N A S H K A L E N D A R B
November 24, 1480 - the end of the Tatar-Mongol yoke in Rus'
In the distant fifties, the author of this article, then a graduate student of the State Hermitage, took part in archaeological excavations in the city of Chernigov. When we reached the layers of the mid-13th century, terrible pictures of the traces of Batu’s invasion of 1239 unfolded before our eyes.
Ipatiev Chronicle under. 1240 describes the storming of the city in the following way: “The city of Chernigov was surrounded (“Tatarov” - B.S.) in heavy strength... Prince Mikhail Glebovich came to the foreigners with his troops, and the battle was fierce near Chernigov... But Mstislav was quickly defeated and a lot of howls (warriors - B.S.) beat him up quickly. And she took the hail and set it on fire...” Our excavations confirmed the accuracy of the chronicle record. The city was ravaged and burned to the ground. A ten-centimeter layer of ash covered the entire area of one of the richest cities of Ancient Rus'. Fierce battles took place for every house. The roofs of houses often bore traces of impacts from heavy stones of Tatar catapults, the weight of which reached 120-150 kg (The chronicles noted that these stones could barely be lifted by four strong men.) Residents were either killed or taken prisoner. The ashes of the burned city were mixed with the bones of thousands of dead people.
After graduating from graduate school, already as a museum researcher, I worked on creating a permanent exhibition “Russian culture of the VI-XIII centuries.” In the process of preparing the exhibition, special attention was paid to the fate of a small ancient Russian fortified city, erected in the 12th century. on the southern borders of Ancient Rus', near the modern city of Berdichev, now called Raiki. To some extent, its fate is close to the fate of the world famous ancient Italian city of Pompeii, destroyed in 79 AD. during the eruption of Vesuvius.
But Raiki was completely destroyed not by the forces of the raging elements, but by the hordes of Batu Khan. The study of material material stored in the State Hermitage and written reports on excavations made it possible to reconstruct the terrible picture of the death of the city. It reminded me of the pictures of Belarusian villages and cities burned by the occupiers, seen by the author during our offensive during the Great Patriotic War, in which the author took part. Residents of the city desperately resisted and all died in an unequal struggle. Residential buildings were excavated, on the thresholds of which two skeletons lay - a Tatar and a Russian, killed with a sword in his hand. There were terrible scenes - the skeleton of a woman covering a child with her body. A Tatar arrow was stuck in her vertebrae. After the defeat, the city did not come to life, and everything remained in the same form as the enemy left it.
Hundreds of Russian cities shared the tragic fate of Raikov and Chernigov.
The Tatars destroyed about a third of the entire population of Ancient Rus'. Considering that at that time about 6 - 8,000,000 people lived in Rus', at least 2,000,000 - 2,500,000 were killed. Foreigners passing through the southern regions of the country wrote that Rus' had practically been turned into a dead desert, and there is no such state on the map Europe is no more. Russian chronicles and literary sources, such as “The Tale of the Destruction of the Russian Land”, “The Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan” and others, describe in detail the horrors of the Tatar-Mongol invasion. The tragic consequences of Batu's campaigns were greatly multiplied by the establishment of an occupation regime, which not only led to the total plunder of Rus', but drained the soul of the people. He delayed the forward movement of our Motherland for more than 200 years.
The Great Battle of Kulikovo in 1380 inflicted a decisive defeat on the Golden Horde, but could not completely destroy the yoke of the Tatar khans. The Grand Dukes of Moscow were faced with the task of completely, legally eliminating Rus'’s dependence on the Horde.
November 24 of the new style (11 of the old) on the church calendar marks a remarkable date in the history of our Motherland. 581 years ago, in 1480, the “Standing on the Ugra” ended. The Golden Horde Khan Akhma (? - 1481) turned his tumen from the borders of the Grand Duchy of Moscow and was soon killed.
This was the legal end of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. Rus' became a completely sovereign state.
Unfortunately, this date was not reflected either in the media or in the minds of the general public. Meanwhile, it is quite obvious that on that day a dark page in our history was turned, and a new stage in the independent development of the Fatherland began.
It is worth recalling, at least briefly, the development of events of those years.
Although the last khan of the Great Horde stubbornly continued to consider the Grand Duke of Moscow as his tributary, in fact, Ivan Sh Vasilyevich (reigned 1462 - 1505) was actually independent of the khan. Instead of regular tribute, he sent minor gifts to the Horde, the size and regularity of which he determined himself. The Horde began to understand that the times of Batu were gone forever. The Grand Duke of Moscow became a formidable opponent, and not a silent slave.
In 1472, the Khan of the Great (Golden) Horde, at the inspiration of the Polish king Casimir IV, who promised him support, undertook the usual Tatar campaign against Moscow. However, it ended in complete failure for the Horde. They could not even cross the Oka, which was the traditional defensive line of the capital.
