The Battle of Kalka is the salvation of civilization. How Rus' could destroy Europe

Not a single invasion of the Steppe into Europe could escape the lands of our ancestors. And every time a lottery was played out - what would the Slavs or Rus' do in the face of invasion? Will they close the door to Europe or will they take part in the fun as much as they can?

795 years ago, May 31, 1223 On the right tributary of the Kalmius River, in the Donetsk region, a three-day battle began, during which the beginning of the salvation of Europe was laid. This very tributary bears a name fatal to Russian history - Kalka.

This is exactly how we should understand the Battle of Kalka, with which the series of paragraphs “Tatar-Mongol yoke” begins in textbooks. The first clash of two forces - Rus' and the swelling Mongol Empire - is usually interpreted in purely military terms. The raid of the Mongol commanders Jebei Subedei, the counter movement of the union of South Russian princes, the battle between ours and the Tatars. Ours lost. The consequences are terrifying - Batya’s invasion of Rus' and 240 years of dependence on the Horde.

The real historical meaning of that clash will be revealed if you put it in the appropriate context. The eternal confrontation “Civilization vs. Barbarism" in our case takes the form of "Europe vs. Steppe". The start was given by the invasion of the Huns, the finish was given by the Mongol-Tatars. Eastern Europe plays a major role in this exciting race. Or, rather, tribes, tribal unions, and then states located on its territory. Which became either a key or a lock for steppe invasions. Roughly speaking, it was the Slavs, and then Rus', who, willy-nilly, had to decide what specific results the next invasion of the Steppe would lead to.

The first round ended with an outright knockout for Europe. For some reason, it is generally accepted that the Hun invasion was precisely Hunnic. Although in reality the Huns as such constituted barely a tenth of Attila's military strength. The main striking force were those who, along the way, entered into a forced alliance with him - the Goths, along with a significant part of other Germans, the Slavs and the Finno-Ugric tribes that joined them.

To be fair, it must be said that this was the only time Europe tried to respond to the invasion more or less adequately. At first it even seemed that the invasion from the East seemed to be stopped. God knows how - only 200 kilometers from Paris, on the Catalaunian fields. Where in the spring of 451 the famous battle took place, the largest battle in Western Europe of the 5th century.

The result was controversial. The invasion of Gaul was indeed stopped. But the next year Attila calmly marched on Rome.

Illustration: The Huns are marching on Rome. thin Ulpiano Keki.

The conclusion is unfortunate. If Europeans from “distant approaches” participate in the invasion of the Steppe, then it is extremely difficult to stop this matter. That is, it is possible, but only for a while, and only near Paris.

The next round is the next one, 6th century. Invasion of the Avars. The European eastern edge of defense at that time was already inhabited by unions of Slavic tribes. Which enter the fight with the Steppe, but cannot withstand the onslaught. This is reflected in the ancient Russian chronicles, where the Avars are designated by the name “obra”. “These obrins fought with the Slavs and tortured the Duleb Slavs and did violence to the Duleb wives: if the obrin had to go, he did not allow him to harness either a horse or an ox, but ordered 3 or 4 or 5 wives to be harnessed so that they would carry the obrin - This is how the Dulebs were tortured. They were great in body and proud in mind...”

Conclusion- this is what happens when the Slavic outpost of Europe on the border with the Steppe is weak, scattered and swept away by the first onslaught.

In the 9th century, the Hungarians entered the arena of world history. By that time, an ancient Russian state with its capital in Kyiv already existed. Which prefers to enter into commodity-money relations with the Hungarian invasion not in military confrontation. They were issued in the form of a one-time ransom. Here is how the author of “The Acts of the Hungarians” writes about this: “The Rus paid ten thousand marks of silver, provided food, clothing, horses and other necessary things with the condition that the leader Almos, the son of Yudiek, would not do harm to Kiev and would go further to the West, to the land of Pannonia."

The deal is more valuable then money. The Hungarians left for Europe. And they remained there, as it later turned out, forever. But until the moment the Kingdom of Hungary was formalized and Christianized, the Magyars raped Europe as they pleased. For a hundred years, from 900 to 1000. from the “Lands of Pannonia” they carried out 45 military campaigns to various parts of Europe. The prayer “Lord deliver us, have mercy on us from the sword of the Norman and have mercy on us from the arrow of the Magyars” did not appear out of nowhere.

Illustration: “Prince Arpad’s crossing of the Carpathians.” Canvas (cyclorama, 1800 m²), painted to celebrate the thousandth anniversary of the conquest of Hungary by the Magyars. Ópusztaszer, National Memorial Museum, Hungary. Artists Arpad Festi, L. Mednyansky and E. Barchai.

