The first and second campaigns of Batu on Russia

In the history of each people there are periods of highest prosperity and times of decline. In Russia it was the same. Having reached the golden age under Vladimir the Great, Yaroslav the Wise and Vladimir Monomakh, the country was bogged down in internecine wars for the Kiev throne. There were too many princes, but there were still few thrones. Sons and grandchildren fought among themselves, with their brothers and uncles, and the state only lost from this. Not surprisingly, Baty's trips to Russia, which fell out just at this time, were so successful. There was not only unity between the principalities, but also the desire to help them one another. The cities were weakened: the fortress walls were not in the best condition, there was a catastrophic lack of money, and there were few professional warrior soldiers. So we had to defend our homes to ordinary citizens, those who never had weapons in their hands, and they simply did not have any knowledge of military strategy and tactics.

Other reasons for the defeat of Russia

It is worth noting that there were other reasons for the defeat of Russia. Baty's trips to Russia were not carried out spontaneously, they were carefully prepared and thought out. Since the time of Genghis Khan, the legendary commander from the depths of Asia, the scouts have told us that the Russian princedoms are very rich, and it will be quite easy to take them. As a battle reconnaissance, it is customary to consider a campaign that ended in a battle on the Kalka River. It is worth noting that the Mongol-Tatar army was very strong, and the iron discipline and obedience to any commander's order contributed to success. In addition, after capturing China, the Horde had advanced military technologies and siege equipment at their disposal, which had no analogues at that time.

Mongolian invasion (briefly)

It is worth noting that there were two periods of the Mongol invasion. The first campaign of Batu to Russia lasted from 1237 to 1238. During his time the Horde conquered the Ryazan and Vladimir-Suzdal principalities, turned to Veliky Novgorod, but did not reach him and turned back. Before that, they captured the Volga Bulgaria. The second campaign of Baty to Rus can be briefly described as follows: during the period 1239-1240 he captured Kiev, Vladimir-Volyn principality and went further to Europe. However, the Mongolo-Tatars expected a big quick victory, but the resistance proved to be desperate. Strongly having lost in force, the khan could not reach the last western sea, as he had intended earlier, so he turned back.

Conquest of Northern Russia. Taking Ryazan

The first campaign of Batu to Russia was like a bolt from the blue. Of course, the Russian warriors remembered the battle of Kalka, they knew that the Mongols were a dangerous enemy, but still they hoped they would prevail against him if he ventured to come to them. The death of Genghis Khan pushed back the beginning of a large military campaign, but this gave an opportunity to build up strength. The sons of the commander conquered Northern China, the Volga Bulgaria, joined the army of the Polovtsians (Kipchaks). In December 1237 the horde, having crossed the Volga, approached the border of the Ryazan principality. Batu demanded conquest and tribute, but received a sharp response. The Ryazans asked for help from other Russian princes, but they did not receive it. After five days of brutal siege, the capital fell and was wiped from the face of the earth. The same fate fell on the share of Ryazan land.

The ruin of the Vladimir principality. Battle on the river Sit

But the campaign of Khan Batu to Russia continued. The army moved to Vladimir Principality. Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich sent a squad to Kolomna, where she died. After Kolomna Moscow fell, the capital city of Vladimir. In early 1238, the regiments collected by the prince were finally defeated on the river Sit. Further, the brutal rebuff to the Mongols was given by Torzhok, who stormed for two weeks, and Kozelsk, who was taken after a seven-week siege. Fearing that the snow would soon begin to melt, the khan ordered to turn back, only a hundred versts before he reached the walls of Novgorod. Although, it should be noted, some historians believe that rich Novgorod paid off from the Mongols, so it was not taken. And there is a version that Baty and Alexander Nevsky are one and the same person. And since Novgorod was his city, he did not ruin him.

Whatever it was, but on this first campaign of Khan Batu to Russia is over. The Horde retreated to the Polovtsian lands to lick their wounds and gather strength for a new attack.

The Second Invasion of the Mongols

In the spring of 1239 Batyi's campaign began on southern Russia. In March, the Pereyaslavl was taken as a Mongol-Tatars, in October - the city of Chernigov. After him in 1240 the Horde besieged Kiev, the main city of Rus, its capital. Then Baty moved to the West, where he captured the Galicia-Volyn principality, invaded Poland and Hungary, went to the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Perhaps the second campaign of Batu to Russia would not have ended this, but the news came about the death of the Khagan. Wishing to take part in the kurultai, where the new ruler of the Mongols was to be elected, the grandson of Genghis Khan turned back to the steppe. It was no longer possible for the horde to regain its strength for such a large-scale military campaign. Therefore, Europe remained untouched, Russia took a severe blow and strongly exhausted the enemy.

Taking Kiev

Baty's campaign to Russia can not be briefly described. Each city resisted as best they could, but the forces were unequal. The chronicles describe the heroic rebuff of the Russians, who fought to the last drop of blood. That's how they say about the capture of the golden-eared Kiev ancient sources.

At that time the city belonged to Daniel Galitsky, but the prince himself was not in it. The commander of the commander was Dmitri. As always, Batu demanded conquest and tribute, promising pardon to all the defenders, but Kiev refused and rebuffed the invaders. Using powerful stenobitic tools, the Mongols entered the city, ousting the inhabitants. The last defenders gathered at Detinets, erecting a new wall for defense. But even that line was taken. The Kievites gathered in the Church of the Tithes, which also collapsed, becoming a gravestone for patriots. A wounded, barely alive voivode was led to the khan, and Batu pardoned him for his heroism. Such mercy was widely used by the Mongols since the time of Genghis Khan. Later Dmitry took part in hordes of hikes to Europe.

Consequences of the campaign

Baty's trips to Russia, both first and second, brought much grief to these lands. The Principalities were devastated, burned, the population either killed, or kidnapped. Of the cities that numbered 74, 49 were destroyed. Fourteen of them could not rebuild and return to life. During the invasion, knowledge was lost, therefore, stone construction, the production of glassware and window panes, cloisonne enamel ceased . A large number of princes and the ruling elite perished, and the influence of the unprivileged strata of society increased. In Russia, economic decline began, cultural and political degradation, which dragged on for many years.

Mysteries of History

But there is another view of history, another assessment of those events. Of course, Baty's trips to Russia did not bring anything good to her. However, many researchers believe that the Mongols were not as cruel as the chroniclers describe them. Of course, they are children of their time, which means they were forced to fight for survival in the ways that were available to them. They also question the number of invaders. If Batu and other princes had led a multimillion army, the horses simply would not have enough food. The mystery remains also why small towns (Kolomna, Torzhok, Kozelsk) managed to hold a siege for a long time, while the capitals of principalities with their massive walls were taken in a few days. And why did nomads from the east need these small settlements that are not of strategic importance? Why did the Mongols turn from Novgorod, the wealth of which was legendary? Why did not you go to Smolensk? Scared? But they were not from a timid ten! But these questions remain unanswered until now.