In 1476, the Khan of the Great Horde sent an embassy to Moscow, headed by Akhmet Sadyk, with a formidable demand to completely restore tributary relations. In Russian written sources, in which legends and reports of true facts are intricately intertwined, the negotiations were complex. During the first stage, Ivan III, in the presence of the Boyar Duma, played for time, realizing that a negative answer meant war. It is likely that Ivan III made the final decision under the influence of his wife Sophia Fominichna Paleolog, a proud Byzantine princess, who allegedly angrily told her husband: “I married the Grand Duke of Russia, not a Horde slave.” At the next meeting with the ambassadors, Ivan III changed tactics. He tore up the khan's letter and trampled the basma underfoot (a basma or paiza box filled with wax with an imprint of the khan's heel was given to ambassadors as a credential). And he expelled the ambassadors themselves from Moscow. Both in the Horde and in Moscow it became clear that a large-scale war was inevitable.
But Akhmat did not immediately take action. In the early eighties, Casimir IV began to prepare for war with Moscow. A traditional alliance of the Horde and the Polish crown against Russia emerged. The situation in Moscow itself worsened. At the end of 1479, there was a quarrel between the Grand Duke and his brothers Boris and Andrei the Great. They rose from their estates with families and “yards” and headed through the Novgorod lands to the Lithuanian border. There was a real threat of unification of the internal separatist opposition with an attack from external enemies - Poland and the Horde.
Considering this circumstance, Khan Akhmat decided that the time had come to strike a decisive blow, which should be supported by an invasion of the Russian borders by Polish-Lithuanian troops. Having gathered a huge army, the khan of the Great Horde in the late spring of 1480, when the grass needed to feed his cavalry turned green, moved towards Moscow. But not directly to the North, but bypassing the capital, from the southwest, to the upper reaches of the Oka, towards the Lithuanian border to connect with Casimir IV. In the summer, the Tatar hordes reached the right bank of the Ugra River, not far from its confluence with the Oka (Modern Kaluga region). There were about 150 km left to Moscow.
For his part, Ivan III took decisive measures to strengthen his positions. His special services established contact with the enemy of the Great Horde - the Crimean Khan Mengli-Girey, who attacked the southern regions of Lithuania and thereby prevented Casimir IV from coming to the aid of Akhmat. Ivan III moved his main forces towards the Horde, which approached the northern left bank of the Ugra, covering the capital.
In addition, the Grand Duke sent an auxiliary corps by water along the Volga to the capital of the Horde - the city of Sarai. Taking advantage of the fact that the main forces of the Horde were on the banks of the Ugra, the Russian landing force defeated it, and, according to legend, plowed up the ruins of the city, as a sign that the threat to Rus' would never come from this place again (Now the village of Selitryany is located in this place) .
Two huge armies met on the banks of a small river. The so-called “Standing on the Ugra” began, when both sides did not dare to start a general battle. Akhmat waited in vain for Casimir's help, and Ivan had to deal with his brothers. As an extremely cautious person, the Grand Duke took decisive action only in cases where he was confident of victory.
Several times the Tatars tried to cross the Ugra, but when met by powerful fire from Russian artillery, commanded by the famous Italian architect Aristotle Fiorovanti, builder of the Assumption Cathedral in 1479, they were forced to retreat.
At this time, Ivan III, abandoning his troops, returned to Moscow, which caused unrest in the capital, since the threat of a breakthrough by the Tatar troops was not eliminated. Residents of the capital demanded active action, accusing the Grand Duke of indecisiveness.
Rostov Archbishop Vassian in the famous “Message to the Ugra” called the Grand Duke a “runner” and called on him to “harrow his fatherland.” But Ivan’s caution is understandable. He could not start a general battle without a reliable rear. In Moscow, with the assistance of church hierarchs, on October 6, he made peace with his brothers, and their squads joined the grand ducal army.
Meanwhile, the situation favorable for Akhmat changed dramatically. Busy with the defense of the southern borders, the Polish-Lithuanian troops never came to the aid of Akhmat. Strategically, the khan had already lost the failed battle. Time passed towards autumn. Winter was approaching, the Ugra River froze, which gave the Tatars the opportunity to easily cross to the other side. Having become accustomed to warm winters on the shores of the Black and Azov Seas, the Tatars endured the cold weather worse than the Russians.
In mid-November, Ivan III gave the command to retreat to winter quarters in Borovsk, located 75 km from Moscow. On the banks of the Ugra he left a “watchman” to monitor the Tatars. Further events developed according to a scenario that no one in the Russian camp could have foreseen. On the morning of November 11, old style - 24 new, the guards unexpectedly saw that the right bank of the Ugra was empty. The Tatars secretly withdrew from their positions at night and went south. The speed and well-camouflaged retreat of the Khan's troops were perceived by the Russians as an escape that they did not expect.