Conclusion. If the eastern outpost of Europe voluntarily allows the invasion of the Steppe to pass, and even helps it financially, there is a non-zero probability that the invaders will settle in their new homeland forever.

Time XI-XII centuries. Rus' greets you in strength and glory. For the first time in history, Civilization has a chance not only to hold the defense, but also to go on the offensive. The Russians give this chance. The Polovtsian invasion was stopped entirely by Russia. And in the 12th century. prince Vladimir Monomakh, as they say, “breaks the system.” They plan and carry out a whole series of campaigns against the Polovtsians. Their nesting places, the “cities” of Sharukan and Sugrov, are taken and burned out. Rus' is going to the Steppe. And so successfully that the Polovtsy, unable to withstand the onslaught, migrated to the foothills of the Caucasus - away from the borders of such “inhospitable” Rus'.

Illustration: “Polovtsian dances”. 1955. Alexander Gerasimov © The heroes of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” reached Egypt.

The next onslaught is precisely the Mongol-Tatars. Retelling the eventful story of the first contact and what happened next is simply shameful - everyone should imagine this.

Rus' stood in the way of the Steppe and literally bled to death, dooming itself to 240 years of dependence and darkness. That is why the Mongols came to Europe in ridiculous numbers. But even this number was enough for panic to arise in Spain and England, and the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II humbly wrote to Batu: “Being an expert in falconry, I could become a falconer at Your Majesty's court».

Now imagine how things would have been if Rus' had acted not as in the 13th century, but as during the times of the Huns, Avars or Hungarians.

Historical reference:

In 1221, the Mongols began their eastern campaign, the main task of which was the conquest of the Cumans. This campaign was led by the best commanders of Genghis Khan - Subedei and Jebe, and it lasted 2 years and forced most of the troops of the Polovtsian Khanate to flee to the borders of Rus' and turn to the Russian princes with a call for help. “Today they will conquer us, and tomorrow you will become their slaves” - Khan Kotyan Sutoevich addressed Mstislav the Udal with such an appeal.

The Russian princes held a council in Kyiv, deciding what to do in this situation. The decision was made more of a compromise than a necessary one. It was decided to give battle to the Mongol, and the reasons for the battle were as follows:

The Russians feared that the Polovtsians would surrender to the Mongols without a fight, go over to their side and enter Rus' with a united army.
- Most of the princes understood that war with Genghis Khan’s army was a matter of time, so it would be more profitable to defeat his best commanders on foreign territory.
- The Polovtsians, in the face of enormous danger, literally showered the princes with rich gifts, some of the khans even converted to Christianity. In fact, the participation of the Russian squad in the campaign was purchased.

After the unification of the armies, the Mongols arrived for negotiations and turned to the Russian princes: “We have heard rumors that you want to go to war against us. But we don't want this war. The only thing we want is to punish the Polovtsy, our eternal slaves. We heard that they did a lot of harm to you too. Let us make peace, and we ourselves will punish our slaves.” But there were no negotiations, the ambassadors were killed! This event is interpreted today as follows:

The princes understood that the ambassadors wanted to break the alliance in order to then destroy each one individually.
- A terrible diplomatic blunder was committed. The murder of the ambassadors provoked a response from the Mongols and the subsequent atrocities that happened on Kalka were provoked by the short-sighted rulers themselves.

Participants in the battle and their numbers

The inconsistency of the battle on the Kalka River lies in the fact that there is no reliable information about the number of troops on either side. Suffice it to say that in the works of historians the Russian army is estimated at from 40 to 100 thousand people. The situation with the Mongols is similar, although the spread in numbers is much smaller - 20-30 thousand soldiers.

It is important to note that the period of fragmentation in Rus' led to the fact that each prince tried to pursue exclusively his own interests, even in the most difficult times. Therefore, even after the Kiev congress decided that it was necessary to take the fight to the Mongols, only 4 principalities sent their squads into battle:

Principality of Kiev.
- Smolensk Principality.
- Galicia-Volyn principality.
- Chernigov Principality.

Even in such conditions, the united Russian-Polovtsian army had a noticeable numerical advantage. At least 30 thousand Russian troops, 20 thousand Polovtsians, and against this army the Mongols sent 30 thousand people led by the best commander Subedei.

