December 19, 1237 - 770 years ago, the invasion of Batu Khan's troops into Russia began

Ryazan was the first to stand in the way of the conqueror. The city courageously defended itself, however, without waiting for help, it fell on the seventh day and was practically wiped off the face of the earth.

After the death of Vladimir Monomakh, an intensive process of disintegration of the great Kievan state began. Southern Russia was tormented by endless princely strife, in which the Polovtsian nomads actively participated as allies. Novgorod land increasingly distanced itself from distant Kyiv as a self-sufficient and independent state. And finally, the Rostov-Suzdal Principality grew out of the Slavic-Finnish wilds as an independent and ambitious force, when the son of Vladimir Monomakh, Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, became its ruler. Few people know today that he was the Grand Duke of Kyiv, but he is known to the whole world for the fact that a small town of Moscow appeared on the distant outskirts of his Rostov-Suzdal fiefdom ...

In the twelfth century, the feudal fragmentation of the Russian land marked the beginning of its division into Great, Little and White Russia, which finally became a geopolitical reality only in the 20th century. The first historical collision that initiated this process was the so-called. "Tatar yoke". In the historical fate of Russia, the yoke was destined to play a key role. Questions about its origin, character and significance in the process of formation of Great Russian statehood help us to understand today who we are, where we come from and where we are going...

In the second half of the XII century, Russia, like the entire Christian world, did not know that far in the East there was a "redistribution of the world." The mighty and brave people - the Mongols, united under the rule of the great leader Genghis Khan, rushed to conquer the world, involving many peoples and tribes of the Great Steppe in their expansion. The most active and widely settled people among them were the Tatars. By their name, the steppe invasion of Russia received its historical name - Tatar. It so happened that the Russians got to know him when it had not yet begun. This was in 1223. In the Mongol movement to the West, the flank of the Tatars touched the southern neighbors of Russia - the Polovtsians. They have long been "their", "home" nomads for the Russian people, and as "their" the South Russian princes decided to help them, stood with them against the Tatar-Mongols on the Kalka River - and suffered a catastrophic defeat. But the princes did not learn a lesson from this defeat. Carried away by their internecine strife, they did not seem to notice that a cloud hung over the Russian land, threatening to collapse with an invasion ...

By that time, Genghis Khan had created an empire that extended from the Pacific Ocean to the Volga. In 1224, shortly before his death, he divided it among the closest heirs, to whom he bequeathed to conquer the whole world to the Mongols. The task of expanding the empire to the west was entrusted to the son of Jochi - Batu (Batu), the eldest grandson of Genghis Khan.

Genghis Khan subordinated the tribal organization and daily life of the tribes subject to him to military necessity. Nomadic places for each family were strictly regulated. The place of each warrior was also strictly determined - both in civilian life, and in a campaign, and in battle. To serve the army was the duty of everyone, including the elderly, women and children. Victory in battles was invariably brought to the Mongols by the crushing pressure of horse lava, which was repeatedly strengthened by iron discipline and the organization of combat borrowed from conquered China. The actions of the cavalry masses in battle were directed by drums and flags, the traffic controllers signaled with flags on the field, and the army acted like a well-oiled mechanism. China adopted and mastered complex siege equipment.

And yet, the main "weapon of victory" of the Mongol invasion, as well as a thousand years before Genghis Khan, was an ordinary steppe warrior, nomad cattle breeder, devoted to his family, clan and commanders, whom the great khan put over him with all his being. The warrior perfectly owned a curved saber, hit a target with a bow at a gallop, was unpretentious in a campaign and fearless in battle. To match the warrior, a rider from an early age, was his undersized steppe horse. Unprepossessing in appearance, she was quick-footed and extremely hardy. Each warrior led several of these horses on a campaign.

In the autumn of 1237, the invading army of Batu Khan concentrated on the eastern borders of the Russian land. The first Russian principality on his way was the principality of Ryazan. The people of Ryazan asked for help from the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri, the princes of Chernigov ... In vain. The Mongols usually did not enter into negotiations: they simply demanded to lay down their arms under the threat of death. The Ryazans, who did not want to surrender, were immediately defeated in open battle, after which they shut themselves up in the city. The city was taken by storm and plundered to the ground. The princely family and many thousands of Ryazan citizens and residents of the surrounding villages perished. Batu's army continued its journey to the West, but suddenly a detachment of surviving Ryazan soldiers appeared in its rear. Hitting the rear of the invaders, they inflicted great damage on them, and all died a heroic death. Their leader, the boyar Yevpaty Kolovrat, also perished. The story about this has come down to us in the "Tale of the Invasion of Batu". The same legend described the death of Princess Evpraksia, who, at the news of the death of her beloved husband and his troops, threw herself from a high tower to the ground and killed herself to death ...

Further on the path of Batu was the capital of northeastern Russia - Vladimir-on-Klyazma. The city, which rivaled Kyiv in wealth and beauty, was taken by storm and burned, and the entire grand-ducal family perished. The Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich himself, who at the head of the army met Batu on the banks of the City River, suffered a crushing defeat and died. Northeastern Russia was conquered. It was winter. It was difficult for the conquerors and deadly for the population that fell under their rule. The Russian people who survived were taken away from food supplies, and fodder, and livestock, dooming them to starvation. Along the route of the Tatar-Mongolian army, the region became depopulated.

There were no troops or fortified cities on Batu's way to Novgorod, but dense forests and rivers that overflowed in the spring made the campaign against Novgorod impossible, and Batu led his army back to the Volga steppes. In the rear, the ruined and, it seemed, conquered northeastern Russia remained, but suddenly Batu's army met the small town of Kozelsk, whose resistance forced the invaders to linger for seven weeks. The inhabitants of Kozelsk decided: "Although our prince is young, let us lay down our lives for him, and here we will receive glory, and there we will receive heavenly crowns from Christ God." Everyone fought to the last - from young to old, made desperate sorties in which they destroyed siege engines. The invaders killed everyone - even those who could not resist, down to babies. They called Kozelsk "an evil city".

The invasion of Batu into Russia in 1237-1238. had all the signs of a raid. It was thought that it was similar to the Polovtsian raids on southern Russia and differed from them only on a larger scale, but this was a delusion. Batu really did not seek to seize and occupy Russian lands: his goal was to make the Russian princes his vassals and build the robbery of Russia into a system that works "on a permanent basis."