Ivan III Vasilyevich, Grand Duke of Moscow and All Rus', as a winner, returned to Moscow.
Khan Akhmat, who had no reason to return to the burned Sarai, went to the lower reaches of the Volga, where on January 6, 1481 he was killed by the Nogai Tatars.
Thus, the Tatar-Mongol yoke, which brought untold disasters to our people, was eliminated.
November 24 of the new style is one of the most significant dates in Russian history, the memory of which cannot dissolve over the centuries.
When historians analyze the reasons for the success of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, among the most important and significant reasons they name the presence of a powerful khan in power. Often the khan became the personification of strength and military might, and therefore he was feared by both the Russian princes and representatives of the yoke itself. Which khans left their mark on history and were considered the most powerful rulers of their people.
The most powerful khans of the Mongol yoke
During the entire existence of the Mongol Empire and the Golden Horde, many khans changed on the throne. Rulers changed especially often during the Great Zamyatna, when the crisis forced brother to go against brother. Various internecine wars and regular military campaigns have confused the family tree of the Mongol khans, but the names of the most powerful rulers are still known. So, which khans of the Mongol Empire were considered the most powerful?
- Genghis Khan because of the mass of successful campaigns and the unification of lands into one state.
- Batu, who managed to completely subjugate Ancient Rus' and form the Golden Horde.
- Khan Uzbek, under whom the Golden Horde achieved its greatest power.
- Mamai, who managed to unite the troops during the great turmoil.
- Khan Tokhtamysh, who made successful campaigns against Moscow and returned Ancient Rus' to the captive territories.
Each ruler deserves special attention, because his contribution to the history of the development of the Tatar-Mongol yoke is enormous. However, it is much more interesting to talk about all the rulers of the yoke, trying to restore the family tree of the khans.
Tatar-Mongol khans and their role in the history of the yoke
Name and years of Khan's reign | His role in history |
Genghis Khan (1206-1227) | Even before Genghis Khan, the Mongol yoke had its own rulers, but it was this khan who managed to unite all the lands and make surprisingly successful campaigns against China, Northern Asia and against the Tatars. |
Ogedei (1229-1241) | Genghis Khan tried to give all his sons the opportunity to rule, so he divided the empire between them, but it was Ogedei who was his main heir. The ruler continued his expansion into Central Asia and Northern China, strengthening his position in Europe. |
Batu (1227-1255) | Batu was only the ruler of the Jochi ulus, which later received the name Golden Horde. However, the successful Western campaign, the expansion of Ancient Rus' and Poland, made Batu a national hero. He soon began to extend his sphere of influence throughout the entire territory of the Mongol state, becoming an increasingly authoritative ruler. |
Berke (1257-1266) | It was during the reign of Berke that the Golden Horde almost completely separated from the Mongol Empire. The ruler placed emphasis on urban planning and improving the social status of citizens. |
Mengu-Timur (1266-1282), Tuda-Mengu (1282-1287), Tula-Bugi (1287-1291) | These rulers did not leave a big mark on history, but they were able to further isolate the Golden Horde and defend its rights to freedom from the Mongol Empire. The basis of the economy of the Golden Horde remained tribute from the princes of Ancient Rus'. |
Khan Uzbek (1312-1341) and Khan Janibek (1342-1357) | Under Khan Uzbek and his son Janibek, the Golden Horde flourished. The offerings of the Russian princes regularly increased, urban development continued, and the residents of Sarai-Batu adored their khan and literally worshiped him. |
Mamai (1359-1381) | Mamai was in no way related to the legitimate rulers of the Golden Horde and had no connection with them. He seized power in the country by force, seeking new economic reforms and military victories. Despite the fact that Mamai’s power grew stronger every day, problems in the state grew due to conflicts on the throne. As a result, in 1380 Mamai suffered a crushing defeat from Russian troops on the Kulikovo field, and in 1381 he was overthrown by the legitimate ruler Tokhtamysh. |
Tokhtamysh (1380-1395) | Perhaps the last great khan of the Golden Horde. After the crushing defeat of Mamai, he managed to regain his status in Ancient Rus'. After the campaign against Moscow in 1382, tribute payments resumed, and Tokhtamysh proved his superiority in power. |
Kadir Berdi (1419), Haji Muhammad (1420-1427), Ulu Muhammad (1428-1432), Kichi Muhammad (1432-1459) | All these rulers tried to establish their power during the period of state collapse of the Golden Horde. After the start of the internal political crisis, many rulers changed, and this also affected the deterioration of the country’s situation. As a result, in 1480, Ivan III managed to achieve the independence of Ancient Rus', throwing off the shackles of centuries-old tribute. |
As often happens, a great state falls apart due to a dynastic crisis. Several decades after the liberation of Ancient Rus' from the hegemony of the Mongol yoke, the Russian rulers also had to endure their own dynastic crisis, but that is a completely different story.
o (Mongol-Tatar, Tatar-Mongol, Horde) - the traditional name for the system of exploitation of Russian lands by nomadic conquerors who came from the East from 1237 to 1480.