It is impossible today to determine the exact number of troops on either side. Historians come to this opinion. There are several reasons, but the main one is the contradiction in the chronicles. For example, the Tver chronicle says that 30 thousand people died in the battle from Kyiv alone. Although in fact, in the entire principality it was hardly possible to recruit such a number of men. The only thing that can be said for sure is that the combined army consisted mostly of infantry. After all, it is known that they moved to the battle site on boats. Cavalry was never transported like this.

Progress of the battle on the Kalka River

Kalka is a small river that flows into the Sea of ​​Azov. This unremarkable place hosted one of the grandiose battles of its era. The Mongol army stood on the right bank of the river, the Russian one on the left. The first to cross the river was one of the best commanders of the united army - Mstislav Udaloy. He personally decided to inspect the area and the position of the enemy. After which he gave the order to the remaining troops to cross the river and prepare for battle.

The Battle of Kalka began in the early morning of May 31, 1223. The beginning of the battle did not bode well. The Russian-Polovtsian army pressed the enemy, the Mongols retreated in battle. However, in the end it was disjointed actions that decided everything. The Mongols brought reserves into the battle, as a result of which they took complete advantage. Initially, the right wing of Subedei's cavalry achieved major success and a breakthrough in the defense. The Mongols cut the enemy army into two parts and put to flight the left wing of the Russian army, commanded by Mstislav Udaloy and Daniil Romanovich.

After this, the siege of the remaining Russian forces on Kalka began ( the Cumans fled at the very beginning of the battle). The siege lasted 3 days. The Mongols launched one assault after another, but to no avail. Then they turned to the princes with a demand to lay down their arms, for which they guaranteed their safe departure from the battlefield. The Russians agreed - the Mongols did not keep their word and killed everyone who surrendered. On the one hand, it was revenge for the murder of the ambassadors, on the other hand, it was a reaction to the surrender. After all, the Mongols consider captivity shameful; it is better to die in battle.

The Battle of Kalka is described in sufficient detail in the chronicles, where you can trace the course of events:

- Novgorod Chronicle. Indicates that the main failure in the battle lies in the Polovtsians, who fled, causing confusion and panic. It is the flight of the Polovtsians that is noted as the key factor in the defeat.
- Ipatiev Chronicle. Describes mainly the beginning of the battle, emphasizing that the Russians were pushing the enemy very hard. Subsequent events (the flight and mass death of the Russian army) according to this chronicle were caused by the introduction of reserves into the battle by the Mongols, which turned the tide of the battle.
- Suzdal Chronicle. Gives more detailed reasons for the lesion, which are related to what was described above. However, this historical document indicates that the Cumans fled from the battlefield because the Mongols brought in reserves, which frightened the enemy and gained an advantage.

Domestic historians do not like to comment on further events after the defeat. However, the fact remains that the Mongols saved the lives of all Russian princes, military commanders and generals (they killed only ordinary soldiers after surrendering). But this was not generosity, the plan was very cruel...

Subedei ordered the construction of a tent so that his army could gloriously celebrate the victory. This tent was ordered to be built by... Russian princes and generals. The floor of the tent was covered with the bodies of still living Russian princes, and on top the Mongols were drinking and having fun. It was a terrible death for everyone who surrendered.

The hysterical meaning of the battle

The significance of the Battle of Kalka is ambiguous. The main thing we can talk about is that for the first time the Russian wars saw the terrible power of Genghis Khan’s army. However, the defeat did not lead to any drastic action. As was said, the Mongols did not seek war with Russia; they were not yet ready for this war. Therefore, having won the victory, Subedye and Jebe made another trip to Volga Bulgaria, after which they went home.

Despite absence of territorial losses from Rus' the consequences for the country were very disastrous. Not only did the Russian army get involved in a battle that it did not need, defending the Polovtsians, but the losses were simply terrible. 9/10 of the Russian army was killed. Never before have there been such significant defeats. Moreover, many princes died in the battle (and after it during the feast of the Mongols):

Kyiv Prince Mstislav the Old;
- Prince of Chernigov Mstislav Svyatoslavich;
- Alexander Glebovich from Dubrovitsa;
- Izyaslav Ingvarevich from Dorogobuzh;
- Svyatoslav Yaroslavich from Janowitz;
- Andrei Ivanovich from Turov (son-in-law of the Kyiv prince).

Such were the consequences of the battle on the Kalka River for Rus'. However, it is necessary to consider one very important and very controversial issue that historians have raised.