Intending to conquer the Russian principalities, Batu acted for sure, despite the fact that his army was by no means overwhelming in numbers. It numbered not hundreds, but tens of thousands, and the Russian forces were quite comparable in number to it, but they were poorly organized and fragmented. Batu had a superbly organized and monolithic army. Even if the united Russian princes had defeated Batu, they would not have been able to defend the independence of Russia under those conditions. Behind Batu were colossal reserves.

In 1238-1239. The horde rested, replenished its ranks with the conquered Polovtsians and again rushed to Russia. This time the goal was Kyiv, Chernihiv, Galich, Volyn. Mongolian horse lava, sweeping away everything, raced through the southern Russian steppes. Kyiv fell, holding out for almost three months, was completely plundered and destroyed. Southern Russia was turned into a desert. The surviving residents fled to the less affected regions of North-Eastern Russia and even further, to the Novgorod lands. In 1241, the Mongols passed through Hungary, reached Croatia and Dalmatia and reached the Adriatic Sea. The other wing of the invasion made its way through Poland, and at the turn of Western Europe was stopped by the Germans and Czechs; then Batu received news of the death of the great Khan Ogedei and hurried to his native steppes. Its reverse movement swept in a devastating whirlwind through Serbia, Bosnia and Bulgaria. Batu's raid on central Europe ended in 1242.

The power of Batu Khan, called the Golden Horde, stretched from the Ural River to the lower reaches of the Danube. The conquered Russian lands became part of it. Within the limits of North-Eastern Russia, the Tatar yoke was carried out through heavy tribute, tough vassal duties of Russian princes and punitive expeditions. The Russian princes retained power over their lands as servants and tributaries of the khan. This yoke differed from the Turkish yoke established a century and a half later in the countries of South-Eastern Europe, primarily by the absence of direct occupation. The conquerors did not live on the lands of the conquered people. Russian people who lived under the yoke usually did not meet a Tatar in their entire life. Only rare merchants who came to the Horde came into contact with the conquerors. The situation on the territory of Southern Russia was different. Its depopulated steppes occupied for a long time the Tatar-Mongolian and Polovtsian nomad camps with numerous Slavic slaves...

Being in the mass pagans, the Mongol conquerors were afraid of the wrath of alien spirits and gods and did not offend the faith of the peoples they conquered. They treated the Russian faith with special respect. Among the Mongolian nobility were Nestorian Christians. There were especially many of them among the Uighurs, who, as carriers of Chinese education, occupied a high position in the civil administration of the empire of Genghis Khan. The first century of the Tatar yoke, the most difficult for Russia, became a century of strengthening the authority of the Church and the power of the great princes. Under the strict protectorate of the Horde, the Church and the Grand Duke could strengthen the unity of Russia and "for the sake of the Horde" build Russian statehood. The iconic figure of this period of Russian history was Prince Alexander Nevsky. The military leader who stopped the German invasion in the Russian north-west, he was called upon to decide the question of the historical fate of the Russian people - whether they should die as the vanguard of Europe, fighting the Asian East, or recognize its power for the sake of preserving faith and national identity. Time has shown that the choice he made was the only right one. This great man, under the yoke of the Horde, marked the path for the development of Russian statehood, and the Muscovite state built by his descendants became the cradle of Great Russia.

The Mongol-Tatar invasion of Russia took place at the time of the princely civil strife, which greatly contributed to the success of the conquerors. It was led by the grandson of the great Genghis Khan, Batu, who started a war against the ancient Russian state and became the main destroyer of its lands.

First and second trip

In 1237, in winter, the first major attack of the Mongol-Tatar army on Russia took place - the Ryazan principality became their victim. Ryazan defended heroically, but there were too many attackers - without receiving help from other principalities (although messengers were sent with disturbing news), Ryazan held out for five days. The principality was captured, and its capital was not only completely plundered, but also destroyed. The local prince and his son were killed.

The Vladimir principality became the next on their way. The battle began from Kolomna, where the prince's troops were defeated, then the Mongols captured Moscow and approached Vladimir. The city, like Ryazan, held out for 5 days and fell. The last decisive battle for the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was the battle on the City River (March 4, 1238), where Batu completely defeated the remnants of the princely army. The principality was devastated and burned almost completely.

Rice. 1. Khan Batu.

Further, Batu planned to capture Novgorod, but Torzhok became an unexpected obstacle in his path, stopping the Mongol army for two weeks. After its capture, the conquerors nevertheless moved towards Novgorod, but as a result of unknown reasons, they turned south and for a long seven weeks got stuck at the walls of the heroically defending Kozelsk.

Impressed by how long this city held out against his large and well-trained army, Batu called it "evil".

The second campaign began in 1239 and lasted until 1240. During these two years, Batu was able to capture Pereyaslavl and Chernigov, Kyiv became the last of the major cities. After its capture and ruin, the Mongols easily coped with the Galicia-Volyn principality and went to Eastern Europe.

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Rice. 2. Map of the Mongol invasion.

Why did Russia fail?

There are several reasons why such a large territory was captured quickly enough. The first and most important is the disunity of the principalities, which is confirmed by the entire history of Russia. Each of them pursued its own interests, so that political fragmentation became a prerequisite for the fact that the princes did not unite military forces, and each individual army was not numerous and strong enough to stop the Mongols.

The second reason was that the conquerors had a large army, equipped at that time with the latest military technology. An additional factor was that by the time the commanders and soldiers of Batu came to Russia, they already had significant experience in siege business, because they captured many cities.

Finally, the iron discipline that reigned in the Mongol army, where every soldier was brought up from childhood, also made his contribution.

Rice. 3. The army of Khan Batu.

Such discipline was also supported by a very rigid system of punishments: the smallest unit in the army was a dozen - and they were all executed if one soldier showed cowardice.

The consequences of the Mongol-Tatar invasion of Russia

The results of the invasion were very difficult - this is even described in ancient Russian literature. First of all, the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols led to the almost complete destruction of cities - out of 75 that existed at that time, 45 were completely destroyed, that is, more than half. The population was greatly reduced, especially the layer of artisans, which slowed down the development of Russia. The result was economic backwardness.

Also, important social processes were suspended - the formation of an estate of free people, the decentralization of power. The southern and southwestern parts of Russia were alienated, and the division of the remaining territory continued - the struggle for power was supported by the Mongols, who were interested in separating the principalities.