This system was aimed at carrying out mass terror and robbing the Russian people by levying cruel exactions. She acted primarily in the interests of the Mongolian nomadic military-feudal nobility (noyons), in whose favor the lion's share of the collected tribute went.
The Mongol-Tatar yoke was established as a result of the invasion of Batu Khan in the 13th century. Until the early 1260s, Rus' was under the rule of the great Mongol khans, and then the khans of the Golden Horde.
The Russian principalities were not directly part of the Mongol state and retained the local princely administration, the activities of which were controlled by the Baskaks - the khan's representatives in the conquered lands. The Russian princes were tributaries of the Mongol khans and received from them labels for ownership of their principalities. Formally, the Mongol-Tatar yoke was established in 1243, when Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich received from the Mongols a label for the Grand Duchy of Vladimir. Rus', according to the label, lost the right to fight and had to regularly pay tribute to the khans twice annually (in spring and autumn).
There was no permanent Mongol-Tatar army on the territory of Rus'. The yoke was supported by punitive campaigns and repressions against rebellious princes. The regular flow of tribute from Russian lands began after the census of 1257-1259, conducted by Mongol “numerals”. The units of taxation were: in cities - yard, in rural areas - “village”, “plow”, “plough”. Only the clergy were exempt from tribute. The main “Horde burdens” were: “exit”, or “tsar’s tribute” - a tax directly for the Mongol khan; trade fees (“myt”, “tamka”); carriage duties (“pits”, “carts”); maintenance of the khan's ambassadors (“food”); various “gifts” and “honors” to the khan, his relatives and associates. Every year, a huge amount of silver left the Russian lands as tribute. Large “requests” for military and other needs were periodically collected. In addition, the Russian princes were obliged, by order of the khan, to send soldiers to participate in campaigns and in round-up hunts (“lovitva”). In the late 1250s and early 1260s, tribute was collected from the Russian principalities by Muslim merchants (“besermen”), who bought this right from the great Mongol Khan. Most of the tribute went to the Great Khan in Mongolia. During the uprisings of 1262, the “besermans” were expelled from Russian cities, and the responsibility for collecting tribute passed to the local princes.
Rus''s struggle against the yoke became increasingly widespread. In 1285, Grand Duke Dmitry Alexandrovich (son of Alexander Nevsky) defeated and expelled the army of the “Horde prince”. At the end of the 13th - first quarter of the 14th century, performances in Russian cities led to the elimination of the Baskas. With the strengthening of the Moscow principality, the Tatar yoke gradually weakened. Moscow Prince Ivan Kalita (reigned in 1325-1340) achieved the right to collect “exit” from all Russian principalities. From the middle of the 14th century, the orders of the khans of the Golden Horde, not supported by a real military threat, were no longer carried out by the Russian princes. Dmitry Donskoy (1359-1389) did not recognize the khan's labels issued to his rivals and seized the Grand Duchy of Vladimir by force. In 1378, he defeated the Tatar army on the Vozha River in the Ryazan land, and in 1380 he defeated the Golden Horde ruler Mamai in the Battle of Kulikovo.
However, after Tokhtamysh’s campaign and the capture of Moscow in 1382, Rus' was forced to again recognize the power of the Golden Horde and pay tribute, but already Vasily I Dmitrievich (1389-1425) received the great reign of Vladimir without the khan’s label, as “his patrimony.” Under him, the yoke was nominal. Tribute was paid irregularly, and the Russian princes pursued independent policies. The attempt of the Golden Horde ruler Edigei (1408) to restore full power over Russia ended in failure: he failed to take Moscow. The strife that began in the Golden Horde opened up the possibility for Russia to overthrow the Tatar yoke.
However, in the middle of the 15th century, Muscovite Rus' itself experienced a period of internecine war, which weakened its military potential. During these years, the Tatar rulers organized a series of devastating invasions, but they were no longer able to bring the Russians to complete submission. The unification of Russian lands around Moscow led to the concentration in the hands of the Moscow princes of such political power that the weakening Tatar khans could not cope with. The Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III Vasilyevich (1462-1505) refused to pay tribute in 1476. In 1480, after the unsuccessful campaign of the Khan of the Great Horde Akhmat and “standing on the Ugra”, the yoke was finally overthrown.