In what area did the Battle of Kalka take place? It would seem that the answer to this question is obvious. The name of the battle itself indicates the location of the battle. But not everything is so obvious, especially since the exact place (not just the name of the River, but the specific place where the battle took place on this river) has not been established. Historians speak of three possible locations for the battle:

Stone graves.
- Mound Mogila-Severodvinovka.
- The village of Granitnoye.

To understand what actually happened, where the battle took place, and how it happened, let's look at some interesting statements by historians.

It is noted that there is mention of this battle in 22 chronicles. In all of them, the name of the river is used in the plural (in Kalki). Historians have long drawn attention to this fact, which makes us think that the battle took place not on one river, but not on several smaller ones located close to each other.

Sophia Chronicle indicates that a small battle took place near Kalka between an advanced detachment of Russian wax and a small group of Mongols. After the victory the Russians went further to the new Kalka, where the battle took place on May 31.

We have presented these opinions of historians for a complete understanding of the picture of events. A huge number of explanations can be given for the many Kaloks, but this is a topic for a separate material.

VIDEO. Analysis of the Battle of Kalka by military historian Klim Zhukov:

Russian history knows triumphs and crushing defeats. One of the most tragic events in the history of Rus' was the battle with Mongol troops on the Kalka River. The significance of the Battle of Kalka for the Russian princes can be assessed by the lessons learned from this story and well learned in future, already victorious battles, which are more than a hundred and fifty years away.

The reason for the appearance of Mongol troops in Rus'

After the conquest of the Asian principalities, Temujin-Genghis Khan sent his troops led by Jebe and Subedei in pursuit of Sultan Muhammad. The number of troops under these commanders was estimated at 20 thousand people. The campaign of two servants of the supreme ruler of the Mongols was also of a reconnaissance nature. When approaching the Polovtsian lands, the Polovtsian leader Kotyan, who alone could not resist the Mongols, asked for help from the Galician prince, supporting his visit with large gifts. The Battle of the Kalka River in 1223 began at the council of Russian princes in Kyiv, where it was decided to advance to meet the Tatar army. The princes who took part in the battle covered themselves with glory and became teachers of other leaders of Russian squads in the long struggle with the Mongol-Tatars. The reasons for the battle were the fulfillment of their duties by the allies and the reluctance to allow the Tatars into their lands. These noble aspirations were thwarted by pride and disunity that took many years to overcome.

Battlefield and course of battle

The opposing forces were not equal. The Russian army in the Battle of Kalka outnumbered the enemy forces; according to various estimates, there were from 30 to 110 thousand people in the ranks of the Russians. When approaching Kalka, the Russian princes Daniil Romanovich, Mstislav Romanovich, Mstislav Udaloy met the enemy in minor skirmishes, which were successful for the Russian soldiers. Before the battle, there was a council in the camp of the Kyiv prince, where the leaders of the squads were unable to develop a unified battle tactics.

At dawn on May 31, 1223, the Polovtsian Khan Kotyan began crossing the river and met the advance detachments of the Mongols. In the beginning, the outcome of the battle was seen as favorable for the coalition. The Polovtsians crushed the light horsemen, but fled from the main forces. Many chroniclers see this as the reason for the defeat, because the fleeing Polovtsians caused confusion in the formation of the squads, which were just deploying after crossing the river.

The tragic outcome was brought closer by the reluctance of the Kyiv prince Mstislav Romanovich to move his troops to the rescue; he left his squads on the opposite bank and prepared for a siege. The Mongol cavalry rapidly developed its success and drove the disunited Russian squads to the Dnieper. The battle with the Mongol-Tatars on Kalka was completed with the capture of the camp of the ruler of Kyiv and the killing of all the captured princes under the platform of the feasting victors.

Rus' is mourning

The defeat at Kalka plunged the population of Rus' into complete confusion and sowed fear of the Tatar horsemen. Order and discipline then showed for the first time their superiority over the strength and power of individual scattered squads. In terms of the quality of training and uniforms, Russian soldiers had no equal then, but the small squads performed local tasks to protect the lands of their prince and did not see allies among their neighbors. The Mongol-Tatars were united by the great idea of ​​conquering the world and were an example of discipline and combat tactics. The realization of the need for unity took a long time in Rus', but it led to the triumph of Russian weapons on the Kulikovo Field a century and a half after the terrible tragedy.

The Battle of the Kalka River in the Azov region is a battle between the united Russian-Polovtsian army and the Mongol army in May 1223.

Battle of Kalka 1223

• On May 31, 1223, the first battle of the Russians and Polovtsians with the Mongol-Tatar troops took place on Kalka.