Batu invasion

Genghis Khan

Jochi Khan

Ogedei

Batu's father Jochi Khan, the son of the great conqueror Genghis Khan, received the land of the Mongols from the Aral Sea to the west and northwest according to the paternal division.

Chingizid Batu became a specific khan in 1227, when the new supreme ruler of the huge Mongol state, Ogedei (the third son of Genghis Khan), transferred to him the lands of his father Jochi, which included the Caucasus and Khorezm (the possessions of the Mongols in Central Asia). The lands of Batu Khan bordered on those countries in the West that the Mongol army had to conquer - as his grandfather, the greatest conqueror in world history, ordered.

At the age of 19, Batu Khan was already a well-established Mongol ruler, who thoroughly studied the tactics and strategy of warfare by his illustrious grandfather, who mastered the military art of the Mongolian horse army. He himself was an excellent rider, accurately shot from a bow at full gallop, skillfully chopped with a saber and wielded a spear. But the main thing is that the experienced commander and ruler of Jochi taught his son to command troops, command people and avoid strife in the growing Chingizid house.

The fact that the young Batu, who received the outlying, eastern possessions of the Mongol state along with the khan's throne, would continue the conquests of the great grandfather, was obvious. Historically, the steppe nomadic peoples moved along the path beaten for many centuries - from East to West. The founder of the Mongolian state during his long life did not have time to conquer the entire Universe, which he so dreamed of. Genghis Khan bequeathed this to his descendants - his children and grandchildren. In the meantime, the Mongols were accumulating strength.

Finally, at the kurultai (congress) of Genghisides, assembled on the initiative of the second son of the great Khan Oktay in 1229, it was decided to put the plan of the “shaker of the universe” into execution and conquer China, Korea, India and Europe.

The main blow was again directed to the West from sunrise. To conquer the Kipchaks (Polovtsy), Russian principalities and the Volga Bulgars, a huge cavalry army was assembled, which was to be led by Batu.

Batu

His brothers Urda, Sheiban and Tangut, his cousins, among whom were the future great khans (Mongol emperors) - Kuyuk, the son of Ogedei, and Menke, the son of Tului, along with their troops also acted under his command. Not only the Mongol troops, but also the troops of the nomadic peoples subject to them, went on the campaign.

Batu was also accompanied by outstanding commanders of the Mongol state - Subedei and Burundai.

subday

Subedei had already fought in the Kipchak steppes and in the Volga Bulgaria. He was one of the winners in the battle of the Mongols with the combined army of Russian princes and Polovtsians on the Kalka River in 1223.

In February 1236, a huge Mongol army gathered in the upper reaches of the Irtysh set out on a campaign. Batu Khan led 120-140 thousand people under his banners, but many researchers call the figure much larger. In a year, the Mongols conquered the Middle Volga region, the Polovtsian steppe and the lands of the Kama Bulgars. Any resistance was severely punished. Cities and villages were burned, their defenders were completely exterminated. Tens of thousands of people became slaves of the steppe khans and in the families of ordinary Mongol warriors.

Having given his numerous cavalry a rest in the free steppes, Batu Khan in 1237 began his first campaign against Russia. First, he attacked the Ryazan principality, which bordered on the Wild Field. The people of Ryazan decided to meet the enemy in the border area - near the Voronezh forests. The squads sent there all perished in an unequal slaughter. The Ryazan prince turned for help to other specific neighboring princes, but they turned out to be indifferent to the fate of the Ryazan region, although the trouble came to Russia as a whole.

Ryazan Prince Yuri Igorevich, his squad and ordinary Ryazan people did not even think of surrendering to the mercy of the enemy. To the mocking demand to bring the wives and daughters of the townspeople to his camp, Batu received the answer "When we are gone, you will take everything." Turning to his warriors, the prince said “It is better for us to gain eternal glory by death than to be in the power of the filthy.” Ryazan closed the fortress gates and prepared for defense. All the townspeople capable of holding weapons in their hands climbed the fortress walls.

Effects

The fortifications of the city were destroyed, and Old Ryazan after some time was abandoned by the inhabitants, the capital of the Ryazan principality was moved to Pereslavl-Ryazan. Part of the Ryazanians managed to hide in the forests or retreat to the north, join the Vladimir troops and again fight the Mongols in Battle of Kolomna, as well as under the command of the returned from Chernigov Evpatiya Kolovrat- in the Suzdal land

Evpatiy Kolovrat(1200 - January 11, 1238) - Ryazan boyar , governor and Russian hero, hero Ryazan popular legends 13th century, times of invasion Batu(published in the Vremennik of the Moscow Society of History and Antiquity, book XV and Sreznevsky, "Information and notes", 1867). Epic responses and parallels to the legend of Khalansky, “Great Russian epics of the Kyiv cycle”, 1885. Evpatiy’s feat is described in the Old Russian “ ».

Story

Born, according to legend, in the village of Frolovo Shilovsky volost. Being in Chernihiv(according to " Tales of the destruction of Ryazan by Batu» with Ryazan prince Ingvar Ingvarevich), according to one version, with the embassy asking for help Ryazan principality against Mongols and learning about their invasion of the Ryazan principality, Evpaty Kolovrat with a "small squad" hastily moved to Ryazan. But he found the city already ruined " ... sovereigns of the slain and many people who died: some were killed and whipped, others were burned, and others were sunk» . Here the survivors joined him. … whom God kept outside the city”, and with a detachment of 1700 people, Evpaty set off in pursuit of the Mongols. Catching them in Suzdal lands, a surprise attack completely exterminated them rearguard . « And Yevpaty beat them so mercilessly that the swords were blunted, and he took the Tatar swords and cut them". amazed Batu sent against Evpatiy the hero Khostovrul, " ... and with him strong Tatar regiments", who promised Batu to bring Evpaty Kolovrat alive, but died in a duel with him. Despite the huge numerical superiority of the Tatars, during a fierce battle Evpatiy Kolovrat " ... began to flog the Tatar force, and beat many of the famous heroes of the Batyevs here ...". There is a legend that the envoy of Batu, sent for negotiations, asked Yevpaty - "What do you want?" And got the answer - "Die!". According to some legends, the Mongols managed to destroy Evpatiy's detachment only with the help of stone-throwing tools designed to destroy fortifications: And navadisha many vices on him, and began to beat him with many vices, and barely killed him. The main thing in this parable is that, struck by the desperate courage, courage and military skill of the Ryazan hero, Batu gave the body of the murdered Evpaty Kolovrat to the surviving Russian soldiers and, as a sign of respect for their courage, ordered them to be released without causing them any harm.