The Mongol-Tatar yoke had negative, regressive consequences for the economic, political and cultural development of the Russian lands, and was a brake on the growth of the productive forces of Rus', which were at a higher socio-economic level compared to the productive forces of the Mongol state. It artificially preserved for a long time the purely feudal natural character of the economy. Politically, the consequences of the yoke were manifested in the disruption of the natural process of state development of Rus', in the artificial maintenance of its fragmentation. The Mongol-Tatar yoke, which lasted two and a half centuries, was one of the reasons for the economic, political and cultural lag of Rus' from Western European countries.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources.
The Tatar-Mongol yoke in Rus' began in 1237. Great Rus' disintegrated, and the formation of the Moscow state began.
The Tatar-Mongol yoke refers to the brutal period of rule in which Rus' was subordinate to the Golden Horde. The Mongol-Tatar yoke in Rus' was able to last for almost two and a half millennia. To the question of how long the Horde’s arbitrariness lasted in Rus', history answers 240 years.
The events that took place during this period greatly affected the formation of Russia. Therefore, this topic has been and remains relevant to this day. The Mongol-Tatar yoke is associated with the most severe events of the 13th century. These were wild extortions of the population, the destruction of entire cities and thousands and thousands of dead.
The rule of the Tatar-Mongol yoke was formed by two peoples: the Mongol dynasty and the nomadic tribes of the Tartars. The overwhelming majority were still Tatars. In 1206, a meeting of the higher Mongol classes took place, at which the leader of the Mongol tribe, Temujin, was elected. It was decided to begin the era of the Tatar-Mongol yoke. The leader was named Genghis Khan (Great Khan). The abilities of Genghis Khan's reign turned out to be magnificent. He managed to unite all nomadic peoples and create the prerequisites for the development of the cultural and economic development of the country.
Military distributions of the Tatar-Mongols
Genghis Khan created a very strong, warlike and rich state. His warriors had surprisingly very hardy qualities; they could spend the winter in their yurt, in the midst of snow and winds. They had a thin build and a thin beard. They shot straight and were excellent riders. During attacks on states, he had punishments for cowards. If one soldier escaped from the battlefield, the entire ten were shot. If a dozen leaves the battle, then the hundred to which they belonged is shot.
The Mongol feudal lords closed a tight ring around the Great Khan. By elevating him to chieftainship, they planned to receive a lot of wealth and jewelry. Only an unleashed war and uncontrolled plunder of the conquered countries could lead them to the desired goal. Soon, after the creation of the Mongolian state, the campaigns of conquest began to bring the expected results. The robbery continued for approximately two centuries. The Mongol-Tatars longed to rule the whole world and own all the riches.
Conquests of the Tatar-Mongol yoke
- In 1207, the Mongols enriched themselves with large volumes of metal and valuable rocks. Attacking the tribes located to the north of the Selenga and in the Yenisei valley. This fact helps explain the emergence and expansion of weapons property.
- Also in 1207, the Tangut state from Central Asia was attacked. The Tanguts began to pay tribute to the Mongols.
- 1209 They were involved in the seizure and robbery of the land of Khigurov (Turkestan).
- 1211 A grandiose defeat of China took place. The emperors' troops were crushed and collapsed. The state was plundered and left in ruins.
- Date 1219-1221 The states of Central Asia were defeated. The result of this three-year war was no different from the previous campaigns of the Tatars. The states were defeated and plundered, the Mongols took away talented artisans with them. Leaving behind only burnt houses and poor people.
- By 1227, vast territories in the east of the Pacific Ocean to the west of the Caspian Sea passed into the possession of the Mongol feudal lords.
The consequences of the Tatar-Mongol invasion are the same. Thousands of killed and the same number of enslaved people. Destroyed and plundered countries that take a very, very long time to recover. By the time the Tatar-Mongol yoke approached the borders of Rus', its army was extremely numerous, having gained experience in combat, endurance and the necessary weapons.
Conquests of the Mongols
Mongol invasion of Rus'
The beginning of the Tatar-Mongol yoke in Rus' has long been considered 1223. Then the experienced army of the Great Khan came very close to the borders of the Dnieper. At that time, the Polovtsians provided assistance, since the principality in Rus' was in disputes and disagreements, and its defensive capabilities were significantly reduced.
- Battle of the Kalka River. May 31, 1223 A Mongol army of 30 thousand broke through the Cumans and faced the Russian army. The first and only ones to take the blow were the princely troops of Mstislav the Udal, who had every chance of breaking through the dense chain of Mongol-Tatars. But he did not receive support from other princes. As a result, Mstislav died, surrendering to the enemy. The Mongols received a lot of valuable military information from Russian prisoners. There were very large losses. But the enemy’s onslaught was still held back for a long time.
