who had recently declared war for Torzhok to the Prince of Vladimir, now behaved differently. Collected Veche. We discussed the situation, argued and decided not to send the soldiers, to prepare Novgorod for defense. In addition, another question is whether the enemy will reach Veliky Novgorod. 5 March 1238, the heroic Torzhok fell.
The day before his fall, on March 4, in a battle on the River Sit, the troops of Yury Vsevolodovich were destroyed. He set up a camp in the Volga forests on the river. Sit (northwest of the Yaroslavl region). Brother Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich from Yuriev-Polsky, Yaroslavl Prince Vsevolod Konstantinovich, nephews of Vasilko and Vladimir Konstantinovich, lords of Rostov and Uglich came to his call. The corps of Burundi was able to defeat the Russian army with a sudden blow. Yuri Vsevolodovich and Vsevolod Konstantinovich fell in battle, Vasilko was captured and executed. Svyatoslav and Vladimir were able to leave.
It should be noted a very interesting fact. Batu's actions clearly contradict the myth of the "Tatar-Mongol" invasion. We were inspired from school, they love to show artistic works, like popular works of V. Yang, with this rich colors, that the cruel "Mongols" walked through Russia with fire and sword, destroying everything in their path. All Russians who were not killed were naturally enslaved and then sold. All Russian cities destroyed and burned. A sort of SS and Sonderkommando sample 13 century. However, if you take a closer look at the invasion. So you can pay attention to the fact that many cities survived. In particular, the rich and crowded Rostov, Yaroslavl, Uglich and other cities entered into negotiations with the "Mongols". In negotiations with those who allegedly destroyed everything in their path! They paid the required tribute, gave food, fodder, horses, people in carts, and survived. A very interesting situation would have happened if the Ryazan princes and Yuri Vsevolodovich were less proud.
Another fact about total "terror" from the "Tatar-Mongolian troops" - while moving back (Baty's army turned back, before reaching 100 versts Novgorod), Khan's soldiers stumbled upon the "evil city" - Kozelsk. Batu during the siege of Kozelsk forbade the ruin of the surrounding villages, on the contrary, he was merciful to the common people, receiving provisions and fodder. By the way, the siege of Kozelsk, as well as Torzhok, are also very interesting facts that violate the “slender” picture of the omnipotent, sweeping away all the “Mongolian” hordes. The capitals of the great principalities — Ryazan and Vladimir — took several days, and small towns, in fact villages with defensive fortifications, fought for weeks.
Very interesting and the behavior of the remaining princes in this terrible time. It seemed that at such a time - the invasion of unknown "Tatars", sweeping away everything in their path, they should forget their old quarrels, join forces, actively prepare for a battle with the invaders. “Get up is a huge country, get up for a mortal combat?” But no! All behaved as if the events in North-Eastern Russia do not concern them. The reaction was such as the usual princely strife, and not the invasion of an unknown enemy.
Moreover, there was no reaction to the invasion of the Batu army. Russian princes at this time continued to fight with enthusiasm with each other! It turns out that the “Tatar” invasion was not an event for them that went beyond the traditional policy of the region ?! Mikhail of Chernigov still firmly sat in Galicia. To withstand the onslaught of Yaroslav, he made an alliance with the Hungarian king White IV. Engaged the son of Rostislav with the daughter of the Hungarian monarch. Daniel, who actually embroiled Yuri II and Yaroslav into the war with the prince of Chernigov, turned out to be an ally of frivolous and unreliable. When he realized that the Vladimir regiments did not frighten the Chernigov Prince Michael and did not force him to cede Galich, Daniel entered negotiations with the enemy. The Volyn prince agreed to a separate peace, having received Przemysl for it. Now Mikhail of Chernigov could concentrate all his forces in order to recapture Kiev and Chernigov. In Galicia, he left Rostislav.
Yaroslav Vsevolodovich prepared to meet the troops of the Chernigov sovereign. However, here came the heavy and confused news that the "Tatars" destroy the city of Vladimir Russia. The messages were formidable and obscure, capable of overwhelming anyone. The mighty and crowded Vladimirskaya Rus collapsed in just a month. Jaroslav summoned the shelves and moved home. Mikhail of Chernigov triumphantly occupied Kiev. He took the title of Grand Duke of Kiev. Chernigov he handed over to cousin Mstislav Glebovich. His son Rostislav immediately spat on a contract with Daniel and seized Przemysl from him. But the quarrel with Daniel was a very reckless step. When Rostislav went on a campaign against the Lithuanian tribes, Daniel suddenly appeared at Galich. The common people, despite the resistance of the boyars, immediately recognized him as their prince and opened the gates. Znati nothing left, how to go to the prince to bow. He has forgiven the traitors again. Rostislav rushed to ask for help in Hungary.
To be continued ...
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