In some ancient sources, Evpaty Kolovrat is called Evpaty berserk.

In some editions of the Tale, Evpaty's patronymic is indicated - Lvovich and tells about his solemn funeral in the Ryazan Cathedral on January 11, 1238. The first city of the Suzdal land, which lay on the path of the Mongols after battles at Kolomna — Moscow- was taken on January 20, 1238 after a 6-day siege.

The Mongol-Tatars, having quickly devastated the Ryazan land, having killed most of its inhabitants and taking a large crowd, moved against the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. Khan Batu led his army not directly to the capital city of Vladimir, but bypassed through Kolomna and Moscow in order to pass the dense Meshchersky forests, which the steppe people were afraid of. They already knew that the forests in Russia were the best shelter for Russian soldiers, and the fight against the governor Yevpaty Kolovrat taught the conquerors a lot.

Towards the enemy from Vladimir came the princely army, many times inferior in number to the forces of Batu. In a stubborn and unequal battle near Kolomna, the prince's army was defeated, and most of the Russian soldiers died on the battlefield. Then the Mongol-Tatars burned Moscow, then a small wooden fortress, taking it by storm. The same fate befell all other small Russian towns, protected by wooden walls, which met on the way of the Khan's army.

Yuri Vsevolodovich

On February 3, 1238, Batu approached Vladimir and laid siege to it. The Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich was not in the city, he gathered squads in the north of his possessions. Having met decisive resistance from the Vladimirites and not hoping for an early victorious assault, Batu with part of his army moved to Suzdal, one of the largest cities in Russia, took it and burned it, exterminating all the inhabitants.

After that, Batu Khan returned to the besieged Vladimir and began to install wall-beating machines around him. In order to prevent the defenders of Vladimir from escaping from it, the city was surrounded by a strong fence in one night. On February 7, the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was taken by storm from three sides (from the Golden Gate, from the north and from the Klyazma River) and burned. The same fate befell all other cities on the land of Vladimirovshchina, taken from the battle by the conquerors. In place of flourishing urban settlements, only ashes and ruins remained.

Meanwhile, the Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich managed to gather a small army on the banks of the City River, where the roads from Novgorod and from the Russian North converged, from Beloozero. The prince had no exact information about the enemy. He expected the approach of new detachments, but the Mongol-Tatars delivered a preemptive strike. The Mongolian army moved to the battlefield from different directions - from the burned Vladimir, Tver and Yaroslavl.

Battle of the River City- the battle that took place March 4, 1238 between the army of Vladimir Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich and the Tatar-Mongolian army.
After the Mongols invaded the Principality of Vladimir, Yuri left the capital of the Principality and went into the forests near the City River (north-west of the modern Yaroslavl region of Russia), where the scattered remnants of the troops gathered. The Mongol army under the command of Temnik Burundai approached the City from the side of Uglich, which they had devastated.
The outcome of a stubborn battle was decided by the approach of fresh Mongol forces led by Batu. The Vladimir army was surrounded and almost completely killed. Prince Yuri died along with the army, his head was cut off and presented as a gift to Khan Batu. The defeat in the Battle of the Sit River predetermined the fall of North-Eastern Russia under the rule of the Golden Horde.

After the death of Grand Duke Yuri, his brother, Prince of Pereyaslavl Yaroslav Vsevolodovich, came to the throne of the Grand Duke, under whose direct control were the two largest principalities of North-Eastern Russia (Vladimir and Pereyaslav).
The army of Burundai was weakened after the battle, which was one of the reasons for Batu's refusal to go to Novgorod.

Then the khan's troops moved to the possessions of Volny Novgorod, but did not reach it. The spring thaw began, the ice on the rivers cracked under the hooves of the horses, and the swamps turned into an impenetrable quagmire. The steppe horses lost their former strength during the tiring winter campaign. In addition, the rich trading city had considerable military forces, and one could not count on an easy victory over the Novgorodians.

The Mongols besieged the city of Torzhok for two weeks and only after several assaults were they able to take it. In early April, Batu's army, not having reached Novgorod 200 kilometers, near the tract Ignach Krest, turned back to the southern steppes.

The Mongol-Tatars burned and plundered everything on their way back to the Wild Field. Khan's tumens went south in a corral, as if on a hunting raid, so that no prey could slip out of their hands, trying to capture as many captives as possible. Slaves in the Mongol state ensured its material well-being.

Not a single Russian city surrendered to the conquerors without a fight. But Russia, fragmented into numerous specific principalities, could not unite against a common enemy. Each prince fearlessly and bravely at the head of his squad defended his own destiny and died in unequal battles. None of them then aspired to the joint defense of Russia.

On the way back, Batu Khan quite unexpectedly stayed for 7 weeks under the walls of the small Russian town of Kozelsk.

According to the Nikon chronicle in 1238. in Kozelsk (first mentioned - 1146) there was a young prince Vasily. When Batu's troops approached the city and demanded its surrender, the Kozelchans on the council decided to defend the city and "Lay down your heads for the Christian faith". A siege began that lasted seven weeks. With the help of wall-beating guns, the enemy managed to destroy part of the fortress walls and climb the rampart, where "the battle was great and slashing evil."

Part of the defenders left the city and entered into an unequal battle. All of them died, killing up to 4 thousand Tatar-Mongol warriors. Having taken Kozelsk, Batu, being in a rage, ordered to destroy all the inhabitants, including "children sucking milk." Among the victims was also Prince Vasily of Kozel, who was said to have drowned in blood “well, young.” It was the Khan's revenge for the resistance. In addition, Batu ordered to call Kozelsk the Evil City, since his troops fought for seven weeks at the "grad" and three of the Horde princes were killed, whose bodies could not be found.

The heroic defense of Kozelsk struck contemporaries and remained in the memory of posterity. Despite some obvious exaggerations (the number of enemy losses, blood streams in which you can drown, etc.), the chronicle conveyed a vivid picture of the feat of the Kozel residents, who, not afraid of death, entered into an unequal struggle with the strongest enemy. The duration of the confrontation is especially impressive, while Ryazan, for example, was taken in 10 days, Vladimir in 5.
Having destroyed the city to the ground, the conquerors went to the Volga steppes.