- Invasion begins on December 16, 1237. Ryazan was the first on the way. At that time, Genghis Khan passed away, and his place was taken by his grandson, Batu. The army under the command of Batu was no less fierce. They swept away and robbed everything and everyone they met along the way. The invasion was targeted and carefully planned, so the Mongols quickly penetrated deep into the country. The city of Ryazan lasted five days under siege. Despite the fact that the city was surrounded by strong, high walls, under the pressure of enemy weapons, the walls of the city fell. The Tatar-Mongol yoke robbed and killed the people for ten days.
- Battle near Kolomna. Then Batu’s army began to move towards Kolomna. On the way, they met an army of 1,700 people, subordinate to Evpatiy Kolovrat. And despite the fact that the Mongols outnumbered Evpatiy’s army many times over, he did not chicken out and fought back the enemy with all his might. As a result, causing significant damage to him. The army of the Tatar-Mongol yoke continued to move and went along the Moscow River, to the city of Moscow, which lasted five days under siege. At the end of the battle, the city was burned and most of the people were killed. You should know that before reaching the city of Vladimir, the Tatar-Mongols carried out defensive actions all the way against the hidden Russian squad. They had to be very careful and always be ready for a new battle. There were many battles and skirmishes with the Russians on the road.
- Grand Duke of Vladimir Yuri Vsevolodovich did not respond to requests for help from the Ryazan prince. But then he himself found himself under threat of attack. The prince wisely managed the time that was between the Ryazan battle and the Vladimir battle. He recruited a large army and armed it. It was decided to select the city of Kolomna as the site of the battle. On February 4, 1238, the plan of Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich began its implementation.
- This was the most ambitious battle in terms of the number of troops and the heated battle of the Tatar-Mongols and Russians. But he too was lost. The number of Mongols was still significantly higher. The Tatar-Mongol invasion of this city lasted exactly a month. Ended on March 4, 1238, the year the Russians were defeated and also plundered. The prince fell in a heavy battle, causing a great loss to the Mongols. Vladimir became the last of fourteen cities conquered by the Mongols in Northeastern Rus'.
- In 1239 the cities of Chernigov and Pereslavl were defeated. A trip to Kyiv is planned.
- December 6, 1240. Kyiv captured. This further undermined the already shaky structure of the country. Powerfully fortified Kyiv was defeated by huge battering guns and rapids. The path to Southern Rus' and Eastern Europe opened.
- 1241 The Principality of Galicia-Volyn fell. After which the Mongols' actions stopped for a while.
In the spring of 1247, the Mongol-Tatars reached the opposite border of Rus' and entered Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Batu placed the created “Golden Horde” on the borders of Rus'. In 1243, they began to accept and approve the princes of the regions into the horde. There were also large cities that survived against the Horde, such as Smolensk, Pskov and Novgorod. These cities tried to express their disagreement and resist Batu's rule. The first attempt was made by the great Andrei Yaroslavovich. But his efforts were not supported by the majority of ecclesiastical and secular feudal lords, who, after so many battles and attacks, finally established relations with the Mongol khans.
In short, after the established order, the princes and church feudal lords did not want to leave their places and agreed to recognize the power of the Mongol khans and the established tribute exactions from the population. The theft of Russian lands will continue.
The country suffered more and more attacks from the Tatar-Mongol yoke. And it became increasingly difficult to give a worthy rebuff to the robbers. In addition to the fact that the country was already pretty tired, the people were impoverished and downtrodden, the princely squabbles also made it impossible to get up from their knees.
In 1257, the Horde started a population census in order to reliably establish the yoke and impose an unbearable tribute on the people. Become the unshakable and undisputed ruler of Russian lands. Rus' managed to defend its political system and reserved for itself the right to form a social and political stratum.
The Russian land was subjected to endless painful invasions of the Mongols, which would last until 1279.
Overthrow of the Tatar-Mongol yoke
The end of the Tatar-Mongol yoke in Rus' came in 1480. The Golden Horde began to gradually disintegrate. Many large principalities were divided and lived in constant conflict with each other. The liberation of Rus' from the Tatar-Mongol yoke is the service of Prince Ivan III. Reigned from 1426 to 1505. The prince united the two large cities of Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod and moved towards the goal of overthrowing the Mongol-Tatar yoke.
In 1478, Ivan III refused to pay tribute to the Horde. In November 1480, the famous “standing on the Ugra River” took place. The name is characterized by the fact that neither side decided to start a battle. After staying on the river for a month, the overthrown Khan Akhmat closed his camp and went to the Horde. How many years the Tatar-Mongol rule lasted, which ravaged and destroyed the Russian people and Russian lands, can now be answered with confidence. Mongol yoke in Rus' 
Chronology
- 1123 Battle of the Russians and Cumans with the Mongols on the Kalka River
- 1237 - 1240 Conquest of Rus' by the Mongols
- 1240 The defeat of the Swedish knights on the Neva River by Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich (Battle of the Neva)
- 1242 The defeat of the crusaders on Lake Peipsi by Prince Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky (Battle of the Ice)
- 1380 Battle of Kulikovo
The beginning of the Mongol conquests of the Russian principalities
In the 13th century the peoples of Rus' had to endure a difficult struggle with Tatar-Mongol conquerors, who ruled the Russian lands until the 15th century. (last century in a milder form). Directly or indirectly, the Mongol invasion contributed to the fall of the political institutions of the Kyiv period and the rise of absolutism.
