In Ryazan, a monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat was opened in October 2007. The monument by sculptor O. Sedov is located on Postal Square, near the Kremlin. The statue is a national hero on a horse standing on a red granite pedestal. Kohler pedestal symbolizes the native land, irrigated with blood, for which Eupatius laid his head. The city municipality plans to finalize the architectural part of the monument, adding a cascading fountain, topiary flower beds, decorative stones with carved quotes from The Tale of Bygone Years to its design.
Who is Evpatiy Kolovrat?
If you believe the "Tale of the Ruin of Ryazan Batu", the governor was in Chernigov with Prince Ingvarevich, where they asked for help in the confrontation against the Mongols. Upon learning of the invasion of the enemy in his native principality, Evpatiy Kolovrat, whose monument in Ryazan is now located in the city center, together with his army hurriedly moved to defend their native land. However, upon arrival at the place, the warriors saw a completely devastated settlement and many killed townspeople. Having gathered the surviving people, the voivode with a squad of 1,700 people set off in pursuit of the Mongols.
The enemy was overtaken in Suzdal, in a merciless battle the rearguard of the Mongols was completely destroyed. Batu, amazed, sent in reinforcements his most powerful hero - Khostovrula with an additional army. The Mongol warrior promised to bring Kolovrat alive, but was defeated in battle with him. Despite a significant superiority in manpower, the Tatars lost many soldiers and lost the next battle.
Feat of the Ryazan governor
The monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat in Ryazan symbolizes boundless courage and loyalty to the motherland. According to legend, the negotiator from Batu to the question of what the warriors of Eupatia wanted, received the answer - "Die!". As a result, the Russian squad was defeated, but it was given to the Mongols with incredible difficulty. Some ancient sources indicate that the enemy managed to destroy the Kolovrat detachment only with stone-throwing tools that were used to destroy the fortifications.
Batu was struck by the courage, military art, desperation and courage of the Russian hero. He even said that he would give a lot and more in order to be able to lure the warrior to his side. The Mongolian khan, as a sign of honor and respect, released the surviving Russian soldiers without harming them. He gave them the body of the slain Evpatii. For a long time the governors made legends about the squad, they said that its people did not know death and were ready to fight the Darkness itself.
What does the Chronicle say?
Monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat in Ryazan (photo presented in the article) fell in love with residents, became a real decoration of the city. If we return to the historical chronicles, it can be noted that after the ruin of Ryazan, the Tatar-Mongols moved to Kolomna. To confront the enemy, Yuri Vladimirsky and Roman Igorevich had to unite with their squads and protect their native land. However, Pereyaslavl Prince Yaroslav did not send anyone to help.
As a result of fierce battles, Prince Yeremey and Roman died, their army was almost completely destroyed. Chroniclers report that during the battle for Kolomna, a prince Kulkan received a mortal wound. Despite the fact that the confrontation near Kolomna became one of the largest during the Batu invasion, it did not allow turning the tide.
From the princely nobility, only the brother of Prince Oleg, who was captured, and Igor Igorevich, who went to Chernigov with a request for reinforcements, survived. According to the chronicles, after the riots of Ryazan, only the stone skeletons of the buildings survived, everything else burned to the ground.
Formation of the Golden Horde
Where is the monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat in Ryazan, we examined above. This monument was another reminder of ancient history, in which there were many wars and victims. After the tragic death of the Russian governor, the Batu detachments moved inland - to Suzdal, Rostov, Vladimir, Tver, Yaroslavl. Before reaching a hundred kilometers to Novgorod, the Mongol leader deployed troops to the south. This was due to the spring thaw and heavy losses in previous battles.
In the fall of 1238, the conquerors repeatedly devastated the Ryazan principality and moved on. From 1239 to 1240 inclusively the principalities were defeated in Pereyaslav, Northern Chernigov, Kiev was taken. Despite the fierce resistance, all of South Russia was devastated and burned. The monument in Ryazan, Evpatiy Kolovrat, is a reminder to modern generations of those distant and terrible times that ended in hundreds of years of yoke. In 1241, Batu devastated Hungary, the Balkans, Poland, reaching the Adriatic Sea. However, the khan was restless at heart. After all, behind us was humiliated and plundered, but unconquered Russia. In this regard, Batu is forced to return to the Volga steppes in order to form the so-called Golden Horde. This powerful state occupied the lands of the Volga Bulgars, Crimea, western Siberia, Khorezm, the Urals, and the Polovtsian steppe. The capital of Saray-Batu is located near modern Astrakhan.
Where is the monument to Evpathy Kolovrat in Ryazan erected?
In 2007, at the intersection of Astrakhan and Pochtovaya streets, a monument was erected to the heroic governor Evpatiy Kolovrat. The same character was previously mounted a monument in the city of Shilovo, because, judging by the chronicles, this place was the birthplace of the hero.
Commemorative works
The image of the Russian hero is immortalized in engravings, paintings, songs, poems and epics. Among the works of art, the following works can be distinguished:
- “A song about the boyar Kolovrat Yevpatiy” (1859, Leo May).
- “The Legend of Kolovrat, Khan Batu, Three-handed, Black Idolisch and the Savior Jesus Christ” (1912, Sergei Yesenin).
- "The Word of Evpathy Kolovrat" (1941, Sergei Markov).
- The following works of art and cinema were also released under the name “Evpatiy Kolovrat” - the work of V. Ryakhovsky, A. Krasavin (2003), a cartoon about the heroic deed (1985), musical compositions from the Cyborg group (2007), V. Viktorov and G. Popova, Lev Prozorov (2009).
- Computer game "Golden Horde" (2008).
- The creations of the “Russian Group” are “Kolovrat with Nationalist Texts”.
- Song from the collective "My impudent truth."
The monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat in Ryazan, the description of which is given above, also became one of the symbols of perpetuating the feat of the Russian hero in the memory of the people.
In conclusion
Although chroniclers in the official documents of the Ryazan governor practically do not mention, and the "Tale of the Ruin of Batu Ryazan" refers to the artistic type of works, the realism of the feat and hero is not disputed. Now there are several options for this story. One of them reported that the voivode was buried in Ryazan Cathedral on January 18.
Encyclopedias of the military historical direction indicate that the hero was born in the town of Frolovo (now a village in the Shilovsky district). For those guests of the city who decided to visit the legendary monument - the address of the monument to Evpatiy Kolovrat in Ryazan: the intersection of Postal Square and Astrakhan Street (city center, near the Kremlin).