  After the devastation of the Alan lands in 1223, Subedey and Jebe attacked the Cumans, who hastily fled to the borders of Rus'. Polovtsian Khan Kotyan turned to the Kyiv prince Mstislav Romanovich and to his son-in-law the Galician prince Mstislav Mstislavich Udaloy asking for help in the fight against a terrible enemy: “And if you don’t help us, we will be cut off today, and you will be cut off in the morning.”.

  Having received information about the movement of the Mongols, the southern Russian princes gathered in Kyiv for a council. At the beginning of May 1223, the princes set out from Kyiv. On the seventeenth day of the campaign, the Russian army concentrated on the right bank of the lower reaches of the Dnieper, near Oleshya. Here Polovtsian detachments joined the Russians. The Russian army consisted of Kyiv, Chernigov, Smolensk, Kursk, Trubchev, Putivl, Vladimir and Galician squads. The total number of Russian troops probably did not exceed 20-30 thousand people (Lev Gumilyov in his work “From Rus' to Russia” writes about the eighty thousand-strong Russian-Polovtsian army that approached Kalka; the Dutch historian in his book “Genghis Khan. Conqueror of the World” is the most complete Today, a biography about the conqueror of the world estimates the Russian forces at 30 thousand people).

  Having discovered the advanced patrols of the Mongols on the left bank of the Dnieper, the Volyn prince Daniil Romanovich with the Galicians swam across the river and attacked the enemy.

  The first success inspired the Russian princes, and the allies moved east to the Polovtsian steppes. Nine days later they were on the Kalka River, where again there was a small clash with the Mongols with a favorable outcome for the Russians.

  Expecting to meet large Mongol forces on the opposite bank of the Kalka, the princes gathered for a military council. Mstislav Romanovich of Kiev objected to crossing the Kalka River. He positioned himself on the right bank of the river on a rocky height and began to fortify it.

  On May 31, 1223, Mstislav Udaloy and most of the Russian army began crossing to the left bank of the Kalka, where they were met by a detachment of Mongol light cavalry. The warriors of Mstislav the Udaly overthrew the Mongols, and the detachment of Daniil Romanovich and the Polovtsian Khan Yarun rushed to pursue the enemy. At this time, the squad of the Chernigov prince Mstislav Svyatoslavich I was just crossing Kalka. Moving away from the main forces, the advanced detachment of Russians and Polovtsians met large forces of the Mongols. Subedey and Jebe had the forces of three tumens, two of which came from Central Asia, and one was recruited from the nomads of the North Caucasus.

  The total number of Mongols is estimated at 20-30 thousand people. Sebastatsi writes about those who set out on a campaign from the country “China da Machina” (northern and southern China China) in the year 669 of the Armenian calendar (1220).

Battle of Kalka. Defeat of Russian troops. Causes of defeat

• A stubborn battle began. The Russians fought bravely, but the Polovtsians could not withstand the Mongol attacks and fled, spreading panic among the Russian troops that had not yet entered the battle. With their flight, the Polovtsians crushed the squads of Mstislav the Udal.

  On the shoulders of the Polovtsians, the Mongols broke into the camp of the main Russian forces. Most of the Russian army was killed or captured.

  Mstislav Romanovich the Old observed from the opposite bank of the Kalka the beating of the Russian squads, but did not provide assistance. Soon his army was surrounded by the Mongols.
  Mstislav, having fenced himself off with a tyn, held the defense for three days after the battle, and then came to an agreement with Jebe and Subedai to lay down arms and freely retreat to Rus', as he had not participated in the battle. However, he, his army and the princes who trusted him were treacherously captured by the Mongols and cruelly tortured as “traitors to their own army.”

  After the battle, no more than a tenth of the Russian army remained alive.
  Of the 18 princes who took part in the battle, only nine returned home.
  Princes who died in the main battle, during pursuit and in captivity (12 in total): Alexander Glebovich Dubrovitsky, Izyaslav Vladimirovich Putivlsky, Andrei Ivanovich Turovsky, Mstislav Romanovich Old Kievsky, Izyaslav Ingvarevich Dorogobuzhsky, Svyatoslav Yaroslavich Kanevsky, Svyatoslav Yaroslavich Yanovitsky, Yaroslav Yuryevich Negovorsky, Mstislav Svyatoslavich Chernigovsky, his son Vasily, Yuri Yaropolkovich Nesvizhsky and Svyatoslav Ingvarevich Shumsky.