Having rested and gathered with the forces of Genghisides, led by Batu Khan, in 1239 they made a new campaign against Russia, now to its southern and western territories.

The hopes of the steppe conquerors for an easy victory again did not come true. Russian cities had to be taken by storm. First, the border Pereyaslavl fell, and then the big cities, the princely capitals of Chernigov and Kyiv.

Prince Mikhail of Chernigov at Batu headquarters

The capital city of Kyiv (its defense after the flight of the princes was led by the fearless thousand Dmitry).

In December 1240, Batu approached Kyiv. Khan did not want to destroy the beautiful city and invited the townspeople to surrender without a fight. However, the people of Kiev decided to fight to the death.

The siege of Kyiv lasted a long time. All its inhabitants, young and old, came to the defense of the city. According to the chronicler "one fought with a thousand, and two fought with darkness." The Tatars had to use battering rams. Through the gaps in the walls, the Mongols broke into the city.

Furious Tatar-Mongols killed more than half of the civilian population.
Of the 50,000 people after the Batyev pogrom, no more than 2,000 residents remained in the city. The Assumption Cathedral, St. Sophia Cathedral, the Trinity Gate Church (now the main entrance to the Lavra) were destroyed. The invaders wiped out the Church of the Savior on Berestovo, the Irininsky Church and almost all the Kyiv gates from the face of the earth.

After capturing Kyiv, the Batev hordes continued their aggressive campaign across the Russian land. South-Western Russia - Volyn and Galician lands - was devastated. Here, as in North-Eastern Russia, the population fled to the dense forests.

Thus, from 1237 to 1240, Russia underwent an unprecedented devastation in its history, most of its cities turned into ashes, and many tens of thousands of people were taken into captivity. Russian lands lost their defenders. The princely squads fearlessly fought in battles and died.

Troops from different regions of the country gathered in the city. The soldiers of Great and Lesser Poland were commanded by Sulislav, the brother of the Krakow governor, the Upper Silesian army - Mieszko, the Lower Silesian - the prince himself Henry the Pious. Boleslav, son of a Moravian margrave Dipolda, led a foreign detachment, which included, among others, French templars, miners from Zlotaya Gozha, German knights. Heinrich also hoped for the help of the Czech king Wenceslas I who promised to join him. Henry, having decided to try his luck in a field battle, did not defend Wroclaw, but the townspeople managed to beat off the Mongol attack. The Mongols, leaving the city in the rear, April 9 attacked the army of the prince under Legnica. The Czech army was a day's journey from the battlefield.

Battle of Legnica

The course of the battle

First, there was a mutual remote shelling, in which the Mongol troops used a smoke screen, and thereby confusing the European shooters, attacked from the flanks with horse archers. The knights launched a blind attack, while hitting the vanguard, consisting of light cavalry, and crushed it. However, after some time, the main forces of the Mongols were sent into battle - heavily armed horsemen who struck from the right flank, shouting in Polish: "Save yourself, save yourself!". The combined troops of the Poles, the Templars and the Teutons were confused and began to retreat, and then completely turned into a stampede.

Henry's army was defeated by the Mongols, and he himself fell in battle. Heinrich's corpse was identified by a leg that had six toes. His head was put on a spear and brought to the gates of Legnica.

Aftermath of the battle

Despite the victory, the Mongols did not clash with the Czech army Wenceslas I, who was only a day late for Legnica, fearing the strengthening of the enemy due to the enemy forces defeated the day before and the risk of a possibly unfavorable outcome of the next battle, and did not move further west, but turned south, through Moravia to Hungary to join the forces of Batu, Kadan and Saturday.

It seemed that even to the west of the incinerated Russian land, the Khan's army was waiting for, albeit difficult, but still successful conquests.

But soon, in Moravia near Olomouc, Batu Khan encountered strong resistance from the Czech and German heavily armed knightly troops. Here, one of the detachments under the command of the Bohemian commander Yaroslav defeated the Mongol-Tatar detachment of the temnik Peta. In Bohemia itself, the conquerors clashed with the troops of the Czech king himself, in alliance with the Austrian and Carinthian dukes. Now Batu Khan had to take not Russian cities with wooden fortress walls, but well-fortified stone castles and fortresses, the defenders of which did not even think of fighting in an open field with Batu's cavalry.

Genghisid's army met strong resistance in Hungary, where it entered through the Carpathian passes. Upon learning of the danger, the Hungarian king began to concentrate his troops in Pest. Having stood under the walls of the fortress city for about two months and devastated the surroundings, Batu Khan did not storm Pest and left him, trying to lure the royal troops out of the fortress walls, which he succeeded.

A major battle between the Mongols and the Hungarians took place on the Sayo River in March 1241.

The Hungarian king ordered his and allied troops to stand on the opposite bank of the river with a fortified camp, surrounding it with wagons, and to guard the bridge over the Sayo heavily. At night, the Mongols captured the bridge and river fords and, having crossed them, stood on the hills adjacent to the royal camp. The knights tried to attack them, but were repulsed by the khan's archers and stone-throwing machines.

When the second detachment of knights came out of the fortified camp to attack, the Mongols surrounded it and destroyed it. Khan Batu ordered to leave a free passage to the Danube, into which the retreating Hungarians and their allies rushed. Mongolian horse archers led the pursuit, cutting off the “tail” part of the royal army with sudden attacks and destroying it. Within six days it was almost completely destroyed. On the shoulders of the fleeing Hungarians, the Mongol-Tatars broke into their capital city of Pest.

After the capture of the Hungarian capital, the khan's troops under the command of Subedey and Kadan ravaged many cities of Hungary and pursued its king, who had retreated to Dalmatia. At the same time, a large detachment of Kadan passed through Slavonia, Croatia and Serbia, plundering and burning everything in its path.

The Mongol-Tatars reached the shores of the Adriatic and, to relieve the whole of Europe, turned their horses back to the East, to the steppes. It happened in the spring of 1242. Khan Batu, whose troops suffered significant losses in two campaigns against the Russian land, did not dare to leave the conquered, but not conquered country in his rear.

The return journey through the South Russian lands was no longer accompanied by fierce battles. Russia lay in ruins and ashes. In 1243, Batu created a huge state on the occupied lands - the Golden Horde, whose possessions stretched from the Irtysh to the Danube. The conqueror made the city of Sarai-Batu in the lower reaches of the Volga, near the modern city of Astrakhan, his capital.