In the 12th century. There was no centralized state in Mongolia; the unification of the tribes was achieved at the end of the 12th century. Temuchin, the leader of one of the clans. At the general meeting (“kurultai”) of representatives of all clans in 1206 he was proclaimed great khan with the name Genghis(“limitless power”).
Once the empire was created, it began its expansion. The organization of the Mongol army was based on the decimal principle - 10, 100, 1000, etc. An imperial guard was created that controlled the entire army. Before the advent of firearms Mongol cavalry prevailed in the steppe wars. She was better organized and trained than any army of nomads of the past. The reason for the success was not only the perfection of the military organization of the Mongols, but also the unpreparedness of their rivals.
At the beginning of the 13th century, having conquered part of Siberia, the Mongols began to conquer China in 1215. They managed to capture its entire northern part. From China, the Mongols brought the latest military equipment and specialists for that time. In addition, they received a cadre of competent and experienced officials from among the Chinese. In 1219, Genghis Khan's troops invaded Central Asia. Following Central Asia there was Northern Iran captured, after which Genghis Khan’s troops made a predatory campaign in Transcaucasia. From the south they came to the Polovtsian steppes and defeated the Polovtsians.
The Polovtsians' request to help them against a dangerous enemy was accepted by the Russian princes. The battle between the Russian-Polovtsian and Mongol troops took place on May 31, 1223 on the Kalka River in the Azov region. Not all Russian princes who promised to participate in the battle sent their troops. The battle ended in the defeat of the Russian-Polovtsian troops, many princes and warriors died.
In 1227 Genghis Khan died. Ögedei, his third son, was elected Great Khan. In 1235, the Kurultai met in the Mongol capital Kara-korum, where it was decided to begin the conquest of the western lands. This intention posed a terrible threat to Russian lands. At the head of the new campaign was Ogedei’s nephew, Batu (Batu).
In 1236, Batu's troops began a campaign against the Russian lands. Having defeated Volga Bulgaria, they set out to conquer the Ryazan principality. The Ryazan princes, their squads and townspeople had to fight the invaders alone. The city was burned and plundered. After the capture of Ryazan, Mongol troops moved to Kolomna. In the battle near Kolomna, many Russian soldiers died, and the battle itself ended in defeat for them. On February 3, 1238, the Mongols approached Vladimir. Having besieged the city, the invaders sent a detachment to Suzdal, which took it and burned it. The Mongols stopped only in front of Novgorod, turning south due to muddy roads.
In 1240, the Mongol offensive resumed. Chernigov and Kyiv were captured and destroyed. From here the Mongol troops moved to Galicia-Volyn Rus'. Having captured Vladimir-Volynsky, Galich in 1241 Batu invaded Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Moravia, and then in 1242 reached Croatia and Dalmatia. However, Mongol troops entered Western Europe significantly weakened by the powerful resistance they encountered in Rus'. This largely explains the fact that if the Mongols managed to establish their yoke in Rus', Western Europe only experienced an invasion and then on a smaller scale. This is the historical role of the heroic resistance of the Russian people to the Mongol invasion.
The result of Batu’s grandiose campaign was the conquest of a vast territory - the southern Russian steppes and forests of Northern Rus', the Lower Danube region (Bulgaria and Moldova). The Mongol Empire now included the entire Eurasian continent from the Pacific Ocean to the Balkans.
After Ogedei's death in 1241, the majority supported the candidacy of Ogedei's son Hayuk. Batu became the head of the strongest regional khanate. He founded his capital at Sarai (north of Astrakhan). His power extended to Kazakhstan, Khorezm, Western Siberia, Volga, North Caucasus, Rus'. Gradually the western part of this ulus became known as Golden Horde.
The struggle of the Russian people against Western aggression
When the Mongols occupied Russian cities, the Swedes, threatening Novgorod, appeared at the mouth of the Neva. They were defeated in July 1240 by the young prince Alexander, who received the name Nevsky for his victory.
At the same time, the Roman Church made acquisitions in the Baltic Sea countries. Back in the 12th century, German knighthood began to seize lands belonging to the Slavs beyond the Oder and in the Baltic Pomerania. At the same time, an attack was carried out on the lands of the Baltic peoples. The Crusaders' invasion of the Baltic lands and North-Western Rus' was sanctioned by the Pope and German Emperor Frederick II. German, Danish, Norwegian knights and troops from other northern European countries also took part in the crusade. The attack on Russian lands was part of the doctrine of “Drang nach Osten” (pressure to the east).