  The Mongols pursued the Russians to the Dnieper, destroying cities and settlements along the way (they reached Novgorod Svyatopolch south of Kyiv). But not daring to enter deep into the Russian forests, the Mongols turned into the steppe.
  The defeat on Kalka marked the mortal danger hanging over Russia.

  There were several reasons for the defeat. According to the Novgorod chronicle, the first reason was the flight of Polovtsian troops from the battlefield. But the main reasons for the defeat include the extreme underestimation of the Tatar-Mongol forces, as well as the lack of a unified command of the troops and, as a consequence, the inconsistency of the Russian troops (some princes, for example, Yuri of Vladimir-Suzdal, did not act, and Mstislav the Old, although he acted, destroyed the yourself and your army).

  Prince Mstislav of Galicia, having lost the battle of Kalka, escapes across the Dnieper “...ran to the Dnieper and ordered the boats to be burned, and others to be cut and pushed away from the shore, fearing the Tatars’ pursuit.”
  Prince of Galicia Mstislav. Artist B. A. Chorikov.

  Video "Battle of Kalka". Karamzin, History of the Russian State

The Battle of the Kalka River is a battle between the united Russian-Polovtsian army and the Mongol corps. First, the Cumans and the main Russian forces were defeated, and 3 days later, on May 31, 1223, the battle ended in complete victory for the Mongols.

Background

In the first quarter of the 13th century, another wave of eastern nomads rolled into Central, Middle and Western Asia from the depths of the Eurasian continent. This was a new eruption of the Turkic world, which came from its very womb and broke not only related Turkic state formations, but also swept the world of the Eastern Slavs and mixed it with fire, blood and tears like a tornado.

The name of the new Asian conquerors, the Taumens (Laurentian Chronicle), known to the ancient Russian chronicler - Tatars, Turkmens, Turks or Turks - indicates the ethnic nature of the people. The blow that hit Eastern Europe in the first half of the 13th century was terrible, but Rus' was able to resist and as a result defeated the Tatars.

It should be said about the state of the Russian army at the time of the Mongol-Tatar invasion. The Russian princely squads were an excellent army at that time. Their weapons were famous far beyond the borders of Rus', but these squads were small in number, they included only a few hundred people. This was too little to defend the country from a well-prepared aggressive enemy.

The princely squads were of little use for acting in large forces under a single command, according to a single plan. The bulk of the Russian army consisted of urban and rural militias, which were recruited at the time of danger. It can be said about their weapons and military training that they left much to be desired.

In many ways, the Russians were indebted to the previous centuries of creative work of the Slavic grandfathers, who laid a solid material and spiritual foundation for life not only in the forest-steppes of Eastern Europe, but also in its north, in a forest belt inaccessible to Tatar horsemen. In the XIV–XV centuries. the power of the Tatar-Mongol world of Eurasia began to wane, and the Russians began to move east, with the ultimate goal being the Pacific coast.

The news that the Tatars were approaching Rus' was brought by the Cumans. The Tatars drove the Polovtsians to places in the left bank of the Dnieper region “where it is called Polovechsky Val” (Serpent Val). These were the southeastern borders of Rus'.

By 1223, he owned almost half of the Eurasian continent. The Polovtsian message about the Tatars forced the Russian princes to gather for a council in Kyiv.

They conferred in Kyiv in the spring of 1223. Grand Duke of Kiev Mstislav Romanovich, Mstislav Mstislavovich, who was sitting in Galich, Mstislav Svyatoslavovich, who owned Chernigov and Kozelsk. Young princes sat around the elder Monomashevichs and Olgovichs: Daniil Romanovich, Mikhail Vsevolodovich (son of Chermny), Vsevolod Mstislavovich (son of the Kyiv prince). The West of Rus' was left to guard the young Vasily Romanovich, who was imprisoned in Vladimir-Volynsky.

The oldest of the princes of the northeastern lands, Yuri Vsevolodovich, was absent from the congress in Kyiv, but was notified of what was happening and sent his nephew Vasilko Konstantinovich, who was in Rostov, to Southern Rus'.

Vasilko Konstantinovich was late for the battle on the Kalka River and, having learned about what happened, turned to Rostov from Chernigov, being baptized in the numerous churches at that time.

The Tatars instilled such fear in the Polovtsians that in the spring of 1223, the great Polovtsian Khan “Basty” was baptized in Rus'.