The Russian land became a tributary of the Golden Horde for several centuries. Now the Russian princes received labels for the possession of their ancestral principalities in Sarai, from the Golden Horde ruler, who wanted to see the conquered Russia only weak. The entire population was subject to a heavy annual tribute. Any resistance of the Russian princes or popular indignation was severely punished.

The Pope's envoy to the Mongols, Giovanni del Plano Carpini, an Italian by birth, one of the founders of the monastic order of the Franciscans, wrote after a solemn and humiliating audience for a European with the ruler of the Golden Horde

“... Batu lives with full splendor, having gatekeepers and all officials, like their Emperor. He also sits on a higher place, as on a throne, with one of his wives; others, both brothers and sons, and other younger ones, sit lower in the middle on a bench, while other people are behind them on the ground, with the men sitting to the right, the women to the left.

Sarai-Batu

In Sarai, Batu lived in large tents made of linen, which previously belonged to the Hungarian king.

Khan Batu supported his power in the Golden Horde with military force, bribery and treachery. In 1251, he participated in a coup d'etat in the Mongol Empire, during which, with his support, Munke became the great khan. However, Batu Khan, even under him, felt himself to be a completely independent ruler.

Batu developed the military art of his predecessors, especially his great grandfather and father. It was characterized by sudden attacks, swift action by large masses of cavalry, evasion of major battles, which always threatened with large losses of soldiers and horses, exhausting the enemy with the actions of light cavalry.

At the same time, Batu Khan became famous for his cruelty. The population of the conquered lands was subjected to mass extermination, which was a measure of intimidation of the enemy. The beginning of the Golden Horde yoke in Russia is connected with the name of Batu Khan in Russian history.

Chronological table

1209 - Birth of Batu, son of Jochi and Uki-Khatun

August - death of Genghis Khan

1228-1229 - Participation of Batu in the kurultai, at which Ogedei, the third son of Genghis Khan, was approved by the great khan

1229 - The first invasion of the troops of the Ulus Jochi into the Volga Bulgaria

1230 - Batu accompanies Ögedei on a campaign against the Jin Empire

1232 - The invasion of the troops of the Ulus Jochi deep into the territory of the Volga Bulgaria

1234 - At the kurultai, Batu was entrusted with the conquest of the Volga Bulgaria and Desht-i Kipchak

1235 - At the kurultai, the campaign to the West was declared the general cause of the clan of Genghis Khan

1236 - Batu's campaign in the Volga Bulgaria

1237 - Summer-autumn - the conquest of the Volga Bulgaria, the defeat of the Kipchak hordes

December - attack on the Ryazan principality

April-May - siege and capture of Kozelsk

Summer-autumn - military operations against the Kipchaks, the peoples of the North Caucasus

Actions against the Kipchak leader Bachman

October - siege and capture of Chernigov

Autumn - the invasion of the Mongols in the Crimea

1240 Spring - the advanced detachments of the Mongols under the command of Munk approach Kyiv, the murder of the Mongol ambassadors

1241 Winter - the ruin of Galicia-Volynskry Rus

March - Invasion of Poland, Hungary and Transylvania

1242 May 5 - Death of Chagatai, the last son of Genghis Khan. Batu becomes "aka" - the head of the Borjigin clan.

Autumn - the end of the march to the West

1243 - The first negotiations with the Russian princes, Grand Duke Yaroslav recognizes dependence on the Great Khan and his representative in the West - Batu

1244 - Seljuk sultan Kay-Khosrov II recognizes dependence on Batu

1244-1245 - Batu troops are fighting in the North Caucasus

1245 - Georgian queen Rusudan recognizes dependence on Batu

The murder of princes Mikhail of Chernigov and his relative Andrei at Batu's headquarters (possibly by agreement with Yaroslav of Vladimir)

Daniil Galitsky admitted dependence on Batu

Summer - the election of Guyuk, the son of Ogedei, as a great khan

1248 - Summer - Guyuk Khan's death during a campaign against Batu

1249-1250 - Attempts by the supporters of Batu to assemble a great kurultai for the enthronement of Munke, the son of Tului

1251 - Munch's "election" as great khan

1252 - Disclosure of a conspiracy against Munch. Massacres of Munch and Batu with their opponents. "Nevryuev's army" in North-Eastern Russia

1253 - Summer - arrival of William de Rubruck, envoy of Louis IX, to Bath

1254 - Daniil of Galicia begins armed operations against the Mongols in Ponysia

1255 - Batu resolves the conflict between the Seljuk sultans Kei-Kavus II and Kilic-Arslan IV

1256 - Death of Batu. Death of Sartak. Mongke appoints Ulagchi as the ruler of the Ulus Jochi

The “Tale of the Devastation of Ryazan by Batu” has been preserved, written, perhaps, by one of the eyewitnesses of the events. She tells about the exploits of the Ryazan princes and their warriors, who fell in an unequal battle with enemies. One of the heroes of the story is a brave Ryazan governor Evpatiy Kolovrat. Accidentally avoiding the common fate, he gathered the remnants of the Ryazan forces and rushed after the departing horde. With a sudden blow, Evpaty plunged the Tatar governors into confusion. Only after a long battle did they manage to destroy Evpatiy's detachment and kill him himself. Admired by the courage of the governor, Batu ordered the Russian prisoners to be released and the body of the hero to be given to them for a decent burial.

Siege of Moscow

The siege of Moscow by the troops of Batu was on January 20, 1238. Moscow was defended steadfastly - a strong fortress on the southwestern borders of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. Here, the son of Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich led the defense Vladimir. Shortly before the last assault, one of the noble Muscovites decided to save family valuables - several dozen silver jewelry, burying them in the ground on the city rampart. However, there was no one to dig out the treasure... This treasure was accidentally discovered only seven and a half centuries later during construction work in the Moscow Kremlin.

Defense of Vladimir

Soon after Moscow came the turn of the capital Vladimir. The defense of Vladimir began on January 3, 1238, and on February 7, after a fierce battle, the city was taken by the troops of Batu. The last surviving townspeople closed themselves in the Assumption Cathedral. But even there they did not find salvation. The Tatars broke down the doors of the temple and rushed inside. Some townspeople managed to climb the choirs inside the temple and shut themselves up there. Then the "filthy" dragged fallen trees, logs and boards to the cathedral and set them on fire. People who took refuge in the choirs - among them was the wife of Grand Duke Yuri Agafya, her younger children and grandchildren, as well as the bishop of Vladimir Mitrofan- died in a fire or suffocated from smoke.