Baltic states in the 13th century.
Together with his squad, Alexander liberated Pskov, Izborsk and other captured cities with a sudden blow. Having received news that the main forces of the Order were coming towards him, Alexander Nevsky blocked the path of the knights, placing his troops on the ice of Lake Peipsi. The Russian prince showed himself to be an outstanding commander. The chronicler wrote about him: “We win everywhere, but we won’t win at all.” Alexander placed his troops under the cover of a steep bank on the ice of the lake, eliminating the possibility of enemy reconnaissance of his forces and depriving the enemy of freedom of maneuver. Considering the formation of the knights in a “pig” (in the form of a trapezoid with a sharp wedge in front, which was made up of heavily armed cavalry), Alexander Nevsky arranged his regiments in the form of a triangle, with the tip resting on the shore. Before the battle, some of the Russian soldiers were equipped with special hooks to pull knights off their horses.
On April 5, 1242, a battle took place on the ice of Lake Peipsi, which became known as the Battle of the Ice. The knight's wedge pierced the center of the Russian position and buried itself in the shore. The flank attacks of the Russian regiments decided the outcome of the battle: like pincers, they crushed the knightly “pig”. The knights, unable to withstand the blow, fled in panic. The Russians pursued the enemy, “flogged, rushing after him as if through the air,” the chronicler wrote. According to the Novgorod Chronicle, in the battle “400 Germans and 50 were captured”
Persistently resisting Western enemies, Alexander was extremely patient with regard to the eastern onslaught. Recognition of the Khan's sovereignty freed up his hands to repel the Teutonic Crusade.
Tatar-Mongol yoke
Persistently resisting Western enemies, Alexander was extremely patient with regard to the eastern onslaught. The Mongols did not interfere in the religious affairs of their subjects, while the Germans tried to impose their faith on the conquered peoples. They pursued an aggressive policy under the slogan “Whoever does not want to be baptized must die!” Recognition of the Khan's sovereignty freed up forces to repel the Teutonic Crusade. But it turned out that the “Mongol flood” is not easy to get rid of. RThe Russian lands, devastated by the Mongols, were forced to recognize vassal dependence on the Golden Horde.
During the first period of Mongol rule, the collection of taxes and the mobilization of Russians into the Mongol troops was carried out on the orders of the Great Khan. Both money and recruits were sent to the capital. Under Gauk, Russian princes went to Mongolia to receive a label to reign. Later, a trip to Sarai was enough.
The continuous struggle waged by the Russian people against the invaders forced the Mongol-Tatars to abandon the creation of their own administrative authorities in Rus'. Rus' retained its statehood. This was facilitated by the presence in Rus' of its own administration and church organization.
To control the Russian lands, the institution of Baskaq governors was created - leaders of military detachments of the Mongol-Tatars who monitored the activities of the Russian princes. Denunciation of the Baskaks to the Horde inevitably ended either with the prince being summoned to Sarai (often he was deprived of his label, or even his life), or with a punitive campaign in the rebellious land. Suffice it to say that only in the last quarter of the 13th century. 14 similar campaigns were organized in Russian lands.
In 1257, the Mongol-Tatars undertook a population census - “recording the number.” Besermen (Muslim merchants) were sent to the cities, who were in charge of collecting tribute. The size of the tribute (“output”) was very large, only the “tsar’s tribute”, i.e. the tribute in favor of the khan, which was first collected in kind and then in money, amounted to 1,300 kg of silver per year. The constant tribute was supplemented by “requests” - one-time exactions in favor of the khan. In addition, deductions from trade duties, taxes for “feeding” the khan’s officials, etc. went to the khan’s treasury. In total there were 14 types of tribute in favor of the Tatars.
The Horde yoke slowed down the economic development of Rus' for a long time, destroyed its agriculture, and undermined its culture. The Mongol invasion led to a decline in the role of cities in the political and economic life of Rus', urban construction stopped, and fine and applied arts fell into decay. A serious consequence of the yoke was the deepening disunity of Rus' and the isolation of its individual parts. The weakened country was unable to defend a number of western and southern regions, which were later captured by Lithuanian and Polish feudal lords. The trade relations between Rus' and the West were dealt a blow: only Novgorod, Pskov, Polotsk, Vitebsk and Smolensk retained trade relations with foreign countries.
The turning point came in 1380, when Mamai’s army of thousands was defeated on the Kulikovo Field.
Battle of Kulikovo 1380
Rus' began to strengthen, its dependence on the Horde weakened more and more. The final liberation occurred in 1480 under Emperor Ivan III. By this time the period had ended, the gathering of Russian lands around Moscow and.
Loading...