In Kyiv, it was decided to march to the steppe. In April 1223, regiments from all over Rus' began to converge under Mount Zarub, to the island of “Varyazhskomou”, to the ford across the Dnieper. The people of Kiev, Chernigov, Smolensk, Kursk, Trubchan and Putivtsy (residents of Kursk, Trubchevsk and Putivl), Galicians and Volynians came up. Residents of many other cities of Rus' with their princes also approached Zarub. The Polovtsians, who had tormented Rus' for two centuries and now sought to find protection from it, also arrived at Zarub.

10 ambassadors from the Tatars came to Zarub. The important thing is that the Mongols did not want to fight with Russia. The Mongol ambassadors who arrived to the Russian princes brought a proposal to break the Russian-Polovtsian alliance and conclude peace. True to their allied obligations, the Russian princes rejected the Mongol peace proposals. And unfortunately, the princes made a fatal mistake. All the Mongol ambassadors were killed, and because according to Yasa, deception of one who trusted was an unforgivable crime, war and revenge after that could not be avoided...

Strengths of the parties

So the Russian princes actually forced the Mongols to take battle. A battle took place on the Kalka River: there is no exact data on the size of the united Russian-Polovtsian army. Some historians estimate it was 80-100,000 people. Another estimate is 40-45,000 people. According to V.N. Tatishchev, the number of Russian troops was 103,000 people and 50,000 Polovtsian horsemen. According to A.G. Khrustalev’s estimates, the number of Russian troops was about 10,000 warriors and another 5-8,000 Polovtsians. And the 20 thousandth army of the Mongols.

Progress of the battle

May 31, morning - Allied troops began to cross the river. The first to cross it were detachments of Polovtsian cavalry together with the Volyn squad. Then the Galicians and Chernigov residents began crossing. The Kiev army remained on the western bank of the river and began to build a fortified camp.

Seeing the advanced detachments of the Mongol army, the Polovtsians and the Volyn detachment entered into battle. At first the battle developed successfully for the Russians. Daniil Romanovich, who was the first to enter the battle, fought with unparalleled courage, not paying attention to the wound he received.

The Mongol vanguard began to retreat, the Russians gave chase, lost formation and collided with the main forces of the Mongols. When Subedey saw that the forces of the Russian princes moving behind the Polovtsy were significantly behind, he gave the order for the main part of his army to go on the offensive. Unable to withstand the onslaught of a more persistent enemy, the Polovtsians fled.

The Russian army lost this battle due to its complete incapacity for the most minimal organization. Mstislav Udaloy and the “younger” Prince Daniil fled across the Dnieper, they were the first to reach the shore and managed to jump into the boats.

After which the princes chopped up the rest of the boats, fearing that the Mongols would also be able to use them. By this they doomed their comrades, whose horses were worse than princely ones, to death. Of course, the Mongols killed everyone they could overtake.

Mstislav of Chernigov with his army began to retreat across the steppe, leaving no rearguard barrier. The Mongol horsemen chased the Chernigovites, easily overtook them and cut them down.

Mstislav of Kiev positioned his soldiers on a large hill, forgetting that it was necessary to ensure a retreat to the water. It was not difficult for the Mongols to block the detachment.

Surrounded, Mstislav surrendered; he succumbed to the persuasion of Ploskini, the leader of the Brodniks, who were allies of the Mongols. Ploskinya was able to convince the prince that the Russians would be spared and their blood would not be shed. The Mongols, according to their custom, kept their word. They laid the bound captives on the ground, covered them with planks, and sat down to feast on their bodies. But not a drop of Russian blood was actually shed. And the latter, according to Mongolian views, was considered extremely important.

Here is an example of how people perceive the rules of law and the concept of honesty differently. The Russians believed that the Mongols violated their oath by killing Mstislav and other captives. But, from the point of view of the Mongols, they kept their oath, and execution was the highest necessity and the highest justice, because the princes committed the terrible sin of killing someone who trusted them.

After the battle on the Kalka River, the Mongols turned their horses to the east, eager to return to their homeland with victory. However, on the banks of the Volga, the army was ambushed by the Volga Bulgars. The Muslims, who hated the Mongols as pagans, suddenly attacked them during the crossing. Here the victors at Kalka suffered a serious defeat and their losses were numerous. Those who were able to cross the Volga left the steppes to the east and united with the main forces of Genghis Khan. Thus ended the first meeting of the Mongols and Russians.

Aftermath of the battle

The Battle of the Kalka River became a turning point in the history of Rus'. It not only significantly weakened the strength of the Russian principalities, but also sowed panic and uncertainty in Rus'. It is not for nothing that chroniclers increasingly note mysterious natural phenomena, considering them signs of future misfortunes. In the memory of the Russian people, the battle on Kalka remained as a tragic event, after which “the Russian land sits sadly.” The folk epic connected the death of Russian heroes who gave their lives for their homeland with it.