Battle of the River Sit

Batu's campaign against Novgorod

Retreat of Batu

In 1239, the Mongols had to resume hostilities against the seemingly already conquered Russia.

Siege of Kyiv

It was only in the autumn of 1240 that Batu was able to continue his great offensive to the West. Having crossed the Dnieper, he laid siege to Kyiv. According to the summer scribe, the horde of many thousands gathered at the walls of Kyiv made a terrible noise. Even in the city, the creak of cart wheels, the roar of camels, the neighing of horses drowned out the voices of people.

The decisive assault on the city continued for a whole day. On November 19, 1240, the Mongols took Kyiv. All its inhabitants were either killed or taken prisoner.

The conquest of the Galicia-Volyn principality

What were the main reasons for the conquest of Russian lands? The main one is political fragmentation, disunity of the fighting forces of the Russian princes. However, Batu's army outnumbered the Russian regiments not only in their numbers. It was distinguished by iron discipline and extraordinary mobility. Born riders, the Mongols masterfully wielded all types of weapons used in mounted combat. At the same time, they also had the best wall-beating machines from China for that time. Following the precepts of Chinggis Khan, the Mongol commanders attached great importance to reconnaissance. Preparing for war, they sent their observers to a foreign land (under the guise of merchants or ambassadors), collected information about cities and roads, weapons and fighting spirit of the future enemy. Finally, the conquerors were well aware of the importance of the psychological factor. In an effort to sow panic among the population, they not only spread disturbing rumors, but also sent special detachments ahead of the troops, who were ordered not to take prisoners, not to capture booty, but only to destroy everything and destroy everyone in their path. It seemed that it was not people who were walking, but some fiends against whom a person was powerless...

"Torn and dying" Russia from the middle of the XIII century. becomes a "Russian ulus", a province of the Mongol Empire. In 1243, the Russian princes who survived the pogrom were summoned to the headquarters of Batu. There they learned that from now on they would receive their power only from the hands of the great khan in Mongolia and his confidant, the ruler of the "Juchi ulus". Thus began the 240-year rule over Russia by the steppe "kings".

The invasion of the Tatar-Mongols into Russia began in 1237, when Batu's cavalry invaded the territory of the Ryazan lands. As a result of this attack, Russia found itself under the yoke of a two-century yoke. This interpretation is set out in most history books, but in reality the relationship between Russia and the Horde was much more complicated. In the article, the yoke of the Golden Horde will be considered not only in the usual interpretation, but also taking into account its controversial points.

Beginning of the Mongol-Tatar invasion

For the first time, the squads of Russia and the Mongol hordes began to fight at the end of May 1223 on the Kalka River. The Russian army was led by Prince Mstislav of Kyiv, and the Horde was commanded by Jebe-noyon and Subedey-bagatur. The army of Mstislav was not just defeated, but almost completely destroyed.

In 1236, the Tatars launched another invasion of the Polovtsians. In this campaign, they won many victories and by the end of 1237 came close to the lands of the Ryazan principality.

Mongol conquest of Russia, which took place from 1237 to 1242, is divided into two stages:

1. 1237 - 1238 - invasion of the northern and eastern territories of Russia.
2. 1239 - 1242 - a campaign in the southern territories, which led to a further yoke.

Chronology of events up to 1238

The Horde cavalry was commanded by Batu Khan (Batu Khan), the grandson of the famous Genghis Khan, who subordinated about 150 thousand soldiers. Together with Batu, Subedei-bagatur, who fought with the Russians earlier, participated in the invasion. The invasion began in the winter of 1237, its exact date is unknown. Some historians claim that the attack took place in the late autumn of the same year. Batu's cavalry moved at high speed across the territory of Russia and conquered cities one after another.

The chronology of Batu's campaign against Russia is as follows:

• Ryazan was defeated in December 1237 after a six-day siege.
• Before the conquest of Moscow, Vladimir Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich tried to stop the Horde near Kolomna, but was defeated.
• Moscow was conquered in January 1238, the siege lasted four days.
• Vladimir. After an eight-day siege, it was conquered in February 1238.

The capture of Ryazan - 1237

At the end of the autumn of 1237, an army of about 150 thousand, led by Khan Batu, invaded the territory of the Ryazan principality. Arriving at Prince Yuri Igorevich, the ambassadors demanded tribute from him - a tenth of what he owns. They were refused, and the Ryazans began to prepare for defense. Yuri turned to Vladimir Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich for support, but received no help.

At the same time, Batu defeated the vanguard of the Ryazan squad and in mid-December 1237 laid siege to the capital of the principality. The first attacks were repulsed, but after the use of battering rams by the invaders, the fortress, which had held out for 9 days, was defeated. The Horde broke into the city, arranging a massacre in it.

Even though the prince and almost all the inhabitants of the fortress were killed, the resistance of the Ryazans did not stop. Boyar Evpaty Kolovrat gathered an army of about 1,700 people and went in pursuit of Batu's army. Having caught up with her, the warriors of Kolovrat defeated the rearguard of the nomads, but subsequently they themselves fell in an unequal battle.

Battle of Kolomna, capture of Moscow and Vladimir - 1238

After the fall of Ryazan, the Tatars attacked Kolomna, a city that at that time was an important strategic center. Here was the vanguard of the troops of Prince Vladimir, commanded by Vsevolod. Having entered into an unequal battle with the troops of Batu, the Russians suffered a crushing defeat. Most of them died, and Vsevolod Yurievich with the surviving squad retreated to Vladimir.

Batu reached Moscow in the third decade of 1237. At that time, there was no one to defend Moscow, since the basis of the Russian army was destroyed near Kolomna. At the beginning of 1238, the Horde broke into the city, completely ruined it and killed everyone, young and old. Prince Vladimir was taken prisoner. After the defeat of Moscow, the troops of the invaders went on a campaign against Vladimir.

In early February 1238, an army of nomads approached the walls of Vladimir. The Horde attacked him from three sides. Destroying the walls, using wall-beating devices, they broke into the city. Most of the inhabitants were killed, including Prince Vsevolod. And eminent citizens were locked in the temple of the Virgin and burned . Vladimir was plundered and destroyed.

How did the first invasion end?

After the conquest of Vladimir, almost the entire territory of the northern and eastern lands was in the power of Batu Khan. He took cities one after another: Dmitrov, Suzdal, Tver, Pereslavl, Yuriev. In March 1238, Torzhok was taken, which opened the way for the Tatar-Mongols to Novgorod. But Batu Khan decided not to go there, but sent an army to storm Kozelsk.

The siege of the city went on for seven weeks and ended only when Batu offered to surrender to the defenders of Kozelsk in exchange for saving their lives. They accepted the conditions of the Tatar-Mongols and surrendered. Batu Khan did not keep his word and gave the order to kill everyone, which was done. Thus ended the first invasion of the Tatar-Mongols on the lands of Russia.

Invasion of 1239 - 1242

A year and a half later, in 1239, a new campaign of troops under the command of Batu began in Russia. This year the main events unfold in Chernigov and Pereyaslav. Batu did not advance as rapidly as in 1237, due to the fact that he was actively fighting against the Polovtsy in the Crimean lands.

In the autumn of 1240, Batu leads the army directly to Kyiv. The ancient capital of Russia was not able to resist for a long time, and in early December 1240 the city fell under the onslaught of the Horde. There was nothing left of him, Kyiv was actually "wiped off the face of the earth." Historians speak of particularly cruel atrocities perpetrated by the invaders. The Kyiv that has survived to this day, has absolutely nothing to do with a city destroyed by the Horde.

After the destruction of Kyiv, the Tatar troops were divided into two armies, one headed for Galich, and the other for Vladimir-Volynsky. After the capture of these cities, the Tatar-Mongols set off on a European campaign.

The consequences of the invasion of Russia

All historians give an unambiguous description of the consequences of the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols:

• The country was divided and was completely dependent on the Golden Horde.
• Russia paid tribute to the Khanate every year (in people, silver, gold and furs).
• The state stopped its development due to the most difficult situation.

The list can go on and on, but the overall picture of what is happening is already clear.

In short, this is how the period of the Horde yoke in Russia is presented in the official historical interpretation found in textbooks. Further, the arguments cited by L. N. Gumilyov, a historian-ethnologist and orientalist, will be considered. And also a number of important issues will be touched upon, giving an understanding of how much more complex the relations between Russia and the Horde were than is commonly believed.

How did nomads conquer half the world?

Scholars often question whether how a nomadic people, who only a few decades ago lived in a tribal system, was able to create a huge empire and conquer almost half the world. What goals did the Horde pursue in the campaign against Russia? Historians claim that the purpose of the invasion was to plunder the lands and subjugate Russia, and it is also said that the Tatar-Mongols achieved this.

But in reality it's not quite like that., because in Russia there were three very rich cities:

• Kyiv is one of the largest European cities, the capital of ancient Russia, captured and destroyed by the Horde.
• Novgorod is the largest trading city and, at that time, the richest. From the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols, he did not suffer at all.
• Smolensk, like Novgorod, was a trading city, and in terms of wealth it was compared with Kyiv. He also did not suffer from the Horde.

It turns out that two of the three largest cities of ancient Russia did not suffer from the Golden Horde in any way.

Historians' explanations

If we consider the version of historians - to ruin and rob, as the main goal of the Horde's campaign against Russia, then there is no logical explanation. Batu captures Torzhok, the siege of which takes two weeks. This is a poor city, its main task was to guard and protect Novgorod. After the capture of Torzhok Batu goes not to Novgorod, but to Kozelsk. Why is it necessary to waste time and energy on the siege of an unnecessary city, instead of just going to Kozelsk?

Historians give two explanations:

1. Heavy losses during the capture of Torzhok did not allow Batu to go to Novgorod.
2. Spring floods prevented the move to Novgorod.

The first version seems logical only at first glance. If the Mongols suffered heavy losses, then it was advisable to leave Russia to replenish the troops. But Batu goes to besiege Kozelsk. It suffers colossal losses and rapidly leaves the lands of Russia. The second version is also difficult to accept, since in the Middle Ages, according to climatologists, it was even colder in the northern regions of Russia than now.

Paradox with Kozelsk

An inexplicable and paradoxical situation has developed with Smolensk. As described above, Batu Khan, after conquering Torzhok, went to besiege Kozelsk, which in its essence was a simple fortress, a poor and small town. The Horde tried to capture it for seven weeks, while suffering many thousands of losses. There was absolutely no strategic and commercial benefit from the capture of Kozelsk. Why such sacrifices?

Just a day of riding on horseback and you could be at the walls of Smolensk, one of the richest cities of ancient Russia, but Batu for some reason does not go in this direction. It is strange that all the above logical questions are ignored by historians.

Nomads do not fight in winter

There is another interesting fact that orthodox history simply ignores because it cannot explain it. And one and the other Tatar-Mongolian invasions of Ancient Russia were made in winter or late autumn. Let's not forget that the army of Batu Khan consisted of nomads, and they, as you know, began their military campaigns only in the spring and tried to finish the battle before the onset of winter.

This is due to the fact that the nomads traveled on horses, which need food every day. How was it possible to feed tens of thousands of Mongolian horses in the conditions of snowy winter Russia? Many historians call this fact insignificant, but it cannot be denied that the success of a long campaign directly depends on the supply of troops.

How many horses did Batu have?

Historians say that the army of nomads ranged from 50 to 400 thousand cavalry. What kind of support should such an army have?

As far as is known, going on a military campaign, each warrior took three horses with him:

• riding, on which the rider constantly moved during the campaign;
• a pack-house, on which weapons, ammunition and things of a warrior were transported;
• fighting, which went without any load, so that at any time the horse with fresh forces could enter the battle.

It turns out that 300 thousand riders is 900 thousand horses. Plus the horses involved in the transportation of rams and other tools, provisions. That's over one million. How is it possible to feed such a herd in a snowy winter, during the Little Ice Age?

What was the number of nomads?

There is conflicting information about this. It is said about 15, 30, 200 and 400 thousand people. If we take a small number, then it is difficult to conquer a principality with such a number, the squad of which includes 30-50 thousand people. Moreover, the Russians resisted desperately, and many nomads died. If we talk about large numbers, then the question arises of providing food.

Thus, apparently, things happened differently. The main document, according to which the invasion was studied, is the Laurentian Chronicle. But she is not without a flaw, which was recognized by official history. Three pages of the annals describing the beginning of the invasion have been changed, which means they are not original.

In this article, contradictory facts were considered, and it is proposed to draw conclusions on your own.