Date of the Battle of Kalka.

The Battle of Kalka, which became a turning point in the history of Rus', took place on May 31, 1223.

Background.

After the capture of Urgench in 1221, Genghis Khan gave instructions to continue the conquest of Eastern Europe. In 1222, the Cumans succumbed to the entreaties of the Mongols and attacked the Alans with them, after which the Mongols also attacked the Cumans. The Polovtsians turned to Prince Mstislav Udatny and other Russian princes for help, asking for help.

At the council in Kyiv, it was decided to meet the Mongols on Polovtsian soil, not allowing them into Rus'. The composite army did not have a commander-in-chief - each soldier was subordinate to his prince. On the way, the army met the Mongol ambassadors. The princes listened to them and ordered them to be killed. The Galician army advanced down the Dniester into the Black Sea. At the mouth, the army was met by a group of ambassadors, but it was decided to let them go. At the thresholds of the island of Khortitsa, the Galician army met with the rest of the troops.

On the left bank of the Dnieper, the advance detachment of the Mongols was met and put to flight, their commander Ganibek was killed. After two weeks of movement, Russian troops reached the bank of the Kalka River, where another advance detachment of the Mongols was soon defeated.

Progress of the battle.

There is no exact information about the strengths of the parties. According to various sources, the number of Russian-Polovtsian troops ranged from 20 to 100 thousand people.

After successful battles with the advanced detachments of the Mongols, a council was convened, the main issue of which was a place for the camp. The princes did not come to a general agreement; each eventually settled where he wanted, and also chose his own tactics for his army, without informing others about it.

On May 31, 1223, part of the Russian-Polovtsian army began crossing the Kalka, namely, Polovtsian detachments, Volyn squads, Galicians and Chernigovites. The Kievans remained on the shore and began building a camp.

Scheme of the Battle of the Kalka River.

Designations: 1) Cumans (Yarun); 2) Daniil Volynsky; 3) Mstislav Udatny; 4) Oleg Kursky; 5) Mstislav Chernigovsky; 6) Mstislav the Old; 7) Subedei and Jebe.

The Polovtsians and the Volynian detachment, coming first, entered into battle with the advanced detachments of the Mongol troops. The Mongols, having suffered defeat in the battle, began to retreat. Our advanced detachments rushed to catch up with them, lost formation and collided with the main army of the Mongols. The remaining units of the Russian-Polovtsian army fell far behind, which Subedei took advantage of. The Polovtsians and the Volyn detachment had to retreat.

The Chernigov regiment, having crossed Kalka, also encountered the Mongols and was forced to flee. The Mongols from the right wing of the attack successfully defeated the remaining Polovtsians, then the squad of Mstislav Lutsky and Oleg Kursky. The Kiev prince Mstislav Stary Romanovich watched the defeat from the camp, but did not come to his aid. Only part of the main Russian-Polovtsian army was able to take refuge in the Kiev camp, the rest fled in different directions.

Subedey, having defeated the main force of the Russian-Polovtsian army, ordered the khans to besiege the camp of the Kyiv prince, and he himself went to finish off the remnants of the fleeing enemy army. The losses of the fleeing troops were enormous.

While the fleeing Russian-Polovtsian army was being finished off, part of the Mongol army was laying siege to the Kyiv camp. The Mongols alternated attacks and shelling, until on the third day, due to a lack of water supplies, the Kievans initiated negotiations. Ploskynya, sent by Subedey, promised that no one would be killed, and the princes and governors would be sent home for a ransom if the Kiev squad laid down their arms. In memory of the previously killed ambassadors, Subedei decided to break his promise. Some of the Kievites who left the camp were killed, some were captured. The prince and the commanders were placed under the boards, and then crushed by the Mongols, who sat on them to celebrate the victory. Vladimir Rurikovich and Vsevolod Mstislavovich managed to escape from captivity.

Consequences of the Battle of Kalka.

Detachments of the Mongols, pursuing the remnants of the Russian army, invaded the territory of Rus'. Having learned that Vladimir's troops had arrived in Chernigov, the Mongols abandoned the campaign against Kyiv and returned to Central Asia. The Western campaign of the Mongols took place only 10 years later.

The Battle of Kalka became a turning point in the history of Rus'. The troops of the principalities were weakened, panic began in Rus', and confidence in the strength of the Russian army disappeared. The Battle of Kalka was a truly tragic event for the Russians.